Canon R6 Mark II - 100,000 Photos Later - Here's the Truth

I just upgraded from the R6 to the R6ii..Cannot wait to try it out :)

The R6ii truly is the best bang for your buck hybrid camera. Its basically everything we ever wanted from Canon 10bit, 4k60 no crop, no record limit, no overheat, good skin tones. Back when I was shooting on an A7iii, the R6ii would have been my dream camera and now its even cheaper than the a7iii was.

I love my r6mii but my battery life isnt all that great. I dont think id get a 1000 or a day out of it though. any tips ?

Love mine

I have R8 with 28-70 2.8 IS STM and that is the best combo I have ever had.

The crop mode of my Sony A7CR is 26mp LOL and you are stuck with your 24mp.

Would love to see side by side comparisons of color differences between the mk1 and the mk2. Do they for instance render colors differently after applying a set of identical adjustments? I am inclined to interpret statements like “different color science” between a mk1 and a mk2 as hyperbole, but I am often wrong 🤓

Would love to see comparison between R6 Mark II and upcoming R6 Mark III whenever you have both of them. Especially color science. Has it stayed the same or gone better or for worse?

I have a rp and looking to get a upgrade and keep my rp.. do you think the ibis is worth it on r6 m2 or should i just get the r8?

Thanks for the video James. I'm also very happy with my R6II. Coming from the R6, I didn't think the difference was huge, but it was worth it. I have almost nothing to complain about with the R6II; the only thing that bothers me is that it feels a bit plasticky compared to my old original R. I would like to see a bit more metal and magnesium used on the outer casing of the R6III, and also a leather/rubber coating on both sides (like all the other R cameras have). The ergonomics and the way the camera feels in the hand are great, but it just doesn't feel as high quality. With the R, I always had the feeling I was holding a luxury product.

Bought an R6 mii last month when I started photography. It's amazing.

U shoot raw or JPEG. My JPEG are very small sized. 6 MB is on average. I wonder why it's very small. Also have less details

I want to replace my R6 II. I think R5 II is a better choice in many ways. 4 main reasons: more resolution, better screen, better viewfinder, better AF. Even better dynamic range and a lil bit better IQ. Weather sealing. R6 II is a great camera though.

Had for couple of month the R8. Hybrid shooter with focus on video. Loved the image quality but especially in video the r8 did struggle with autofocus. And not like hard stuff. It did loose me with regular talking head shots. And I am no newby o shoot canon since years. Sold it and kept shooting with my r7 which surprisingly did and does better than that r8. Would love to go back full frame and the r6 mii is tempting but due to that experience: not so sure. R5 mii is great but also pricy. That said, for the stuff I do, the r7 works really good, have the r10 as back up.

This video came perfectly! I’ve been using my R6MII for over a year now, and wanted a refresher and insight on other ways I could be better using my camera during shoots, just so I can understand my camera 100%.

Thanks for your feedback.

It's true, it makes you want the R6MK2, for example, to replace an R7.

From your point of view, which is easy since you're a photographer (humor), wouldn't it be better to wait for the MK3, especially if the sensor is 24-stacked?
Or, in any case, fall back on the MK2, which will be cheaper.

I'm only looking for photography (no video, no vlogging).

Thanks again for your feedback.

What your eyes see and brain processed many can't !
Amazing shots 🧬

I have the R6 II and it’s a workhorse for video and photos. I do wish it had a few more features like more mp and 10 bit in standard 4k but its still a great camera and it feels perfect to hold.

not me watching reviews of the camera i just bought to reinforce my impulse buy, great upgrade from 5d4!

I'm from Barbados and I've recently started my career as a photographer back in December 2024 and the R6 mark ii was my minds choice but my budget choice became the R8 with a fifty. I was not disappointed at all and that now paired with my RF 70-200mm F4 i am impressed each time. So great videos like really help cement choices made. Thank you

Thanks!

