Canon 6D Mark II vs Sony A6700

The Canon EOS 6D Mark II and the Sony Alpha A6700 are two enthusiast cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in June 2017 and July 2023. The 6D Mark II is a DSLR, while the A6700 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on a full frame (6D Mark II) and an APS-C (A6700) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 26 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 25.6 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		Sony A6700
Digital single lens reflex		Mirrorless system camera
Canon EF mount lenses		Sony E mount lenses
26 MP – Full Frame sensor		25.6 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60p Video		4K/120p Video
ISO 100-40,000 (50 - 102,400)		ISO 100-32,000 (50 - 102,400)
Optical viewfinder		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1037k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
6.5 shutter flaps per second		11 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
1200 shots per battery charge		570 shots per battery charge
144 x 111 x 75 mm, 765 g		122 x 69 x 64 mm, 493 g

Check 6D Mark II price at
amazon.com
Check A6700 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 Sony Alpha A6700? 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 6D Mark II and the Sony A6700. 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.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A6700 is considerably smaller (47 percent) than the Canon 6D Mark II. Moreover, the A6700 is substantially lighter (36 percent) than the 6D Mark II. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

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 will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Canon EF Lens Catalog (6D Mark II) and the Sony E-Mount Lens Catalog (A6700). Mirrorless cameras, such as the A6700, have moreover the advantage that they can use many lenses from other systems via adapters, as they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance.

Concerning battery life, the 6D Mark II gets 1200 shots out of its Canon LP-E6N battery, while the A6700 can take 570 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FZ100 power pack. The power pack in the A6700 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

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	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.		Sony A6700	122 mm	69 mm	64 mm	493 g	570	Y	Jul 2023	US$ 1 399	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 80D	139 mm	105 mm	79 mm	730 g	960	Y	Feb 2016	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
8.		Canon R	139 mm	98 mm	84 mm	660 g	370	Y	Sep 2018	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D600	141 mm	113 mm	82 mm	850 g	900	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D610	141 mm	113 mm	82 mm	850 g	900	Y	Oct 2013	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D750	141 mm	113 mm	78 mm	750 g	1230	Y	Sep 2014	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
12.		Sony A7 III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	610	Y	Feb 2018	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
13.		Sony A77	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	732 g	470	Y	Aug 2011	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
14.		Sony A77 II	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	647 g	480	Y	May 2014	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
15.		Sony A6300	120 mm	67 mm	49 mm	404 g	400	Y	Feb 2016	US$ 999	ebay.com
16.		Sony A6500	120 mm	67 mm	53 mm	453 g	350	Y	Oct 2016	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
17.		Sony A6600	120 mm	67 mm	69 mm	503 g	810	Y	Aug 2019	US$ 1 399	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 naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The A6700 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 30 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.

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 6D Mark II features a full frame sensor and the Sony A6700 an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the A6700 is 57 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.0 and 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 26MP, the 6D Mark II offers a slightly higher resolution than the A6700 (25.6MP), but the 6D Mark II nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.76μm versus 3.79μm for the A6700) due to its larger sensor. However, the A6700 is a much more recent model (by 6 years) than the 6D Mark II, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further 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 Sony Alpha A6700 are ISO 100 to ISO 32000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-102400.

In terms of underlying technology, the 6D Mark II is build around a CMOS sensor, while the A6700 uses a BSI-CMOS imager. 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 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 6D Mark II	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	1080/60p	24.4	11.9	2862	85
2.		Sony A6700	APS-C	25.6	6192	4128	4K/120p	24.3	14.0	2329	86
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 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135	79
8.		Canon R	Full Frame	30.1	6720	4480	4K/30p	24.5	13.5	2742	89
9.		Nikon D600	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/30p	25.1	14.2	2980	94
10.		Nikon D610	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/30p	25.1	14.4	2925	94
11.		Nikon D750	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/60p	24.8	14.5	2956	93
12.		Sony A7 III	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.7	3730	96
13.		Sony A77	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.2	801	78
14.		Sony A77 II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.4	13.4	1013	82
15.		Sony A6300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.4	13.7	1437	85
16.		Sony A6500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.5	13.7	1405	85
17.		Sony A6600	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	23.8	13.4	1497	82
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 also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the A6700 provides a better video resolution than the 6D Mark II. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/120p, while the Canon is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A6700 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 A6700 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 0.71x), 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 6D Mark II and Sony A6700 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 6D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.5/s	n	n
2.		Sony A6700	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
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 80D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon R	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
9.		Nikon D600	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	Y	n
10.		Nikon D610	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
11.		Nikon D750	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	tilting	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
12.		Sony A7 III	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
13.		Sony A77	2359	Y	3.0 / 921	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Sony A77 II	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony A6300	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
16.		Sony A6500	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony A6600	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/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 A6700 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 A6700 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 Sony A6700 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.

The 6D Mark II writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A6700 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The A6700 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 Sony Alpha A6700 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.		Sony A6700	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	YES	3.2	Y	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 80D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
9.		Nikon D600	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Nikon D610	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Nikon D750	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Sony A7 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
13.		Sony A77	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Sony A77 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony A6300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony A6500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony A6600	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	YES	2.0	Y	Y	Y

It is notable that the A6700 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 A6700 are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The 6D Mark II replaced the earlier Canon 6D, while the A6700 followed on from the Sony A6600. Further information on the features and operation of the 6D Mark II and A6700 can be found, respectively, in the Canon 6D Mark II Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A6700 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 6D Mark II or the Sony A6700 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

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 0.71x).
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (1200 versus 570) on a single battery charge.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in June 2017).

Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha A6700:

• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/120p 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%).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (11 vs 6.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (122x69mm vs 144x111mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 272g or 36 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• 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).
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (30 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 6 years of technical progress since the 6D Mark II launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A6700 is the clear winner of the contest (15 : 6 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 wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro 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 Sony A6700 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 the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the 6D Mark II and the A6700 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 where reviews by experts come in. 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	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.		Sony A6700	4.5/5	+	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2023	US$ 1 399	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 80D	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
8.		Canon R	4/5	o	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2018	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D600	4/5	+ +	..	87/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D610	4/5	+ +	..	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D750	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
12.		Sony A7 III	..	+ +	4.5/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
13.		Sony A77	5/5	91/100	..	81/100	..	5/5	Aug 2011	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
14.		Sony A77 II	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
15.		Sony A6300	4.5/5	+	..	85/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 999	ebay.com
16.		Sony A6500	5/5	+ +	3.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2016	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
17.		Sony A6600	4/5	+	4/5	83/100	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2019	US$ 1 399	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, 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 comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Check 6D Mark II price at
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Check A6700 price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

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Check 6D Mark II price at
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