After almost five years of adventures, it is finally time to upgrade. My Canon EOS 6D Mark I has served me well, and it’s been a reliable companion that I’m sorry to consign to bubblewrap, parcel tape, and eBay. Over the years, I've become quite attached to it.
In early 2014, I was in need of an upgrade. My 5D Mark I was starting to feel dated, and I began the long process of researching my options. Having sunk money into a couple of L lenses, stepping away from Canon’s ecosystem felt impossible. My choice seemed to be between the 7D Mark I, the 5D Mark III, and Canon’s first foray into a stripped-down, lightweight, full-frame body: the 6D.
This was not an easy choice. The 7D meant not only compromising on the width of my beloved wide angle lens, but also stepping down from a full frame which, for whatever reason, felt unthinkable. The 5D Mark III, notably bigger than my Mark I, offered a markedly better frame rate than the 6D, along with weather-sealing and the option of great quality video should I ever want to start shooting anything other than stills. By contrast, the 6D was smaller, lighter, and significantly less expensive — almost half the price. The 5D would give me 6 frames per second compared to the 6D's 4.5, and this was a big consideration. As a sports shooter, the higher frame rate would give me the luxury of being able to blast away at an athlete rather than rely on my timing. In the end, I opted for the 6D, figuring that I was used to a low frame rate and could rely on my timing and also save myself a small fortune. It felt like a brave choice.
I should add: photography is a part of what I do, and my tight budget and love of minimalism were also huge factors in making this decision. That said, there have certainly been moments where I’ve been frustrated at missing a shot, and some jobs have taken longer than they should, simply because I’ve had to ask someone to repeat a movement because I couldn't get my timing right. With that said, the smaller body has been hugely appreciated, permitting budget airline travel and much easier hikes up mountains and across strange lands.
Left image courtesy of Saša Ševo and Skochypstiks.com
In theory, a camera is just a tool, something we shouldn’t get too attached to, but that’s not my experience. As academic/photographer/explorer Bradley Garrett once wrote, the camera becomes “an appendage to the urban body.” Effectively, this magic box becomes a part of us: it shapes what we see and how we see it, and its buttons fall under our fingers with such familiarity that it can seem like an extension of our hands.
The 6D, this ugly, somewhat soulless chunk of metal and plastic, is emotionally embedded within me, having been a consistent presence on countless adventures, not just accompanying me, but shaping how I’ve created my experiences. The 6D was a companion: it came with me when I climbed 150 meters up the side of a building, as well as being a motivation, it was there when I trekked alone half a day into the Bulgarian wilderness to find a remote village that has been abandoned for over 20 years, and it was a reason for driving twice around former Yugoslavia in search of communist monuments characterized by contradiction and mystery. With its brassing and slightly sticky thumb wheel (two hours of shooting in Norwegian snow came at a price), listing this lump on eBay feels almost like a betrayal.
Left image courtesy of Saša Ševo and Skochypstiks.com
As much as I’d like to put the 6D on a shelf, I can’t justify it, and I need to put that money towards the cost of my shiny new Sony a7 III (an equally soulless lump). Fortunately, the excitement of my new camera is a good balance to the sadness I feel at seeing my old friend disappear in the post. It’s not as if I don’t have anything to remember it by — just tens of thousands of photographs.
So, goodbye, 6D. You were a fine friend, and I wish you well. I hope your new owner puts you to good use, perhaps exploring distant lands and stumbling into adventures with remarkable people. All the best.
My first full frame camera. The 7D was my first semi-pro camera, and I never cared for the files out of it, but the 6D's sensor was so lovely. And the silent shutter was remarkably quiet — one of the few DSLRs I could get away with for photographing classical music. Loved that camera.
I have one for sale if you're interested. The thumb wheel isn't sticky at all. Honest.
Used the 6D for several years. It was a trusty companion. All things must pass.
I went nearly identical route as OP with some difference.
Canon 40D --> 5D 1 --> 6D 1 --> Fuji X-T2
Oh. As soon as you get used to your a7III you will never look back. Like many of us did.
