This discount on the Canon EOS R6 Mark II drops it to an all-time low price during Amazon's Big Smile Sale

I've been following the price histories of various cameras as part of my job here at Digital Camera World and I've been saddened to see that discounts haven't been as good in the last couple of years. Typical discounts have been under 20%, with the rare exception – and that's even during major sales like Black Friday and Prime Day.

That's why seeing a 23% discount on the Canon EOS R6 Mark II body on Amazon right now for Big Smile Sale in Australia has me chomping at the bit to spread the word. It's currently available for just AU$2,554 and is arguably one of the best prices I've seen on this model – in fact, it's the lowest Amazon price and, according to my research, no other retailer is currently beating it.

Admittedly there are newer cameras that perform better now – the Nikon Z6 III being a case in point which, despite a 27% discount that drops the price to AU$3,300 is a lot more expensive – but the Canon camera's age is what makes it a lot more accessible now.

And don't worry, I'm not pushing a camera that doesn't perform well. In our Canon EOS R6 Mark II review, we called it a camera that "makes mincemeat of other hybrids" and we still stand by that statement. It remains a stellar performer.

Canon EOS R6 Mark II (body): was AU$3,299 now AU$2,554 at Amazon

Save AU$745

As one of Canon's fastest cameras and with more AF tracking modes than its predecessor, it's a real beast, thanks to the pairing of its sensor with the Digic X engine. So if you've been considering a new camera, you should check this one out, now with 23% off on Amazon.

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The EOS R6 Mark II is physically almost identical to the original R6, but there are some noteworthy changes that make this a better body to handle.

• Check out our comparison of the Canon R6 Mark II vs R6

The old power switch is gone from the left shoulder (long-time Canon mirrorless users will be familiar with this), now replaced by a dedicated stills/video switch. The power switch has been moved to the right shoulder, sitting just below the rear exposure dial – this allows stills photographers to handle the camera single-handed, something street photographers in particular will appreciate.

Those familiar with the joystick design on the EOS R5 and older R6 model will spot the difference here as well – the four notches at the cardinal points is gone, removing the tactile control when using the joystick.

Inside, the sensor resolution has been upped from 20.1MP in the older camera to 24.2MP. The sensor-based electronic shutter can now rattle off continuous shooting at up to 40fps, and Canon promises it has reduced the rolling shutter distortion compared to the R6. There's even a RAW Burst Mode that can capture raw images at 30fps with a 0.5 second pre-shooting buffer, making this ideal for sport shooters.

To complement the high frame rates, Canon has improved the AF performance here. In addition to the existing body, eye, face, head and animal recognition (now expanded to horses and zebras – yes, you read that right), the R6 II can recognise cars, motorcycles, aircraft and trains too.

In terms of video capture, the R6 II now shoots 4K/60p using the full width of the sensor (the Mark I R6 has a 1.07x crop). It can also output 6K ProRes RAW to select Atomos external recorders along with focus breathing compensation with compatible lenses, finally catching up with Sony.

That's a lot of camera for your money.

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