Canon R vs R6 Mark II

The Canon EOS R and the Canon EOS R6 Mark II are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in September 2018 and November 2022. Both the Canon R and the R6 Mark II are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a full frame sensor. The Canon R has a resolution of 30.1 megapixels, whereas the R6 Mark II 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 R		Canon R6 Mark II
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Canon RF mount lenses		Canon RF mount lenses
30.1 MP – Full Frame sensor		24 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/30p Video		4k/60p Video
ISO 100-40,000 (50 - 102,400)		ISO 100-102,400 (100 - 204,800)
Electronic viewfinder (3690k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (3690k dots)
3.2" LCD – 2100k dots		3.0" LCD – 1620k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
8 shutter flaps per second		12 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
370 shots per battery charge		450 shots per battery charge
139 x 98 x 84 mm, 660 g		138 x 98 x 88 mm, 670 g

Check Canon R offers at
ebay.com
Check R6 Mark II price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS R and the Canon EOS R6 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.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon R and the Canon R6 Mark II. 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 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 R and the Canon R6 Mark II are of equal size. However, the R6 Mark II is slightly heavier (2 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 R6 Mark II can take 450 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E6NH power pack. The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, 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. 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 R	139 mm	98 mm	84 mm	660 g	370	Y	Sep 2018	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
2.		Canon R6 Mark II	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	670 g	450	Y	Nov 2022	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
3.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	144 mm	111 mm	75 mm	765 g	1200	Y	Jun 2017	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
5.		Canon 80D	139 mm	105 mm	79 mm	730 g	960	Y	Feb 2016	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
6.		Canon 90D	141 mm	105 mm	77 mm	701 g	1300	Y	Aug 2019	US$ 1 199	amazon.com
7.		Canon R3	150 mm	143 mm	87 mm	1015 g	760	Y	Sep 2021	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
8.		Canon R5	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	738 g	320	Y	Jul 2020	US$ 3 899	amazon.com
9.		Canon R6	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	680 g	360	Y	Jul 2020	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
10.		Canon RP	133 mm	85 mm	70 mm	485 g	250	n	Feb 2019	US$ 1 299	amazon.com
11.		Fujifilm X-H2S	136 mm	93 mm	85 mm	660 g	580	Y	May 2022	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
12.		Nikon D750	141 mm	113 mm	78 mm	750 g	1230	Y	Sep 2014	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
13.		Nikon Df	144 mm	110 mm	67 mm	760 g	1400	Y	Nov 2013	US$ 2 749	ebay.com
14.		OM System OM-1	135 mm	92 mm	73 mm	599 g	520	Y	Feb 2022	US$ 2 199	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic GH5s	139 mm	98 mm	87 mm	660 g	440	Y	Jan 2018	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
16.		Sony A7 III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	610	Y	Feb 2018	US$ 1 999	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

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Canon R was somewhat cheaper (by 8 percent) than the R6 Mark II 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. 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 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, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the R6 Mark II 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.

Technology-wise, the R6 Mark II uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC X) than the Canon R (DIGIC 8), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

With 30.1MP, the Canon R offers a higher resolution than the R6 Mark II (24MP), but the Canon R has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.36μm versus 5.98μm for the R6 Mark II). Moreover, the R6 Mark II is a much more recent model (by 4 years and 1 month) than the Canon R, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels.

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 R6 Mark II 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 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 R6 Mark II 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 assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. 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 R	Full Frame	30.1	6720	4480	4K/30p	24.5	13.5	2742	89
2.		Canon R6 Mark II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	25.4	14.6	3154	96
3.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	1080/60p	24.4	11.9	2862	85
5.		Canon 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135	79
6.		Canon 90D	APS-C	32.3	6960	4640	4K/30p	24.0	13.5	1848	83
7.		Canon R3	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/60p	25.0	14.7	4086	96
8.		Canon R5	Full Frame	44.8	8192	5464	8K/30p	25.3	14.6	3042	95
9.		Canon R6	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4k/60p	24.2	14.3	3394	90
10.		Canon RP	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.3	11.9	2977	85
11.		Fujifilm X-H2S	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	6.2k/30p	24.3	13.9	2224	86
12.		Nikon D750	Full Frame	24.2	6016	4016	1080/60p	24.8	14.5	2956	93
13.		Nikon Df	Full Frame	16.2	4928	3280	none	24.6	13.1	3279	89
14.		OM System OM-1	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.4	13.4	1553	77
15.		Panasonic GH5s	Four Thirds	9.9	3680	2700	4K/60p	23.1	12.8	1154	74
16.		Sony A7 III	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	25.0	14.7	3730	96
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

