Canon 6D vs T6

The Canon EOS 6D and the Canon EOS Rebel T6 (labelled Canon 1300D in some countries) are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in September 2012 and March 2016. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on a full frame (6D) and an APS-C (T6) sensor. The 6D has a resolution of 20 megapixels, whereas the T6 provides 17.9 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon 6D		Canon T6
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
20 MP – Full Frame sensor		17.9 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/30p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (50 - 102,400)		ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 920k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
4.5 shutter flaps per second		3 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
1090 shots per battery charge		500 shots per battery charge
145 x 111 x 71 mm, 770 g		129 x 101 x 78 mm, 485 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 6D and the Canon EOS Rebel T6? 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 6D and the Canon T6 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 width, height and depth 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 T6 is notably smaller (19 percent) than the Canon 6D. Moreover, the T6 is substantially lighter (37 percent) than the 6D. It is worth mentioning in this context that the 6D is splash and dust resistant, while the T6 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) will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, while more compact options are available for the smaller-sensor camera (T6). You can compare the optics available in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the 6D gets 1090 shots out of its LP-E6 battery, while the T6 can take 500 images on a single charge of its LP-E10 power pack.

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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	2,099	ebay.com
2.		Canon T6	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	485 g	500	n	Mar 2016	449	ebay.com
3.		Canon 6D Mark II	144 mm	111 mm	75 mm	765 g	1200	Y	Jun 2017	1,999	amazon.com
4.		Canon 77D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
5.		Canon SL2	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
6.		Canon 1D X Mark II	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1530 g	1210	Y	Feb 2016	5,999	ebay.com
7.		Canon 5DS	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	3,699	amazon.com
8.		Canon M10	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	301 g	255	n	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
9.		Canon T6i	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
10.		Canon 7D II	149 mm	112 mm	78 mm	910 g	670	Y	Sep 2014	1,799	ebay.com
11.		Canon T5	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	480 g	500	n	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
12.		Canon 70D	139 mm	104 mm	79 mm	755 g	920	Y	Jul 2013	1,199	ebay.com
13.		Canon 5D Mark III	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	950 g	950	Y	Mar 2012	3,499	ebay.com
14.		Canon 1D X	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1551 g	1120	Y	Oct 2011	6,799	ebay.com
15.		Canon 5D Mark II	152 mm	114 mm	75 mm	850 g	850	Y	Sep 2008	3,499	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D610	141 mm	113 mm	82 mm	850 g	900	Y	Oct 2013	1,999	amazon.com
17.		Nikon D600	141 mm	113 mm	82 mm	850 g	900	Y	Sep 2012	2,099	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 naturally be influenced heavily by the price. 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 T6 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 79 percent) than the 6D, 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 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 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 features a full frame sensor and the Canon T6 an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the T6 is 62 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.0 and 1.6. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

In terms of chip-set technology, the 6D uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 5+) than the T6 (DIGIC 4+), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

With 20MP, the 6D offers a higher resolution than the T6 (17.9MP), but the 6D nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 6.57μm versus 4.31μm for the T6) due to its larger sensor. However, the T6 is a much more recent model (by 3 years and 5 months) than the 6D, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels.

The resolution advantage of the Canon 6D implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 6D for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 27.4 x 18.2 inches or 69.5 x 46.3 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 21.9 x 14.6 inches or 55.6 x 37.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 18.2 x 12.2 inches or 46.3 x 30.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon T6 are 25.9 x 17.3 inches or 65.8 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 20.7 x 13.8 inches or 52.7 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 17.3 x 11.5 inches or 43.9 x 29.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS 6D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 50-102400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS Rebel T6 are ISO 100 to ISO 6400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-12800.

