Canon R6 Mark II vs R7

The Canon EOS R6 Mark II and the Canon EOS R7 are two enthusiast cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in November 2022 and May 2022. Both the R6 Mark II and the R7 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are based on a full frame (R6 Mark II) and an APS-C (R7) sensor. The R6 Mark II has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the R7 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 R6 Mark II		Canon R7
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Canon RF mount lenses
24 MP – Full Frame sensor		32.3 MP – APS-C sensor
4k/60p Video		4k/60p Video
ISO 100-102,400 (100 - 204,800)		ISO 100-32,000 (100 - 51,200)
Electronic viewfinder (3690k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1620k dots		3.0" LCD – 1620k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
12 shutter flaps per second		15 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
450 shots per battery charge		660 shots per battery charge
138 x 98 x 88 mm, 670 g		132 x 90 x 92 mm, 612 g

Check R6 Mark II price at
amazon.com
Check R7 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS R6 Mark II and the Canon EOS R7? 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 R6 Mark II and the Canon R7 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 R7 is notably smaller (12 percent) than the Canon R6 Mark II. Moreover, the R7 is markedly lighter (9 percent) than the R6 Mark II. 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.

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. 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	Street Price
1.		Canon R6 Mark II	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	670 g	450	Y	Nov 2022	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
2.		Canon R7	132 mm	90 mm	92 mm	612 g	660	Y	May 2022	US$ 1 499	amazon.com
3.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
4.		Canon 90D	141 mm	105 mm	77 mm	701 g	1300	Y	Aug 2019	US$ 1 199	amazon.com
5.		Canon R	139 mm	98 mm	84 mm	660 g	370	Y	Sep 2018	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
6.		Canon R3	150 mm	143 mm	87 mm	1015 g	760	Y	Sep 2021	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
7.		Canon R5	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	738 g	320	Y	Jul 2020	US$ 3 899	amazon.com
8.		Canon R5 C	142 mm	101 mm	111 mm	770 g	320	Y	Jan 2022	US$ 4 499	amazon.com
9.		Canon R6	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	680 g	360	Y	Jul 2020	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
10.		Fujifilm X-H2S	136 mm	93 mm	85 mm	660 g	580	Y	May 2022	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
11.		Fujifilm X-T5	130 mm	91 mm	64 mm	557 g	580	Y	Nov 2022	US$ 1 699	amazon.com
12.		OM System OM-1	135 mm	92 mm	73 mm	599 g	520	Y	Feb 2022	US$ 2 199	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic GH5 II	139 mm	98 mm	87 mm	727 g	400	Y	May 2021	US$ 1 699	amazon.com
14.		Sony A7 IV	131 mm	96 mm	80 mm	659 g	580	Y	Oct 2021	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
15.		Sony A99	147 mm	111 mm	78 mm	812 g	500	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 2 799	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 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 R7 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 40 percent) than the R6 Mark II, 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.

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. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its 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 R6 Mark II features a full frame sensor and the Canon R7 an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the R7 is 62 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.0 and 1.6. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the R7 offers a higher resolution of 32.3 megapixels, compared with 24 MP of the R6 Mark II. 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 3.20μm versus 5.98μm for the R6 Mark II). Moreover, it should be noted that the R6 Mark II is a somewhat more recent model (by 5 months) than the R7, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels.

