Canon 6D Mark II vs R8

The Canon EOS 6D Mark II and the Canon EOS R8 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in June 2017 and February 2023. The 6D Mark II is a DSLR, while the R8 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with a full frame sensor. The 6D Mark II has a resolution of 26 megapixels, whereas the R8 provides 24 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon 6D Mark II		Canon R8
Digital single lens reflex		Mirrorless system camera
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon RF mount lenses
26 MP – Full Frame sensor		24 MP – Full Frame sensor
1080/60p Video		4k/60p Video
ISO 100-40,000 (50 - 102,400)		ISO 100-102,400 (100 - 204,800)
Optical viewfinder		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1620k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
6.5 shutter flaps per second		6 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
1200 shots per battery charge		220 shots per battery charge
144 x 111 x 75 mm, 765 g		133 x 86 x 70 mm, 461 g

Check 6D Mark II price at
amazon.com
Check R8 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 6D Mark II and the Canon EOS R8? 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 6D Mark II and the Canon R8 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 size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon R8 is notably smaller (28 percent) than the Canon 6D Mark II. Moreover, the R8 is substantially lighter (40 percent) than the 6D Mark II. It is worth mentioning in this context that the 6D Mark II is splash and dust resistant, while the R8 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 6D Mark II gets 1200 shots out of its Canon LP-E6N battery, while the R8 can take 220 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E17 power pack. The power pack in the R8 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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	Street Price
1.		Canon 6D Mark II	144 mm	111 mm	75 mm	765 g	1200	Y	Jun 2017	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
2.		Canon R8	133 mm	86 mm	70 mm	461 g	220	n	Feb 2023	US$ 1 499	amazon.com
3.		Canon 5D Mark II	152 mm	114 mm	75 mm	850 g	850	Y	Sep 2008	US$ 3 499	ebay.com
4.		Canon 5D Mark III	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	950 g	950	Y	Mar 2012	US$ 3 499	ebay.com
5.		Canon 5D Mark IV	151 mm	116 mm	76 mm	890 g	900	Y	Aug 2016	US$ 3 499	amazon.com
6.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
7.		Canon 77D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	US$ 899	ebay.com
8.		Canon 80D	139 mm	105 mm	79 mm	730 g	960	Y	Feb 2016	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
9.		Canon M5	116 mm	89 mm	61 mm	427 g	295	n	Sep 2016	US$ 979	ebay.com
10.		Canon M6	112 mm	68 mm	45 mm	390 g	295	n	Feb 2017	US$ 779	ebay.com
11.		Canon R	139 mm	98 mm	84 mm	660 g	370	Y	Sep 2018	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
12.		Canon RP	133 mm	85 mm	70 mm	485 g	250	n	Feb 2019	US$ 1 299	amazon.com
13.		Canon SL2	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	US$ 549	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D600	141 mm	113 mm	82 mm	850 g	900	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D610	141 mm	113 mm	82 mm	850 g	900	Y	Oct 2013	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D750	141 mm	113 mm	78 mm	750 g	1230	Y	Sep 2014	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
17.		Sony A7 III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	610	Y	Feb 2018	US$ 1 999	amazon.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 manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The R8 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 25 percent) than the 6D Mark II, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. 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 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. 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the R8 uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC X) 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 slightly higher resolution than the R8 (24MP), but the 6D Mark II has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.76μm versus 5.98μm for the R8). Moreover, the R8 is a much more recent model (by 5 years and 7 months) than the 6D Mark II, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels.

The Canon EOS 6D Mark II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 40000, which can be extended to ISO 50-102400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS R8 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.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. 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. Of the two cameras under consideration, the R8 has a markedly higher DXO score than the 6D Mark II (overall score 8 points higher), which will translate into better image quality. The advantage is based on 0.1 bits higher color depth, 2.8 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.2 stops in additional low light sensitivity. 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 6D Mark II	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	1080/60p	24.4	11.9	2862	85
2.		Canon R8	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	24.5	14.7	3295	93
3.		Canon 5D Mark II	Full Frame	21.0	5616	3744	1080/30p	23.7	11.9	1815	79
4.		Canon 5D Mark III	Full Frame	22.1	5760	3840	1080/30p	24.0	11.7	2293	81
5.		Canon 5D Mark IV	Full Frame	30.1	6720	4480	4K/30p	24.8	13.6	2995	91
6.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
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 M5	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.4	1262	77
10.		Canon M6	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.6	1317	78
11.		Canon R	Full Frame	30.1	6720	4480	4K/30p	24.5	13.5	2742	89
12.		Canon RP	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.3	11.9	2977	85
13.		Canon SL2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
14.		Nikon D600	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/30p	25.1	14.2	2980	94
15.		Nikon D610	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/30p	25.1	14.4	2925	94
16.		Nikon D750	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/60p	24.8	14.5	2956	93
17.		Sony A7 III	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.7	3730	96

