Canon EOS 6D

The Canon EOS 6D is a top-notch full-frame camera in a compact body. With a relatively affordable price, enthusiast-friendly features, and spectacular image quality, it's an easy Editors' Choice.

While DSLRs fitted with APS-C sensors have always been popular with enthusiasts and consumers looking for a camera that offers a good balance between image quality and value for money, full-frame DSLRs have long been the number one choice for full-time professional photographers on account of their no-compromise approach to image quality, build quality and handling. For those enthusiasts looking to make the step up from APS-C to full-frame the process has traditionally come at something of a premium in terms of cost, which ultimately has prevented many from doing so.

Viewed head on the 6D looks remarkably similar to the 5D Mark III at first glance, albeit slightly smaller. Closer inspection however reveals a number of subtle differences. For starters, the 6D isn’t as deep and consequently the handgrip isn’t quite as pronounced, while the buttons on the back of the camera have moved around a bit too. That said, overall build quality is still pretty high, although not quite in the same league as other models higher up within Canon’s full-frame DSLR range. The 6D is treated to magnesium alloy panels on the front and rear, and also benefits from a degree of dust and moisture proofing, albeit not to the same all-weather standards of the 5D Mark III.

Below are the images from our standard ISO test, starting from the Canon EOS 6D’s lowest setting of ISO 50 (an extended setting one stop below the standard base ISO 100) and rising incrementally to

Given that the 6D uses the same tried and tested 63-zone metering system used by both the 7D and 5D Mark III, it came as no great surprise to find that the 6D’s metering is as accurate and consistent as those two models. If we were to be really critical, images are perhaps -0.3 EV darker than we’d ideally like them to be. A quick tweak of the Exposure slider in Adobe Camera Raw can easily fix this however, or alternatively you can of course dial in 0.3 EV of exposure compensation.

1/200sec @ f/2.8, ISO 800, 50mm, AWB