It's 7 years old and it doesn't shoot 4K – but the Canon EOS 6D Mark II is still a DSLR I love using, and now it is a bargain
(Image credit: Future)
The Canon EOS 6D Mark II is the camera that almost restored my faith in DSLRs back in 2017. And, in 2024, it's still one of the only DSLRs I love working with. It is no longer in production, although you can still find on sale in lots of stores... Now, I have noticed that B&H Photo has just cut the price to its lowest-ever price - to a deal-busting $999.
Sure the camera is seven years old and a dinosaur in technological terms. But while its successors, the EOS R6 and R6 Mark II, are technically better cameras, their DSLR daddy is still a very, very good camera – and one that still has plenty to offer, and now seriously tempting for DSLR fans at this price.
Canon EOS 6D Mark II | $1,399.99 | $999.99 SAVE $400 at B&H Canon's smallest full-frame DSLR is also one of its most versatile, with a 26.2MP sensor, fully articulating screen and 6.5fps burst shooting.
Sure, it only has 26.2MP of resolution… but, wait, that's exactly the same as the R6 Mark II, and 6 million pixels more than the original R6. How about that.
Jokes aside, that's about all it has over its progeny in terms of specs. The Canon EOS 6D Mark II doesn't shoot 4K, its autofocus system is lifted from an enthusiast APS-C camera (the EOS 80D), it only has a single card slot and it doesn't have sensor stabilization.
But honestly, the only thing I really miss there is the stabilization. The camera's FullHD video is very good, as is the autofocus – sure, it was the old DSLR-style "cluster of focus points in the middle" setup, but the OG Dual Pixel AF remains super sturdy and reliable, even though it's been eclipsed by technology.
And that's really the story here: just because stuff has been superseded, doesn't mean it suddenly becomes garbage. The Canon EOS 6D Mark II didn't spontaneously get worse, just because it got replaced and then discontinued – it still takes phenomenal photographs and great quality video to this day.
And heck, it's not like every camera that came after it is better anyway. The fact that it had a fully articulating screen was a rarity for DSLRs in that category – the supposedly superior 5D Mark IV didn't have one, and nor did the Nikon counterparts – and there are still plenty of mirrorless cameras today that only have a tilting screen.
The Canon EOS 6D Mark II was the best hybrid camera before hybrid cameras were even a thing. Would I still buy one today? Possibly - if I didn't own and use one already!
The editor of Digital Camera World, James has 21 years experience as a journalist and started working in the photographic industry in 2014 (as an assistant to Damian McGillicuddy, who succeeded David Bailey as Principal Photographer for Olympus). In this time he shot for clients like Aston Martin Racing, Elinchrom and L'Oréal, in addition to shooting campaigns and product testing for Olympus, and providing training for professionals. This has led him to being a go-to expert for camera and lens reviews, photo and lighting tutorials, as well as industry news, rumors and analysis for publications like Digital Camera Magazine, PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine, Digital Photographer and Professional Imagemaker, as well as hosting workshops and talks at The Photography Show. He also serves as a judge for the Red Bull Illume Photo Contest. An Olympus and Canon shooter, he has a wealth of knowledge on cameras of all makes – and a fondness for vintage lenses and instant cameras.
