Canon R vs 6D

The Canon EOS R and the Canon EOS 6D are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in September 2018 and September 2012. The Canon R is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the 6D is a DSLR. Both cameras are equipped with a full frame sensor. The Canon R has a resolution of 30.1 megapixels, whereas the 6D provides 20 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon R		Canon 6D
Mirrorless system camera		Digital single lens reflex
Canon RF mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
30.1 MP – Full Frame sensor		20 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/30p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-40,000 (50 - 102,400)		ISO 100-25,600 (50 - 102,400)
Electronic viewfinder (3690k dots)		Optical viewfinder
3.2" LCD – 2100k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
8 shutter flaps per second		4.5 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
370 shots per battery charge		1090 shots per battery charge
139 x 98 x 84 mm, 660 g		145 x 111 x 71 mm, 770 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS R and the Canon EOS 6D? 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 R and the Canon 6D 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 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 Canon 6D is notably larger (18 percent) than the Canon R. Moreover, the 6D is markedly heavier (17 percent) than the Canon R. 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. 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.

Concerning battery life, the Canon R gets 370 shots out of its Canon LP-E6N battery, while the 6D can take 1090 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E6 power pack. The power pack in the Canon R can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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.

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 R	139 mm	98 mm	84 mm	660 g	370	Y	Sep 2018	2,299	ebay.com
2.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	2,099	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1530 g	1210	Y	Feb 2016	5,999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 5DS	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
5.		Canon 6D Mark II	144 mm	111 mm	75 mm	765 g	1200	Y	Jun 2017	1,999	amazon.com
6.		Canon 7D II	149 mm	112 mm	78 mm	910 g	670	Y	Sep 2014	1,799	ebay.com
7.		Canon 70D	139 mm	104 mm	79 mm	755 g	920	Y	Jul 2013	1,199	ebay.com
8.		Canon R6	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	680 g	360	Y	Jul 2020	2,499	amazon.com
9.		Canon RP	133 mm	85 mm	70 mm	485 g	250	n	Feb 2019	1,299	amazon.com
10.		Leica M10	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
11.		Leica Q2	130 mm	80 mm	92 mm	718 g	370	Y	Mar 2019	4,995	amazon.com
12.		Nikon D750	141 mm	113 mm	78 mm	750 g	1230	Y	Sep 2014	2,299	ebay.com
13.		Nikon Z6	134 mm	101 mm	67 mm	675 g	310	Y	Aug 2018	1,999	ebay.com
14.		Sony A7 III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	610	Y	Feb 2018	1,999	amazon.com
15.		Sony A7R	127 mm	94 mm	48 mm	465 g	340	Y	Oct 2013	2,299	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 6D was somewhat cheaper (by 9 percent) than the Canon R at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. 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 tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the large-sensor cameras that aim for top notch image quality. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

In terms of chip-set technology, the Canon R uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 8) than the 6D (DIGIC 5+), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the Canon R offers a higher resolution of 30.1 megapixels, compared with 20 MP of the 6D. This megapixels advantage translates into a 23 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the Canon R has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 5.36μm versus 6.57μm for the 6D). In this context, it should be noted, however, that the Canon R is much more recent (by 5 years and 11 months) than the 6D, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The resolution advantage of the Canon R implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the Canon R for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 33.6 x 22.4 inches or 85.3 x 56.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 26.9 x 17.9 inches or 68.3 x 45.5 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 22.4 x 14.9 inches or 56.9 x 37.9 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 Canon R has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS R has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 40000, which can be extended to ISO 50-102400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS 6D are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-102400.

