PWJul 1, 2022

Canon 5D Mark III vs 6D Mark II

The Canon EOS 5D Mark III and the Canon EOS 6D Mark II are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively,
in March 2012 and June 2017. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with a full frame sensor. The 5D Mark III has a resolution of 22.1 megapixels, whereas the 6D Mark II provides 26 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon 5D Mark III

 

Canon 6D Mark II

Digital single lens reflex

Digital single lens reflex

Canon EF mount lenses

Canon EF mount lenses

22.1 MP – Full Frame sensor

26 MP – Full Frame sensor

1080/30p Video

1080/60p Video

ISO 100-25,600 (50 – 102,400)

ISO 100-40,000 (50 – 102,400)

Optical viewfinder

Optical viewfinder

3.2″ LCD – 1040k dots

3.0″ LCD – 1040k dots

Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)

Swivel touchscreen

6 shutter flaps per second

6.5 shutter flaps per second

Weathersealed bodyWeathersealed body950 shots per battery charge1200 shots per battery charge

152 x 116 x 76 mm, 950 g

144 x 111 x 75 mm, 765 g

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 5D Mark III and the
Canon EOS 6D Mark II? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon 5D Mark III and the Canon 6D Mark II is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size,
the Canon 6D Mark II is notably smaller (9 percent) than the Canon 5D Mark III. Moreover, the 6D Mark II is markedly lighter (19 percent) than the 5D Mark III. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses
that both of these cameras require. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses.
You can compare the optics available in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the 5D Mark III gets 950 shots out of its LP-E6 battery,
while the 6D Mark II can take 1200 images on a single charge of its LP-E6N power pack.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to
select your camera combination among a large number of options.

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The 6D Mark II was launched at a markedly lower price (by 43 percent) than the 5D Mark III, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor, but their sensors
differ slightly in size. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the 6D Mark II uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 7)
than the 5D Mark III (DIGIC 5+), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the 6D Mark II offers a higher
resolution of 26 megapixels, compared with 22.1 MP of the 5D Mark III.
This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel
(with a pixel pitch of 5.76μm versus 6.25μm for the 5D Mark III). However, it should be noted that the 6D Mark II is much more recent (by 5 years and 3 months) than the 5D Mark III, and its sensor
will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently.

The resolution advantage of the Canon 6D Mark II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the
possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 6D Mark II for good quality output (200 dots per inch)
amounts to 31.2 x 20.8 inches or 79.2 x 52.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 25 x 16.6 inches or 63.4 x 42.3 cm, and for
excellent quality (300 dpi) 20.8 x 13.9 inches or 52.8 x 35.2 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 5D Mark III are
28.8 x 19.2 inches or 73.2 x 48.8 cm for good quality, 23 x 15.4 inches or 58.5 x 39 cm for very good quality, and 19.2 x 12.8 inches or 48.8 x 32.5 cm for
excellent quality prints.

The 6D Mark II has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS 5D Mark III has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 50-102400.
The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS 6D Mark II are ISO 100 to ISO 40000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-102400.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth (“DXO Portrait”), dynamic range (“DXO Landscape”), and low-light sensitivity (“DXO Sports”) of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. Of the two cameras under consideration, the 6D Mark II has a markedly higher DXO score than the 5D Mark III (overall score 4 points higher), which will translate into better image quality. The advantage is based on 0.4 bits higher color depth, 0.2 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.3 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

 
 
Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall

1.

 

Canon 5D Mark III Full Frame 22.1 5760 38401080/30p24.011.72293812.

 

Canon 6D Mark II Full Frame 26.0 6240 41601080/60p24.411.92862853.

 

Canon 5D Mark IV Full Frame 30.1 6720 44804K/30p24.813.62995914.

 

Canon 80D APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.613.21135795.

 

Canon 5DS Full Frame 50.3 8688 57921080/30p24.712.42381876.

 

Canon 5DS R Full Frame 50.3 8688 57921080/30p24.612.42308867.

 

Canon 6D Full Frame 20.0 5472 36481080/30p23.812.12340828.

 

Canon 5D Mark II Full Frame 21.0 5616 37441080/30p23.711.91815799.

 

Canon 5D Full Frame 12.7 4368 2912none22.911.113687110.

 

Nikon D750 Full Frame 24.2 6016 40161080/60p24.814.529569311.

 

Nikon D610 Full Frame 24.2 6016 40161080/30p25.114.429259412.

