Canon 250D vs R6 Mark II

The Canon EOS 250D (called Canon SL3 in some regions) and the Canon EOS R6 Mark II are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in April 2019 and November 2022. The 250D is a DSLR, while the R6 Mark II is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on an APS-C (250D) and a full frame (R6 Mark II) sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 24 megapixels.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon 250D		Canon R6 Mark II
Digital single lens reflex		Mirrorless system camera
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon RF mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/25p Video		4k/60p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-102,400 (100 - 204,800)
Optical viewfinder		Electronic viewfinder (3690k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1620k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
5 shutter flaps per second		12 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
1070 shots per battery charge		450 shots per battery charge
122 x 93 x 70 mm, 449 g		138 x 98 x 88 mm, 670 g

Check 250D price at
amazon.com
Check R6 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 R6 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 physical size and weight of the Canon 250D and the Canon R6 Mark II are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The 250D can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the R6 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 R6 Mark II is notably larger (19 percent) than the Canon 250D. Moreover, the R6 Mark II is substantially heavier (49 percent) than the 250D. It is noteworthy in this context that the R6 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. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the 250D gets 1070 shots out of its Canon LP-E17 battery, while the R6 Mark II can take 450 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E6NH power pack. The power pack in the R6 Mark II can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons 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 R6 Mark II	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	670 g	450	Y	Nov 2022	2,499	amazon.com
3.		Canon R3	150 mm	143 mm	87 mm	1015 g	760	Y	Sep 2021	5,999	amazon.com
4.		Canon 850D	131 mm	103 mm	76 mm	515 g	800	n	Feb 2020	749	ebay.com
5.		Canon R6	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	680 g	360	Y	Jul 2020	2,499	amazon.com
6.		Canon M50 Mark II	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	387 g	305	n	Oct 2020	599	ebay.com
7.		Canon 2000D	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
8.		Canon 4000D	129 mm	102 mm	77 mm	436 g	500	n	Feb 2018	399	amazon.com
9.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
10.		Canon R	139 mm	98 mm	84 mm	660 g	370	Y	Sep 2018	2,299	ebay.com
11.		Canon 77D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
12.		Canon 200D	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
13.		Canon 800D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	532 g	600	n	Feb 2017	749	ebay.com
14.		Canon 760D	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
15.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	2,099	ebay.com
16.		Fujifilm X-T100	121 mm	83 mm	47 mm	448 g	430	n	May 2018	599	ebay.com
17.		Sony A99	147 mm	111 mm	78 mm	812 g	500	Y	Sep 2012	2,799	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

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. 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 76 percent) than the R6 Mark II, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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.

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. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 250D features an APS-C sensor and the Canon R6 Mark II a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the R6 Mark II is 158 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.

Technology-wise, the R6 Mark II uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC X) than the 250D (DIGIC 8), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Even though the R6 Mark II has a larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 24 megapixels. This implies that the R6 Mark II has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 5.98μm versus 3.72μm for the 250D), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. In addition, the R6 Mark II is much more recent (by 3 years and 6 months) than the 250D, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

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 R6 Mark II are ISO 100 to ISO 102400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-204800.

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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar 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 R6 Mark II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	25.4	14.6	3154	96
3.		Canon R3	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/60p	25.0	14.7	4086	96
4.		Canon 850D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.5	1873	83
5.		Canon R6	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4k/60p	24.2	14.3	3394	90
6.		Canon M50 Mark II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.6	1939	83
7.		Canon 2000D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	11.9	1009	71
8.		Canon 4000D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.4	695	63
9.		Canon M50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
10.		Canon R	Full Frame	30.1	6720	4480	4K/30p	24.5	13.5	2742	89
11.		Canon 77D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.3	971	78
12.		Canon 200D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
13.		Canon 800D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.1	1586	80
14.		Canon 760D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
15.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
16.		Fujifilm X-T100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.4	1829	83
17.		Sony A99	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.0	14.0	1555	89
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the R6 Mark II provides a faster frame rate than the 250D. It can shoot movie footage at 4k/60p, while the 250D is limited to 4K/25p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the R6 Mark II has an electronic viewfinder (3690k dots), while the 250D has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinder in the R6 Mark II offers a wider field of view (100%) 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 R6 Mark II has a higher magnification (0.76x 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 R6 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 R6 Mark II	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon R3	5760	Y	3.2 / 4150	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
4.		Canon 850D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	7.5/s	Y	n
5.		Canon R6	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
6.		Canon M50 Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon 2000D	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon 4000D	optical	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon M50	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon R	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
11.		Canon 77D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon 200D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
13.		Canon 800D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
14.		Canon 760D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
15.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
16.		Fujifilm X-T100	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
17.		Sony A99	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	n	Y
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 R6 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 reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the R6 Mark II is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Canon 250D and the Canon R6 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 R6 Mark II write their files to SDXC cards. The R6 Mark II features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the 250D only has one slot. The R6 Mark II supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the 250D can use UHS-I cards (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 R6 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 R6 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon R3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon 850D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon R6	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon M50 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon 2000D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon 4000D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon M50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
10.		Canon R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
11.		Canon 77D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
12.		Canon 200D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
13.		Canon 800D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
14.		Canon 760D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
16.		Fujifilm X-T100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
17.		Sony A99	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the R6 Mark II has a headphone jack, which makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process. The 250D lacks such a headphone port.

Both the 250D and the R6 Mark II are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The 250D replaced the earlier Canon 200D, while the R6 Mark II followed on from the Canon R6. Further information on the features and operation of the 250D and R6 Mark II can be found, respectively, in the Canon 250D Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon R6 Mark II Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Canon 250D better than the Canon R6 Mark II or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 250D:

• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• More compact: Is smaller (122x93mm vs 138x98mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 221g or 33 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (1070 versus 450) on a single battery charge.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (76 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in April 2019).

Advantages of the Canon EOS R6 Mark II:

• Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC X vs DIGIC 8).
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (4k/60p versus 4K/25p).
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.76x vs 0.54x).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1620k vs 1040k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (12 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 2.0).
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 6 months of technical progress since the 250D launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the R6 Mark II is the clear winner of the contest (22 : 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 sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape 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 R6 Mark II place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings 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 250D or the R6 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.

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 R6 Mark II	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2022	2,499	amazon.com
3.		Canon R3	5/5	o	4.5/5	..	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2021	5,999	amazon.com
4.		Canon 850D	4/5	+	3/5	80/100	4/5	3.5/5	Feb 2020	749	ebay.com
5.		Canon R6	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2020	2,499	amazon.com
6.		Canon M50 Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	3.5/5	Oct 2020	599	ebay.com
7.		Canon 2000D	3/5	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
8.		Canon 4000D	2.5/5	o	3/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	399	amazon.com
9.		Canon M50	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
10.		Canon R	4/5	o	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2018	2,299	ebay.com
11.		Canon 77D	4.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
12.		Canon 200D	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
13.		Canon 800D	4.5/5	..	3.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	749	ebay.com
14.		Canon 760D	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
15.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	2,099	ebay.com
16.		Fujifilm X-T100	4/5	+	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2018	599	ebay.com
17.		Sony A99	5/5	..	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	2,799	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted 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.

Check 250D price at
amazon.com
Check R6 Mark II price at
amazon.com

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 make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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Check 250D price at
amazon.com
Check R6 Mark II price at
amazon.com

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