The resolution advantage of the Canon R7 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the R7 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 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 R6 Mark II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 102400, which can be extended to ISO 100-204800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS R7 are ISO 100 to ISO 32000, 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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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 R6 Mark II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	25.4	14.6	3154	96
2.		Canon R7	APS-C	32.3	6960	4640	4k/60p	24.1	13.8	2092	84
3.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
4.		Canon 90D	APS-C	32.3	6960	4640	4K/30p	24.0	13.5	1848	83
5.		Canon R	Full Frame	30.1	6720	4480	4K/30p	24.5	13.5	2742	89
6.		Canon R3	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/60p	25.0	14.7	4086	96
7.		Canon R5	Full Frame	44.8	8192	5464	8K/30p	25.3	14.6	3042	95
8.		Canon R5 C	Full Frame	44.8	8192	5464	8k/60p	25.4	14.5	3082	96
9.		Canon R6	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4k/60p	24.2	14.3	3394	90
10.		Fujifilm X-H2S	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	6.2k/30p	24.3	13.9	2224	86
11.		Fujifilm X-T5	APS-C	39.8	7728	5152	6.2k/30p	24.3	13.9	2264	86
12.		OM System OM-1	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.4	13.4	1553	77
13.		Panasonic GH5 II	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.7	13.1	1136	79
14.		Sony A7 IV	Full Frame	32.7	7008	4672	4K/60p	25.4	14.7	3379	97
15.		Sony A99	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	25.0	14.0	1555	89
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, and both provide the same movie specifications (4k/60p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the R6 Mark II offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the R7 (3690k vs 2360k dots). The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon R6 Mark II, the Canon R7, and comparable 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 R6 Mark II	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
2.		Canon R7	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
4.		Canon 90D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	11.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon R	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
6.		Canon R3	5760	Y	3.2 / 4150	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
7.		Canon R5	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
8.		Canon R5 C	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	n
9.		Canon R6	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
10.		Fujifilm X-H2S	5760	Y	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	n	Y
11.		Fujifilm X-T5	3690	n	3.0 / 1840	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	n	Y
12.		OM System OM-1	5760	n	3.0 / 1640	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
13.		Panasonic GH5 II	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony A7 IV	3686	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A99	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

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 and the Canon R7 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 R6 Mark II and the R7 write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. Moreover, both cameras support UHS-II cards (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 R6 Mark II and Canon EOS R7 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 R6 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
2.		Canon R7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
4.		Canon 90D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon R3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon R5	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
8.		Canon R5 C	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
9.		Canon R6	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
10.		Fujifilm X-H2S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.0	Y	-	Y
11.		Fujifilm X-T5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
12.		OM System OM-1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Panasonic GH5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
14.		Sony A7 IV	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
15.		Sony A99	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-

Both the R6 Mark II and the R7 are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The R6 Mark II replaced the earlier Canon R6, while the R7 does not have a direct predecessor. Further information on the features and operation of the R6 Mark II and R7 can be found, respectively, in the Canon R6 Mark II Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon R7 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Canon R6 Mark II better than the Canon R7 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS R6 Mark II:

• Better image quality: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
• Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (3690k vs 2360k dots).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.76x vs 0.72x).
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 5 months after the R7).

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS R7:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (32.3 vs 24MP), which boosts linear resolution by 16%.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (15 vs 12 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (132x90mm vs 138x98mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (660 versus 450) out of a single battery charge.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (40 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in May 2022).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the R6 Mark II comes out slightly ahead of the R7 (7 : 6 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 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 R6 Mark II and the Canon R7 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 comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the R6 Mark II and the R7 in practical situations. 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 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.

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 R6 Mark II	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2022	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
2.		Canon R7	4.5/5	+	5/5	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	May 2022	US$ 1 499	amazon.com
3.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
4.		Canon 90D	4/5	+	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2019	US$ 1 199	amazon.com
5.		Canon R	4/5	o	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2018	US$ 2 299	ebay.com
6.		Canon R3	5/5	o	4.5/5	..	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2021	US$ 5 999	amazon.com
7.		Canon R5	4.5/5	+	4/5	91/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2020	US$ 3 899	amazon.com
8.		Canon R5 C	..	+ +	..	..	..	..	Jan 2022	US$ 4 499	amazon.com
9.		Canon R6	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2020	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
10.		Fujifilm X-H2S	5/5	+	5/5	90/100	5/5	5/5	May 2022	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
11.		Fujifilm X-T5	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	90/100	4.5/5	..	Nov 2022	US$ 1 699	amazon.com
12.		OM System OM-1	5/5	..	..	87/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2022	US$ 2 199	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic GH5 II	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2021	US$ 1 699	amazon.com
14.		Sony A7 IV	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2021	US$ 2 499	amazon.com
15.		Sony A99	5/5	..	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 2 799	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, 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 rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

Check R6 Mark II price at
amazon.com
Check R7 price at
amazon.com

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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Check R6 Mark II price at
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Check R7 price at
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