 

Nikon D600 Full Frame 24.2 6016 40161080/30p25.114.229809413.

 

Nikon D800 Full Frame 36.2 7360 49121080/30p25.314.428539514.

 

Nikon D800E Full Frame 36.2 7360 49121080/30p25.614.3297996

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the 6D Mark II provides a faster frame rate than the 5D Mark III. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60p, while the 5D Mark III is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 5D Mark III and the 6D Mark II are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder.
The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinder in the 5D Mark III offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the
6D Mark II (98%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. On the other hand,
the viewfinder of the 6D Mark II has a higher magnification (0.72x vs 0.71x),
so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon 5D Mark III, the Canon 6D Mark II, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

 
 
Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab

1.

 

Canon 5D Mark IIIoptical Y3.2 / 1040 fixed n 1/8000s 6.0/s n n
2.

 

Canon 6D Mark IIoptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 6.5/s n n
3.

 

Canon 5D Mark IVoptical Y3.2 / 1620 fixed Y 1/8000s 7.0/s n n
4.

 

Canon 80Doptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/8000s 7.0/s Y n
5.

 

Canon 5DSoptical Y3.2 / 1040 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s n n
6.

 

Canon 5DS Roptical Y3.2 / 1040 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s n n
7.

 

Canon 6Doptical Y3.0 / 1040 fixed n 1/4000s 4.5/s n n
8.

 

Canon 5D Mark IIoptical Y3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/8000s 3.9/s n n
9.

 

Canon 5Doptical Y2.5 / 230 fixed n 1/8000s 3.0/s n n
10.

 

Nikon D750optical Y3.2 / 1229 tilting n 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
11.

 

Nikon D610optical Y3.2 / 921 fixed n 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
12.

 

Nikon D600optical Y3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/4000s 5.5/s Y n
13.

 

Nikon D800optical Y3.2 / 921 fixed n 1/8000s 4.0/s Y n
14.

 

Nikon D800Eoptical Y3.2 / 921 fixed n 1/8000s 4.0/s Y n

Notes: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The 6D Mark II
has a touchscreen, while the 5D Mark III has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example,
for setting the focus point.

The 6D Mark II has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by
vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies. In contrast, the 5D Mark III does not have a selfie-screen.

The Canon 6D Mark II has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to
capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The 5D Mark III writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or SDXC cards, while the 6D Mark II uses SDXC cards. The 5D Mark III features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the 6D Mark II
only has one slot. The 6D Mark II supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the 5D Mark III cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS 5D Mark III and Canon EOS 6D Mark II and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

 
 
Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support

1.

 

Canon 5D Mark IIIYmono / monoYYmini2.0—
2.

 

Canon 6D Mark IIYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YYY
3.

 

Canon 5D Mark IVYmono / monoYYmini3.0YY-
4.

 

Canon 80DYstereo / monoYYmini2.0YY-
5.

 

Canon 5DSYmono / monoY-mini3.0—
6.

 

Canon 5DS RYmono / monoY-mini3.0—
7.

 

Canon 6DYmono / monoY-mini2.0Y–
8.

 

Canon 5D Mark IIYmono / monoY-mini2.0—
9.

 

Canon 5DY

–

 / 

–

—2.0—
10.

 

Nikon D750Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0Y–
11.

 

Nikon D610Ymono / monoYYmini2.0—
12.

 

Nikon D600Ymono / monoYYmini2.0—
13.

 

Nikon D800Ymono / monoYYmini3.0—
14.

 

Nikon D800EYmono / monoYYmini3.0—

It is notable that the 5D Mark III has a headphone jack, which is not present on the 6D Mark II
This port makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 5D Mark III (unlike the 6D Mark II) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights
can be controlled by the camera.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the 6D Mark II has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates
in its EXIF data.

The 6D Mark II is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon.
In contrast, the 5D Mark III has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the 5D Mark III was succeeded by the Canon 5D Mark IV. Further information on the features and operation of the 5D Mark III and 6D Mark II can be found, respectively, in the
Canon 5D Mark III Manual (free pdf) or the
online Canon 6D Mark II Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 5D Mark III or the Canon 6D Mark II – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 5D Mark III:

• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 98%).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2″ vs 3.0″) for image review and settings control.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in March 2012).

