Canon 6D vs Sony A7 IV
The Canon EOS 6D and the Sony Alpha A7 IV are two enthusiast cameras that were announced, respectively, in September 2012 and October 2021. The 6D is a DSLR, while the A7 IV is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with a full frame sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 20 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 32.7 MP.
Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.
Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 6D and the Sony Alpha A7 IV? 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 and the Sony A7 IV 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 measures 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 A7 IV is notably smaller (22 percent) than the Canon 6D. Moreover, the A7 IV is markedly lighter (14 percent) than the 6D. 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. Both cameras have similarly sized sensors, but DSLRs have a larger flange-to-focal plane distance than mirrorless cameras, which imposes contraints on the optical engineering process and generally leads to bigger and heavier lenses. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Canon EF Lens Catalog (6D) and the Sony FE Lens Catalog (A7 IV). Mirrorless cameras, such as the A7 IV, 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 gets 1090 shots out of its Canon LP-E6 battery, while the A7 IV can take 580 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FZ100 power pack. The power pack in the A7 IV 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. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.
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. | Sony A7 IV | 131 mm | 96 mm | 80 mm | 659 g | 580 | Y | Oct 2021 | 2,499 | amazon.com | |
3. | Canon 1D X | 158 mm | 168 mm | 83 mm | 1551 g | 1120 | Y | Oct 2011 | 6,799 | ebay.com | |
4. | Canon 5D Mark II | 152 mm | 114 mm | 75 mm | 850 g | 850 | Y | Sep 2008 | 3,499 | ebay.com | |
5. | Canon 5D Mark III | 152 mm | 116 mm | 76 mm | 950 g | 950 | Y | Mar 2012 | 3,499 | ebay.com | |
6. | Canon 5D Mark IV | 151 mm | 116 mm | 76 mm | 890 g | 900 | Y | Aug 2016 | 3,499 | amazon.com | |
7. | Canon 6D Mark II | 144 mm | 111 mm | 75 mm | 765 g | 1200 | Y | Jun 2017 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
8. | Canon 7D II | 149 mm | 112 mm | 78 mm | 910 g | 670 | Y | Sep 2014 | 1,799 | ebay.com | |
9. | Canon 70D | 139 mm | 104 mm | 79 mm | 755 g | 920 | Y | Jul 2013 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
10. | Canon 80D | 139 mm | 105 mm | 79 mm | 730 g | 960 | Y | Feb 2016 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
11. | Nikon D600 | 141 mm | 113 mm | 82 mm | 850 g | 900 | Y | Sep 2012 | 2,099 | ebay.com | |
12. | Nikon D610 | 141 mm | 113 mm | 82 mm | 850 g | 900 | Y | Oct 2013 | 1,999 | ebay.com | |
13. | Sony A1 | 129 mm | 97 mm | 81 mm | 737 g | 530 | Y | Jan 2021 | 6,499 | amazon.com | |
14. | Sony A7 III | 127 mm | 96 mm | 74 mm | 650 g | 610 | Y | Feb 2018 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
15. | Sony A7R IIIA | 127 mm | 96 mm | 74 mm | 650 g | 650 | Y | Apr 2021 | 3,199 | amazon.com | |
16. | Sony A7R V | 131 mm | 97 mm | 82 mm | 723 g | 530 | Y | Oct 2022 | 3,899 | amazon.com | |
17. | Sony A7S III | 127 mm | 97 mm | 81 mm | 699 g | 600 | Y | Jul 2020 | 3,499 | amazon.com | |
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The 6D was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 16 percent) than the A7 IV, 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.
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. 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. 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.
Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the A7 IV is 1 percent smaller. 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.
Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the A7 IV offers a higher resolution of 32.7 megapixels, compared with 20 MP of the 6D. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 5.12μm versus 6.57μm for the 6D). However, it should be noted that the A7 IV is much more recent (by 9 years and 1 month) than the 6D, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the A7 IV has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.
The resolution advantage of the Sony A7 IV implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A7 IV for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 35 x 23.4 inches or 89 x 59.3 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 28 x 18.7 inches or 71.2 x 47.5 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 23.4 x 15.6 inches or 59.3 x 39.6 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 6D are 27.4 x 18.2 inches or 69.5 x 46.3 cm for good quality, 21.9 x 14.6 inches or 55.6 x 37.1 cm for very good quality, and 18.2 x 12.2 inches or 46.3 x 30.9 cm for excellent quality prints.
The A7 IV has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.
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 Sony Alpha A7 IV are ISO 100 to ISO 51200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-204800.
