p.1 #1 · Is the R6 MKII really an upgraded camera! Maybe for video.
There’s so many used R6MKII’s for sale and I was curious about the MKII’s upgraded features. I recently purchased a new MKII during a flash sale and purchased it for $400 less than what it retails now. That’s odd considering the new MK III camera is soon to be Canon’s newest release this summer and usually Canon has sales prior to a new model.
For my style of shooting, I actually preferred the original R6. The on/off button, All Area Tracking were some of the features that were kind of annoying on the MK II but having the on/off closer to your shutter button does make sense when holding the camera and need to turn on/off to conserve batteries or be ready for shooting. The original R6 could be programmed to use the back AF/ON button to engage tracking AF and servo, but the MKII version also engages the All Area Tracking feature with it’s boxes all trying to compete for AF. The AAT can be disengaged, but it wasn’t as accurate when using the back AF/On button. Also, the MK II’s sensor was slightly askew as most photos were slightly OOF on one side of the frame. That was after we dowloaded and edited the RAW photos. Needless to say, the R6MK II was sent to the dealer and are going to stick with the original R6 and an R8 as a b/u camera. The R8 is a surprisingly good camera that has the same UI, but as a second camera didn’t get as much use. Perhaps the new MK III will be the camera for our wedding shoots, but at 30mp it won’t be as good in clean, high ISO photos many wedding photographers use, but at least prices for the MK II should be more reasonable.
p.1 #2 · Is the R6 MKII really an upgraded camera! Maybe for video.
Sorry you got a bad one. Most people seem to prefer the newer AF behavior but it can be disabled. Many people program two buttons for AF with different behaviors. As an R6 user, I wish I had the video/stills switch from the Mk2. When things are happening quickly, it would be a lot easier to just flip a switch vs. turning a dial 180 degrees. The R6 is also more likely to overheat in direct sunlight, even in stills mode.
p.1 #3 · Is the R6 MKII really an upgraded camera! Maybe for video.
The biggest advantage of the R6 MK II for me over the old style AF system in the R6 and R5, is the ability to use tracking in any AF mode, especially single point, spot and small area. Sometimes tracking and AI servo are not appropriate, so I toggle it off and use plain old one-shot. Of course, I programmed AF-ON to toggle between servo and one-shot and another button to toggle tracking on/off.
The R6 MK II and R7 are the first cameras I've owned that two-button focus was not needed for birds, butterflies, etc. Subject tracking and eye focus, once tuned, worked more reliably than messing with separate buttons for servo/focus and shutter activation.
Yeah, sounds like your R6 MK II has some QC issues.
p.1 #6 · Is the R6 MKII really an upgraded camera! Maybe for video.
I don't use the R6 series due to low resolution, but there was definitely some getting used to the R5 II compred to the R5. I'm not sure how much time the OP had to accommodate the differences.
At this point I would probably expect an R6 III soon and wait for that.
p.1 #9 · Is the R6 MKII really an upgraded camera! Maybe for video.
I’m sure for some it is an upgrade, but 20fps is fast enough for our weddings and 4mp more just takes away from the great high ISO capabilities of the R6. Just more planned obsolescence to fill the landfills with plastic, but wait for the R6III and I’m sure it’s going to have everything a photographer needs to have the camera do all the work, until the R6 IV convinces us otherwise and so on, and so on…
A Canon 1v film camera really had all a photographer needs and actually made better photographers imo.
p.1 #10 · Is the R6 MKII really an upgraded camera! Maybe for video.
johnld wrote:
I’m sure for some it is an upgrade, but 20fps is fast enough for our weddings and 4mp more just takes away from the great high ISO capabilities of the R6. Just more planned obsolescence to fill the landfills with plastic, but wait for the R6III and I’m sure it’s going to have everything a photographer needs to have the camera do all the work, until the R6 IV convinces us otherwise and so on, and so on…
A Canon 1v film camera really had all a photographer needs and actually made better photographers imo.
p.1 #11 · Is the R6 MKII really an upgraded camera! Maybe for video.
johnld wrote:
I’m sure for some it is an upgrade, but 20fps is fast enough for our weddings and 4mp more just takes away from the great high ISO capabilities of the R6. Just more planned obsolescence to fill the landfills with plastic, but wait for the R6III and I’m sure it’s going to have everything a photographer needs to have the camera do all the work, until the R6 IV convinces us otherwise and so on, and so on…
A Canon 1v film camera really had all a photographer needs and actually made better photographers imo.
Then just carry on with your Canon 1v film camera, since you don't comprehend the upgrade benefits of the R6II over the R6 that most other photographers do.
p.1 #12 · Is the R6 MKII really an upgraded camera! Maybe for video.
The 1V is always in the bag and don’t need 12,800 iso when you’ve got a flash, I understand the differences between the two, but the QC for the mKII wasn’t worth the upgrade imo.
p.1 #13 · Is the R6 MKII really an upgraded camera! Maybe for video.
johnld wrote:
The 1V is always in the bag and don’t need 12,800 iso when you’ve got a flash, I understand the differences between the two, but the QC for the mKII wasn’t worth the upgrade imo.
I wish I had a flash that worked at 50yds and 12 fps.
p.1 #14 · Is the R6 MKII really an upgraded camera! Maybe for video.
While this isn’t about film vs digital because the the Canon 1v wins every time on build quality, imo. There’s no doubt the R6MKII has features that R6’s users will love and appreciate. Yes, user error might have been a factor coming from the R6 as I don’t really read manuals, but there’s nothing the MKII offers that makes it better for our style of shooting. This obviously doesn’t apply to everyone who seem to get their undies in a bunch when dissing their brands, which by the way is our brand too. I recently sold my Leica SL2-S and while I appreciate its digital tech, but it also managed to keep the UI simple and intuitive and letting the photographer make the photograph as opposed to letting the camera do it. I guess the issue is more about these so called “upgrades” that sprinkle features that tries to convince us that photographers need this tech. I’m inspired by film photography because it relies on the photographers skills and not the tech. It’s not a secret that I deplore planned obsolescence’s frequent upgrades, but it keeps older models more affordable I guess.
p.1 #15 · Is the R6 MKII really an upgraded camera! Maybe for video.