My main camera is the EOS R3. I also bought the EOS R6 Mark II at one point. However, I ended up selling it because it bothered me that the camera, unlike the R3, can’t shoot 14-bit RAW photos silently — it only does 12-bit, just like the R6 Mark I, which I also own. So the difference wasn’t significant enough for me to keep the R6 Mark II. That’s why I’m still using the R6 as my second camera and the R3 as my main one. I hope the R6 Mark III will support 14-bit in silent mode, as well as anti-flicker functionality.

Its absolutely worth every penny! Perfect camera for its price.

If the R6m2 is such a great camera and 24mp is enough for you, then why are you holding the R5m2?

I have owned the R6 mk2 for nearly 2 years and have probably reached the 150k shutter count. I am still blown away by not only the obviously great tech but also the gorgeous inage quality.

There is a sweet spot for sensor design in terms of megapixels that most people aren't aware of, which is around 20 to 24mp. In that sense, the R6 mk2 nails it, and the processor/sensor combination helps to produce sharp, vibrant, and tone rich images that usually need little editing if paired with a nice lens. The low light performance is potentially the best for any system, and the dynamic range abundantly good for most shots.

I notice a little aliasing sometimes with complex textures. Some people may complain about that, but for me, it's a symptom of the overall better image quality. Weaker filters mean that the light reaching the sensor is ultimately more saturated and pure (part of why Leicas have better IQ).

I personally love using manual focus lenses, and even there, the R6 mark 2 just shines and makes the process so easy.

I bought it for 2500 USD, which was a fair price for the package involved. However, the fact that it can be found brand new for 1800-1900USD is absolutely crazy.

This camera is future proof and will still be relevant for many years to come, if not for the technology it packs (which is always moving), then for the image quality. Notice how recent cameras are equipped with faster sensors for better tracking, at the detriment of dynamic range and low light performance.

The R6 mii is fantastic, but the 45 megapixels on the R5 mii does make a huge difference for extreme cropping in when shooting wildlife. Plus the pre-capture on the R5 mii is amazing for wildlife as well. However, for portraits, street, landscape, weddings etc where you don't need to crop, the R6 mii is a beast and more than enough camera for professional quality photography. It is a bargain for the money they cost now under £2k

I’m still shooting the original R. Works great for what I do.

Montenegro is an interesting place. I captured a lot of photos and videos there with my R6II. It was a good overheating test for the camera shooting in 4k50 in such warm conditions :D The R6II obviously passed it 100%

thanks for sharing your thoughts only had mine for eight months and. I absolutely love it. Feels like an underrated camera. As of now most people are not talking about it. I’m glad I made the jump to getting one.

Almost the perfect camera. What i don't understand is why the lcd screen deactivates when connecting a monitor via hdmi, it's just insufferable

Still on the OG R6. Still getting many clients here in LA with it. Mostly video.

You have my like for sharing RAW files.

With bloated prices of used gear making the R6 Mark 1 around $1.5k (thanks Trump), and with the discount of -$500 from original retail price of the R6 Mark II, it was a no brainer going for the R6ii.

It's been incredible coming off from a 6D and even Fuji X-T5.

It gave new life to my EF 24-105mm F4 L IS USM (mark 1), to the point where it felt like it was an overclocked PC.

Just got the RF 28-70mm F2.8 IS STM and it pairs so we'll with this camera.

It only needs more options for prime lenses, because you either get the F1.8 primes or the very expensive L variants.

However this is one of the best times to jump to Canon RF, those new F2.8 IS STM zooms are a Godsend.

Hi James, please share some outdoor videography tips in near future to capture better videos. Your outdoor videos are really awesome

James on the Canon R6 Mark 2 and Canon R5 Mark 2 can you remove the eye cap.

Does the Canon R6 Mark 2 do 60fps in 4K full frame

Have you ever taken pictures of bees with it? I really struggle with this camera on bees and wanted to see if anybody has the best settings for this.