Yeah, it's impressing the hell out of me so far. :D
I am currently going thru this conundrum with my wife right now. I got the 6DM1 when it released. But about a year ago, I had the opportunity to "field test" an a7sii for about 10 months thru my job, but I had to give it back recently. I found that I loved the ISO and external monitor features that allowed me to shoot very guerrilla style and I just can't do that with my 6D (live view just is not usable the way I shoot). But my wife thinks I'm just starstruck with the newest "tech" and doesn't want me to sell the 6D for the a7iii.
I sympathise! I've been weighing up the decision ever since the a7iii was announced. For me, having ten frames per second in a full frame camera is a clincher. The eye AF is also very special, and it's already changing how I shoot. Good luck with your decision..!
Andy - question for you. So are you going to be adapting all of your Canon glass to the Sony? If so, which adapter have you found is good for action photography, which it sounds like you do a lot of? Thank you!
Hey Steven, Thanks for getting in touch. It's a good question. I'm not a convention sports shooter - I almost never track a moving object so, fortunately for me, incredible autofocus isn't a massive issue. I'm adapting my Canon 16-35 L mark ii (my workhorse) and I'll be doing some tests with my Canon 24-70 L which rarely gets much use. I bought Sony's nifty fifty - the 50mm f/1.8 - and tried it wide open for some ice skating and it did amazingly well. As soon as I get chance I'll see how the adapted 24-70 compares.
I'm using the Sigma MC-11 and I think it's the default choice for most people at the moment in terms of the autofocus.
I have the 50mm f1.8 and it's the worst focusing native lens I've tried. Perfectly adequate for most shooting but even the 28-70 kit lens is a way better focuser. Sounds like it'll work fine for you and the optical quality is fine but just don't judge the body based on that lens cause it really holds it back. Maybe rent the 16-35mm GM for a real apples to apples with your Canon lens.
Hi Xander,
Yes, I've heard the same re the 50mm f/1.8, and I'm already impressed with it. To know that performance will only get better as I acquire more glass is quite exciting.
Awesome - thanks for the feedback and information, Andy! Much appreciated
I went Canon 6D --> Sony a7rIII. Tried several Canon to Sony lens adapters and by far the one that worked the most reliably and consistently was the Metabones V (you get what you pay for). With that said, it still bugged out from time to time. So after several months of hit or miss situations with the adapter shooting concerts and events, and making certain I'd stick with Sony, I switched to all native Sony glass--zero problems! If you need 100% accuracy and reliability, you'll want all native glass at some point.
Thanks, Suzi!
To this day when doing comparisons with other Canons on the DPReview tool, I find the 6D to have the lowest noise at high ISOs, even beating in my eye the 5D4 and 6D2. I have a 5DS and even after downrezzing to the 6D's 20 MP, it's a tight battle, where you would think the larger starting size of the 5DS would give it an significant advantage. With the 6D's value so reduced, I haven't brought myself to part with mine, just in case there is a low-light scene that could benefit from it.
I "upgraded" to the 5D IV, and although it's definitely superior in a lot of ways, the 6D's low light/high ISO performance is definitely better than that of the 5D IV. I sold the 6D after buying the 5D IV, but I wouldn't mind having the 6D back, just because it does so well in those types of situations. A brand new 6D has been hanging around in my Amazon shopping cart for about a week now:P.
Check some used models as well, which will save you some money. I get used stuff from B&H and LensRentals partner company (forget the name at the moment).
Impressive (5years with 6d), your post made me realize the GAS syndrome I have and did math for the past three hours.
Outcome: I have spent 100 fold for the output I produce.
Gear journey: Sony alpha a100 -> Canon EOS 6D -> Canon EOS 5D Mark III -> Canon EOS 5D Mark IV + Fujifilm xt2 -> Canon EOS 5D Mark IV + Fujifilm xt3 -> Fujifilm xt3 + Fujifilm GFX-50S
Overall investment: ca$ 46,369 since 2008
Overall returns: ca$ 7,330
Although I am more of enthusiast + hobbiest, this has to stop.