I've owned an R6 and seeing reviews on the mark ii, you get 14ms readout pretty consistently on the video side vs 30ms on the original R6. Face only focus which is nice if your subject leaves the frame, it won't jump to the background. no 4k60 crop and also 6k60p raw externally which I prefer over the 8k of the R5s.
p.1 #16 · Is the R6 MKII really an upgraded camera! Maybe for video.
johnld wrote:
While this isn’t about film vs digital because the the Canon 1v wins every time on build quality, imo. There’s no doubt the R6MKII has features that R6’s users will love and appreciate. Yes, user error might have been a factor coming from the R6 as I don’t really read manuals, but there’s nothing the MKII offers that makes it better for our style of shooting. This obviously doesn’t apply to everyone who seem to get their undies in a bunch when dissing their brands, which by the way is our brand too. I recently sold my Leica SL2-S and while I appreciate its digital tech, but it also managed to keep the UI simple and intuitive and letting the photographer make the photograph as opposed to letting the camera do it. I guess the issue is more about these so called “upgrades” that sprinkle features that tries to convince us that photographers need this tech. I’m inspired by film photography because it relies on the photographers skills and not the tech. It’s not a secret that I deplore planned obsolescence’s frequent upgrades, but it keeps older models more affordable I guess....Show more →
Planned obsolescence would be a sealed-in battery that can't be replaced or features that stop working after a few years. Digital cameras do nothing of the sort. Everyone is free to decide if the next version is worth their money. My R6 works as well as the day I bought it, but the Mk2 would work better. It just hasn't been worth the cost, at least to me.
p.1 #17 · Is the R6 MKII really an upgraded camera! Maybe for video.
johnld wrote:
While this isn’t about film vs digital because the the Canon 1v wins every time on build quality, imo. There’s no doubt the R6MKII has features that R6’s users will love and appreciate. Yes, user error might have been a factor coming from the R6 as I don’t really read manuals, but there’s nothing the MKII offers that makes it better for our style of shooting. This obviously doesn’t apply to everyone who seem to get their undies in a bunch when dissing their brands, which by the way is our brand too. I recently sold my Leica SL2-S and while I appreciate its digital tech, but it also managed to keep the UI simple and intuitive and letting the photographer make the photograph as opposed to letting the camera do it. I guess the issue is more about these so called “upgrades” that sprinkle features that tries to convince us that photographers need this tech. I’m inspired by film photography because it relies on the photographers skills and not the tech. It’s not a secret that I deplore planned obsolescence’s frequent upgrades, but it keeps older models more affordable I guess....Show more →
If you relied on your photographer's skills, you would not be bothered about what any other cameras do or don't do, just the camera you are using.
Most competent photographers always read the manuals for their cameras. It seems you have your undies in a bunch just because other cameras have features you don't use. Do you also complain about all the tech features in new vehicles, or would you prefer a Model T Ford?
A skilled photographer is able to use only the features he wants to on the newest models, and has the smarts to just ignore the other extra features. And the best-built camera does not equal the best output of images.
A competent photographers uses his skills to properly take photos with any camera, regardless of it being film or digital.
p.1 #18 · Is the R6 MKII really an upgraded camera! Maybe for video.
I appreciate you laying this out so clearly. The R6’s on/off button placement and customizable AF controls really do make a difference in the field. The sensor tilt issue on the MK II is surprising, I wonder if it’s widespread or just a bad batch? The R8 is such a great backup option with its size and UI consistency. As for the MK III, I’m cautiously optimistic but agree that for weddings, clean high ISO is king, so that 30MP sensor might be a trade-off. If the MK II prices drop, it could still be a great option for less demanding shoots.
p.1 #19 · Is the R6 MKII really an upgraded camera! Maybe for video.
johnld wrote:
Yes, user error might have been a factor coming from the R6 as I don’t really read manuals, ...
There’s no shame to reading the manual, and it’s unfortunately necessary. I read the manual for my R3, and have several A4 pages of handwritten notes on how to use it. I have nothing to prove to anyone, having a degree in computer science and built various complex software systems. (Said another way, there’s nothing to be proud of in not having read it.)
That said, there are things I discovered by accident or experimentation that aren’t in the manual, and even one I had to Google for. Canon’s manuals are dreadful, which is I guess a step up from Sony’s, which seem to be little more than disorganised, incomplete lists of tips.
... but there’s nothing the MKII offers that makes it better for our style of shooting.
How do you know if you haven’t read the manual?
recently sold my Leica SL2-S and while I appreciate its digital tech, but it also managed to keep the UI simple and intuitive and letting the photographer make the photograph as opposed to letting the camera do it.
This is probably the difference between German and Japanese design. Unfortunately Japan dominates the industry.
p.1 #20 · Is the R6 MKII really an upgraded camera! Maybe for video.
If you want a low-res sensor and high build quality then don't mess around with the R6 series and proceed to the R3. Put the operating manual on a computer or mobile device for reference. There are numerous cameras and options for each. There is no need to memorize everything like a student.
Going from DSLR to MILS is a challenge, but it's a good idea to learn something new for a change.
I certainly did not enjoy the transition. The main analogy I experienced is that an SLR is like doing work yourself vs. a MILS is like managing the staff that executes the plans. In the end by letting go some direct control you will be more productive.
