Canon photographers and videographers around the world are asking themselves, "Is it worth upgrading to the Canon EOS R6 Mark II" In this blog post, we discuss 10 reasons why you might want to upgrade to a Canon R6 MK II and some reasons why you might not want to.
Shootlab are a Content Creation Studio based in the UK, and we consider ourselves true 'hybrid shooters'. We often work at a fast pace on live commercial projects, seamlessly switching between creating video content to commercial photo shoots. Over the last 6 months, we have extensively tested the performance of the Canon R6 Mark II in various filming environments, ranging from corporate video settings to studio shoots, and even filming on location for extended periods in the midday sun. We want to share our insights regarding the camera and provide our perspective on whether it's worth considering the upgrade.
Shootlab has owned a Canon R6 since it came out in 2020. While the camera can produce amazing results, we felt that there were some serious shortcomings in terms of functionality and usability. In this blog post, we offer a real-world perspective on how the updated Canon R6 camera performs in the field and present 10 reasons why you might want to consider switching to the Canon R6 Mark II.
1) What is the record limit of the Canon EOS R6 Mark II?
The first headline feature is that Canon has removed the 30-minute record limit a problem that plagued the original Canon R6, a massive deal for us! The Canon R6 MK2 has no recording limit, the recording duration is only limited by battery life and available memory storage. The number of times we have had issues with the R6 stopping during important recordings. Does the Canon EOS R6 Mark II overheat? With the Canon R6 not only did you have to worry about the limited recording length (29 minutes, 59 seconds) you also had to worry about the camera overheating and switching off. This is something that you can't explain to the client and something that adds unnecessary stress to a video shoot.
We were using the R6 as a B camera to the rock-solid Canon C70. Having to switch the R6 camera off and on all the time to reset the recording time or to allow it to cool down also means more work in post as you have to sync all the different clips. The Canon R6 Mk2 also has improved thermal performance, and so far on video shoots, we have had no overheating issues with the camera, even when filming in Chicago in August in the midday sun.
2) Canon EOS R6 II - 6k Downsample for video
The amount of detail that you can now capture is incredible, even though the camera does not offer 6K internal recording. The 6K sensor captures exceptional detail and retains it for 4K output. We love the increased level of detail, which is particularly noticeable when capturing landscapes, buildings, and other scenes where a higher level of detail provides a better image. We also like to use the R6 Mark II for filming wide shots of meetings and events, where you can zoom in and reframe during the edit whilst still retaining sharpness and detail.
3) Does the Canon R6 Mark II have enough megapixels?
The main upgrades in the R6 Mark II from a photographer's perspective, include a higher-resolution 24MP sensor compared to the 20MP of the R6, and a rapid continuous shooting speed of 40fps, doubling the R6's 20fps. The Canon EOS R6 Mark II's 24.2MP full-frame sensor represents a marked advancement from the original R6's 20MP. While this upgrade might appear minimal to some, for Shootlab and other photography aficionados, it makes a significant impact, particularly when cropping an image!
4) Canon R6 Mark II Separate dial to switch between Photography and Video mode
Having a separate stills/video switch might not seem significant, but its key advantage is that you can assign distinct settings to the dials and buttons for both video and photography. In video mode, we can set our video dial for 25fps, 50fps, and 150fps, with all settings optimised for quick shooting. Conversely, in photo mode, we can assign a different set of settings using the dials in modes 1, 2, and 3. Having separate exposure and custom button settings for stills and video makes it really easy to switch back and forth.
5) Canon EOS R6 II improved system software
In the Canon EOS R6 II, the system software has been improved; things are now positioned where they should be, allowing for faster operation. The camera introduces some additional features, such as the ability to instruct it to focus on various subjects, including people, cars, animals, and more. Now a red box appears on the screen when in record mode, a useful feature given how easy it is to forget to press 'record'.
6) Canon R6 Mark II 4K UHD no crop
The Canon EOS R6 II records oversampled UHD 4K/60p video and utilises the entire width of its full-frame CMOS sensor, so no more annoying cropping!
7) Canon R6 II now supports ProRes RAW
The R6 II supports a ProRes RAW video workflow when paired with a compatible Atomos recorder. This encompasses recording 6K Raw video using the entire sensor width, as well as 3.7K Raw video with a Super35 crop.
