Admittedly, a bold statement considering the 5D Mark III and the D1X. Or in the camp of the Nikonians D800 or D4. Can an "entry-level camera" because really keep up? About the 6D has been discussed a lot before she was ever on the market. As features have been praised and panned that no one had ever tested, Canon has been reviled and worshiped: In short, a mixed picture. She is now on the market, the first test are -noch and much more important than all Laborkram- photographers take pictures of flesh and blood so that, inter alia, other people of flesh and blood. I rated the camera in the right for my purposes, and under my personal circumstances: This is not a scientific test, not a structured model comparison, but a practice report. I shoot almost exclusively weddings, sometimes dogs. And I have a 7D in the closet. This has so far been my workhorse. It is fast, has a great autofocus, feels great in the hand and is reliable as a Lanz Bulldog. Yes: 18 MP on a crop-sensor make it a little diva, but I love them. A small 550D was a backup for the worst of all possible eventualities: total failure of the EOS 7D. This case has never occurred to happiness. As long as there was the 5 DMark II, I kept thinking to swap the 7D to the 5D Mark II, because the desire for full-frame was still greater. Read tests, touched, looked at photos, compare features and stayed with the 7D: It is and has been in recent years simply more modern, faster camera, after the big firmware update was certainly back up to date. So I photographed my first 15 weddings with a crop camera. Yes we can! Why I ever for a new camera was looking for? I wanted to photograph the same time with 2 cameras to not constantly change lenses to have, yet of 24-200mm always have more. The operation with only one "real" camera and a "temporary solution" as a backup in the bag was satisfactory for me. And I wanted to combine the advantages of full frame and Crop. After publication of the 5D Mark III, I was just trying zuzulegen this: Great autofocus, high ISO sensitivity, ingenious housing, good handle, stable, weatherproof, fast. But 3300, - entry and now 2800, - street price just are not in it, and perhaps not worth the price? So continue waiting. Then the announcement came to 6D. Much Krams, the I do not need in life: GPS, WiFi, Video. For: scanty autofocus, slower, less configuration options, no joystick, smaller viewfinder, no master flash control. Hmm ... if that's any good? What finally persuaded me to buy: Everyone's acclaimed image quality in high ISO areas. Since I have it, I do not want you to give up. Not even though I still have the 7D, but just because I have: the two are unbeatable in the combination: All the 7D is missing, brings with the 6D and vice versa. The two are made for each other: The 7D is fast and has a great autofocus. On Crop is from my 70-200 2.8 L telephoto to 320mm. It is robust and water-protected and most professional crop camera, I know. For their ISO options are limited, it is loud as a tractor (especially in burst mode) and wide angle you have to with ultra wide-angle (at me a Tamron 10-24mm) remedies that provide only a limited picture quality. In addition, the classic Always Draufs (24-70 2.8 L) are not always Draufs because they are quite far in the telephoto range. For someone who likes to go weitwinkelig, there is always something missing, and there are constantly changing lenses necessary because a focal length a few millimeters missing untenrum. In dark churches the 7D came again and again to their limits: ISO range and noise were the key factors to make her the 6D to the page. Let's go: Features: In the autofocus I go down separately a, here only a few things that stood out to me: Unfortunately, only two memory locations for personal settings that I like to use, in particular, to quickly switch between "church" and "outside" to. The 7D has three, shame. SD cards instead of CF. I personally had my only card crash with CF cards, so the SD am not too skeptical. SD are much cheaper, more widely available and less. What more is missing: A second shaft for backups. Does the 7D even not, but would have been great. On the other hand: Previously no backup film was in the camera. My solution: choose rather small cards and change frequently, rather than a wedding on one card to pack. No wireless control for external flashes, there is no pop-up flash available. Granted, flash is becoming increasingly rare in the face quite usable ISO 12500, but the system of the 7D's great to wirelessly trigger flashes in groups and to control. Same batteries as the 7D and the 5D (Mark II and III). Theoretically, all interchangeable. Unfortunately, Canon has once again done everything to annoy foreign manufacturers: My party batteries that work great on the 7D, are not recognized by the 6D. You can still take pictures, but has no reliable battery indicator in the display: Even when fully charged, there is a sign for empty. On the other hand: Since I have two originals of Canon, I no longer invite somehow: I now have photographed a birthday, a dog shooting and one baptism, without reloading. Maybe make 40, - price difference is a difference? What I do not need and hence will not be evaluated: Video, WiFi, GPS, scene programs. WiFi could do with an interesting feature, I tried the controller via iPhone and can at least say that the configuration is easy: The 6D is building its own Wi-Fi, in the one logs in with the Iphone, finished. Autofocus: The somewhat mellower autofocus with only 11 sensors of which only the middle one cross-type sensor is startled me somewhat and is, in fact, the only real drawback of the EOS 6D. The work is a bit different: Where do I move the AF point with the 7D, I focus with the 6D centrally and then verschwenke shot. Granted, this can go sometimes in the eye and cause