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 6D Mark II:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (26 vs 22.1MP), which boosts linear resolution by 8%.
• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (4 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 7 vs DIGIC 5+).
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/30p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.72x vs 0.71x).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 185g or 19 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (1200 versus 950) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (43 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 5 years and 3 months of technical progress since the 5D Mark III launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 6D Mark II is the clear winner of the contest (19 : 7 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges
from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera
is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

5D Mark III 07

:

19 6D Mark II

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 5D Mark III and the Canon 6D Mark II place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest
Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the 5D Mark III or the 6D Mark II perform in practice. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge,
reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera’s market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

~

Specifications: Canon 5D Mark III vs Canon 6D Mark II

Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

Camera Specifications

Camera Model

Canon 5D Mark III
Canon 6D Mark II

Camera Type

Digital single lens reflex

Digital single lens reflex

Camera Lens

Canon EF mount lenses

Canon EF mount lenses

Launch Date

March 2012

June 2017

Launch Price

USD 3,499

USD 1,999

Sensor Specs

Canon 5D Mark III

Canon 6D Mark II

Sensor Technology

CMOS

CMOS

Sensor Format

Full Frame Sensor

Full Frame Sensor

Sensor Size

36.0 x 24.0 mm

35.9 x 24.0 mm

Sensor Area

864 mm2

861.6 mm2

Sensor Diagonal

43.3 mm

43.2 mm

Crop Factor

1.0x

1.0x

Sensor Resolution

22.1 Megapixels

26 Megapixels

Image Resolution

5760 x 3840 pixels

6240 x 4160 pixels

Pixel Pitch

6.25 μm

5.76 μm

Pixel Density

2.56 MP/cm2

3.01 MP/cm2

Moiré control

Anti-Alias filter

Anti-Alias filter

Movie Capability

1080/30p Video

1080/60p Video

ISO Setting

100 – 25,600 ISO

100 – 40,000 ISO

ISO Boost

50 – 102,400 ISO

50 – 102,400 ISO

Image Processor

DIGIC 5+

DIGIC 7

DXO Sensor Quality (score)

81

85

DXO Color Depth (bits)

24.0

24.4

DXO Dynamic Range (EV)

11.7

11.9

DXO Low Light (ISO)

2293

2862

Screen Specs

Canon 5D Mark III

Canon 6D Mark II

Viewfinder Type

Optical viewfinder

Optical viewfinder

Viewfinder Field of View

100%

98%

Viewfinder Magnification

0.71x

0.72x

Top-Level Screen

Control Panel

Control Panel

LCD Framing

Live View

Live View

Rear LCD Size

3.2inch

3.0inch

LCD Resolution

1040k dots

1040k dots

LCD Attachment

Fixed screen

Swivel screen

Touch Input

no Touchscreen

Touchscreen

Shooting Specs

Canon 5D Mark III

Canon 6D Mark II

Focus System

Phase-detect AF

Phase-detect AF

Continuous Shooting

6 shutter flaps/s

6.5 shutter flaps/s

Shutter Life Expectancy150 000 actuations100 000 actuationsTime-Lapse Photographyno IntervalometerIntervalometer built-in

Fill Flash

no On-Board Flash

no On-Board Flash

Storage Medium

CF or SDXC cards

SDXC cards

Single or Dual Card Slots

Dual card slots

Single card slot

UHS card support

no

UHS-I

Connectivity Specs

Canon 5D Mark III

Canon 6D Mark II

External Flash

Hotshoe

Hotshoe

Studio Flash

PC Sync socket

no PC Sync

USB Connector

USB 2.0

USB 2.0

HDMI Port

mini HDMI

mini HDMI

Microphone Port

External MIC port

External MIC port

Headphone Socket

Headphone port

no Headphone port

Wifi Support

no Wifi

Wifi built-in

Near-Field Communication

no NFC

NFC built-in

Bluetooth Support

no Bluetooth

Bluetooth built-in

Geotagging

no internal GPS

GPS built-in

Body Specs

Canon 5D Mark III

Canon 6D Mark II

Environmental SealingWeathersealed bodyWeathersealed body

Battery Type

LP-E6

LP-E6N

Battery Life (CIPA)950 shots per charge1200 shots per charge

Body Dimensions

152 x 116 x 76 mm
(6.0 x 4.6 x 3.0 in)

144 x 111 x 75 mm
(5.7 x 4.4 x 3.0 in)

Camera Weight

950 g (33.5 oz)

765 g (27.0 oz)

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