Ha! The first way to beat an addiction is to acknolwedge it. But hey, if you're enjoying it, and if you can afford it... :D
6D was my first FF camera. I started with the 60D and when the 6D came out I upgraded to it. I did not have the money back then to buy the 5D3 so this was a perfect compromise and the camera delivered! I kept the 6D 5 years and it became my backup camera when I bought the 5D4. Sold the 6D to a friend of mine who upgraded from a 5D2 and the camera is still working perfectly.
Use the proper name for the equipment, would ya? Unless you think the people reading this site are too stupid to know what a 6D or 5D is. And I think the "7D Mark I" was a mistake because the hyperlink is to a Mark II version. So, while you're adjusting to using the proper name for a piece of equipment, review your articles a little more thoroughly while you're at it.
Can't find a 6D Mark I listed at Canon websites. Must be secret camera sold only to special photographers.
Hi Jonathan, thanks for the observations and the snark. Readers not well versed in the gear make up the vast majority of the readership of the site, despite the comments often suggesting otherwise. Being able to make a clear distinction between the mark i and the mark ii makes for much easier comprehension. When writing this article I knew in advance that I'd probably get some pushback in the comments for saying '6D Mark I' instead of '6D', but I ignored that prospect because I knew that I'm trying to please a wider audience, not an annoying handful of people who are unnecessarily pedantic.
At Fstoppers, editorial policy is to link to the BHPhoto item, or the most relevant listing. In this case, the original 7D is not present and so the link is to the next best thing.
The clearest distinction would be to use the cameras actual name, not make one up. And, linking a made up product name to an incorrect product is ridiculous and only furthers confusion. Your decisions have quite likely created the very confusion you hoped to prevent.
I'm happy with my decision, as are the editors.
I don't understand why it prompted such an unnecessary degree of snarkiness from you. I really hope that this is not how you would pose these questions to me if we met face to face.
And I'm confused why you feel it's necessary to confuse your intended audience by using superfluous, inaccurate product names. Would you talk down to and confuse your intended audience face to face?
If you mean "would you try to explain something in terms that I believe most people would understand", then yes. Your opinion is clearly different and that's fine. However, to me, it still doesn't justify the tone or manner of your comment.
Accuracy is important. Here's an analogy... Go to Atlanta and ask someone where the road named Peachtree is. Tell them it's the first one when they ask for more specificity.
If you felt like readers needed theor hands held through your article, why not simply say "the Canon EOS 6D" and then follow that with any number of potential clarifiers in parentheses such as: the first generation of the line, not the 6D Mark II (which would have allowed you to throw in another affiliate link), known to some (for who knows what reason) as the 6D Mark I, Canon's first budget FF, or any other unique identifier.
As for the snark, honestly, I feel it's insulting to assume your audience needs their hand held. So, I fired back with the same level of insult to get my point across.
First, how disrespectful, unprofessional, and condescending to call the author out on such a simple matter. You are the one making the error about the audience and assuming they are stupid, not the author, who clearly did the honor of assuming his readers are intelligent (which I praise him for since he's writing as if we are all equals!)
Second, if you personally were outright confused, send a private message, nobody here wants to hear your roid-rage at not being able to understand the article when he provided a damn picture of the camera in reference.
Thank you Andy Day for the article! I appreciated the way you depersonified your camera in order for the audience to relate to your connection to photography and the disattachment in order to move on. Many people develop relationships with their technology (writing this from my laptop Lola after all) and you did well to stimulate a feeling many of us have had. Waiting for your next article!
Thanks Harley. Glad you enjoyed the article. :)
I understand your annoyance: you asked why I did something and I gave my reasons. By all means, you're more than welcome to disagree with my reasons and we can move on from there. However, your tone is unnecessary, immature and shows a complete lack of class. Your opinions on accuracy do not justify it.
