Review: Canon EOS 6D Mark II specs

The full-frame 26.2-megapixel Canon EOS 6D Mark II DSLR is all about delivering maximum creative possibilities in an intuitive and easy-to-handle package. With ISO up to 102,400, 45-point autofocus and a top shooting speed of 6.5 frames-per-second, the second iteration of the 6D offers extreme low-light shooting, accurate autofocus and the ability to catch fast-moving action.

Rebecca Stice used the Canon EOS 6D Mark II and Canon 50mm f/1.2 L USM from MPB for this Halloween-inspired photoshoot.

The advanced autofocus system deploys all 45 points as cross-type points, which means they all analyse both vertical and horizontal lines. Hence, they are more accurate than vertical-only autofocus points in ensuring reliable focusing performance across the frame. Of the 45 autofocus points, 27 of them are sensitive up to an aperture of f/8, meaning they give you better opportunities to focus when using smaller apertures in low light. Another benefit of such increased autofocus sensitivity is when using teleconverters to autofocus on far-off subjects, such as animals or sporting events. 

The central autofocus point is a double cross-type point, which allows you to focus even when shooting in moonlight conditions down to -3EV. The ability of the camera’s autofocus system extends to shooting in Live View mode when using the rear three-inch [7.6cm] articulated Vari-Angle screen. Dual Pixel CMOS AF focuses rapidly and accurately. To track a subject, you can simply tap the LCD touchscreen and it will be kept in sharp focus as it moves around the screen—useful for autofocus tracking for video shoots. For stills and movies alike, the flip-out LCD opens up creative options to shoot at fresh angles and in small spaces.

The top ISO value of 102,400 is a further low-light option. The camera’s standard ISO range is 100-40,000, but additional expandable settings mean you can shoot in a range between ISO 50-102,400. That huge 102,4000 ISO value means the Canon EOS 6D Mark II operates at light levels for those shooting at dusk, night or in extreme low-light conditions. Many photographers may not need to push ISO levels that high, but image performance at up to ISO 25,600 shows little deterioration in terms of overall image quality. In any case, it means you can shoot confidently with minimal light sources, either with controlled or uncontrolled lighting.

The Canon EOS 6D Mark II saw the introduction of a 26.2-megapixel full-frame sensor, which helps provide a broader dynamic range, better low-light capabilities and higher image quality than is available in cropped-sensor DSLRs. The sensor also opens up the possibilities for shooting with wide-angle prime or zoom lenses, hence wider fields of view are available for landscapes and creative shooting. While the full-frame sensor will offer less ‘reach’ than crop factor cameras, it does offer the benefit of more subject separation with blurred backgrounds if you want to isolate the main foreground subject.

The Canon EOS 6D Mark II offers Bluetooth WiFi connectivity for viewing images instantly on smartphones, tablets or laptops, plus built-in GPS for geotagging your images wherever you are in the world. This saves time when it comes to adding captions and recording exactly where a picture was taken. Overall, the Canon EOS 6D Mark II is a smart choice if you want to combine creativity with reliable autofocus and low-light shooting.