Be sure to check out our Canon 6D Mk II first impressions.
When you ask the question of Canon 6D Mk II vs Canon 6D there are bound to be a lot of other questions that come up. With today’s announcement of the new Canon 6D Mk II, lots of photographers are wondering whether or not they should upgrade. I personally own the Canon 6D original; and it’s been one of my favorite Canon DSLRs for many years now. Some of the biggest updates to the line include a vari-angle LCD screen and a new 26MP full frame sensor. But there are a number of other differences too.
Video Overview
Here’s our video overview of the new Canon 6D Mk II.
Canon 6D Mk II vs Canon 6D Original Tech Specs
Canon 6D Mk II
- 26MP Full frame sensor
- Vari-Angle LCD screen
- ISO 100-40,000
- DIGIC 7 processor
- Built-in Wifi/NFC/Bluetooth/GPS
- 6.5 continuous shooting abilities
- Quiet shooting mode
- Dust and weather resistance
- 45 autofocus points around the center, all are cross type
- Full 1080p 60p HD video (no 4K video output)
- 4K time lapse movie mode
- Dual Pixel CMOS AF
- Touchscreen
Canon 6D
- 20.2MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
- DIGIC 5+ Image Processor
- 3.0″ 1.04m-Dot Clear View LCD Monitor
- Full HD 1080p Video Recording at 30 fps
- 11-Point AF with Center Cross-Type Point
- Native ISO 25600, Extended to ISO 102400
- 4.5 fps Shooting at Full Resolution
- Built-In Wi-Fi and GPS Connectivity
- iFCL 63-Zone Dual Layer Metering Sensor
- In-Camera HDR & Multiple Exposure Mode
Canon 6D Mk II vs Canon 6D Original Ergonomics
The Canon 6D Mk II and the Canon 6D are pretty similar when you consider their bodies. The front of the Canon 6D Mk II has a flap for the PC Sync port–which the original Canon 6D doesn’t have. There is also another button near the shutter that lets you manipulate the type of autofocus that you’re using.
Where most of the changes are though on at the back. The Canon 6D Mk II has a vari-angle LCD screen, a new back exposure dial lock button style, and a few very tactile differences. The new camera feels beefier–think Canon 5D Mk III more than Canon 6D.
Canon 6D Mk II vs Canon 6D Original Build Quality
Both the Canon 6D and the Canon 6D Mk II are said to be weather sealed. Our video preview shows that off, which you can see above in this blog post. Most folks are very afraid of taking their cameras out into the rain. But I can tell you as a blogger whose job is to test these things that the camera and weather sealed lenses can more than stand up to the elements.
Canon 6D Mk II vs Canon 6D Original Ease of Use
The Canon 6D Mk II has a slightly deeper and newer menu than the original Canon 6D. But the main, big feature is the touch screen operation.
Using the touchscreen on the Canon 6D Mk II you can easily breeze through the menus to find exactly what you want. With time, you’ll learn how to memorize everything you need. What that translates to is getting to exactly the page you need in two taps of the screen.
Canon 6D Mk II vs Canon 6D Original Autofocus
The Canon 6D Mk II has 45 autofocus points and the original Canon 6D has much less than that at 11. With the Canon 6D I typically use the center focus point and recompose my scene. With the Canon 6D Mk II, I didn’t really need to do that as much. However, the focusing points are all near the center, so I still have to do it to a certain point.
Canon 6D Mk II vs Canon 6D Original Image Quality
If you want to see or know more about the image quality, you should know that we only have played with a pre-production Canon 6D Mk II so far. The images are close to final. The original Canon 6D did a great job and so far I’m seeing the Canon 6D Mk II is doing a better job. I’m going to need to do more thorough tests though.