Canon announces launch of EOS 6D DSLR camera

Canon has announced the launch of its latest EOS DSLR camera, the EOS 6D. Canon targets this DSLR at serious photography enthusiasts. In its official statement, Canon shares that the EOS 6D is the world’s lightest DSLR to feature a full-frame CMOS sensor. 

Canon claims that for the first time in any EOS model, Wi-Fi and GPS connectivity are included, allowing photographers to capture images on the move, tag them with location information, and wirelessly transfer them to a computer, the cloud, or smartphones.

Speaking on the launch Dr. Alok Bharadwaj, Senior Vice President, Canon India said, “Canon has yet again launched the first of its kind product in India. EOS 6D is the lightest full-frame DSLR camera boasting of a built-in WiFi and GPS support. The new EOS 6D is a perfect treat for photography enthusiasts. The Latest offering promises to give our users matchless experience on the move. The extensive basket of features, makes EOS 6D a preferred choice for consumers who inspire for the best.”

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Canon EOS 6D DSLR camera

“For a lot of people, photography is much more than a hobby; it’s a way of life. The EOS 6D symbolizes a new category of cameras and demonstrates Canon’s commitment to the passionate photographer who is always looking for new ways to express his imagination through pictures. With new offerings like GPS and Wi-Fi, Canon is making image sharing easier than ever before,” said, Seiji Hamanishi, ICP Group Head.

Further in its official statement, Canon adds that the picture qualilty users get with the EOS 6D stems from the power of a full-frame CMOS sensor. A full-frame sensor is equivalent to that of a 35mm film, which is larger than the APS-C size sensors found in most DSLR cameras. The major advantage of full-frame, according to Canon is that it maximises the full potential of visual data captured by lenses designed for 35mm cameras.

The full-frame CMOS sensor, adds Canon, captures more light per pixel than smaller sensors for a wider dynamic range at remarkably low noise even at high ISO speeds. The EOS 6D uses a new photodiode construction and a gapless microlens array that achieves a superior signal-to-noise ratio, providing a wide ISO speed range of 100-25600 (expandable range- L:50, H1:51200, H2:102400). The impressive ISO range of the EOS 6D is similar to that of the powerful EOS 5D Mk III for sharp photos even in darker or more challenging environments.

Canon paired the full-frame sensor with DIGIC 5+, an upgraded imaging processor that performs up to three times faster than DIGIC 5. With this combination, the EOS 6D can shoot extremely sharp 20.2 megapixel photos at high ISO speeds with low noise, as the DIGIC 5+ improves noise processing by up to two-stops. What’s more, the DIGIC 5+ empowers the EOS 6D to shoot photo at a continuous shooting speed of 4.5 frames per second.

The DIGIC 5+ processor lends photos a greater creative edge with tools such as Handheld Night Scene that helps users take night shots without the aid of a tripod. The EOS 6D does this by snapping 4 shots at high speeds and automatically compositing them into one perfect photo.

In HDR Backlight Control mode, high-contrast shots such as extreme dark shadows against a brightly-lit backdrop are similarly overcome by automatically compositing 3 shots taken in quick succession at low, mid and high exposures to produce a picture-perfect photo with superior details.

Multiple Exposure Shots takes up to 9 photos and then merges them into one single image. This fun and creative mode is similar that of a film camera taking several exposures on the same frame; excellent for illustrating action sequences such as a golf swing.

The EOS 6D is able to shoot in RAW format, which is the preferred format for professional photographers as it gives users more control over the image and retains more visual data. Photographers will appreciate the EOS 6D for its in-camera ability to convert RAW files to JPEG, plus resize these files to the optimal sizes for blogs and digital photo frames for greater convenience and a smoother workflow.

To make the EOS 6D incredibly convenient for users, it is outfitted with Wi-Fi capabilities. Wi-Fi allows the EOS 6D to connect to wireless networks at speedy 802.11 b/g/n wireless standards, so that it can transfer data to PCs and smartphones at speeds up to 150 mbps and print photos with PictBridge-enabled (DPS over IP) wireless printers.

Making its debut is a new iOS and Android app known as EOS Remote, which takes further advantage of the EOS 6D’s WiFi capabilities by allowing iOS and Android devices to control the EOS 6D. With EOS Remote, the smartphone’s screen can double as the camera’s live view screen. With the freedom to be mobile, photographers can mount the EOS 6D on a tripod and then adjust and arrange their subjects without needing to check the camera’s LCD monitor.

EOS Remote also allows the user to change shooting modes, adjust the focus, and of course, snap a photo or record a video. The user can also download images to iOS and Android devices and use these devices to view, organise and manage images on the camera.

Another EOS first is the inclusion of a built-in GPS function. The high-sensitivity, high-precision GPS logs location data into the image file, allowing users to recall shooting locations during a photography trip. Together with the time-stamp, the entire route taken in a photography trip can be calculated using the photos taken or GPS logging with Canon’s Map Utility software.

The EOS 6D is capable of fast and accurate AF performance thanks to a new 11-point AF system (EOS 5D Mk II has a 9-point system). These 11 points boast of accurate focusing even in low light up to EV-3 rating (an EOS first) for sharper photos.

Exposure control is made incredibly precise due to an iFCL 63-zone dual layer metering sensor. After the AF system speedily determines the location of the main subject, this system then takes over to determine the optimal exposure setting for that subject.

With the increased speed and accuracy of the AF and AE, users can happily snap photos at will, knowing that the images will be properly focused and exposed. 

The power of the DIGIC 5+ image processor allows the EOS 6D to take high-quality videos at Full HD quality, with sharp resolutions up to 1920 x 1080 at a smooth 24 fps. Movie compression methods available include the ALL-I to compress each frame (ideal for editing), and IPB for higher compression and lower file sizes.

The image quality of the EOS 6D’s videos has been improved by the reduction of moire and color fringing. The 4GB movie file size limit has been removed, allowing users to shoot video clips up to 30 minutes each depending on memory card capacity.

In addition, the EOS 6D comes with a magnesium alloy body, which Canon claims is dust- and drip-proof comparable to the EOS 1N, and includes a long-lasting shutter unit that is able to withstand 100,000 shutter cycles.

The optional BG-E13 battery grip is also available, designed to be used with the EOS 6D for both portrait and landscape-oriented shots. The BG-E13 uses 6 AA batteries or 2 LP-E6 batteries.

Here’s a quick look at the specifications of the Canon EOS 6D:

• Dimensions: 144.5 x 110.5 x 71.2mm approx.
• Weight: 680g approx. (body only)
• Image sensor: Full-frame 20.2-megapixel CMOS sensor
• Imaging processor: DIGIC 5+
• ISO speed: 100-25600 (expandable range- L:50, H1:51200, H2:102400)
• Continuous shooting speed: up to 4.5fps
• Maximum video quality: Full HD (24fps)
• LCD: 1.04 million dot resolution, 3.0-inch ClearView LCD
• Battery type: Lithium-Ion LP-E6