Canon 350D vs 6D Mark II

The Canon EOS 350D (called Canon XT in some regions) and the Canon EOS 6D Mark II are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in February 2005 and June 2017. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on an APS-C (350D) and a full frame (6D Mark II) sensor. The 350D has a resolution of 8 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 350D		Canon 6D Mark II
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
8 MP – APS-C sensor		26 MP – Full Frame sensor
no Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-1,600		ISO 100-40,000 (50 - 102,400)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
1.8" LCD – 115k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel touchscreen
3 shutter flaps per second		6.5 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
400 shots per battery charge		1200 shots per battery charge
127 x 94 x 64 mm, 540 g		144 x 111 x 75 mm, 765 g

Check 350D offers at
ebay.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 350D 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 350D 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.

The 350D can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), 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 (34 percent) than the Canon 350D. Moreover, the 6D Mark II is substantially heavier (42 percent) than the 350D. It is noteworthy in this context that the 6D Mark II is splash and dust-proof, while the 350D 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 (350D). You can compare the optics available in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the 350D gets 400 shots out of its Canon NB-2LH 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 350D	127 mm	94 mm	64 mm	540 g	400	n	Feb 2005	899	ebay.com
2.		Canon 6D Mark II	144 mm	111 mm	75 mm	765 g	1200	Y	Jun 2017	1,999	amazon.com
3.		Canon 5D Mark IV	151 mm	116 mm	76 mm	890 g	900	Y	Aug 2016	3,499	amazon.com
4.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	2,099	ebay.com
5.		Canon 20D	144 mm	106 mm	72 mm	770 g	700	n	Aug 2004	1,499	ebay.com
6.		Canon 30D	144 mm	106 mm	74 mm	785 g	750	n	Feb 2006	1,399	ebay.com
7.		Canon 77D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
8.		Canon 80D	139 mm	105 mm	79 mm	730 g	960	Y	Feb 2016	1,199	ebay.com
9.		Canon 300D	142 mm	99 mm	72 mm	649 g	400	n	Aug 2003	899	ebay.com
10.		Canon 400D	127 mm	84 mm	65 mm	556 g	370	n	Aug 2006	799	ebay.com
11.		Canon 450D	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	524 g	500	n	Jan 2008	799	ebay.com
12.		Canon 500D	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	520 g	400	n	Mar 2009	799	ebay.com
13.		Canon 650D	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	575 g	440	n	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
14.		Canon 750D	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
15.		Canon 760D	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D610	141 mm	113 mm	82 mm	850 g	900	Y	Oct 2013	1,999	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D750	141 mm	113 mm	78 mm	750 g	1230	Y	Sep 2014	2,299	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 manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The 350D was launched at a markedly lower price (by 55 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 imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and 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 350D features an APS-C sensor and the Canon 6D Mark II a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the 6D Mark II is 162 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 6D Mark II uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 7) than the 350D (DIGIC II), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

With 26MP, the 6D Mark II offers a higher resolution than the 350D (8MP), but the 6D Mark II has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.76μm versus 6.41μm for the 350D). Yet, the 6D Mark II is a much more recent model (by 12 years and 4 months) than the 350D, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

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 350D are 17.3 x 11.5 inches or 43.9 x 29.3 cm for good quality, 13.8 x 9.2 inches or 35.1 x 23.4 cm for very good quality, and 11.5 x 7.7 inches or 29.3 x 19.5 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 350D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600. 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 is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). Of the two cameras under consideration, the 6D Mark II offers substantially better image quality than the 350D (overall score 25 points higher). The advantage is based on 2.6 bits higher color depth, 1.1 EV in additional dynamic range, and 2.2 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 350D	APS-C	8.0	3456	2304	none	21.8	10.8	637	60
2.		Canon 6D Mark II	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	1080/60p	24.4	11.9	2862	85
3.		Canon 5D Mark IV	Full Frame	30.1	6720	4480	4K/30p	24.8	13.6	2995	91
4.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
5.		Canon 20D	APS-C	8.2	3504	2336	none	21.9	11.0	721	62
6.		Canon 30D	APS-C	8.2	3504	2336	none	21.5	10.8	736	59
7.		Canon 77D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.3	971	78
8.		Canon 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135	79
9.		Canon 300D	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	21.0	10.8	544	55
10.		Canon 400D	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.1	11.0	664	62
11.		Canon 450D	APS-C	12.2	4272	2848	none	21.9	10.8	692	61
12.		Canon 500D	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	1080/20p	21.7	11.5	663	63
13.		Canon 650D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	722	62
14.		Canon 750D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
15.		Canon 760D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
16.		Nikon D610	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/30p	25.1	14.4	2925	94
17.		Nikon D750	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/60p	24.8	14.5	2956	93