You could have started a mature discussion about naming conventions but instead you opted for snark from the outset. Instead of a constructive conversation about model names and comprehension, you've opted for anger and confrontation because the internet gives you a degree of distance and anonymity that makes you think that social conventions don't apply to you.
Wow, you're a peach. 5DC is an accepted community alias for the 5D so why not 6D Mark I? 6DC & 7DC would be more consistent with forum usage but whatever. As long as we understand which camera is being discussed it's all good.
Imo the moment a mark II version is released there is an implied mark I attached to the first iteration of the model. It's an important distinction to anyone who wants specificity. The model line becomes 5D, 6D, 7D, etc.
I appreciate the author specifying which model he's referring to since there can be some ambiguity depending on the author's writing style. I've asked 'which model 5D is this guy referring?' reading other articles.
Good article Andy, enjoyed the read.
Glad you enjoyed it. :)
No. It's not accepted. It, too, has caused confusion in many leading them to ask if there was a cinema version of the 5D they were unaware of, or possibly rumored on the horizon. It's yet another ridiculous made up name. Stick to the name the company gives the product and there's ZERO confusion. None. It's people trying to assign their own ridiculous names to things which causes confusion in the first place. If someone typing 6D or 5D or whatever causes confusion, their context was sorely lacking and that's the fault of the writer, not the reader. Just like it would be their fault to just make up a product name.
Sure it is. A bunch of random people all over the Internet agree 5DC is an acceptable alias for the 5D. There'll never be consensus but it's common enough that it's becoming part of the photography vernacular.
Never once saw anyone express confusion over 5DC or 5D Classic. And no one's confusing it for the 1DC which is indeed a cinema body.
If Canon can call the same product different names in different markets, eg 550D/Rebel T2i/Kiss X4, naming is clearly no big deal.
There seems to be a need for differentiation otherwise people wouldn't be calling the first iteration of the series "original 5D", 5DC or 5D Classic. Same with 6D Mark I. There's evidently a need otherwise no one would bother calling it that.
Same reason why Metallica's eponymous record is universally known as "The Black Album" - to disambiguate the record from the band and clarify the topic of discussion even in a conversation exclusively about albums. The record isn't officially called The Black Album. Fans just call it that because it needed a name other than Metallica to prevent confusion.
Generally speaking people don't make up names to clarify things that don't need clarifying.
Fuji got it mostly right with the X series, starting their numbering at 1/10/100 from the get go.
Well, if a bunch of random people, who are still a minority, all over the internet is all that's needed to accept something as a universal truth, then the earth is not only flat but climate change isn't caused by man, vaccines cause autism, school shootings in the US never happen, Barack Obama isn't a native born US citizen, 9/11 was an inside job, ... I could go on, but I think you get the point that "random people on the internet" is hardly an acceptable standard.
And the "need" you refer to is, IMO, simply a need for people to be seen as clever when they're not.
As I said above, if the author felt like "Canon EOS 6D" might be confused with "Canon EOS 6D Mark II", there are superior options to calling it something it's not like: the first generation of the line, not the 6D Mark II (which would have allowed you to throw in another affiliate link), known to some (for who knows what reason) as the 6D Mark I, Canon's first budget FF, or any other unique identifier. Those options provide distinction as opposed to unnecessary confusion.
Apologies for matching my perception of insult to my words, buy my point still stands: if the author's intent was to avoid confusion, he quite likely caused it, ironically, by using a name for the camera which doesn't exist when he could have chosen a more descriptive and less condescending alternative.
From the comments, you seem to be the only one finding my choice condescending. The amount of anger and rudeness that my article has prompted from you is a little odd. You objected to my choice of naming convention and I explained my reasons, as supported by the site's editors. It's absolutely fine that you have a different opinion - I understand your reasoning. That said, I'd be much more willing to take on board your criticisms if you had the decency to express them in a civilised manner. I'm sorry that you're not capable of that.
Hey, I offered an apology for the tone. 👍
Fair point. Appreciated and accepted.
