Canon M6 Mark II vs R8

The Canon EOS M6 Mark II and the Canon EOS R8 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in August 2019 and February 2023. Both the M6 Mark II and the R8 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are based on an APS-C (M6 Mark II) and a full frame (R8) sensor. The M6 Mark II has a resolution of 32.3 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 M6 Mark II		Canon R8
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Canon EF-M mount lenses		Canon RF mount lenses
32.3 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/30p Video		4k/60p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-102,400 (100 - 204,800)
Viewfinder optional		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1620k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
14 shutter flaps per second		6 shutter flaps per second
305 shots per battery charge		220 shots per battery charge
120 x 70 x 49 mm, 408 g		133 x 86 x 70 mm, 461 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS M6 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

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon M6 Mark II and the Canon R8. 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 R8 is notably larger (36 percent) than the Canon M6 Mark II. Moreover, the R8 is markedly heavier (13 percent) than the M6 Mark II. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the M6 Mark II nor the R8 are weather-sealed.

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.

The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, 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 M6 Mark II	120 mm	70 mm	49 mm	408 g	305	n	Aug 2019	US$ 849	ebay.com
2.		Canon R8	133 mm	86 mm	70 mm	461 g	220	n	Feb 2023	US$ 1 499	amazon.com
3.		Canon 77D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	US$ 899	ebay.com
4.		Canon G5 X Mark II	111 mm	61 mm	46 mm	340 g	230	n	Jul 2019	US$ 899	ebay.com
5.		Canon M3	111 mm	68 mm	44 mm	366 g	250	n	Feb 2015	US$ 679	ebay.com
6.		Canon M5	116 mm	89 mm	61 mm	427 g	295	n	Sep 2016	US$ 979	ebay.com
7.		Canon M6	112 mm	68 mm	45 mm	390 g	295	n	Feb 2017	US$ 779	ebay.com
8.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	US$ 779	ebay.com
9.		Canon M50 Mark II	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	387 g	305	n	Oct 2020	US$ 599	ebay.com
10.		Canon M200	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	299 g	315	n	Sep 2019	US$ 549	ebay.com
11.		Canon RP	133 mm	85 mm	70 mm	485 g	250	n	Feb 2019	US$ 1 299	amazon.com
12.		Canon SL2	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	US$ 549	ebay.com
13.		Canon SL3	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	449 g	1070	n	Apr 2019	US$ 599	amazon.com
14.		Canon T7	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	US$ 449	amazon.com
15.		Canon T100	129 mm	102 mm	77 mm	436 g	500	n	Feb 2018	US$ 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

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 M6 Mark II was launched at a markedly lower price (by 43 percent) than the R8, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The 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.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon M6 Mark II features an APS-C sensor and the Canon R8 a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the R8 is 154 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the R8 uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC X) than the M6 Mark II (DIGIC 8), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the Canon M6 Mark II offers a higher resolution of 32.3 megapixels, compared with 24 MP of the Canon R8. 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 3.23μm versus 5.98μm for the R8). Moreover, it should be noted that the R8 is much more recent (by 3 years and 5 months) than the M6 Mark II, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The resolution advantage of the Canon M6 Mark II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the M6 Mark II for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 34.8 x 23.2 inches or 88.4 x 58.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 27.8 x 18.6 inches or 70.7 x 47.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 23.2 x 15.5 inches or 58.9 x 39.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon R8 are 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm for good quality, 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm for very good quality, and 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS M6 Mark II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. 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.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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 M6 Mark II	APS-C	32.3	6960	4640	4K/30p	24.0	13.5	1848	83
2.		Canon R8	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	24.5	14.7	3295	93
3.		Canon 77D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.3	971	78
4.		Canon G5 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
5.		Canon M3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.8	11.8	1169	72
6.		Canon M5	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.4	1262	77
7.		Canon M6	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.6	1317	78
8.		Canon M50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
9.		Canon M50 Mark II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.6	1939	83
10.		Canon M200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/25p	24.0	13.5	1836	82
11.		Canon RP	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.3	11.9	2977	85
12.		Canon SL2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
13.		Canon SL3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/25p	23.9	13.4	1791	82
14.		Canon T7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
15.		Canon T100	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.4	695	63
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the R8 provides a faster frame rate than the M6 Mark II. It can shoot movie footage at 4k/60p, while the M6 Mark II is limited to 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the R8 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the M6 Mark II relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. That said, the M6 Mark II can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the EVF-DC2. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon M6 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 M6 Mark II	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	14.0/s	Y	n
2.		Canon R8	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon 77D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon G5 X Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon M3	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
6.		Canon M5	2360	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon M6	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon M50	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon M50 Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon M200	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
11.		Canon RP	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
12.		Canon SL2	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
13.		Canon SL3	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
14.		Canon T7	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
15.		Canon T100	optical	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The M6 Mark II has one, while the R8 does not. While the built-in flash of the M6 Mark II is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

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, both cameras under consideration feature an 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 M6 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 M6 Mark II and the R8 write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras support UHS-II cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 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 M6 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 M6 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Canon R8	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon 77D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon G5 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon M3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon M5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
7.		Canon M6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Canon M50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
9.		Canon M50 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
10.		Canon M200	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
11.		Canon RP	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
12.		Canon SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
13.		Canon SL3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
14.		Canon T7	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Canon T100	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	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 M6 Mark II lacks such a headphone port.

The R8 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the M6 Mark II has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the M6 Mark II from Canon. Further information on the features and operation of the M6 Mark II and R8 can be found, respectively, in the Canon M6 Mark II Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon R8 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Canon M6 Mark II better than the Canon R8 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS M6 Mark II:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (32.3 vs 24MP) with a 16% higher linear resolution.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (14 vs 6 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (120x70mm vs 133x86mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 53g or 11 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (305 versus 220) on a single battery charge.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (43 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in August 2019).

Advantages of the Canon EOS R8:

• Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC X vs DIGIC 8).
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (4k/60p versus 4K/30p).
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1620k vs 1040k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 2.0).
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 5 months of technical progress since the M6 Mark II launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the R8 is the clear winner of the contest (12 : 8 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 sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon M6 Mark II and the Canon R8 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens 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 says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the M6 Mark II and the R8 in practical situations. 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 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 M6 Mark II	..	+	4.5/5	85/100	4/5	4/5	Aug 2019	US$ 849	ebay.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 77D	4.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	US$ 899	ebay.com
4.		Canon G5 X Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	..	4/5	Jul 2019	US$ 899	ebay.com
5.		Canon M3	4/5	o	..	75/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	US$ 679	ebay.com
6.		Canon M5	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2016	US$ 979	ebay.com
7.		Canon M6	..	..	..	80/100	4/5	4/5	Feb 2017	US$ 779	ebay.com
8.		Canon M50	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 779	ebay.com
9.		Canon M50 Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	3.5/5	Oct 2020	US$ 599	ebay.com
10.		Canon M200	..	+	3/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2019	US$ 549	ebay.com
11.		Canon RP	4/5	+	4/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2019	US$ 1 299	amazon.com
12.		Canon SL2	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	US$ 549	ebay.com
13.		Canon SL3	4/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2019	US$ 599	amazon.com
14.		Canon T7	..	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 449	amazon.com
15.		Canon T100	..	o	3/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 399	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

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

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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. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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