One of the most popular posts on my blog is a controversial post about why the Canon 6D may not be for you. Although it was intended as a tongue-in-cheek article, it sparked a pretty big debate among loyal Canon photographers who love that camera. I’m actually one of them. I’ve loved Canon cameras so much that I actually switched over from Nikon right after the 5D Mark III came out.
As a Canon fangirl, I’ve been eagerly anticipating big product announcements from the company in 2016 and 2017. Having purchased both the Canon 5D Mark III and Canon 6D right after they both came out, I was ready to upgrade to brand new DSLRs. I couldn’t wait to see what innovative new features were packed in the Canon 5D Mark IV and Canon 6D Mark II. But it’s now January 2018 and I haven’t added a single new piece of Canon gear since 2016. After doing a lot of research, I’ve decided to stop buying Canon gear, at least in the near future. Here’s why.
The Specs: Canon 6D Mark II versus Canon 6D
Canon 6D Mark II
- Released: July 2017
- MSRP: $1999.00
- 26.2MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
- DIGIC 7 Image Processor
- 45-Point All-Cross Type AF System
- Full HD Video at 60 fps; Digital IS (No 4K)
- 3″ 1.04m-Dot Vari-Angle Touchscreen LCD
- Dual Pixel CMOS AF and Movie Servo AF
- Native ISO 40000, Expanded to ISO 102400
- 6.5 fps Shooting; Time-Lapse & HDR Movie
- Built-In GPS, Bluetooth & Wi-Fi with NFC
- Dust and Water Resistant; SD Card Slot
Canon 6D
- Release date: December 2012
- MSRP: $1699.00
- 20.2MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
- DIGIC 5+ Image Processor
- 3.0″ 1.04m-Dot Clear View LCD Monitor
- Full HD 1080p Video Recording at 30 fps
- 11-Point AF with Center Cross-Type Point
- Native ISO 25600, Extended to ISO 102400
- 4.5 fps Shooting at Full Resolution
- Built-In Wi-Fi and GPS Connectivity
- iFCL 63-Zone Dual-Layer Metering Sensor
- In-Camera HDR & Multiple Exposure Mode
The Specs: Canon 5DMark IV versus Canon 5D Mark III
Canon 5D Mark IV
- Release date: September 2016
- MSRP: $3499.00
- 30.4MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
- DIGIC 6+ Image Processor
- 3.2″ 1.62m-Dot Touchscreen LCD Monitor
- DCI 4K Video at 30 fps; 8.8MP Still Grab
- 61-Point High Density Reticular AF
- Native ISO 32000, Expanded to ISO 102400
- Dual Pixel RAW; AF Area Select Button
- Dual Pixel CMOS AF and Movie Servo AF
- 7 fps Shooting; CF & SD Card Slots
- Built-In GPS and Wi-Fi with NFC
Canon 5D Mark III
- Release date: March 2012
- MSRP: $2799.00
- 22.3MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
- DIGIC 5+ Image Processor
- 3.2″ 1.04m-Dot ClearView II LCD Monitor
- Full HD 1080p Video Recording at 30 fps
- 61-Point High Density Reticular AF
- Native ISO 25600, Extended to ISO 102400
- 6 fps Shooting in RAW+JPEG
- 63-Zone Dual Layer Metering Sensor
- 14-Bit RAW Files and S-RAW Format
- Magnesium Alloy Body, SD/CF Card Slots
Why I Won’t Invest in Canon More Gear Anytime Soon
1. A new focus on video.
In late 2017, I decided to add videography to my skillset. Learning videography has been a bit of a challenge, but it’s made much easier by the plethora of affordable, high-quality cameras out there with video functions. When it comes to video features, the Canon 6D Mark II seems to come up a bit short. It finally has a proper pop-out LCD screen that is important for making videos, but it’s missing something pretty crucial: 4K video recording. Why Canon chose to omit 4K is baffling. I suppose they could always release it in a firmware update at some point. In the meantime, my Samsung Galaxy S8 and Sony a6300 shoot some pretty impressive 4K, so I’m sticking with them for now.