blurring when shooting with Aperture 1.4 and long focal lengths. Operation: Operation is always something "Gefühltes" and thus very individually, I can therefore only reflect my own impression: The camera fits comfortably in your hand, the buttons and wheels run well fed and clean. Coming in from the "pros" and also by me earlier acclaimed joystick has been replaced by an 8-way rocker around the thumbwheel at the 6D. I must say to my surprise: I love it! Where should I ever change the 7D between thumb and joystick, I have at the 6D everything in their hands, or rather in the thumb. Since I work with two cameras a day, I can wholeheartedly say that the rocker rocks! Some buttons are different, the buttons on the upper display are only a single assignment, which I think is beneficial. What something is missing is a button for white balance, which is now accessed via the Quick Menu, but the bottom line, there is nothing that bothers me every day. Finally I have a lock button on dial that has often brought me by the 7D to despair when I realized after 20 pictures that I photographed in AV and no longer in M, because the wheel had turned. The Loupe view in playback mode is more to me than the two push-button thumb 7D: View image, jump in, assess sharpness, jump out. By contrast, the gradual zoom-7D takes a long time. 6D is slightly smaller than the 7D. I love big heavy cameras, so that was a little getting used to. But with battery grip, everything balances out again, the total 6D fits comfortably in your hand, is wertig processed and far away from the feeling of a "beginner Models". It is definitely not a 60D full frame! It is, incidentally, also made of magnesium as the 7D and the other full Formater, just above where Wi-Fi and GPS sitting, must by design plastic are used. Continuous shooting Slower (5 / s) as the racehorse 7D (8 / s), but I have the 7D fully exploited only in the dog sport, at weddings I photograph considered and not just leave it rattle the MG. Maximum I have the 7D at bridal bouquet throwing maxed times, otherwise it is set to single image or a maximum on the slow shutter mode. Image Quality: It makes almost no sense to write something: The image quality is now on all manufacturers, all brands and all price ranges throughout very good. The 6D is no exception. Great colors, great dynamic range in RAW: There is nothing to complain about, there was also at the 7d have not ... Noise: For me as a wedding photographer is a decisive criterion, especially in churches. The 6D has a "whisper" in both the frame and the image series, which makes its name. Except for a small "click" is heard anything. She is with me always defaults to "Silent Mode" and I love it. Finally, a camera with which I can take pictures undisturbed and discreet, for me besides the ISO values the crucial buying criterion. CONCLUSION: Yes, for me it is the ultimate wedding camera. If I were Uncle Scrooge, I would take the 5D Mark III because I have everything here in one housing. So it is the perfect complement to my 7D for me. In dark churches it's great out there I have the leeway of the full format are available and can work with blur. I have the 7D the 70-200 2.8 and 2.8 on the 6D the 24-70 or those who enjoy the new Sigma 35 1.4 I cover so that all focal lengths, with a small, well afford for gap between 70mm and 112mm (the beginning of the 70 -200 to Crop 1.6), but I still between the 100mm Macro 2.8 L, this is a great portrait lens (yes, I'm serious!) The 7D is a Tele Monster and for quick actions with it, together they are the perfect team to make great photos. If that does not succeed, it is definitely on me and not on the technology. In my view, under my conditions and with my topics the EOS 6D is clearly a buy recommendation. Who swims in money or inferiority complex has is better off with the Mark III, as well as all professionals who really need all in one case and for the autofocus would be a real limitation. I hope I have many doubters or waverers facilitates decision.
Addendum September 2013
Thank you for the many comments and feedback on my review. Many comments related to my thoughts on the need for 5DIII considering a very good 6D, some nudged each other the term "inferiority complex". I freely admit: I have now sold a 5D MarkIII and my 7D. My review was referring to my specific situation in which I already had a 7D and these have added a 6D. With the fast, professional 7D and the somewhat meager equipped full-6D I was well prepared because they were together a good team. Ultimately, I replaced the 7D because my ISO performance was important, and I almost predominantly used the 6D in churches and me then as a main camera but did not have the autofocus Senoren. I correct my assessment of the 6D thus a smidgen: The operating concept of the 6D alone may be good when you have next to a 7D or 5D in use, you realize the limitations it: the routes are longer, many missing knobs, etc. And the autofocus remains the weak point: Although the 6D already has two fields more than the 5D Mark II, but the 11, right to the center arranged fields are combined with the lack of joystick but a limitation. What remains is the superior image quality, the great design possibilities of full format, the really quiet silent mode and high ISO capabilities. That is why it is me, despite the Mark III always accompany and deadlines no existence as a back-up body, but his real second camera equipped with a 1.4 35 is always there. Despite these minor limitations, despite the decision, a zuzulegen as main camera 5DIII the 6D is a great camera, succeed with the großatige photos. For sports, whether animal or human, I would still recommend the elderly 7D, who needs all in one, ultimately can not ignore the 5DIII: Quick, light strong, mature and lavish. And no: I do not get money from Canon ...
