The Canon EOS R6 series is one of the brand’s most popular full-frame options – and the imaging giant has just given it the “V” video treatment. The Canon EOS R6 V takes the 32.5MP 7K open gate sensor of the R6 Mark III and crams it into an all-new design that is smaller in both dimensions and price.
You can read our in-depth Canon EOS R6 V review right now for full details, samples and our hands-on experience.
The R6 V trades the viewfinder of the R6 Mark III for an active cooling system in an all-new design focused on video. The R6 isn’t the only camera that Canon has given the V treatment to, but it is a far more high-end take on video compared to the crop-sensor Canon EOS R50 V.
The R6 Mark III is a hybrid camera that’s photo-first, where the EOS R6 V is a hybrid camera that’s video-first. Much of the R6 V’s specs match the Mark III's, including the 32.5MP full-frame sensor with 7K 30p open gate. The camera will be able to support 7K at 60p in the Light RAW format, and 4K footage will be oversampled from 7K.
With an added active cooling system, the R6 V lists longer record times. Canon says that the R6 V can record both 7K RAW and a 2K proxy at 73°F / 23°C for 120 minutes with the active cooling system on high. By comparison, the R6 Mark III’s spec sheet lists a 23-minute record time at those same temperatures for a 60fps Light RAW and 2K Proxy.
The R6 V still maintains in-body stabilization – as well as digital stabilization for video – but at 7.5 stops compared to the R6 Mark III’s 8.5 stops.
Axing the viewfinder and adding a cooling system isn't the only design geared towards video. There’s a tally lamp at the front to indicate recording status, and there’s a second tripod mount on the side of the camera for vertical shooting – and the user interface automatically rotates when shooting vertically as well.
By removing the viewfinder, Canon created a camera body that’s a little more than half an inch shorter. The R6 V comes in at 3.28 inches / 83.3 mm compared to the R6 III’s 3.87-inch / 98.3 mm height. Despite the smaller design, the camera still has two card slots.
While shorter, the weight difference between the two cameras is minimal – perhaps due to the addition of the active cooling system – with the new R6 V only 0.02 lbs / 9 grams lighter.
The smaller design may sway some still photographers considering the identical sensor – but the R6 V doesn’t quite match the R6 Mark III’s stills features. The R6 V only has an electronic shutter, with no mechanical option. and at launch it doesn’t support flash – though Canon says that support is coming with a future firmware update.
Those missing photo features are also a key difference between Canon’s V series cameras and the C bodies. Canon calls the EOS R5 C a true hybrid, as it has flash capability and a physical shutter, and can even switch between the EOS and Cinema EOS menu systems. The R6 V also lacks support for anamorphic lenses.
Creators will also find Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF II system inside. That includes similar performance, including subject detection, to the R6 Mark III. The R6 V, however, has a close-up mode for product demos.
While Canon launched this feature on earlier cameras like the R50 V, the feature is now available outside of auto exposure mode on the R6 V. The camera also has speed adjustment for video autofocus and a Track After Focusing mode that enables creators to rotate the lens’ focus ring to rack between two subjects.
The R6 V also supports livestreaming through both USB-C and the camera’s full-sized HDMI port.
But Canon has one final difference to sway creators to the R6 V over the R6 Mark III: The price. The R6 V sits at $2,499 / £2,399 (Australian price to be confirmed), compared to the R6 Mark III’s $2,799 / £2,799 body-only price.
The camera will also be available bundled with the newly announced Canon RF 20-50mm f/4L IS USM PZ – Canon’s first full-frame lens that can switch from power zoom to manual zoom – for $3,699 / £3,549.
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