2. Mirrorless cameras are IMPRESSIVE.
My husband and I have both been tempted over to the dark side and made the switch over to mirrorless camera systems. My husband traded his Nikon gear for Fujifilm several years ago and hasn’t looked back (more on why he switched in the video below). Meanwhile, I’ve been so eager for a camera upgrade that I jumped the gun and bought a Sony a6300 mirrorless camera in April 2016. I still have all of my Canon gear for my professional shoots, but Sony is definitely winning me over. The main reason I got the Sony in the first place was needing a compact camera while traveling through Asia for a month. The more I used it, the more I realized that Sony has been innovating a lot more than Canon has. I loved the Sony a6300 so much that I recently purchased the Sony a7RIII. I can use my Metabones V adapter and use all of my Canon lenses on both my Sony cameras without a problem.
3. Camera tech changes faster than you can blink.
I learned this lesson the hard way with the Sony a6300. Just several months after the camera was announced and I had purchased it, Sony released a follow-up camera: the Sony a6500. That is to say, camera companies are under a lot of pressure to keep updating their gear to make it increasingly competitive with other camera manufacturers. I’m pretty disappointed with Canon’s latest DSLRs, but I haven’t lost hope. I cling to the hope that Canon will wisen up and kick ass with a new release, hopefully, sooner rather than later.
4. You don’t always need the latest and greatest technology.
At the time of this writing, my professional photography kit is comprised of 2 Canon DSLRs, 3 Canon Speedlight flashes, and 10 Canon lenses. That’s a pretty significant investment in Canon and I have no illusion of being able to sell any of that gear for close to the value I paid for it. I already went through this when switching from Nikon, and it was a pretty big financial loss that I’m not willing to go through right now. So in the meantime, I’ll make do with what I have, which is actually high-quality enough to produce professional images. Sure, having upgraded equipment might make my job easier in some ways. But for now, I have quality gear that works perfectly well. There’s no reason to buy new stuff.
5. Third-party camera gear is getting better and better.
A couple years ago, I probably would have laughed if someone told me that third-party camera gear would actually be a viable alternative. But more and more, brands such as Tamron, Sigma, and Godox are making cheaper and sometimes better gear than Nikon and Sony. In fact, if I were a photographer just starting out today, a large part of my camera gear kit would probably comprise of third-party brands.
What do you think?
Did you invest in a new camera lately? Which model was it? I’m seeing a pretty big exodus of Canon shooters over to Sony, Fujifilm, and even Nikon, but not very many heading in the direction of Canon. Let me know your thoughts on the camera wars in the comments below.
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Suzi…..I have a 5D4 and really like it for wedding, portraits, commercial, night (battery life) etc. I also use a Fuji XT2 with Fuji 18-135 and 16-55, both excellents lens and used for wedding and portraits. I bought the Fuji for hiking/travel to take landscape b/c of the weight, canon is too heavy but very reliable. Canon lenses are sharp but heavy so no adaptors. The DR of the 5D4 is impressive but not like the Sony nor the Nikon D850. I think it really comes down to your purpose and when and where you shoot. Yes Canon can improve on the DR for sure but I still like the way the camera handles and the ease of use. Will I sell it and get the Sony Ar73, I might and use Canon lens. I would never get the Sony A6300 vs the Fuji. Hands down the Fuji has better build quality and I have read better IQ and color. Thanks for the article.
Great insights! Thanks for sharing, Thomas. I agree that camera preferences depend entirely on purpose. For corporate events, concerts, and sports, Canon is still my go-to. I like Sony much more than I expected, but didn’t really get the appeal of Fujifilm until I started playing with my husband’s X-Pro2. It’s definitely grown on me and I would actually consider buying one myself if I couldn’t use his regularly.
Rent an XT2 with firmware 3.0. Shows on screen clipped highlights, great aid. The shadows open up without much noise which really surprised me. just use LR vs Iridient X-Tr. See what Dan Bailey, http://danbaileyphoto.com/blog/ has to say about the Fuji system. The Sony is a great Camera as you know, especially the Ar73 but Sony’s lens are very heavy. It is all a matter of choice/end use as you know and for me money.
Currently waiting for the XH-1 to be announced next month and will probably pull the trigger on it. I have high hopes that their in-camera stabilization will be good.