In February, Canon refreshed the market of mirrorless cameras by launching its new entry-level full-frame model – the Canon EOS RP.
We already reviewed the primary specs and capabilities of the EOS RP in our Canon EOS RP review and did the same for the Nikon Z6 in our Nikon Z6 review. But in this article, we will compare these two cameras to see which one comes out on top.
The Canon EOS RP and Nikon Z6 share a lot of things in common. They were both released as an alternative to the more powerful mirrorless systems such as Canon EOS R and Nikon Z7. Further, each of them is compact, relatively affordable for its class, and have good all-around in features.
If you are looking to buy a new camera and you are having troubles to decide whether you should opt for the Canon EOS RP or Nikon Z6, you’ve come to the right place.
Editor's Tip: If you're ready to buy a new camera, you might consider offsetting its cost by selling your old gear. I work with MPB to sell my old stuff, and it's been a quick and painless process each time. Learn more about selling used gear (and buying it too) in my MPB review.
Canon EOS RP vs Nikon Z6: Sensor and ISO
It is well known that camera’s sensor determines the image quality and having a full-frame sensor makes both of these cameras great.
Although there are only microscopic differences in the sensor size of the Canon RP and Nikon Z6, mirrorless Canon has a slightly bigger resolution (26.2MP vs 24.3 MP). On the other hand, smaller resolution in the Nikon Z6 provides it with bigger individual pixels (5.74μm versus 5.94μm) that can record more light.
Both cameras work remarkably well in low-light conditions because of their vast ISO range, but the Nikon is much more capable at the high-end of ISO.
The Canon EOS RP has a native sensitivity range of ISO 100 to 40000 (extendable to ISO 50-102400). On the other side, the Nikon Z6 has a native ISO range of 100-51200, and there is a possibility to increase ISO sensitivity up to ISO 204800.
Another advantage the Nikon Z6 has over the Canon EOS RP is it has Sensor-Shift Image Stabilization technology which eliminates the elements of shake during long exposures. This produces less blur on photos when taking images in low-light conditions.
Neither of the cameras has a built-in flash, but there is an external flash shoe in both of them.
In the video above, David Akoubian compares the Canon EOS RP and Nikon Z6 and their performance using a ten stop ND filter.
CANON EOS RP VS NIKON Z6: AUTOFOCUS, BURST SHOOTING, AND VIDEO
Although the Canon EOS RP has lower price-tag than the Nikon Z6, its autofocus is faster and it has much more autofocus points In fact, one of the most impressive Canon EOS RP specs is the number of autofocus points. While there are 4779 autofocus points in the EOS RP, there are only 273 autofocus points in the Nikon Z6.
However, the Nikon Z6 mostly beats the Canon EOS RP in all other features. For example, burst shooting really makes a difference between these two cameras.
The Canon EOS RP has continuous shooting speed at 5 frames per second which is really the low end if you are into action photography. If your primary goal is to use your camera for sport, event or wildlife photography, you will be much more satisfied if you buy the Nikon Z6. This camera captures 12 frames per second and it works great for photographing subjects that are in successive motion.
The Nikon Z6 also performs better when it comes to video capabilities, although the differences are not that substantial. Both cameras can record 4K videos, although the Z6 offers 4K at 30p while the EOS RP offers 4K at 25p. Moreover, both cameras can shoot Full HD at 60p, although the Nikon Z6 has the capability for creating slow-motion sequences.
The only disadvantage of the Nikon Z6 in terms of video is its non-reversible LCD screen. The Canon EOS R has a selfie-friendly LCD screen which is much convenient for those who are making vlogs.
Canon EOS RP vs Nikon Z6: Design
Mirrorless cameras are definitely taking over the market. In the past, full-frame models used to be expensive and heavy, but mirrorless technology profoundly changed this.
The Canon EOS RP is advertised as “the portable performer”. This camera measures only 5.22 x 3.35 x 2.76 inches and weighs only 15.6 ounces. If these numbers don’t mean much to you, let’s simply say this is one of the most compact full-frame cameras on the market today.