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 Canon R has a notably higher overall DXO score than the 6D (overall score 7 points higher), which gives it an advantage in terms of imaging quality. This advantage is based on 0.7 bits higher color depth, 1.4 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.2 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 R	Full Frame	30.1	6720	4480	4K/30p	24.5	13.5	2742	89
2.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4K/60p	24.1	13.5	3207	88
4.		Canon 5DS	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.7	12.4	2381	87
5.		Canon 6D Mark II	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	1080/60p	24.4	11.9	2862	85
6.		Canon 7D II	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	11.8	1082	70
7.		Canon 70D	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	22.5	11.6	926	68
8.		Canon R6	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4k/60p	24.2	14.3	3394	90
9.		Canon RP	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.3	11.9	2977	85
10.		Leica M10	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	24.4	13.2	2133	86
11.		Leica Q2	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/30p	26.4	13.5	2491	96
12.		Nikon D750	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/60p	24.8	14.5	2956	93
13.		Nikon Z6	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/30p	25.3	14.3	3299	95
14.		Sony A7 III	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.7	3730	96
15.		Sony A7R	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/60p	25.6	14.1	2746	95

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the Canon R provides a higher video resolution than the 6D. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the 6D is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the Canon R has an electronic viewfinder (3690k 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 Canon R 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 Canon R has a higher magnification (0.76x vs 0.71x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon R and Canon 6D in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon R	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
2.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	optical	Y	3.2 / 1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	16.0/s	n	n
4.		Canon 5DS	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
5.		Canon 6D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.5/s	n	n
6.		Canon 7D II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon 70D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon R6	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
9.		Canon RP	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
10.		Leica M10	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
11.		Leica Q2	3680	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	n	Y
12.		Nikon D750	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	tilting	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
13.		Nikon Z6	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	tilting	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony A7 III	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A7R	2400	n	3.0 / 1230	tilting	n	1/8000s	4.0/s	n	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The Canon R has a touchscreen, while the 6D has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

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 Canon R 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).

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the Canon R and the 6D write their files to SDXC cards. The Canon R supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the 6D can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS R and Canon EOS 6D 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 R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
2.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 5DS	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon 6D Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Canon 7D II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon 70D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Canon R6	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
9.		Canon RP	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
10.		Leica M10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
11.		Leica Q2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	-	Y	-	Y
12.		Nikon D750	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Nikon Z6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
14.		Sony A7 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
15.		Sony A7R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the Canon R has a headphone jack, which is not present on the 6D This port makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process.

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 Canon R and the 6D have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 6D was replaced by the Canon 6D Mark II, while the Canon R does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the Canon R and 6D can be found, respectively, in the Canon R Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 6D Manual.

Review summary

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

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS R:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (30.1 vs 20MP) with a 23% higher linear resolution.
• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (7 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
• More dynamic range: Captures a larger spectrum of light and dark details (1.4 EV of extra DR).
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 8 vs DIGIC 5+).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p 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 (0.76x vs 0.71x).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2100k vs 1040k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• 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 (8 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 (139x98mm vs 145x111mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 110g or 14 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.1 vs 2.0).
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More modern: Reflects 5 years and 11 months of technical progress since the 6D launch.

Advantages of the Canon EOS 6D:

• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (1090 versus 370) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in September 2012).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the Canon R is the clear winner of the match-up (26 : 4 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 R and the Canon 6D place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings 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 Canon R or the 6D 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 R	4/5	o	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2018	2,299	ebay.com
2.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	2,099	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	..	..	4.5/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	5,999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 5DS	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
5.		Canon 6D Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2017	1,999	amazon.com
6.		Canon 7D II	4.5/5	+	3.5/5	84/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	1,799	ebay.com
7.		Canon 70D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2013	1,199	ebay.com
8.		Canon R6	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2020	2,499	amazon.com
9.		Canon RP	4/5	+	4/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2019	1,299	amazon.com
10.		Leica M10	4.5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
11.		Leica Q2	..	..	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4/5	Mar 2019	4,995	amazon.com
12.		Nikon D750	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	2,299	ebay.com
13.		Nikon Z6	5/5	..	5/5	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2018	1,999	ebay.com
14.		Sony A7 III	..	+ +	4.5/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2018	1,999	amazon.com
15.		Sony A7R	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	2,299	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) 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 rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. 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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