In terms of underlying technology, the 6D is build around a CMOS sensor, while the A7 IV 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"). Of the two cameras under consideration, the A7 IV offers substantially better image quality than the 6D (overall score 15 points higher). The advantage is based on 1.6 bits higher color depth, 2.6 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.5 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.
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. | Sony A7 IV | Full Frame | 32.7 | 7008 | 4672 | 4K/60p | 25.4 | 14.7 | 3379 | 97 | |
3. | Canon 1D X | Full Frame | 17.9 | 5184 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 23.8 | 11.8 | 2786 | 82 | |
4. | Canon 5D Mark II | Full Frame | 21.0 | 5616 | 3744 | 1080/30p | 23.7 | 11.9 | 1815 | 79 | |
5. | Canon 5D Mark III | Full Frame | 22.1 | 5760 | 3840 | 1080/30p | 24.0 | 11.7 | 2293 | 81 | |
6. | Canon 5D Mark IV | Full Frame | 30.1 | 6720 | 4480 | 4K/30p | 24.8 | 13.6 | 2995 | 91 | |
7. | Canon 6D Mark II | Full Frame | 26.0 | 6240 | 4160 | 1080/60p | 24.4 | 11.9 | 2862 | 85 | |
8. | Canon 7D II | APS-C | 20.0 | 5472 | 3648 | 1080/60p | 22.4 | 11.8 | 1082 | 70 | |
9. | Canon 70D | APS-C | 20.0 | 5472 | 3648 | 1080/30p | 22.5 | 11.6 | 926 | 68 | |
10. | Canon 80D | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 23.6 | 13.2 | 1135 | 79 | |
11. | Nikon D600 | Full Frame | 24.2 | 6016 | 4016 | 1080/30p | 25.1 | 14.2 | 2980 | 94 | |
12. | Nikon D610 | Full Frame | 24.2 | 6016 | 4016 | 1080/30p | 25.1 | 14.4 | 2925 | 94 | |
13. | Sony A1 | Full Frame | 49.8 | 8640 | 5760 | 8k/30p | 25.9 | 14.5 | 3163 | 98 | |
14. | Sony A7 III | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 25.0 | 14.7 | 3730 | 96 | |
15. | Sony A7R IIIA | Full Frame | 42.2 | 7952 | 5304 | 4K/30p | 26.0 | 14.7 | 3523 | 100 | |
16. | Sony A7R V | Full Frame | 60.2 | 9504 | 6336 | 8k/24p | 26.5 | 14.8 | 3187 | 100 | |
17. | Sony A7S III | Full Frame | 12.0 | 4240 | 2832 | 4K/120p | 23.7 | 13.9 | 2520 | 86 |
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 A7 IV provides a better video resolution than the 6D. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/60p, while the Canon is limited to 1080/30p.
Feature comparison
Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A7 IV has an electronic viewfinder (3686k dots), while the 6D 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 A7 IV offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the 6D (97%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the A7 IV has a higher magnification (0.78x vs 0.71x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon 6D, the Sony A7 IV, and comparable cameras.
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. | Sony A7 IV | 3686 | n | 3.0 / 1037 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
3. | Canon 1D X | optical | Y | 3.2 / 1040 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 14.0/s | n | n | |
4. | Canon 5D Mark II | optical | Y | 3.0 / 920 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 3.9/s | n | n | |
5. | Canon 5D Mark III | optical | Y | 3.2 / 1040 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 6.0/s | n | n | |
6. | Canon 5D Mark IV | optical | Y | 3.2 / 1620 | fixed | Y | 1/8000s | 7.0/s | n | n | |
7. | Canon 6D Mark II | optical | Y | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/4000s | 6.5/s | n | n | |
8. | Canon 7D II | optical | Y | 3.0 / 1040 | fixed | n | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | Y | n | |
9. | Canon 70D | optical | Y | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 7.0/s | Y | n | |
10. | Canon 80D | optical | Y | 3.0 / 1040 | swivel | Y | 1/8000s | 7.0/s | Y | n | |
11. | Nikon D600 | optical | Y | 3.0 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 5.5/s | Y | n | |
12. | Nikon D610 | optical | Y | 3.2 / 921 | fixed | n | 1/4000s | 6.0/s | Y | n | |
13. | Sony A1 | 9437 | n | 3.0 / 1440 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
14. | Sony A7 III | 2359 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
15. | Sony A7R IIIA | 3686 | n | 3.0 / 2340 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
16. | Sony A7R V | 9440 | n | 3.2 / 2100 | full-flex | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
17. | Sony A7S III | 9440 | n | 3.0 / 1440 | swivel | 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, but is missing on the A7 IV 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 A7 IV has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies. In contrast, the 6D does not have a selfie-screen.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 A7 IV 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 6D writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A7 IV uses CFexpress (type A) or SDXC cards. The A7 IV features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the 6D only has one slot. The A7 IV supports UHS-II cards (on both slots), while the 6D can use UHS-I 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 Sony Alpha A7 IV and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
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. | Sony A7 IV | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | full | 3.2 | Y | - | Y | |
3. | Canon 1D X | Y | mono / - | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
4. | Canon 5D Mark II | Y | mono / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
5. | Canon 5D Mark III | Y | mono / mono | Y | Y | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
6. | Canon 5D Mark IV | Y | mono / mono | Y | Y | mini | 3.0 | Y | Y | - | |
7. | Canon 6D Mark II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
8. | Canon 7D II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | mini | 3.0 | - | - | - | |
9. | Canon 70D | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | - | - | |
10. | Canon 80D | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
11. | Nikon D600 | Y | mono / mono | Y | Y | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
