Just how much camera do you need?
Ha! Just kidding. Film is dead.
Unfortunately for photographic dinosaurs like me, Digital SLR’s may not be too far behind!
However, for the moment, I’m still a DSLR fanboy, and it might have something to do with the six grand in glass sitting on my desk. For the past three years, I’ve been lugging around the Canon 1DC, which is the 1DX mk3 that they crammed 4K video into. It had a blazing fast 14 fps burst mode, a battery that could last a month, and the aforementioned 4K video.
The problem was that I needed none of those things. I mostly shoot portraits and landscapes, not sports or wildlife. I obsessively recharge my batteries, because depending on a battery to still be good from the last time I shot is insane. You can still get a used 1DC if you want, but trust me, you don’t. It was designed for cinematic film making, and as such is meant to live its life on a $10,000 gimbal mounted tripod with another $10,000 in lighting, sound and rigging. It’s heavy, it’s loud, and did I mention it’s heavy. It will cause physical damage to you if you use a neck strap.
It’s not meant to be slung around your neck and actually used.
It was the camera that almost broke me of my Canon DSLR tradition. The Sony A7Riii is going to revolutionize photography, and the lightweight and silent appeal of mirrorless sensors is very appealing. However, if you’re already a Nikon or Canon shooter, well, you’re going to be tempted to try the latest from those old fossils.
Boy am I glad I did.
I traded in the 1DC for the new(ish) Canon 6D mk II. Unlike the 5D mk 4 it doesn’t have an insane megapixel count. Nor does it have a particularly fast burst mode.
What it does have is the absolute best features a photographer like me could ever want:
- Amazing color capture (though my L series lenses help there).
- More than adequate resolution (26.2MP).
- Sharp and accurate autofocus with 45 cross-type autofocus points.
- Excellent face tracking.
- NFC, Bluetooth 4 and WiFi connectivity for smartphone control.
- Built-in GPS for geotagging.
- Canon’s excellent EOS Utility for remote controlling the camera via laptop or tablet.
Here are some low resolution samples, all shot with available warm-balanced light, and my EF 24-70mm f/2.8L mk 2 lens:
I’m burying the lead by shamelessly showcasing my puppy.
The selling point for this camera is that it’s only $2,000. That’s a bargain and a half. No, that doesn’t include the lenses. If you’ve already bought a Canon DSLR, this is the correct choice of upgrade for you. If you’re a Nikon shooter, the Nikon D850 is the best camera Nikon has ever made, so go get that instead. If you’re just now getting into the game, go Sony and spend all the money, you’ll be getting the best available right now.
I get that the iPhone X and the Pixel 2 have excellent smartphone cameras, however, if you ever seriously deal with real photography, you already know that they’re a poor replacement.
Take it from a big guy who loves cameras, now is the golden age as everyone is upping their game.
Canon 6D mk II Pros & Cons
Pros:
- “Cheap!*”
- Well balanced in every way, it’s the Ford 150 of cameras.
- Multiple connectivity options provide maximum flexibility.
- Light, sturdy, rotatable touchscreen
Cons:
- Not a Sony A7Riii
- Not a Nikon D850
- Need to buy real glass, son. Get to spending.
- Can’t put in shirt pocket.
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