If you are looking for a small and light camera, the Canon EOS RP is definitely among the top choices. But, what about the Nikon Z6?
The Nikon Z6 has dimensions of 5.3 x 4.0 x 2.7 inches and weight of 21.8 ounces. As we can see, there is no huge difference in the size of these two cameras, although few ounces can make a difference if you intend to use a camera with heavy lenses during the whole day.
Although it has a nice and compact design, the Canon EOS RP is not weather-sealed. This means you need to be careful while using this camera during heavy rains or freezing temperatures. On the other side, you don’t need to worry about these things if you opt for the Nikon Z6. This camera is weather-sealed against dust and moisture so we can justify a few ounces more than it has in comparison to Canon’s camera.
Why is the Canon EOS RP redefining full-frame mirrorless cameras? Get an answer to this question in the video above by Dan Watson
Canon EOS RP vs Nikon Z6: LCD and Viewfinder
Canon EOS RP
On both cameras, you can use either an electronic viewfinder or LCD screen for composing images.
We already mentioned that EOS RP has fully articulated LCD screen and that it comes as a big advantage over the Nikon Z6 which has a display that can only be tilted up and down.
However, this is the only advantage of the mirrorless Canon when it comes to LCD and viewfinder specifications.
The Nikon Z6 has larger LCD screen (3.2” vs 3.0”) and bigger resolution (2100 vs 1040 dots). Additionally, the Nikon Z6 also has a more detailed viewfinder (3690k vs 2360k) which certainly makes the process of composing images much enjoyable.
One more thing that is good about the Nikon Z6 is that features a top LCD screen which is convenient for quickly checking and adjusting camera settings.
Canon EOS RP vs Nikon Z6: Lenses
By entering the market of mirrorless cameras, Nikon and Canon also launched new lens mounts for their mirrorless products. Since this happened only recently, at the moment there are not many lenses to choose for mirrorless Nikon and Canon cameras, although the companies are extensively working on developing new ones.
For the Canon EOS RP, you will need to use the RF mount lenses and at the moment there are only four of them: Canon RF 24–105 mm f/4 L IS USM, Canon RF 28–70 mm f/2 L USM, Canon RF 50 mm f/1.2 L USM, and Canon RF 35 mm f/1.8 IS STM Macro. However, only during this year, there will be six additional RF mount lenses released by Canon.
The Nikon Z6 lenses use the Z mount. As it is the case with Canon, there are not many lenses for Z-mount. At the moment you can choose among Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.8 S, Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.8 S, Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 S, Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S, and Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S. The fastest Z-mount lenses (58mm f/0.95 S Noct) should be released any time soon.
While we wait for Canon and Nikon to expand their list of lenses for their mirrorless models, it is worth mentioning that we can still use lenses designed for DSLRs on mirrorless cameras with help of an additional adapter. The FTZ Mount Adapter allows you to use F-mount lenses on the Z system cameras, while the EOS R system adapter does the same by combining the RF mount with Canon EF and EF-S lenses.
Canon EOS RP vs Nikon Z6: Connectivity
Both cameras can easily be connected to any smart devices in your possession via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. This feature is good if you want to automatically backup your files or if you want to use remote shooting.
If you are in need of an external microphone while recording videos, both cameras are allowing this possibility. Also, both of them have a port for headphones.
None of the cameras has a dual card slot, and while the Nikon Z6 supports XQD cards, the Canon EOS R supports only SD, SDHC, and SDXC cards.
The Z6 has a longer battery life of 330 shots in comparison to only 250 shots estimated for the Canon EOS RP. One more advantage of the Nikon Z6 in terms of connectivity is that it has the support for USB 3.0.
Canon EOS RP vs Nikon Z6: Price
As we could see from this comparison review, the Nikon Z6 seems to be a much better camera. It has better burst shooting speed, larger ISO range, better video capabilities, and weather-sealed protection.
On the other side, the advantages of the Canon EOS RP are more autofocus points, selfie-friendly LCD screen, larger resolution, and finally, lower price!
At the moment, the Canon EOS RP price is $1,299.00, while the Nikon Z6 price is $1,796.95.