12. | Nikon D610 | Y | mono / mono | Y | Y | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - | |
13. | Sony A1 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | full | 3.2 | Y | - | Y | |
14. | Sony A7 III | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.1 | Y | Y | Y | |
15. | Sony A7R IIIA | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.2 | Y | Y | Y | |
16. | Sony A7R V | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | full | 3.2 | Y | - | Y | |
17. | Sony A7S III | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | full | 3.2 | Y | - | Y |
It is notable that the A7 IV has a headphone jack, which makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process. The 6D lacks such a headphone port.
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.
The A7 IV is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Sony. In contrast, the 6D has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the 6D was succeeded by the Canon 6D Mark II. Further information on the features and operation of the 6D and A7 IV can be found, respectively, in the Canon 6D Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A7 IV Manual.
Review summary
So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon 6D and the Sony A7 IV? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.
Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 6D:
- Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
- Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
- Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
- Longer lasting: Can take more shots (1090 versus 580) on a single battery charge.
- Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
- More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (16 percent cheaper at launch).
- More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2012).
Arguments in favor of the Sony Alpha A7 IV:
- More detail: Has more megapixels (32.7 vs 20MP), which boosts linear resolution by 28%.
- Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
- Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (15 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
- Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (1.6 bits more color depth).
- More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (2.6 EV of extra DR).
- Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (0.5 stops ISO advantage).
- Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/60p vs 1080/30p).
- Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
- 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 97%).
- Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.78x vs 0.71x).
- 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 shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 4.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
- Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
- More compact: Is smaller (131x96mm vs 145x111mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
- Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 111g or 14 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).
- More solid recording: Has a full-sized HDMI port for a sturdy connection to an external recorder.
- Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
- 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 9 years and 1 month of technical progress since the 6D launch.
If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A7 IV is the clear winner of the contest (29 : 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 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 Sony A7 IV 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 6D or the A7 IV perform in practice. 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 hands-on reviews by experts 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.
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. | Sony A7 IV | 5/5 | + + | 4.5/5 | 89/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Oct 2021 | 2,499 | amazon.com | |
3. | Canon 1D X | 5/5 | .. | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Oct 2011 | 6,799 | ebay.com | |
4. | Canon 5D Mark II | 4/5 | 91/100 | .. | 79/100 | 4/5 | .. | Sep 2008 | 3,499 | ebay.com | |
5. | Canon 5D Mark III | .. | + + | .. | 82/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Mar 2012 | 3,499 | ebay.com | |
6. | Canon 5D Mark IV | 4.5/5 | + + | 4/5 | 87/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Aug 2016 | 3,499 | amazon.com | |
7. | Canon 6D Mark II | 4/5 | + | 4/5 | 80/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Jun 2017 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
8. | Canon 7D II | 4.5/5 | + | 3.5/5 | 84/100 | 4/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2014 | 1,799 | ebay.com | |
9. | Canon 70D | 5/5 | + + | .. | 83/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Jul 2013 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
10. | Canon 80D | 4/5 | + + | 4.5/5 | 84/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Feb 2016 | 1,199 | ebay.com | |
11. | Nikon D600 | 4/5 | + + | .. | 87/100 | 5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2012 | 2,099 | ebay.com | |
12. | Nikon D610 | 4/5 | + + | .. | 87/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Oct 2013 | 1,999 | ebay.com | |
13. | Sony A1 | 5/5 | o | 4.5/5 | 93/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Jan 2021 | 6,499 | amazon.com | |
14. | Sony A7 III | .. | + + | 4.5/5 | 89/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2018 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
15. | Sony A7R IIIA | .. | + + | 4/5 | 90/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Apr 2021 | 3,199 | amazon.com | |
16. | Sony A7R V | 5/5 | + + | 4.5/5 | 92/100 | .. | .. | Oct 2022 | 3,899 | amazon.com | |
17. | Sony A7S III | 4.5/5 | + + | 5/5 | 91/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Jul 2020 | 3,499 | amazon.com | |
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available. |
The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. 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. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.