I’ve owned many Canon cameras since I switched to digital twenty years ago. I shoot some off beat long form tour books. These take you to places that are dark or have strange lighting situations. I also shoot birds in places covered by heavy tree cover over swampy terrain. The R6 mkII handles all these situations with ease and grace the continues to surprise me. Noise hasn’t been a problem and its focus is fast and accurate. No complaints from me, but I don’t shoot much video. So and can’t comment on that.

love the video, valid points!

Thanks for the video!
I appreciate the way you share the raw files to the audience decided.

R6ii have 6k video resolution ??

So unfortunate that Canon makes these great cameras since the R6 II, but RF mount is simply prohibitive in itself.

R6mk2 perfect

Fantastic work AS ALWAYS my friend.

I hate to be that annoying commenter so please don’t take this as a demand but an idea for a future video: I’d love your take on Panasonic’s new S1ii, especially comparing the stabilization again and get your take on the utility of open gate.

I picked up a Fuji X-S20 and use open a gate a lot but like the camera because of its compact size and the novelty of using open gate. Autofocus isn’t ideal so I still keep my R6ii or R3 as my go to for “getting the shot.”

Love this! I have the R6ii as well as the original R. I am pleased with the images and colors. To me, this is an accurate representation

Hello, very useful video! I would be happy if you could answer my question. Is it normal to hear something like a rattling sound in the camera when shaking the R6ii..... is this from the stabilization? Thanks in advance.

I'm a big fan of older Canon full-frame cameras (I have a 5D, 6D and I just sold a 5D-SR). I sold the 5D-SR to fund my R6 mk2. Why did I buy an R6 Mk2 ??? ....... Well ....
I think it may be my main camera body for the next 10 years of my life. My 5D & 6D take perfectly good images, beautiful in fact. BUT they are slow and lack some key features that the R6 Mk2 has.
(1) Amazing Auto-focus. I take a lot of portraits so eye-focus is a god-send. (2) frame rate. 40fps is excessive UNLESS you really want that vital shot. (3) Weather sealed (4) 2 card slots.
Given that I enjoy using my 20 year old 5D, and that it produces great images, I simply can't think what more I need from a camera than the R6 mk2 gives me. It's going to take some radical new "thing" to make me want to upgrade. For now though, for the first time in 20 years, I have stopped watching reviews of new cameras.

I totally agree. I have three of them I carry with a leather shoulder harness, one on each hip and one suspended in the with two different 'holy trinity' lens combinations:  

RF 100-500mm L > EF 24-70mm 2.8 L < 800mm /F11 when out shooting wildlife  
or  
RF 100-500mm L > RF10-20mm f/4 , EF 24-70mm 2.8 L for general shooting.

I started out in 1970 doing PJ work with a pair of Nikon Fs with 35mm and 85mm lenses and like the idea of not having to change lens in the field to get. wide - med -close-up views. When I switched to Canon in 2004 it was with a 20D and the APS-C 'holy trinity' of EF-s 10-22mm > EF 24-70 2.8 L > 70-200mm 2.8 L with the only upgrade a 50D body in 2008 until going mirrorless with the R6mkII.

The R6ii truly is the best bang for your buck hybrid camera. Its basically everything we ever wanted from Canon 10bit, 4k60 no crop, no record limit, no overheat, good skin tones. Back when I was shooting on an A7iii, the R6ii would have been my dream camera and now its even cheaper than the a7iii was.

I recently upgraded my camera body from the 6D mark ii used from KEH to the R6 mark ii from BestBuy brand new. I am still learning photography and wanted to upgrade. When I saw this camera in the store; I fell in love with the color science and the overall new features coming from th 6Dii. With this video confirmed my thoughts and overall feel for the camera. I only have had the R6 mark ii since May 21st 2025. It works really well with my Canon EF mount lenses with the Canon adapter.