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 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"). Of the two cameras under review, the 6D provides substantially higher image quality than the T6, with an overall score that is 16 points higher. This advantage is based on 1.8 bits higher color depth, 0.4 EV in additional dynamic range, and 1.6 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	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
2.		Canon T6	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	781	66
3.		Canon 6D Mark II	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	1080/60p	24.4	11.9	2862	85
4.		Canon 77D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.3	971	78
5.		Canon SL2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
6.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4K/60p	24.1	13.5	3207	88
7.		Canon 5DS	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.7	12.4	2381	87
8.		Canon M10	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.4	753	65
9.		Canon T6i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
10.		Canon 7D II	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	11.8	1082	70
11.		Canon T5	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.3	724	63
12.		Canon 70D	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	22.5	11.6	926	68
13.		Canon 5D Mark III	Full Frame	22.1	5760	3840	1080/30p	24.0	11.7	2293	81
14.		Canon 1D X	Full Frame	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	23.8	11.8	2786	82
15.		Canon 5D Mark II	Full Frame	21.0	5616	3744	1080/30p	23.7	11.9	1815	79
16.		Nikon D610	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/30p	25.1	14.4	2925	94
17.		Nikon D600	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/30p	25.1	14.2	2980	94

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (1080/30p).

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 6D and the T6 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 offers a wider field of view (97%) than the one in the T6 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the 6D has a higher magnification (0.71x vs 0.50x), 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 and Canon T6 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	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
2.		Canon T6	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 6D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.5/s	n	n
4.		Canon 77D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon SL2	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 1D X Mark II	optical	Y	3.2 / 1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	16.0/s	n	n
7.		Canon 5DS	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
8.		Canon M10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.6/s	Y	n
9.		Canon T6i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon 7D II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon T5	optical	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon 70D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
13.		Canon 5D Mark III	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	n	n
14.		Canon 1D X	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	n
15.		Canon 5D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.9/s	n	n
16.		Nikon D610	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
17.		Nikon D600	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	Y	n
Notes: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the 6D, but is missing on the T6 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.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the 6D and the T6 write their files to SDXC cards. The 6D supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the T6 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD 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 6D and Canon EOS Rebel T6 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	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
2.		Canon T6	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon 6D Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon 77D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon 5DS	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon M10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon T6i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon 7D II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon T5	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Canon 70D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Canon 5D Mark III	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Canon 1D X	Y	mono / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Canon 5D Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Nikon D610	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Nikon D600	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the 6D has a microphone port, which is missing on the T6. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the 6D has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

Both the 6D and the T6 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 6D was replaced by the Canon 6D Mark II, while the T6 was followed by the Canon T7. Further information on the features and operation of the 6D and T6 can be found, respectively, in the Canon 6D Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon T6 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 6D or the Canon T6 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 6D:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (20 vs 17.9MP) with a 6% higher linear resolution.
• Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (16 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
• Richer colors: Generates images with noticeably better colors (1.8 bits more color depth).
• Better low-light sensitivity: Requires less light for good images (1.6 stops ISO advantage).
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 5+ vs DIGIC 4+).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (97% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.71x vs 0.50x).
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 920k dots).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (4.5 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (1090 versus 500) 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.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2012).

Advantages of the Canon EOS Rebel T6:

• More compact: Is smaller (129x101mm vs 145x111mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 285g or 37 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (79 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 5 months of technical progress since the 6D launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 6D is the clear winner of the match-up (16 : 6 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. 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 and the Canon T6 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 6D or the T6 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 where reviews by experts come in. 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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	2,099	ebay.com
2.		Canon T6	4/5	o	4/5	73/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2016	449	ebay.com
3.		Canon 6D Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2017	1,999	amazon.com
4.		Canon 77D	4.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
5.		Canon SL2	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
6.		Canon 1D X Mark II	..	..	4.5/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	5,999	ebay.com
7.		Canon 5DS	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	3,699	amazon.com
8.		Canon M10	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
9.		Canon T6i	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
10.		Canon 7D II	4.5/5	+	3.5/5	84/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	1,799	ebay.com
11.		Canon T5	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	449	ebay.com
12.		Canon 70D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2013	1,199	ebay.com
13.		Canon 5D Mark III	..	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2012	3,499	ebay.com
14.		Canon 1D X	5/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2011	6,799	ebay.com
15.		Canon 5D Mark II	4/5	91/100	..	79/100	4/5	..	Sep 2008	3,499	ebay.com
16.		Nikon D610	4/5	+ +	..	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	1,999	amazon.com
17.		Nikon D600	4/5	+ +	..	87/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	2,099	ebay.com
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, 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.

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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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