Canon EOS R6 Mark III Review: A Serious Upgrade

Source: Wired

Canon has, however, missed the opportunity to add a mode‑dial lock while redesigning. Accidentally knocking the mode into the wrong setting is one of my biggest pet peeves with my Mark II, and the same is true with the Mark III. It’s probably not a big issue for general shooters, but when the Mark II (or III) is in a dual‑camera harness it can slip against the waist and change mode. Imagine quickly reaching for your camera to capture a split‑second moment at a wedding—first kiss, confetti throw, or a family reaction. A camera that can slip into the wrong mode is a huge drawback.

The EVF and LCD displays carry over from the previous model, which is disappointing—we’ve yet to see a four‑axis LCD from Canon that can compete with the brilliant ones in Sony’s latest cameras. The 3‑inch, 1.62 M‑dot LCD can tilt and flip out to cover most shooting angles. Sadly, there’s still no top LCD screen for quick settings access; those are reserved for the top‑of‑the‑line EOS R1, R3, and R5 series cameras.

Speed Demon

Canon’s EOS R6 Mark II was no slouch in the speed department, but the new Mark III takes it to a whole new level. Though the 12 fps mechanical and 40 fps electronic burst rates of the two models are identical on paper, the Mark III’s 32.5 MP full‑frame sensor has a third more pixels to process, plus it can record 20 full‑res RAW frames half a second before the shutter is pressed when using Pre‑Continuous Capture. This makes photographing birds at the precise moment of takeoff from a perch much easier, and bird, sports, and action photographers will love it. While the Mark II had this feature, it can now be assigned to the M‑Fn button for easier on/off control. Speaking of this button, it’s more spongy than the prior model, which was more “clicky.” I found it a bit vague whether I’d pressed the button, but it is now virtually silent—wildlife photographers will appreciate this subtle change.

One thing missing is Canon’s Digic Accelerator, so the R6 III doesn’t get Action Priority Auto Focus (AF) and isn’t quite as good for contact sports such as soccer, basketball, or volleyball. However, it does support Nominate Register People Priority, pulled from the higher‑end R1 and R5 cameras. As the name suggests, this allows you to register faces so the camera knows who to prioritize when multiple people are in the shot. This is great for sports photography—keeping star players in sharp focus—and for events like weddings, where you want to prioritize the bride, groom, and close family members. I’ve spent many hours with Canon’s EOS R1, R5 Mark II, and R6 III, and I don’t think many will be disappointed with the R6 III’s performance for sports. The AF is sticky and responsive, and for casual shoots (e.g., a child playing in a Sunday league) the Register People Priority will be enough to track key players and capture sharp shots. Obviously, professional sports shooters may prefer the R5 II or R1 for the ultimate performance.