Canon EOS 6D Mark II: my first full frame

The Canon EOS 6D Mark II was my first full-frame camera. I bought it as a travel camera and took it around Madeira, the Dolomites, Iceland and Switzerland. I already wrote about it in what I shoot with. Now, years later and with experience of mirrorless cameras, here is a more detailed review.

Key specs

• 26.2 MP full-frame sensor, DIGIC 7 processor.
• 45 cross-type focus points in the viewfinder, Dual Pixel AF in live view.
• 3" vari-angle touchscreen.
• ISO 100–40,000 (expandable to 50–102,400).
• 6.5 fps bursts.
• GPS, Wi-Fi, NFC and Bluetooth.
• Sealed against moisture and dust.
• Full HD 60p video, 4K only for time-lapse.
• About 765 g with battery.

Why for travel

When I was choosing a full frame for travel, it came down to the 6D Mark II or a mirrorless camera. The DSLR won for its optical viewfinder, battery life (over 1,000 shots per charge) and price. The vari-angle screen, without which I can't imagine shooting from low angles, was a bonus. GPS writes the location into the photos: to this day I know where I took each one.

Image quality

26 MP is plenty for landscapes and prints. Noise at high ISO is very good: I shot the night sky and northern lights at ISO 3200 without trouble. The weak spot is dynamic range at low ISO: shadows lifted by more than 2–3 EV get noisier than with the competition. At sunsets I therefore often used graduated filters or bracketing. More about filters in ND, CPL and UV filters.

Autofocus

The 45 viewfinder points are clustered around the centre of the frame. That's enough for landscapes, but limiting for moving subjects near the edges. In live view Dual Pixel AF is excellent: fast and accurate across the whole frame.

Video

Full HD only, no 4K. Enough for travel clips, weak for serious filming. If you shoot more video, a mirrorless camera is the better choice, such as the Canon EOS R or R6.

Verdict

Pros: full frame at a reasonable price, vari-angle screen, battery life, GPS and Wi-Fi, weather sealing, low weight. Cons: dynamic range at low ISO, AF points near the centre, Full HD video only, a single SD slot.

Today the 6D Mark II is an excellent second-hand choice for anyone who wants to start with full frame and landscapes on a budget. I took some of my favourite photos from Madeira with it.

Faq