Users of Canon 6D - feed back on this body

[bobt]

I've just come back from O/S so I have missed this thread. I took my Canon 6D away with me, and it worked flawlessly for the 3500 shots I took in anything from snow and icebergs to hot Mediterranean sun. I have been very happy with it and although I have other cameras this is the one I use 99% of the time. I miss having a fill flash, and the FPS could be faster - but overall it is a very nice camera to work with and being full frame you get a nice latitude for cropping. I doubt anyone would be unhappy with this camera.

[mikew09]

in response to

Haven't purchased yet. I have gone back into procrastination mode as have some doubts about shooting at horse events after a review I read. :-) Back on the undecided bench again I am afraid.

That would depend more on the focus speed of the lens then the body - I can get birds in flight with a fast focus lens easily with the 6D - Horses would be easier as they do not change direction mid air as much as birds do

Thanks for the response. I should have been a little clearer in that comment. It was more around focus speed in low conditions and I do shoot a bit in under cover horse arean's which can be challenging when trying to balance the 50D and ISO in low light.

I have been into the camera store and tested both the 5d3 and the 6D and both present excellent IQ and noise control at high ISO. I do prefer the controls on my 50D which aligns with the 5d3. To be honest, what I am struggling with most of all is, is the focus system and the preferred control dials worth the extra cash? I hear more and more good stuff about the 6D but just want to ensure I make the right purchase.

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I've just come back from O/S so I have missed this thread. I took my Canon 6D away with me, and it worked flawlessly for the 3500 shots I took in anything from snow and icebergs to hot Mediterranean sun. I have been very happy with it and although I have other cameras this is the one I use 99% of the time. I miss having a fill flash, and the FPS could be faster - but overall it is a very nice camera to work with and being full frame you get a nice latitude for cropping. I doubt anyone would be unhappy with this camera.

Thanks bobt, is great to get the real life feedback if 6D owners from yourself and others.

[davearnold]

I recently shot a wedding as second shooter, I had 6D with 70-200 2.8IS mkII , main shooter had 5D mkiii with 24-70 mkii - I could get focus on dancing with dimmed lights where she couldn't - the 6D from my experience can see in the dark

[mikew09]

I recently shot a wedding as second shooter, I had 6D with 70-200 2.8IS mkII , main shooter had 5D mkiii with 24-70 mkii - I could get focus on dancing with dimmed lights where she couldn't - the 6D from my experience can see in the dark

Now that is interesting. This is the second time I have been told the 6D is better to focus in low light than a 5d3. A work buddy just got a 6D and made the same comment although he did say you need to be aware this is mostly restricted to the centre focus point so you may need to focus and recompose. This really wouldn't bother me and is so much of a habit with my 50D I do it instinctively these days and would probably continue with my next body as the habit is so ingrained now.

Thanks for the comment davearnold ;-)

[FallingHorse]

I read a review that stated the 6D focus in low light out performed the 5D3 and could focus in light as low as -3EV

[Pobbs]

I have a 6D and a 7D and I shoot portraits in my studio and births in low light. I did a real world ISO comparison with both. As I dont like to push past 800 on the 7D but at 12800 on the 6D the image was still useable.

The AF crosshair doesnt bother me because I focus-recompose anyway. And that middle crosshair is super sensitive in low light.

Get set for the CR2 format not being readable by ACR and needing the DNG Converter (7.4).

[mikew09]

I read a review that stated the 6D focus in low light out performed the 5D3 and could focus in light as low as -3EV

Yea - I think I read a similar thing the other night.

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I have a 6D and a 7D and I shoot portraits in my studio and births in low light. I did a real world ISO comparison with both. As I dont like to push past 800 on the 7D but at 12800 on the 6D the image was still useable.

The AF crosshair doesnt bother me because I focus-recompose anyway. And that middle crosshair is super sensitive in low light.

Get set for the CR2 format not being readable by ACR and needing the DNG Converter (7.4).

