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Canon M6 vs M6 Mark II

The Canon EOS M6 and the Canon EOS M6 Mark II are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in February 2017 and August 2019. Both the M6 and the M6 Mark II are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The M6 has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the M6 Mark II provides 32.3 MP.

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

Headline Specifications
Canon M6
versus
Canon M6 Mark II
Canon M6   Canon M6 Mark II
Mirrorless system camera Mirrorless system camera
Canon EF-M mount lenses Canon EF-M mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor 32.3 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60p Video 4K/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600 ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)
Viewfinder optional Viewfinder optional
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots 3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Tilting touchscreen Tilting touchscreen
9 shutter flaps per second 14 shutter flaps per second
295 shots per battery charge305 shots per battery charge
112 x 68 x 45 mm, 390 g 120 x 70 x 49 mm, 408 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS M6 and the Canon EOS M6 Mark II? 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.

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Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon M6 and the Canon M6 Mark II. 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 measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The M6 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the M6 Mark II is only available in black.

Size Canon M6 vs Canon M6 Mark II
Compare M6 versus M6 Mark II top
Comparison M6 or M6 Mark II rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon M6 Mark II is notably larger (10 percent) than the Canon M6. Moreover, the M6 Mark II is markedly heavier (5 percent) than the M6. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the M6 nor the M6 Mark II 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 power pack in the M6 Mark II 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.

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Body Specifications
# image Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Canon M6 112 mm 68 mm 45 mm 390 g 295 n Feb 2017 779ebay.com
2.
 
Canon M6 Mark II 120 mm 70 mm 49 mm 408 g 305 n Aug 2019 849ebay.com
3.
 
Canon M50 Mark II 116 mm 88 mm 59 mm 387 g 305 n Oct 2020 599ebay.com
4.
 
Canon M50 116 mm 88 mm 59 mm 390 g 235 n Feb 2018 779ebay.com
5.
 
Canon 77D 131 mm 100 mm 76 mm 540 g 600 n Feb 2017 899ebay.com
6.
 
Canon M100 108 mm 67 mm 35 mm 302 g 295 n Aug 2017 499ebay.com
7.
 
Canon SL2 122 mm 93 mm 70 mm 453 g 650 n Jun 2017 549ebay.com
8.
 
Canon M5 116 mm 89 mm 61 mm 427 g 295 n Sep 2016 979ebay.com
9.
 
Canon M3 111 mm 68 mm 44 mm 366 g 250 n Feb 2015 679ebay.com
10.
 
Canon T6i 132 mm 101 mm 78 mm 555 g 440 n Feb 2015 749ebay.com
11.
 
Canon T6s 132 mm 101 mm 78 mm 565 g 440 n Feb 2015 649ebay.com
12.
 
Nikon D5600 124 mm 97 mm 70 mm 465 g 970 n Nov 2016 699ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The M6 was somewhat cheaper (by 8 percent) than the M6 Mark II at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The 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. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better 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 an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the M6 Mark II is 2 percent bigger. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.6. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the M6 Mark II uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 8) than the M6 (DIGIC 7), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Canon M6 and Canon M6 Mark II sensor measures

With 32.3MP, the M6 Mark II offers a higher resolution than the M6 (24MP), but the M6 Mark II has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.23μm versus 3.72μm for the M6). Yet, the M6 Mark II is a much more recent model (by 2 years and 6 months) than the M6, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that 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 M6 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 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS M6 Mark II are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-51200.

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.

M6 versus M6 Mark II MP

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

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Sensor Characteristics
# image Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Canon M6 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.412.6131778
2.
 
Canon M6 Mark II APS-C 32.3 6960 46404K/30p24.013.5184883
3.
 
Canon M50 Mark II APS-C 24.0 6000 40004K/24p24.013.6193983
4.
 
Canon M50 APS-C 24.0 6000 40004K/24p23.813.3168481
5.
 
Canon 77D APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.613.397178
6.
 
Canon M100 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.512.9127278
7.
 
Canon SL2 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.613.4104179
8.
 
Canon M5 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.412.4126277
9.
 
Canon M3 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/30p22.811.8116972
10.
 
Canon T6i APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/30p22.712.091971
11.
 
Canon T6s APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/30p22.612.091570
12.
 
Nikon D5600 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.114.0130684
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
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Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the M6 Mark II provides a better video resolution than the M6. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the M6 is limited to 1080/60p.

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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The M6 and the M6 Mark II are similar in the sense that neither of the two has a viewfinder. The images are, thus, framed using live view on the rear LCD. However, optional viewfinders – the EVF-DC2 for the M6 and the EVF-DC2 for the M6 Mark II – are available as accessories. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon M6 and Canon M6 Mark II in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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Core Features
# image 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 M6optional n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 9.0/s Y n
2.
 
Canon M6 Mark IIoptional n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 14.0/s Y n
3.
 
Canon M50 Mark II2360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 10.0/s Y n
4.
 
Canon M502360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 10.0/s Y n
5.
 
Canon 77Doptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
6.
 
Canon M100none n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 6.1/s Y n
7.
 
Canon SL2optical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
8.
 
Canon M52360 n3.2 / 1620 tilting Y 1/4000s 9.0/s Y n
9.
 
Canon M3optional n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 4.2/s Y n
10.
 
Canon T6ioptical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
11.
 
Canon T6soptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
12.
 
Nikon D5600optical n3.2 / 1037 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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Both cameras have an articulated rear screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This feature will be particularly appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies.

