The Canon EOS R6 is expected to be a more affordable full-frame equivalent of the already official Canon EOS R5 – and if the latest rumors are correct, we might not be too far away from the mirrorless camera’s launch.
As Canon recently confirmed to us, the EOS R5 is the full-frame mirrorless equivalent of its 5-series DSLRs – and those cameras have long had more affordable equivalents in Canon’s 6-series models, such as the Canon EOS 6D Mark II. This means the latter is expected to be the spiritual equivalent of the Canon EOS R6, even if Canon has yet to confirm its existence.
So far, the rumors suggest the EOS R6 will be surprisingly close to the EOS R5 in design and features. It might lack the headline ability to shoot 8K video, but the affordable full-frame camera is expected to include treats such as in-body image stabilization and the ability to shoot stills at a speedy 20fps.
So what other features is it expected to have and how much might it cost? We’ve rounded up all of the latest Canon EOS R6 rumors and added our informed opinion on how it’s shaping up in this regularly updated feature. Here’s why it could potentially be even more popular than the powerful EOS R5.
Canon EOS R6 price and release date
So far, there haven’t been any leaks around the Canon EOS R6’s price, but we can make some informed guesses based on Canon’s DSLRs the rumors about the EOS R5.
The Canon EOS 6D Mark II originally launched for $2,000 / £1,999 / AU$2,199. While the Canon EOS R6 is expected to be a little more powerful than an ‘entry-level’ model, this could give us a ballpark for its price tag. Particularly if the EOS R5 does arrive, as expected, for around $3,500 / £3,500 / AU$4,500.
A little more certain is the EOS R6’s release date. Canon Rumors is now pretty confident that it will be announced in a joint launch with the Canon EOS R5 in early July, which would be quite a statement.
There’s some uncertainty over whether it will arrive on July 2, or after the US Independence Day weekend on July 6. But either way, that week is one to put in your calendar if you’re in the market for a new full-frame mirrorless camera.
Unfortunately, it looks like you might not be able to buy one immediately, with Canon Rumors suggesting a slight delay in availability for both the EOS R6 and EOS R5 – it’s been told “to expect both cameras to have limited availability by the end of July”.
That’s to be expected given the global pandemic, but the delay might also give you the chance to weigh up rumored rivals like the Nikon Z5.
Canon EOS R6: specs and features
So far, the leaked specs for the Canon EOS R6 back up the idea that it’ll be a spiritual equivalent to the EOS 6D Mark II, although it’ll likely be on another planet to that camera when it comes to specs.
If the leaks from Canon Rumors are true, the EOS R6 will be surprisingly close to the EOS R5 on the features front. It’ll apparently have in-body image stabilization (IBIS) and even match the R5’s continuous shooting speeds, which would mean a speedy 12fps with the mechanical shutter or 20fps with the electronic shutter.
That would be seriously rapid for a supposedly ‘entry-level’ full-frame camera. It seems that this has partly been enabled by the rumored 20MP sensor, which would make the camera significantly lower in resolution than the EOS R5 (expected to be around 40MP) or even the 32.5MP Canon EOS M6 Mark II.
On the other hand, this sensor could potentially be the same as the one in the Canon 1DX Mark III, which is the company’s flagship DSLR for sports photographers – and if 20MP is good enough for pro sports snappers, then it’s fair to say it’ll work for the many keen amateurs this camera would likely be aimed at.
Where else will the EOS R6 cut corners to hit that lower price point? Canon Rumors suggests the build quality will be inferior to that of the EOS R5. It’ll also apparently have a lower-resolution EVF than that camera, and lack the top-plate LCD for glancing at your exposure settings.
Still, unlike the Canon EOS R, the EOS R6 will apparently have two card slots, which can be useful for creating a backup as you shoot (or for saving raws to one, and JPEGs to the other).
It’ll also apparently have powerful video capabilities (if not 8K powers), with the ability to shoot 4K/60p video and Full HD at 120fps. We’ll have to wait for further leaks or official teasers to find out about things like recording limits or codecs though.
Canon EOS R6: early thoughts
The Canon EOS R6 is certainly shaping up to be an exciting camera, if the leaks are accurate. But perhaps the main question is where the camera will sit in Canon’s full-frame mirrorless lineup.
The Canon EOS R5 will unquestionably be on top of that tree for now, with the EOS R6 fulfilling the ‘EOS 6D’ role below it. Yet there’s also the existing Canon EOS R and Canon EOS RP to factor into the equation.
We imagine the EOS RP will remain as the affordable full-frame mirrorless option, a role it fills very well, particularly at current prices. But in many ways the EOS R6 sounds like an real upgrade on the original EOS R, particularly if it does indeed include IBIS, dual card slots, the ability to shoot at 20fps, and 4K/60p video powers.
The only major asterisk is over that possible 20MP sensor, which some shooters might find a little low-res. But this is also what could enable the Canon EOS R6 to appeal to sports and wildlife shooters, particularly if the autofocus performance is similar to what’s been promised on the EOS R5.
We’ll bring you more rumors and analysis, and official info, as soon as we get it.
Source: techradar.com
Top Brands