After spending time with THE Canon 6D (3years) and then the Sony A7 and A6000(2years)
I have a different take on Sony, they are great cameras but not worth whiching for, in my opinion.
The overall investment is a total let down, Sony is releasing a A7 every year it seems like, which makes your 1year old camera's value drop dramatically.Right now the original A7 can be purchased used for the same amount of the original 5D.
Also, for all of you who have this great and dependable Canon glass and selling it for Sony glass(which eventually happens) will only realize the mistake three years later when Sony primarily electronically operated lenses start to fail.
My first Sony camera was a Hx100 and within 1year 2 upgrades of that camera was made, and three years later I fell for it again, only to find myself buying the Canon glass I sold and getting another Canon camera bodies 1Ds mark ii and a 70D.(keep in mind I mostly do photography not videos ) image taken with 1Ds markii release 13years ago and almost just as valuable as the A7 and A7ii
That seems like a weird complaint. You prefer Canon because they update their product line less often? I bought Sony *because* they were iterating and improving on the A7 line quickly. Maybe even faster than their competition required. Most people resent Canon for not innovating fast enough.
It's not weird when you understand the up dates are only catch up, updates that should be implemented at one time. Also, these updates are a distraction from the point that these cameras are designed to last three to four years top(with heavy usage). Also have sony fix the focus assist beam that cut off with the bigger glass such as the 70-200? Have sony fixed not being able to use focus assist with on camera flashes? Its the subtle(but important )things that get the working photographers to go back to Canon.
Last but not lease I do not like my noise on my images to be render like lightroom luminance (smeared ) I like the way canon renders their nose, which keeps the image sharp.This is just my opinion from usage, again I am not a videographer.
Fyi, most of my electronics are Sony --ps4,xb30 speaker, headphones n1950, phone XA2 so I really did want the camera to work.
Sounds like you just didn't really care for the camera on its own merits and were annoyed you couldn't get your money's worth back out of it. That's valid, frustrating situation to be in. But I do like my A7iii and seeing the company iterate gives me confidence investing in lenses knowing that there will continue to be good bodies to upgrade to.
I got my monies worth out the A7, however the hype around it was and is still misleading (in my opinion ). Like I said I love the camera, but if you read back through my post, I think a came full circle. Canon still is top dog (for me) for numerous reason.
Also you never answer my questions on the fixes.
I didn't think they were questions, just downsides of the system that were dealbreakers for you and clearly don't matter that much to me. I wasn't trying to go tit for tat on features, not really helpful for anyone.
Sure its helpful if you shoot low light events like WEDDINGS. I'm sure the A7iii is a great camera just not worth dumping thousands of dolllars worth of lenses, when its more likely the equivalent of the 6D markii with 4K ,auto focus video an IBIS(which allows sony to sell really slow lenses😂🤣😂 while you sell you really fast sharp glass🤣🤣😭😭😂😂😅😅). Anyway, to each its own Thanks for the dialog.
Andy, I curious about the why. Why switch to Sony over the Cannon EOS R which appears to have excellent compatibility with the EF lenses? I love my Cannon 6D and being a hobbiest I have no need to upgrade to the 5D series. I don't want the weight, I love the built in GPS and certainly don't want anything to do with CF cards. I suspect Canon will continue to put more research into its EOS R and RF lenses than into its other product lines. So at some point I will probably looking to a mirrorless system so I am curious about your decision.
It's not only about the performance of adapted lenses. With adapter, a small lens loses this quality, moderately-sized lens becomes a large one, and a large lens becomes huge. In some cases you literally need to purchase a larger camera bag! To me, the growth of lenses' bulk was really frustrating on small mirrorless body.
If and when Canon releases EOS R body for 2000$ with IBIS, thumbstick and 500+ CIPA battery rating, it will be a really credible choice for upgrading from EOS 6D. But back in June 2018 I predicted that upcoming Canon body will be so-so, and I was more right than I could imagine (then I thought that the body will have IBIS).