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 M6 Mark II 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 M6 and the Canon M6 Mark II 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 and the M6 Mark II write their files to SDXC cards. The M6 Mark II supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the M6 can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

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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 and Canon EOS M6 Mark II and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
# image Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Canon M6Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0YYY
2.
 
Canon M6 Mark IIYstereo / monoY-micro2.0Y-Y
3.
 
Canon M50 Mark IIYstereo / monoY-micro2.0Y-Y
4.
 
Canon M50Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0Y-Y
5.
 
Canon 77DYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YYY
6.
 
Canon M100-stereo / mono--micro2.0YYY
7.
 
Canon SL2Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0YYY
8.
 
Canon M5Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0YYY
9.
 
Canon M3Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
10.
 
Canon T6iYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
11.
 
Canon T6sYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
12.
 
Nikon D5600Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0YYY
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Both the M6 and the M6 Mark II have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The M6 was replaced by the Canon M6 Mark II, while the M6 Mark II does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the M6 and M6 Mark II can be found, respectively, in the Canon M6 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon M6 Mark II Manual.

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Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon M6 and the Canon M6 Mark II? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.


Advantages of the Canon EOS M6:

  • Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2017).


Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS M6 Mark II:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (32.3 vs 24MP), which boosts linear resolution by 16%.
  • Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 8 vs DIGIC 7).
  • Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (14 vs 9 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
  • Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
  • Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
  • More modern: Reflects 2 years and 6 months of technical progress since the M6 launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the M6 Mark II is the clear winner of the contest (8 : 2 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 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.

M6 02:08 M6 Mark II

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon M6 and the Canon M6 Mark II 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 remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the M6 or the M6 Mark II 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 why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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.

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Expert Camera Reviews
# image  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Canon M6......80/1004/54/5 Feb 2017 779ebay.com
2.
 
Canon M6 Mark II..+4.5/585/1004/54/5 Aug 2019 849ebay.com
3.
 
Canon M50 Mark II4/5..4/5..4.5/53.5/5 Oct 2020 599ebay.com
4.
 
Canon M50..+4/579/100..3.5/5 Feb 2018 779ebay.com
5.
 
Canon 77D4.5/5..4/582/1004.5/54/5 Feb 2017 899ebay.com
6.
 
Canon M1003/5+....4/53.5/5 Aug 2017 499ebay.com
7.
 
Canon SL24/5+ +4/578/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2017 549ebay.com
8.
 
Canon M54/5+4/582/1004/54/5 Sep 2016 979ebay.com
9.
 
Canon M34/5o..75/1004.5/54/5 Feb 2015 679ebay.com
10.
 
Canon T6i5/5....75/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2015 749ebay.com
11.
 
Canon T6s5/5+..77/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2015 649ebay.com
12.
 
Nikon D56004/5..4/579/1004.5/54/5 Nov 2016 699ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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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 comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date 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? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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    Specifications: Canon M6 vs Canon M6 Mark II

    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 Specifications
    Camera Model Canon M6 Canon M6 Mark II
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens Canon EF-M mount lenses Canon EF-M mount lenses
    Launch Date February 2017 August 2019
    Launch Price USD 779 USD 849
    Sensor Specs Canon M6 Canon M6 Mark II
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format APS-C Sensor APS-C Sensor
    Sensor Size 22.3 x 14.9 mm 22.5 x 15.0 mm
    Sensor Area 332.27 mm2 337.5 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 26.8 mm 27 mm
    Crop Factor 1.6x 1.6x
    Sensor Resolution 24 Megapixels 32.3 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 6000 x 4000 pixels 6960 x 4640 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 3.72 μm 3.23 μm
    Pixel Density 7.22 MP/cm2 9.57 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 1080/60p Video 4K/30p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 25,600 ISO 100 - 25,600 ISO
    ISO Boost no Enhancement 100 - 51,200 ISO
    Image Processor DIGIC 7 DIGIC 8
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 78 ..
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 23.4 ..
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 12.6 ..
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 1317 ..
    Screen Specs Canon M6 Canon M6 Mark II
    Viewfinder Type Viewfinder optional Viewfinder optional
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 1040k dots 1040k dots
    LCD Attachment Tilting screen Tilting screen
    Touch Input Touchscreen Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Canon M6 Canon M6 Mark II
    Focus System On-Sensor Phase-detect On-Sensor Phase-detect
    Manual Focusing AidFocus PeakingFocus Peaking
    Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) 1/4000s 1/4000s
    Continuous Shooting 9 shutter flaps/s 14 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy100 000 actuations100 000 actuations
    Electronic Shutterno E-Shutterup to 1/16000s
    Time-Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer built-inIntervalometer built-in
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Single card slot
    UHS card support UHS-I UHS-II
    Connectivity Specs Canon M6 Canon M6 Mark II
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port mini HDMI micro HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port External MIC port
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in Wifi built-in
    Near-Field Communication NFC built-in no NFC
    Bluetooth Support Bluetooth built-in Bluetooth built-in
    Body Specs Canon M6 Canon M6 Mark II
    Battery Type Canon LP-E17 Canon LP-E17
    Battery Life (CIPA)295 shots per charge305 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging no USB charging USB charging
    Body Dimensions 112 x 68 x 45 mm
    (4.4 x 2.7 x 1.8 in)
    120 x 70 x 49 mm
    (4.7 x 2.8 x 1.9 in)
    Camera Weight 390 g (13.8 oz) 408 g (14.4 oz)
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