I can live with that until the support is available. A friends 6D arrived yesterday and he just sent me an image of his boy i an almost no light room shot at 12800 ISO and I was blown away by the IQ. He said that he couldn't believe how this camera focus in virtually a dark room and produced such a high quality image at the high ISO. He previously owned a 5D2 and said ISO wise they are chalk and cheese.

Continuously hearing good things about the 6D. Seems the price gap is increasing between the 6D and 5d3 too. I see my regular store in the city has 6D body for 1995 and the 5d# is still 3599.

Definitely leaning too the 6D in view of the positive responses in this thread.

[acko]

I recently shot a wedding as second shooter, I had 6D with 70-200 2.8IS mkII , main shooter had 5D mkiii with 24-70 mkii - I could get focus on dancing with dimmed lights where she couldn't - the 6D from my experience can see in the dark

Funny you should say that. I have just purchased one of these, and I am amazed as how good it is in low light situations. I have yet to use the flash on it. I was intending to buy the 5D 111 but after seeing a mate of mine's 6D, that swayed my decision.

[davearnold]

I am finding I prefer the IQ over the 7D more and more, and starting to leave the 7D at home even when the extra reach/speed might be of benefit - as a cropped 6D image is often better then a complete 7D image - my findings anyway .

[mikew09]

Pretty much decided the 6D will fill all my needs with exception of the horse events which I seem to be doing more and more of. There is a horse event coming up next month that is in the undercover arena where my 50D struggles so will hire a 6d for the day and she how it performs. If I am happy with the performance on the day, I will be buying the 6D. If not 100% happy will buy the 5D3 and can the 17-40 L.

For me this is a long term purchase, 5-6 yrs so need to ensure I have the kit to suit my needs going forward.

All the comments have been a great assistance and without them I am doubtful I would have really considered the 6D with all the negativity about the focus on web reviews. I have found the 6D web reviews very frustrating on the web as they continuously compare the 6D to the 5d3 and this smashes the focus of the 6D. What I really would like to see is a review of the performance of a 50D against a 6D for a sport event and I am pretty confident the ranking of the focus would be different.
The other thing that really frustrated me was how much emphasis was put on the video in reviews with some doing vid only reviews. Maybe I am old school but I wouldn't care less if the bodies had video or not, I am a amateur photography, not a film maker and I have a HD video camera that suits my point and shoot video requirements very well.

Hence, my thanks to all who commented with real world experience on the 6D - it is great and I look forward to other comments to follow.

[mikew09]

I have the 5d3 and the 6d.

The 6d is with me every day and everywhere. I absolutely love the camera and the fact that is smaller and lighter.

My 5d3 is used in studio, as a main camera on location and as a video camera.

Can't fault any of them really.

People complains about the 6d autofocus all the time. Yes it only has one crossed hair but that one is a really good and fast one when used with a fast lens. Digital medium format cameras only have one autofocus point and nobody complains. The fact is that unless you are going to shoot fast moving subjects the additional focus points are not a must have.

I really don't think you are going to outgrow the camera unless you need the extra stop in shutter speed, the two thirds for flash synch speed or a flash sync port (which I admit it should have).

The first two can be overcome with HSS and some other optical slave hacks, the second one is only important if you want the reliability of the cable over wireless or if you are shooting in a shared studio and can't use cell in the external flashes and don't have extra wireless slaves.

If I could ony have one one would be the 5d3 because of my line of work. But the 6d has earned a place as my go to body for every day shooting.

Thanks munecito, that is very interesting

[Arg]

Given what you do, I can't see why choose anything other than a 5D Mark III. Not only is it better at auto-focusing on moving subjects, it is also more consistent at auto-focusing on static subjects.

And remember that the newer lens models have better AF systems that enable AF focusing consistency that older lenses simply cannot achieve -- and by older I mean pre-2010 release date.

So, maybe a 5D Mark III and a 70-300 L IS.

[Arg]

Oh, one other comment: don't use the focus-recompose technique at wide aperture and with subjects relatively close so the camera is 're-angled' by much. It will lead to out-of-focus images. It is OK for distant subjects where the camera 're-angle' is minuscule.

