EOS R6 Mark III vs EOS R6 Mark II vs EOS R6: Canon's 6-series cameras compared

The Canon EOS R6 Mark III succeeds the EOS R6 Mark II as a high-performance camera for photographers, with highly capable video features. But how does the EOS R6 Mark III compare with its mirrorless predecessors, or for that matter earlier DSLR models?

Here, we look at the mirrorless EOS 6-series cameras and what separates them, with expert comments from Canon Europe Product Specialist Tibor Szövetes.

If you're a photography enthusiast using a DSLR such as the Canon EOS 6D Mark II, then you may be considering the range of EOS R System mirrorless cameras. If you're a content creator or aspiring videographer, then you may be looking for the right hybrid camera to take you to the next level.

Stepping up from a DSLR to a mirrorless camera will deliver a quantum leap in both performance and creative potential. Canon's advanced RF mount architecture supports cutting-edge technologies and innovative features in an ever-expanding range of state-of-the-art RF and RF-S lenses. Cameras incorporate advanced sensor designs, groundbreaking autofocus and imaging technologies, and next-generation connectivity. The EOS R System puts unprecedented levels of quality and control in the hands of photographers, filmmakers and content creators.

The EOS R6 Mark III delivers all of this and more. Whether you're photographing or filming wildlife, landscapes, portraits, or sports and action, the EOS R6 Mark III offers a resolution and feature set that make it a natural upgrade path from DSLRs such as the EOS 6D Mark II and the EOS 5D Mark IV.

The EOS R6 Mark III doesn’t just outperform semi-pro DSLRs or even early mirrorless models such as the EOS R and EOS RP – it takes things to a whole new level compared to the EOS R6 Mark II.

The EOS R6 Mark III breaks new ground with a newly-developed 32.5MP high-resolution full frame CMOS sensor, for example – a significant upgrade from the 24.2MP sensor in the EOS R6 Mark II and the 20.1MP sensor in the EOS R6. The new sensor is great for large prints and detailed landscapes, giving you more freedom to crop without an unacceptable drop in quality. "For most creative applications," Tibor says, "the EOS R6 Mark III offers the perfect balance between file size and performance, meaning faster workflows and less storage stress, yet uncompromised quality."

The combination of the high-resolution sensor and its performance at higher ISO settings can provide better quality, more detailed images in low light compared to higher-resolution cameras, Tibor adds. The EOS R5 Mark II has a 45MP sensor but a maximum ISO of 51,200, while the EOS R6 Mark III supports up to ISO 64,000. The EOS R7 also has a 32.5MP sensor, but it is APS-C, not full frame, meaning the EOS R6 Mark III can give you all the benefits of full frame including better low-light performance.

Using electronic shutter, both the EOS R6 Mark III and EOS R6 Mark II deliver a phenomenal continuous shooting speed of 40fps, which is twice as fast as that of the EOS R6 . However, the EOS R6 Mark III has a buffer that’s twice as big as the EOS R6 Mark II’s, allowing longer continuous bursts before the camera slows down.

Both cameras have advanced sensors that provide the rapid data readout needed for full AF/AE tracking at their blistering high speeds. Bear in mind that the EOS R6 Mark III is achieving all this while producing images with 34% higher resolution, making it unmatched when shooting fast-moving subjects from wildlife to sports and action.

In addition, the autofocus in the EOS R6 Mark III is an enhanced iteration of Canon's renowned Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with Deep Learning. It delivers ultra-fast and reliable tracking of moving subjects, even in complex scenes, in both still photography and video. It can recognise a diverse range of subjects, enabling the AF to lock on to them and track them across 100% of the frame. Select People, and the AF will track them even if they are not facing the camera, are wearing hats or helmets, or turn away. Select Animals, and it will track horses and zebras as well as cats, dogs and birds. And if you choose Vehicles, then planes, trains and helicopters can be detected in addition to cars and bikes.

What's more, the EOS R6 Mark III includes an improved version of the Register People Priority feature introduced in the professional EOS R3, which enables the camera to keep the highest priority person in focus. It's ideal for events and weddings – when multiple people are in the scene, the camera will know which face to focus on, based on their registered priority, which can be set from images stored on card or shots you take on the spot. If required, the priority can be altered in-camera.

The EOS R6 Mark III also offers Pre-continuous shooting, which enables you to capture shots before the shutter is fully pressed, with full AF and AE tracking. Pre-capture saves up to 20 frames before the full-press, whether you are shooting HEIF, JPEG or even RAW, in separate files, so you can scroll back through your bursts by half a second when shooting 40fps . This is more practical than RAW Burst mode on the EOS R6 Mark II, which saves a set of shots in a single file from which images then have to be extracted using Canon's DPP software, and it means you can be confident of catching the most fleeting moments.

With an improved autofocus algorithm, eye detection plus Track After Focusing ensuring perfect follow-focus every time, and AF effective in low light conditions down to -6.5 EV (less than the light from a half-moon¹), the EOS R6 Mark III takes stills and video capture to a new level. "You can set your composition and trust the camera to nail the focus," says Tibor – "great for solo shooters, interviews and moving subjects of all kinds."