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The 6D Mark II indeed provides for movie recording, while the 350D does not. The highest resolution format that the 6D Mark II can use is 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 350D 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 350D (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 0.49x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon 350D and Canon 6D Mark II along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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 350D	optical	n	1.8 / 115	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
2.		Canon 6D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.5/s	n	n
3.		Canon 5D Mark IV	optical	Y	3.2 / 1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	n	n
4.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
5.		Canon 20D	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 30D	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon 77D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon 80D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon 300D	optical	n	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
10.		Canon 400D	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon 450D	optical	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
12.		Canon 500D	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.4/s	Y	n
13.		Canon 650D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
14.		Canon 750D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
15.		Canon 760D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
16.		Nikon D610	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
17.		Nikon D750	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	tilting	n	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 350D has one, while the 6D Mark II does not. While the built-in flash of the 350D is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

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 350D writes its imaging data to Compact Flash cards, while the 6D Mark II uses SDXC 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 350D 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 350D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon 6D Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
3.		Canon 5D Mark IV	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
5.		Canon 20D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
6.		Canon 30D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon 77D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Canon 80D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon 300D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
10.		Canon 400D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon 450D	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Canon 500D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Canon 650D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Canon 750D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Canon 760D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Nikon D610	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Nikon D750	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	-

It is notable that the 6D Mark II offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the 350D does not provide wifi capability.

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 350D has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the 350D was succeeded by the Canon 400D. Further information on the features and operation of the 350D and 6D Mark II can be found, respectively, in the Canon 350D Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 6D Mark II Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Canon 350D better than the Canon 6D Mark II or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 350D:

• More compact: Is smaller (127x94mm vs 144x111mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 225g or 29 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 (55 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2005).

Advantages of the Canon EOS 6D Mark II:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (26 vs 8MP), which boosts linear resolution by 81%.
• Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (25 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
• Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (2.6 bits more color depth).
• More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (1.1 EV of extra DR).
• Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (2.2 stops ISO advantage).
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 7 vs DIGIC II).
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 1080/60p video.
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• 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 0.49x).
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 1.8") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 115k dots).
• 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.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (6.5 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (1200 versus 400) 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 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.
• More modern: Reflects 12 years and 4 months of technical progress since the 350D launch.

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 (25 : 5 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. 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 350D 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 says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the 350D and the 6D Mark II in practical situations. 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 350D	..	80/100	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2005	899	ebay.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 5D Mark IV	4.5/5	+ +	4/5	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2016	3,499	amazon.com
4.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	2,099	ebay.com
5.		Canon 20D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Aug 2004	1,499	ebay.com
6.		Canon 30D	..	+ +	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2006	1,399	ebay.com
7.		Canon 77D	4.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
8.		Canon 80D	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	1,199	ebay.com
9.		Canon 300D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Aug 2003	899	ebay.com
10.		Canon 400D	..	+ +	..	+ +	o	4/5	Aug 2006	799	ebay.com
11.		Canon 450D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2008	799	ebay.com
12.		Canon 500D	..	+ +	..	74/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2009	799	ebay.com
13.		Canon 650D	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
14.		Canon 750D	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
15.		Canon 760D	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D610	4/5	+ +	..	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	1,999	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D750	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	2,299	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. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

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