The Canon EOS R5 has been attracting a lot of attention recently with its 45 MP sensor, blazing-fast shooting speeds, and 8K video.
So much attention, in fact, that you’d be forgiven if you weren’t aware of Canon’s other soon-to-drop mirrorless model, the EOS R6.
To be fair, the EOS R6 hasn’t been officially announced by Canon. All the information we have on it comes from rumors, but this type of rumor tends to be pretty accurate, and there’s little doubt that the EOS R6 will debut in 2020.
So what can we expect from this new mirrorless body?
First, the R6 will have a full-frame sensor, but one that packs just 20 MP, making it Canon’s lowest resolution EOS R model to date.
Not that 20 MP is insufficient for most purposes, of course, but it comes as something of a surprise, especially given that Canon’s enthusiast full-frame mirrorless model, the EOS RP, features 26 MP.
Fortunately, a low-resolution sensor can often make way for other features, such as high continuous shooting speeds. On that front, I have good news:
The EOS R6 will shoot up to 12 frames per second using the mechanical shutter and 20 frames per second using the electronic shutter, putting it above many of the action-centric cameras currently on the market. If you’re looking to shoot sports or wildlife, that’s more than enough speed for top-of-the-line images.
The EOS R6 will also offer in-body image stabilization, making it the only Canon mirrorless body, aside from the upcoming R5, to do so.
And if all these specs weren’t interesting enough, we have a new EOS R6 rumor on the docket, suggesting that the camera will offer dual card slots, but will also have an EVF and build quality that can’t match the R5.
So what, exactly, is this camera shaping up to be?
It’s highly likely that Canon engineers are working on a professionally-oriented sports body (often dubbed the EOS R1), but this is almost certainly not it. The lack of a rugged build, plus the lower-resolution electronic viewfinder, suggests that the R6 will be an enthusiast camera rather than a professional one. Plus, I can’t see Canon releasing another 1D-type camera, just a few months after the 1D X Mark III was announced.
Instead, the EOS R6 is shaping up to be a Canon 6D, of sorts. A camera with excellent full-frame image quality, but lacking the durability of a true pro body, and probably limited in other areas (such as customizability).
But note that the EOS R6 is no simple rehash of the 6D series. The presence of in-body image stabilization and ultra-fast shooting speeds suggest that Canon has thoroughly “mirrorlessed” this new model, and the result is likely to make quite a splash.
While the EOS R6’s release date is currently unknown, and the situation with coronavirus is causing production delays, look out for an announcement in May.
Now over to you:
What do you think of the EOS R6 rumors? Who do you think this camera is meant for? Would you be interested? Share your thoughts in the comments!