For video shooters, the EOS R6 Mark II was a step up from the EOS R6, thanks to its ability to record 4K 60p internally using the full width of the full frame sensor, whereas it was cropped in the EOS R6, and to offer 4K oversampled from 6K for better quality.

The EOS R6 Mark III takes things up another level, with approximately 7K RAW (Standard up to 30p or RAW Light up to 60p) using the full width of the sensor, bringing a new level of detail. It delivers richly detailed 4K with high-quality oversampling at up to 60p, and even greater detail from approximately 7K oversampling at up to 30p – plus smooth, immersive slow motion in 4K 120p and Full HD 180p.

"Whether you're just starting out or building pro-level skills," Tibor says, "the EOS R6 Mark III gives you the freedom to explore filmmaking techniques with stunning clarity and cinematic flexibility."

The EOS R6 Mark III also supports Open Gate RAW (Light/Standard) recording up to 30p. Open Gate mode uses the full sensor instead of a cropped aspect ratio , giving you unmatched flexibility to reframe for vertical, horizontal or cinematic formats when you edit your video. "It's perfect for creators repurposing content across platforms, with no need to reshoot or compromise on quality," Tibor notes. "Plus, it maximises resolution, reduces cropping loss, and allows for you to try out a faster workflow."

Both the EOS R6 Mark II and the EOS R6 are able to capture extended dynamic range using Canon Log. In addition to Canon Log 3, the EOS R6 Mark III also supports Canon Log 2, which is designed to capture the maximum possible dynamic range – up to 15+ stops on this camera, compared to 14 stops with Canon Log 3. Canon Log 2 preserves more detail in the shadows, making it ideal for low-light shooting. The trade-off is increased noise in darker areas, which may require more post-processing to clean up.

In addition to HDR movies, also available on the EOS R6 Mark II, the EOS R6 Mark III supports additional video modes: Smooth Skin Movie, Movie for Close-up Demos, and Movie IS mode.

The EOS R6 Mark II brings professional video features including a false colour warning display for accurate exposure adjustments, and 6K RAW output via its Type D HDMI socket. The EOS R6 Mark III takes this up a level with its 7K RAW internal recording, Waveform Monitor, full-size Type A HDMI output, a tally lamp, four-channel audio support and video proxies, along with industry standard file naming, folder structures and advanced tagging. With all this, the EOS R6 Mark III also offers a valuable introduction to features typically found in larger-scale productions.

The EOS R6 Mark III offers outstanding durability, thanks to a magnesium alloy body and robust weather-sealing with resistance against sand, dust and light rain, making the camera a reliable choice in challenging conditions, whether on a wildlife shoot or on the sports field.

The EOS R6 Mark III also features an updated battery and optimised power circuitry, allowing it to maintain the same shooting speed as the EOS R6 Mark II – but at a higher resolution, and with similar battery life.

To match its higher-resolution sensor, the EOS R6 Mark III supports faster and larger capacity storage than the EOS R6 Mark II. Both have dual card slots, but where the latter has two UHS-II SD Card slots, the EOS R6 Mark III has one SD Card slot and one CFexpress Type B, supporting up to 8TB. "This enables greater flexibility and powerful options such as relay recording, main/sub or main/proxy recording, and the ability to separate stills and video," Tibor notes, "which is ideal for backups, speed and organised file management."

For a more efficient workflow, the EOS R6 Mark III supports next-generation wireless standards including Bluetooth 5.1 as well as 2.4/5GHz Wi-Fi (region dependent), plus advanced standards such as WPA3 and IEEE 802.1X, ensuring fast, secure wireless connectivity.

You can take advantage of the powerful communication options to seamlessly upload images to the cloud. With the image.canon service, for example, you can have your images automatically sorted, downloaded and shared with your connected storage services while you’re still out shooting.

In addition to more than 50 improved specs and enhanced features compared to the EOS R6 Mark II, the EOS R6 Mark III also offers greater customisation and the ability to save distinct custom configurations for shooting and playback. This gives you more flexibility to set up the camera to suit your own way of working or level of expertise. Indeed, the EOS R6 Mark III is packed with beginner-friendly features as well as functions for power users, including new Color Filter and Auto White Balance options to help you get the look you want with less effort.

There are lots of handy features to make your workflow faster and easier. For example, the EOS R6 Mark III offers simultaneous framing for multiple outputs. With two aspect markers that can be displayed simultaneously, you can compose one shot that works for two different platforms – such as 16:9 for YouTube and 9:16 for Instagram Reels – without needing to reshoot. This saves time and ensures you don't cut off important image elements in either version.

The EOS R6 Mark II represented a step-change for aspiring videographers as well as enthusiast photographers, and the EOS R6 Mark III takes things even further. With a wealth of pro video features in addition to its higher resolution 32.5MP sensor, enhanced IS, improved autofocus capabilities including Register People Priority, and exciting new features such as Pre-continuous shooting, the EOS R6 Mark III is a compelling upgrade whether you are stepping up from an EOS R6 or EOS R6 Mark II or moving to mirrorless from an older camera such as the EOS 6D Mark II or even the EOS 5D Mark IV.

In terms of resolution, feature set and versatility, the EOS R6 Mark III hits the sweet spot for both hobbyist all-rounders and ambitious creators ready to take their photography and video to the next level.