[mikew09]

Oh, one other comment: don't use the focus-recompose technique at wide aperture and with subjects relatively close so the camera is 're-angled' by much. It will lead to out-of-focus images. It is OK for distant subjects where the camera 're-angle' is minuscule.

Thanks for the comments. A fella I work with has recently purchased the 70-300 L and it appears to be an impressive lens on all accounts

[Jcas]

The other thing that really frustrated me was how much emphasis was put on the video in reviews with some doing vid only reviews. Maybe I am old school but I wouldn't care less if the bodies had video or not, I am a amateur photography, not a film maker and I have a HD video camera that suits my point and shoot video requirements very well

Know exactly what you are saying , that used to bug me too, i don't think i have used the video on any camera i have owned as yet.
How are you going with your decision ??

[mikew09]

Know exactly what you are saying , that used to bug me too, i don't think i have used the video on any camera i have owned as yet.
How are you going with your decision ??

Believe it or not I am still in limbo. Tried a friends 6D at a horse event and though I found it a really nice camera, I really did miss my 50D control set and the body felt much the same as my 50D with focusing. Initially I did think that I would be happy with a FF with 50D limited focusing but when I had it in my hands I just felt like I wanted more from a new, actually much newer body and if I am going to upgrade maybe I should move to something that will cover the full spectrum of shooting activities. So here I sit in limbo with a want for a body I really can't afford at this point. Disappointingly I didn't get to bring a few images home to process, my bad.

Please dont take this as a negitive for the body, I have seen my friends images and it presents everything a FF would be expected to deliver IQ wise but for me I just felt a want for the 5d3 focusing and control set.

I will update this thread once I finally make a purchase.

[NCHANT]

^ I'm sure your decision will be made soon 5D3 or 6D, both great cameras.

I have had my 6D for about 6 weeks or so now, coming form a 600D, I absolutely love it. Then again I have no need for the functions 5D3 has over the 6D. My 10-22mm lens works brilliantly on the FF (very minor mods to make it work) so don't be too hasty in selling yours

Wifi and GPS is very cool, use them all the time for reviewing photos and taking them - I'm used to an articulating screen, so being able to view my compositions on the iPad makes this camera very handy, where the 5D3 just won't work in certain situations. But as people have said, the EOS app isn't the greatest, I can't wait until they release a version with an intervalometer or hack a new app

Good luck with your decision!

[mikew09]

^ I'm sure your decision will be made soon 5D3 or 6D, both great cameras.

I have had my 6D for about 6 weeks or so now, coming form a 600D, I absolutely love it. Then again I have no need for the functions 5D3 has over the 6D. My 10-22mm lens works brilliantly on the FF (very minor mods to make it work) so don't be too hasty in selling yours

Wifi and GPS is very cool, use them all the time for reviewing photos and taking them - I'm used to an articulating screen, so being able to view my compositions on the iPad makes this camera very handy, where the 5D3 just won't work in certain situations. But as people have said, the EOS app isn't the greatest, I can't wait until they release a version with an intervalometer or hack a new app

Good luck with your decision!

Hi NCHANT, that is the first I have heard of a mod being done on a EFS lens to fit FF. I am assuming you are talking of the Canon UWA, I love mine and I find it to be a superb lens and in a class of my L series lens. I was always under the understanding that the rear of the EF-S lens protruded to far into the from of the body and would clash with the mirror on FF bodies not to mention the projection of light through the rear element would be smaller than the sensor - I find this a very interesting comment.

What mod did you do to allow the lens to fit on your 6D?

Thanks Mike

[bitrusty]

Ive had my 6d for a few weeks now upgrade from the 7d.I love the IQ of this camera and far less noise.The only thing I have found is the metering is a little inconsistent but that could be just mine.

[NCHANT]

Here's a video on how to do it, it's a 10 second mod and will work straight away. Also, it doesn't break or ruin the lens at all, and is reversible

http://www.benjacobsenphoto.com/2010...-conversion-2/

If you want to see what the pictures come out like, I have a set of images here you can view, most were set at 16mm.