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the R8 provides a better video resolution than the 6D Mark II. It can shoot movie footage at 4k/60p, 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. For example, the R8 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), while the 6D Mark II 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 R8 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the 6D Mark II (98%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. On the other hand, the viewfinder of the 6D Mark II has a higher magnification (0.72x vs 0.70x), 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 6D Mark II and Canon R8 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 6D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.5/s	n	n
2.		Canon R8	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon 5D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.9/s	n	n
4.		Canon 5D Mark III	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	n	n
5.		Canon 5D Mark IV	optical	Y	3.2 / 1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	n	n
6.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	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 M5	2360	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon M6	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon R	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
12.		Canon RP	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
13.		Canon SL2	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
14.		Nikon D600	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	Y	n
15.		Nikon D610	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
16.		Nikon D750	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	tilting	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
17.		Sony A7 III	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the 6D Mark II, but is missing on the R8 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

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 R8 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 6D Mark II and the Canon R8 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 6D Mark II and the R8 write their files to SDXC cards. The R8 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the 6D Mark II 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 6D Mark II and Canon EOS R8 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 6D Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
2.		Canon R8	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon 5D Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 5D Mark III	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon 5D Mark IV	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
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 M5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
10.		Canon M6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
11.		Canon R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
12.		Canon RP	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Canon SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
14.		Nikon D600	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Nikon D610	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Nikon D750	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
17.		Sony A7 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y

It is notable that the R8 has a headphone jack, which makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process. The 6D Mark II lacks such a headphone port.

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 6D Mark II and the R8 are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The 6D Mark II replaced the earlier Canon 6D, while the R8 does not have a direct predecessor. Further information on the features and operation of the 6D Mark II and R8 can be found, respectively, in the Canon 6D Mark II Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon R8 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 6D Mark II or the Canon R8 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Canon EOS 6D Mark II:

• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.72x vs 0.70x).
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (1200 versus 220) on a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• 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 available for much longer (launched in June 2017).

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS R8:

• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (8 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
• More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (2.8 EV of extra DR).
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC X vs DIGIC 7).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4k/60p vs 1080/60p).
• 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 98%).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1620k vs 1040k dots).
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (133x86mm vs 144x111mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 304g or 40 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• 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).
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (25 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 5 years and 7 months of technical progress since the 6D Mark II launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the R8 is the clear winner of the contest (17 : 8 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 6D Mark II and the Canon R8 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 specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the 6D Mark II and the R8 in practical situations. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major 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	Street Price
1.		Canon 6D Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2017	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
2.		Canon R8	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	87/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2023	US$ 1 499	amazon.com
3.		Canon 5D Mark II	4/5	91/100	..	79/100	4/5	..	Sep 2008	US$ 3 499	ebay.com
4.		Canon 5D Mark III	..	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2012	US$ 3 499	ebay.com
5.		Canon 5D Mark IV	4.5/5	+ +	4/5	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2016	US$ 3 499	amazon.com
6.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
7.		Canon 77D	4.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	US$ 899	ebay.com
8.		Canon 80D	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
9.		Canon M5	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2016	US$ 979	ebay.com
10.		Canon M6	..	..	..	80/100	4/5	4/5	Feb 2017	US$ 779	ebay.com
11.		Canon R	4/5	o	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2018	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
12.		Canon RP	4/5	+	4/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2019	US$ 1 299	amazon.com
13.		Canon SL2	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	US$ 549	ebay.com
14.		Nikon D600	4/5	+ +	..	87/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D610	4/5	+ +	..	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D750	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
17.		Sony A7 III	..	+ +	4.5/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, 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 6D Mark II price at
amazon.com
Check R8 price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, 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 6D Mark II price at
amazon.com
Check R8 price at
amazon.com

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