Full disclosure...
I'm a Nikon and Sony shooter. I've never owned a Canon camera in my life.
However, I had a chance to play around with a Canon 6D Mark II, and to say that I'm impressed is quite an understatement.
In fact, I think the Canon EOS 6D Mark II is one of the most underrated cameras on the market today, and I'm not alone in that thinking...
In the video above, Matti Haapoja offers up his analysis of why this is such a great - and underrated - camera.
He makes some excellent points along the way, not the least of which is this rig's excellent price.
I've outlined some of Matti's arguments below, with a few of my observations thrown in as well.
Editor's Tip: Stretch your camera budget further by investing in a pre-owned camera body. Start your search for a new camera here.
The Canon EOS 6D Mark II Has a Great Lineage
I actually remember covering the release of the original EOS 6D when it debuted in 2012 at Photokina.
When I first heard about a "budget" full frame camera, I immediately thought two things: First, a "budget" full frame camera would still likely be $2,500, if not more, and second, if it's a budget camera, it can't possibly be good.
I was wrong on both fronts, though...
Instead, what Canon unleashed that day was an ideal mid-range option for people that wanted to upgrade to a full frame camera but didn't have the budget to upgrade all the way to the EOS 5D, which at the time was in its Mark III iteration.
Being a budget-friendly camera, the 6D lacked some of the features that higher-end Canon full frame models (and some higher-end crop sensor models) sported, like an articulating touchscreen and live view autofocusing.
However, it did come with silent shutter mode, HDR, Wi-Fi, GPS, a weather-sealed body, and other goodies that expanded your creative abilities.
And at less than $2,100 brand new at the time, it was also ridiculously inexpensive for a full frame camera.
On top of all that, the 6D was no slouch when it came to things like its sensor, processor, and other key features:
- 20.2-megapixel full frame sensor
- DIGIC 5+ image processor
- 1/4000 maximum shutter speed
- 11-point autofocus system
- ISO range 100-25600 (extended to 102400)
- 4.5fps continuous shooting
- Full HD video at 30fps
- 3-inch LCD with 1.04 million dots
So, the original 6D wasn't a bad camera at all. In fact, it was surprisingly good.
That meant that I was a bit skeptical (again!) when Canon released the Mark II version in June 2017.
But, again, I, like many others in the photography community, soon found that the 6D Mark II was much better than anticipated.
Why the EOS 6D Mark II is Underrated
Armed with a new, improved sensor, the 6D Mark II got a boost from 20.2-megapixels to 26.2-megapixels.
That means higher resolution and a wider dynamic range, which results in images that have brighter highlights and deeper shadows.
Pair that with an improved ISO range that ranges to 40000 natively and extends to 102400, and you have a camera that offers excellent low-light performance.
The 6D Mark II also should get props for its LCD.
Sure, it's not the biggest screen in the world, but it is touch enabled, variable angle, and flips outward, thus giving you a much easier interface to work with when shooting.
It's just a bonus that the LCD is bright, crisp, and has an incredibly responsive touch interface.
There's tons of features under the hood of the 6D Mark II that go unnoticed by some photographers as well.
That includes vastly improved metering capabilities thanks to the 560-pixel RGB-IR sensor. This thing offers up to +/-5 EV exposure compensation. Wow!
Armed with Canon's DIGIC 7 image processor, this camera is also light on its feet and quick, particularly when compared to the 6D's DIGIC 5+ processor.
Yet another upgrade is in the burst shooting speed, which went from 4.5fps in the 6D to 6.5fps in the 6D Mark II.
Granted, this won't compete with the likes of the Sony a9, but this camera also isn't $4,000.
Other features that have gone underappreciated are the 6D Mark II's autofocus system.
It sports 45 autofocus points, all of which are cross-type.
Combine that with Canon's Dual Pixel autofocus system, and you get top-notch autofocus performance for both still photos and videos - including in live view.
It's not all sunshine and roses, though...
Admittedly, the 6D Mark II falls flat in the video department as it has just 1080p at 60fps. Canon should have incorporated 4K video, but at Matti explains in the video at the start of this article, it's still a great performing camera for video.
However, I'm willing to overlook the 4K video thing because there are so many other features that make this such a steal of a camera.
It's got excellent battery life, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth, and GPS.
It's also weather-sealed so you can actually take it outside on adventures without worrying too much about water, dust, and other contaminants.
And like it's predecessor, the 6D Mark II has a great price - $1,600 brand new.
Editor's Tip: Get rid of your old gear and make some money at the same time. See what your old cameras and lenses are worth.
Wrapping It Up
Let me reiterate that I'm not a Canon shooter.
I'm fawning all over the EOS 6D Mark II as a Nikon and Sony aficionado. That should tell you something about how good this camera is!
All of these features for such a great price is hard to beat. Really, the only way to improve on the 6D Mark II is if you can find a good deal on a pre-owned body.
Now that would make this the ultimate full frame camera!