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 R6 Mark II provides a faster frame rate than the Canon R. It can shoot movie footage at 4k/60p, while the Canon R is limited to 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The Canon R and the R6 Mark II are similar in the sense that both feature an electronic viewfinder, which is helpful when framing images in bright sunlight. Moreover, their viewfinders offer an identical resolution of 3690k dots. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon R and Canon R6 Mark II 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 R	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
2.		Canon R6 Mark II	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.5/s	n	n
5.		Canon 80D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 90D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	11.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon R3	5760	Y	3.2 / 4150	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
8.		Canon R5	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
9.		Canon R6	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
10.		Canon RP	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
11.		Fujifilm X-H2S	5760	Y	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	n	Y
12.		Nikon D750	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	tilting	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
13.		Nikon Df	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	n	n
14.		OM System OM-1	5760	n	3.0 / 1640	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
15.		Panasonic GH5s	3680	n	3.2 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	n
16.		Sony A7 III	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	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 Canon R, but is missing on the R6 Mark II 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 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 R6 Mark II has 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 Canon R and the R6 Mark II write their files to SDXC cards. The R6 Mark II features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the Canon R only has one slot. 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 R and Canon EOS R6 Mark II 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 R6 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon 80D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon 90D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon R3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
8.		Canon R5	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
9.		Canon R6	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
10.		Canon RP	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
11.		Fujifilm X-H2S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.0	Y	-	Y
12.		Nikon D750	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Nikon Df	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		OM System OM-1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.0	Y	-	Y
15.		Panasonic GH5s	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
16.		Sony A7 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y

The R6 Mark II is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the Canon R has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the Canon R from Canon. Further information on the features and operation of the Canon R and R6 Mark II can be found, respectively, in the Canon R Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon R6 Mark II Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Canon R or the Canon R6 Mark II – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Canon EOS R:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (30.1 vs 24MP) with a 12% higher linear resolution.
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• 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 1620k dots).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2018).

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS R6 Mark II:

• 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).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (12 vs 8 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (450 versus 370) out of a single battery charge.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 3.1).
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More modern: Reflects 4 years and 1 month of technical progress since the Canon R launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the R6 Mark II is the clear winner of the contest (9 : 5 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision 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 R and the Canon R6 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 Canon R or the R6 Mark II perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews 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.

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 R	4/5	o	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2018	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
2.		Canon R6 Mark II	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2022	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
3.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2017	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
5.		Canon 80D	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
6.		Canon 90D	4/5	+	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2019	US$ 1 199	amazon.com
7.		Canon R3	5/5	o	4.5/5	..	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2021	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
8.		Canon R5	4.5/5	+	4/5	91/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2020	US$ 3 899	amazon.com
9.		Canon R6	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2020	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
10.		Canon RP	4/5	+	4/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2019	US$ 1 299	amazon.com
11.		Fujifilm X-H2S	5/5	+	5/5	90/100	5/5	5/5	May 2022	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
12.		Nikon D750	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
13.		Nikon Df	4/5	..	..	81/100	4/5	4/5	Nov 2013	US$ 2 749	ebay.com
14.		OM System OM-1	5/5	..	..	87/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2022	US$ 2 199	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic GH5s	..	..	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2018	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
16.		Sony A7 III	..	+ +	4.5/5	89/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 1 999	amazon.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 comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Check Canon R offers at
ebay.com
Check R6 Mark II price at
amazon.com

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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