Canon EOS R6 Review for Photography and Video

The Canon EOS R6 has been such an amazing camera and I have loved using it over the last few months. This video walks you through some of my favorite features of the camera and explains who I think this camera works well for and who might want to select something different.

I hope you enjoy and please feel free to leave your comments or questions below! if you prefer to read more about the camera you can find the full transcription of the video in the text below.

Video Transcription

Hey everyone. It’s Kelli here with She Learns Video and today I am going to be telling you all about the Canon EOS R6, which is a new mirrorless camera out from Canon. It is a beautiful camera. I love so many things about it and I’m so excited to share with you. I’ve been using it for the past month. I feel like there are some people that will really benefit from this camera. I’m excited to tell you who I think that is and then also maybe some people who might want to choose a different option when you’re looking for a new camera body. So let’s jump in and I’ll tell you all of my opinions and I’m excited to share.

So let’s first start talking out about the EOS R6 and some of the features that it has that the EOS R does not have. I was prior to this camera shooting on the EOS R and the Canon 5D Mark III. I do think that it’s a great upgrade if you are moving from one of the DSLR cameras, such as the Mark III to a mirrorless body the EOS R6 is a great option and a great upgrade. Significantly better is going to be the auto-focus from the Mark III to these mirrorless cameras. They have the dual pixel autofocus, and it’s just really, really flawless on this camera. I’ve loved using it for both still images and photography, and then also for making films and videos. So auto-focus is wonderful, have really, really enjoyed seeing all the capabilities that it has. The other thing about the R6 is it has in-body image stabilization.

So what that does is basically helps to stabilize the image when you’re shooting video, handheld, it will definitely help your footage to be a lot smoother than it would be if you have a body that does not have in-body image stabilization. So definitely a huge benefit if you are a video shooter or a hybrid shooter, or if you’re just a shaky photographer, it can really help with that as well, especially when you’re using heavy or longer lenses. The image stabilization is going to be really helpful for that. Another thing I really like about the EOS R6 is the back of the camera is pretty similar to the DSLR cameras from Canon. So the thing that the EOS R had was a little scroll bar here at the top that I didn’t utilize very often, whereas the R6 has a joystick here. So you can toggle focus or use it for the menu when you’re scrolling between items.

It also has the little scroll wheel here that the EOS R does not have. So two things that I have really enjoyed about using this body that we didn’t have when I was just using the EOS R. The other thing is on the top here it does have a dial control opposed to a menu screen that was a little bit different with the EOS R compared to the Mark III that I was previously using. So overall, I just feel like it’s a great camera body. You can tell that it’s really well-made definitely protected from the elements and has a nice feel in your hand when you’re out shooting while also being light enough, that it gives you that mirrorless feel compared to the heaviness of a DSLR. Another thing I really like about this camera body is the articulating screen that it has, where you can flip it out and then move it front to back.

It’s really nice, for example, when you’re trying to shoot something and hold your camera up high or if I’m doing something like making a YouTube video, and I want to be able to see myself while I’m shooting the film. So a huge benefit here it’s something I really like. It is a feature that’s also on the EOS R but one that I’m glad they kept in these new upgraded bodies. Let’s talk a little bit more about utilizing the camera itself and what it was like during my sessions. It takes absolutely beautiful images, whether you’re shooting photos or you’re using it for a video, it does shoot 4K up to 60 frames per second, which is amazing and just looks absolutely stunning. I will say that it does shoot in what’s called IPB, which is a more compressed file than the other option, which is called All-I. There is not an All-I compression option on the EOS R6 right now. I have heard there’s the possibility that the firmware updates may change that in the future, but really all in all I didn’t see a huge difference between the footage I’m shooting in IPB versus the All-I footage.

So that’s something to think about if you are going to be shooting a lot of video, but one change that I really haven’t noticed a huge difference in and I don’t feel like my clients will see a difference in that as well. The EOS R does offer you both options as far as All-I and IPB and the R6 does not right now, just the IPB. However, like I said, I don’t see a huge difference. I think as a filmmaker, you can totally get away with the more compressed files and honestly, it makes for smaller files when you’re looking to store them and to back them up. They’re easy to work with and post and I think that it’s something that we can all get by with for now and if they make the firmware change in the future, it’s a nice benefit to be able to have those less compressed files.

Another thing I really like about the EOS R6 is the fact that it does take the same battery as all the previous Canon cameras that I have utilized. So all those batteries I’ve built up over the years when I’ve been working with my Mark III or my EOS R are still compatible with the R6. I will say they have a new battery that you get when you purchase the R6 obviously. It comes with a charger and the new battery does hold a charge a little bit longer, which will help you if you’re shooting videos, or let’s say you’re doing a wedding, photographing a wedding, then you’ll be able to have that extended battery life, which is a really nice perk.

Okay. So who do I think this camera’s great for? I think it’s great for photographers who are looking to jump from a Canon DSLR to a Canon mirrorless camera. I think the ease of use in the controls, and then also the dual card slots are a big benefit compared to the EOS R. If you are someone who’s a little bit concerned about the megapixels, I did have a few friends ask me about that. Honestly, unless you are shooting a lot of corporate work or things that are going to be blown up onto a billboard or really large marquee sign, I think that this is a great tool for you to be utilizing. I do not think you’re going to see a huge difference in the quality of the images based on the megapixels. If you are a hybrid shooter, it could be a great option as well.

It does shoot beautiful 4K video and as long as you’re not shooting for really extended periods of time, I have not had any overheating issues. So personal work, family films, brand films, I had one that was up to about two and a half hours and didn’t have one overheating issue. So take that for what it’s worth. I do know some wedding filmmakers who have had overheating issues when shooting for long periods of time in 4K throughout a wedding day. So I am getting ready to use it in a few weeks at a wedding, along with multiple other backup cameras, but I’m excited to see, kind of push it to the limits, and see how it performs. We’ll definitely do another review at that time.

Who do I think may need a different camera and may not be the best fit for the EOS R6? That would be someone who is a full-time filmmaker and primarily shooting wedding films or films that are going to be taking multiple hours. I think that you may want to invest in a cinema camera or perhaps explore other options that are out there. I love it for all of the work that I’ve been doing. It has been the perfect addition to my team, and I’m really, really excited to see how it performs in the months and potentially years ahead. So I hope that you enjoyed this review. If you are a photographer or a hybrid shooter, or even a filmmaker who is doing brand films or family films, I love the Canon EOS R6. I hope that my feedback and real-life experience in using it over the last month is helpful for you when you’re making a decision. If you’re interested in learning more about video, definitely come over and check out shelearnsvideo.com or leave us a comment below with any questions you might have, hit the subscribe button, like our videos. We would really appreciate it and thanks so much for watching.