The 6D is Canon's cost effective entry into the world of full frame cinematography, and has been a popular little brother to the 5D since its introduction back in 2012. There has been a lot of excitement over the upcoming release of the Canon 6D Mark II, as but we noted in our rumor post a week ago, 4K wasn't one of the expected features, and now that the final specs have been announced, it's officially...not there. Just 1080p 60. In a camera that is almost $2000. In 2017. Really.
Credit: Canon
While some photographers are excited at the upgrade, most filmmakers will find this falls flat. Yes, we still consume the vast majority of our content at 1080p, but 4K release is growing (Netflix requires delivery in 4K), and 4K capture is practically standard at the moment. In addition, a camera purchase is always a long term investment meant to pay itself off over many years, and there just isn't enough of a future in 1080 to make this a worthwhile investment for most filmmakers. If you are just starting out, an XT2 or a GH5 makes more sense. If you desperately need a full frame sensor for extensive low light work, a 5D Mark IV, or even the still popular Mark III, isn't that much of an upgrade price wise.
Credit: Canon
The big upgrades are a swivel screen, image stabilization, and dual pixel auto focus. Dual pixel, a technology that many love, hasn't come in such an affordable package before, which will excite photographers. However, filmmakers, who still tend to manually focus more often, aren't necessarily dying for the feature. The swivel screen is a nice addition, but it's also something that pretty much all the major competitors have already, and many, many filmmakers are attaching external monitors for a larger image and extreme articulation, so the feature isn't likely to be a strong draw. With 4K monitors coming in at under $200, it feels like most filmmakers will end up heading towards 4K cameras. While image stabilization might be nice, the post stools are so strong in that arena that it would be better to just shoot 4K and refine in post.
Credit: Canon
Unfortunately, this feels like an upgrade for the photographers only. Canon has made it clear that they feel like filmmakers should go for the C line and that these cameras are aimed at the still market, and this release makes it clear that nothing has changed.
Available now from B&H body only for $1999.
Tech Specs:
- 26.2MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
- DIGIC 7 Image Processor
- 45-Point All-Cross Type AF System
- Full HD Video at 60 fps; Digital IS
- 3" 1.04m-Dot Vari-Angle Touchscreen LCD
- Dual Pixel CMOS AF and Movie Servo AF
- Native ISO 40000, Expanded to ISO 102400
- 6.5 fps Shooting; Time-Lapse & HDR Movie
- Built-In GPS, Bluetooth & Wi-Fi with NFC
- Dust and Water Resistant; SD Card Slot