8) Canon R6 II - Inclusion of aspect ratio markers
The Canon R6 Mk2 now has on-screen aspect ratio markers for both horizontal and vertical a very useful feature. Increasingly we are being asked to create vertical edits from our 16:9 video footage, so having vertical markers allows us to make sure that we frame our shots properly during a shoot, so that we are able to reframe and crop vertically in post for Tiktok and Instagram Reels etc.
False Colour is a really useful exposure tool that appears on many high-end video cameras False Colour assists you in scenes where exposure is hard to judge allowing you to make sure that you don't over or under expose you video footage.
Canon has added a pre-record feature to the EOS R6 mk2 that captures footage for three or five seconds before you hit the record button, this is a really nice feature! Just select the amount of time for pre-recording, before recording and press record. We have all found ourselves reaching for that record button when something spontaneous happens but missing that key bit of action, the pre-record function ensures you never miss
Canon EOS R6 II negatives:
So we have talked about all of the things that we like about the R6 MK2, what don't we like?
1) Small HD port- Disappointing we don't like using this as it is a liability
2) Rolling shutter is poor, shame that they didn't improve this at all The rolling shutter is probably our biggest gripe with the R6 Mk2. You are able to create incredible images with the camera but the shots are very often let down with that familiar jelly wobble. If this was fixed you would have yourself a true Cinema Camera!
3) The Cost
When the EOS R6 Mark II came out we did consider the purchase for quite a long time as there were few headline-grabbing features. However, we are really glad that we went for it despite the additional cost. On the surface it is not a very exciting upgrade if you already own the original Canon R6 but once you get to know all its updates and improvements you will be very happy that you made the move!
Conclusion: Should I buy the Canon EOS EOS R6 II?
So if you are asking 'should I buy a Canon R6 MK II' Shootlab would argue yes, especially if you going to be shooting a lot of video. This is an incredible hybrid camera with few flaws, that has been enhanced and refined to become a really powerful filming tool. If set up correctly the intelligent auto-focus alone makes it worth the upgrade. You can really rely on its AI-focusing technology to capture stunning, sharp and detailed imagery even in difficult shooting conditions and with fast-moving subject matter! The improved 24.2MP count also makes it great upgrade for photography, allowing for reframing and sizing up without quality loss. (We found the R6 megapixel count of 20MP to be slightly low for some of our photo shoots.)
However camera gear is only a small part of being a great photographer or filmmaker - skills, business, knowledge and education are more important investments than the latest camera equipment.
What video format does Canon R6 Mark II shoot in?
The camera shoots internally H.264/H.265/MPEG-4 4:2:2 10-BitUHD 4K (3840 x 2160) at frame rates of 23.98/25/29.97/50/59.94 fps with settings of 60 to 340 Mb/s
Does the Canon R6 Mark II ever overheat?
Although the Canon R6 Mark II encountered overheating issues previously, Canon assures that the camera can now record 4K60p for 40 minutes or longer without any heat limitations. Hence, the previous concerns regarding overheating have been addressed, making it a reliable choice for extended video recording sessions.
Is Canon R6 Mark II Full-frame?
Yes, the Canon R6 Mark II is a full-frame mirrorless camera and has a Full-Frame CMOS Sensor.
Is the R6 II weather sealed?
Yes, the R6 II has both dust- and weather-resistant sealing on all it's external doors and inputs.
What is the maximum frame rate for video on Canon R6 II?
You can record movies at a high frame rate of 179.82/150.00/119.88/100.00 fps. This is ideal if you want to capture footage in super slow motion!
Why does my histogram keep disappearing on my Canon R6 II
When we first got our Canon R6 mkII we kept finding that the histogram kept disappearing. We set up all the features by assigning specific settings to different buttons and dials but the histogram kept disappearing from our info screen, making it really hard to expose properly. After a lot of frustration and no help from camera forums, we discovered by chance that it was because we had the prerecord feature turned on. Having the Prerecord setting switched on knocks out the histogram, switch this off and you will have no problem, hopefully, a firmware update will fix this problem, as we love this feature!
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SHOOTLAB are a content Creation Company based in the UK. Specialising in Video Production, Post Production including Colour Grading & Video Editing. Photography, Videography, Social media Content Creation.
Our Video Production Services Include:
Creation of promo videos for websites
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