It's a good time to be in the market for a full-frame DLSR. Last week, the Sony A99 and Nikon D600 were announced, and now Canon has outed the EOS 6D, its smallest and lightest full-frame DSLR. Despite also boasting built-in Wi-Fi and GPS, the EOS 6D is described as an "affordable" camera and comes in somewhat cheaper than most previous full-frame shooters.
At the heart of the Canon EOS 6D is a 20.2-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor which allows greater control over depth of field than APS-C alternatives, and combined with an ISO range of 100-25,600 (extendable to 50-102,400), should produce noise-free images in lower light situations. The full-frame sensor also enables the camera to make the most of the EOS system’s EF lenses which range from 8 mm to 800 mm.
An 11-point AF system and Canon's 63-zone iFCL (Focus, Color and Luminance) dual layer metering offers focusing down to EV-3, while the DIGIC 5+ image processor means the 6D is capable of continuous shooting up to 4.5 frames per second (fps). Admittedly it's not the 12 fps of the Canon EOS-1D X or even the 6 fps of EOS 5D Mark III … but not too shabby for a "budget" full-frame camera.
The Canon 6D also boasts GPS and Wi-Fi capabilities, and while most cameras (including the recently announced Nikon D600) require external accessories to achieve this, here it's built-in. The integrated GPS means images can be tagged with location data as they are shot and trips can be recorded using a GPS logger function. The built-in Wi-Fi allows users to transfer images and videos to smartphones, tablets, or direct to online services including Facebook and YouTube.
A new Canon EOS Remote app available for iOS and Android also allows users to remotely connect, control and operate the connected EOS 6D – again, this is something that purchasers of many pro DSLR cameras would have to pay extra for.
On the video side of things, the EOS 6D builds on the capabilities of the EOS 5D-series and offers full manual control over exposure and audio levels while recording video. Video options include 1080p at 30, 24 and 25 fps along with 720p at 60, 50, 30 and 25 fps. Continuous recording time is the usual 29 minutes and 59 seconds, and there's 4GB automatic file partitioning.
Measuring 145 x 111 x 71 mm (5.71 x 4.37 x 2.8 inches), the "dust and drip-proof" Canon 6D is considerably smaller than most full-frame DSLRs. Because its body is only part magnesium, it's also lighter too, weighing in at just 770 grams (1.70 lb) – for reference the 5D Mark III weighs 950 g (2.1 lb).
On the rear there's a 1,040,000-dot 7.7-cm (3-inch) Clear View LCD, plus the camera features dual SD card slots.
The Canon EOS 6D will be available in December as either body-only for US$2,100, or a kit version with Canon's EF 24-105 mm f/4L IS USM zoom lens for $2,900. A BG-E13 battery grip will also be available for users who find the extended body better balanced with big lenses or easier to shoot with vertically.
Source: Canon
Here's a quick video from Canon Europe showing off the EOS 6D.