Review: Canon EOS M6 specs

If your camera requirements include compact size, low weight and DSLR-like image quality, then the mirrorless APS-C–format Canon EOS M6 could be right up your street. Released in 2017, the M6 was a natural upgrade from some of the earlier Canon M-series cameras, which first appeared back in 2012. The M6 includes a 24.2-megapixel sensor, a fast autofocus speed lag of just 0.03 seconds, and an ISO range of 100-25,600.

The key to mirrorless cameras is that they can be made smaller, lighter and quieter because, unlike DSLRs, they don’t incorporate a reflex mirror or an optical viewfinder within the camera body. Most mirrorless cameras use on-sensor autofocus systems, which cuts out the need for a separate autofocus system that is required in DSLR cameras. This means, on a rear LCD screen, you are effectively seeing exactly what is falling on the sensor—much like a Live View system on a DSLR.

The autofocus system in the M6 is a Dual Pixel CMOS AF system, which can focus as quickly and accurately as a DSLR camera. It uses phase-detection pixels built onto the camera’s imaging sensor. The 49-point autofocus system is laid out in a 7x7 grid and works either automatically or allows you the flexibility to manually choose a single autofocus point or to select a 9-point AF Zone in a 3x3 grid. The Face + Tracking point selection can automatically track faces or subjects, or will simply automatically select from the 49 points if no face is recognised within the frame.

On the rear of the M6 is a three-inch [7.5cm], Clear View II touchscreen LCD monitor in a 3:2 aspect ratio, which has a resolution of 1040K dots and 100% coverage. The screen can be tilted 180 degrees upwards or 45 degrees downwards to aid shooting in tight spaces or at tricky angles. Via a toggle of the ‘info’ button, you can control the Quick Control Screen settings and Liveview options, while customisable displays include shooting info, grid overlay, a histogram (Brightness/RGB), an Electronic Level and Aspect Ratio.

The top continuous shooting speed of seven frames per second means the camera will also appeal to anyone seeking to capture and freeze action, and the DIGIC 7 processor facilitates super-fast image processing. Accurate image reproduction is aided by the camera’s ‘real-time’ 384-zone evaluative metering system and there are partial, centre-weighted, and spot metering options.

The M6’s standard ISO range is 100-25,600 for stills, while ISO auto for movie shoots is 100-6400 or up to 12,800 in 1/3 stop increments. The 25,600 ISO value for stills should help to ensure very low light shooting, without any discernible drop-off in image quality or obvious noise in pictures. The M6 also features a five-axis Digital IS (image stabilisation) system, which helps to guard against camera shake when shooting hand-held. It’s compatible with Canon’s EF-M lens mount, but you can use an EF-M adapter mount to use existing Canon EF and EF-S mount lenses on the M6.

If you’re making your first foray into mirrorless cameras, the M6 has plenty going for it. The M6 is an ideal camera for street and discreet shooting—great for photojournalists, for example. The combination of small size (112x68x44.5mm), a low weight (390g including battery and memory card), and good picture quality and ease of operation make the Canon EOS M6 an attractive proposition.