Canon 250D vs 6D Mark II

The Canon EOS 250D (called Canon SL3 in some regions) and the Canon EOS 6D Mark II are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in April 2019 and June 2017. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on an APS-C (250D) and a full frame (6D Mark II) sensor. The 250D has a resolution of 24 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 250D		Canon 6D Mark II
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		26 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/25p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-40,000 (50 - 102,400)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
5 shutter flaps per second		6.5 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
1070 shots per battery charge		1200 shots per battery charge
122 x 93 x 70 mm, 449 g		144 x 111 x 75 mm, 765 g

Check 250D price at
amazon.com
Check 6D Mark II price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 250D 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

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon 250D and the Canon 6D Mark II. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The 250D can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the 6D Mark II is only available in black.

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 larger (41 percent) than the Canon 250D. Moreover, the 6D Mark II is substantially heavier (70 percent) than the 250D. It is noteworthy in this context that the 6D Mark II is splash and dust-proof, while the 250D does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

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. A larger imaging sensor (as in the 6D Mark II) will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, while more compact options are available for the smaller-sensor camera (250D). You can compare the optics available in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the 250D gets 1070 shots out of its Canon LP-E17 battery, while the 6D Mark II can take 1200 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E6N power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

#		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon 250D	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	449 g	1070	n	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
2.		Canon 6D Mark II	144 mm	111 mm	75 mm	765 g	1200	Y	Jun 2017	1,999	amazon.com
3.		Canon 850D	131 mm	103 mm	76 mm	515 g	800	n	Feb 2020	749	ebay.com
4.		Canon M50 Mark II	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	387 g	305	n	Oct 2020	599	ebay.com
5.		Canon 2000D	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
6.		Canon 4000D	129 mm	102 mm	77 mm	436 g	500	n	Feb 2018	399	amazon.com
7.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
8.		Canon R	139 mm	98 mm	84 mm	660 g	370	Y	Sep 2018	2,299	ebay.com
9.		Canon 77D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
10.		Canon 200D	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
11.		Canon 800D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	532 g	600	n	Feb 2017	749	ebay.com
12.		Canon 5D Mark IV	151 mm	116 mm	76 mm	890 g	900	Y	Aug 2016	3,499	amazon.com
13.		Canon 80D	139 mm	105 mm	79 mm	730 g	960	Y	Feb 2016	1,199	ebay.com
14.		Canon 5DS	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
15.		Canon 760D	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
16.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	2,099	ebay.com
17.		Fujifilm X-T100	121 mm	83 mm	47 mm	448 g	430	n	May 2018	599	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The 250D was launched at a markedly lower price (by 70 percent) than the 6D Mark II, 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 size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 250D features an APS-C sensor and the Canon 6D Mark II a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the 6D Mark II is 160 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

In terms of chip-set technology, the 250D uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 8) than the 6D Mark II (DIGIC 7), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

With 26MP, the 6D Mark II offers a higher resolution than the 250D (24MP), but the 6D Mark II nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.76μm versus 3.72μm for the 250D) due to its larger sensor. However, the 250D is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 9 months) than the 6D Mark II, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The Canon EOS 250D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. 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.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

#		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon 250D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/25p	23.9	13.4	1791	82
2.		Canon 6D Mark II	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	1080/60p	24.4	11.9	2862	85
3.		Canon 850D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.5	1873	83
4.		Canon M50 Mark II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.6	1939	83
5.		Canon 2000D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	11.9	1009	71
6.		Canon 4000D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.4	695	63
7.		Canon M50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
8.		Canon R	Full Frame	30.1	6720	4480	4K/30p	24.5	13.5	2742	89
9.		Canon 77D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.3	971	78
10.		Canon 200D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
11.		Canon 800D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.1	1586	80
12.		Canon 5D Mark IV	Full Frame	30.1	6720	4480	4K/30p	24.8	13.6	2995	91
13.		Canon 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135	79
14.		Canon 5DS	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.7	12.4	2381	87
15.		Canon 760D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
16.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
17.		Fujifilm X-T100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.4	1829	83
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the 250D provides a higher video resolution than the 6D Mark II. It can shoot video footage at 4K/25p, while the 6D Mark II is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 250D 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 6D Mark II offers a wider field of view (98%) than the one in the 250D (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the 6D Mark II has a higher magnification (0.72x vs 0.54x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon 250D and Canon 6D Mark II in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar 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 250D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
2.		Canon 6D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.5/s	n	n
3.		Canon 850D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	7.5/s	Y	n
4.		Canon M50 Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon 2000D	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 4000D	optical	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon M50	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon R	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
9.		Canon 77D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon 200D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon 800D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon 5D Mark IV	optical	Y	3.2 / 1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	n	n
13.		Canon 80D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
14.		Canon 5DS	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
15.		Canon 760D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
16.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
17.		Fujifilm X-T100	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The 250D has one, while the 6D Mark II does not. While the built-in flash of the 250D is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The Canon 250D and the Canon 6D Mark II both have 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.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the 250D and the 6D Mark II write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

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 250D 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 250D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Canon 6D Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
3.		Canon 850D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon M50 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon 2000D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon 4000D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon M50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Canon R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
9.		Canon 77D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
10.		Canon 200D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
11.		Canon 800D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
12.		Canon 5D Mark IV	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Canon 80D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Canon 5DS	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
15.		Canon 760D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
17.		Fujifilm X-T100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y

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.

Both the 250D and the 6D Mark II are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The 6D Mark II replaced the earlier Canon 6D, while the 250D followed on from the Canon 200D. Further information on the features and operation of the 250D and 6D Mark II can be found, respectively, in the Canon 250D 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 250D or the Canon 6D Mark II – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 250D:

• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 8 vs DIGIC 7).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/25p vs 1080/60p).
• More compact: Is smaller (122x93mm vs 144x111mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 316g or 41 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (70 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year and 9 months after the 6D Mark II).

Advantages of the Canon EOS 6D Mark II:

• Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
• Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (98% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.72x vs 0.54x).
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (6.5 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (1200 versus 1070) out of a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in June 2017).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 6D Mark II is the clear winner of the contest (13 : 7 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 250D 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 specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the 250D or the 6D Mark II perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera 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.

Expert Camera Reviews

#		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon 250D	4/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
2.		Canon 6D Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2017	1,999	amazon.com
3.		Canon 850D	4/5	+	3/5	80/100	4/5	3.5/5	Feb 2020	749	ebay.com
4.		Canon M50 Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	3.5/5	Oct 2020	599	ebay.com
5.		Canon 2000D	3/5	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
6.		Canon 4000D	2.5/5	o	3/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	399	amazon.com
7.		Canon M50	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
8.		Canon R	4/5	o	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2018	2,299	ebay.com
9.		Canon 77D	4.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
10.		Canon 200D	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
11.		Canon 800D	4.5/5	..	3.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	749	ebay.com
12.		Canon 5D Mark IV	4.5/5	+ +	4/5	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2016	3,499	amazon.com
13.		Canon 80D	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	1,199	ebay.com
14.		Canon 5DS	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
15.		Canon 760D	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
16.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	2,099	ebay.com
17.		Fujifilm X-T100	4/5	+	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2018	599	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Check 250D price at
amazon.com
Check 6D Mark II price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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Check 250D price at
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