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 your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.
Specifications: Canon 6D vs Sony A7 IV
Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.
Camera Model | Canon 6D | Sony A7 IV |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Digital single lens reflex | Mirrorless system camera |
Camera Lens | Canon EF mount lenses | Sony E mount lenses |
Launch Date | September 2012 | October 2021 |
Launch Price | USD 2,099 | USD 2,499 |
Sensor Specs | Canon 6D | Sony A7 IV |
Sensor Technology | CMOS | BSI-CMOS |
Sensor Format | Full Frame Sensor | Full Frame Sensor |
Sensor Size | 36.0 x 24.0 mm | 35.9 x 23.9 mm |
Sensor Area | 864 mm2 | 858.01 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 43.3 mm | 43.1 mm |
Crop Factor | 1.0x | 1.0x |
Sensor Resolution | 20 Megapixels | 32.7 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 5472 x 3648 pixels | 7008 x 4672 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 6.57 μm | 5.12 μm |
Pixel Density | 2.31 MP/cm2 | 3.82 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | no AA filter |
Movie Capability | 1080/30p Video | 4K/60p Video |
ISO Setting | 100 - 25,600 ISO | 100 - 51,200 ISO |
ISO Boost | 50 - 102,400 ISO | 50 - 204,800 ISO |
Image Processor | DIGIC 5+ | BIONZ XR |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 82 | 97 |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 23.8 | 25.4 |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 12.1 | 14.7 |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 2340 | 3379 |
Screen Specs | Canon 6D | Sony A7 IV |
Viewfinder Type | Optical viewfinder | Electronic viewfinder |
Viewfinder Field of View | 97% | 100% |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.71x | 0.78x |
Viewfinder Resolution | 3686k dots | |
Top-Level Screen | Control Panel | no Top Display |
LCD Framing | Live View | Live View |
Rear LCD Size | 3.0inch | 3.0inch |
LCD Resolution | 1040k dots | 1037k dots |
LCD Attachment | Fixed screen | Swivel screen |
Touch Input | no Touchscreen | Touchscreen |
Shooting Specs | Canon 6D | Sony A7 IV |
Focus System | Phase-detect AF | On-Sensor Phase-detect |
Manual Focusing Aid | no Peaking Feature | Focus Peaking |
Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) | 1/4000s | 1/8000s |
Continuous Shooting | 4.5 shutter flaps/s | 10 shutter flaps/s |
Shutter Life Expectancy | 100 000 actuations | 200 000 actuations |
Electronic Shutter | no E-Shutter | YES |
Image Stabilization | Lens stabilization only | In-body stabilization |
Fill Flash | no On-Board Flash | no On-Board Flash |
Storage Medium | SDXC cards | CFexA or SDXC cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Single card slot | Dual card slots |
UHS card support | UHS-I | Dual UHS-II |
Connectivity Specs | Canon 6D | Sony A7 IV |
External Flash | Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 3.2 |
HDMI Port | mini HDMI | full HDMI |
Microphone Port | External MIC port | External MIC port |
Headphone Socket | no Headphone port | Headphone port |
Wifi Support | Wifi built-in | Wifi built-in |
Bluetooth Support | no Bluetooth | Bluetooth built-in |
Geotagging | GPS built-in | no internal GPS |
Body Specs | Canon 6D | Sony A7 IV |
Environmental Sealing | Weathersealed body | Weathersealed body |
Battery Type | Canon LP-E6 | Sony NP-FZ100 |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 1090 shots per charge | 580 shots per charge |
In-Camera Charging | no USB charging | USB charging |
Body Dimensions |
145 x 111 x 71 mm (5.7 x 4.4 x 2.8 in) |
131 x 96 x 80 mm (5.2 x 3.8 x 3.1 in) |
Camera Weight | 770 g (27.2 oz) | 659 g (23.2 oz) |
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