Canon 5D MII vs Canon 6D Comparison

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Canon 5D MII

21 MP | Full frame (36 x 24 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Canon 6D

20 MP | Full frame (36 x 24 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Canon 5D MII vs Canon 6D Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing the 5D MII and the 6D, two Advanced DSLR cameras by Canon. Canon 5D MII was introduced to the market in February 2009 and Canon 6D was launched in February 2013. As you can see, 5D MII is 4 years older than 6D. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of the Canon 5D MII and Canon 6D before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Canon 5D MII Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2009-02-13

21MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 6400 ( expands to 50 - 25600)

Canon EF Mount

3.00" Fixed Type Screen

Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder

4.0fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

850g. 152 x 114 x 75 mm

Weather-sealed Body

Replaced Canon EOS 5D Compare

Canon 6D Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2013-02-12

20MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 25600 ( expands to 50 - 102400)

Canon EF Mount

3.00" Fixed Type Screen

Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder

4.5fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

Built-in GPS

770g. 145 x 111 x 71 mm

Weather-sealed Body

Canon 5D MII was replaced by Canon EOS 5D Mark III. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Canon EOS 5D Mark III vs Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Canon EOS 5D Mark III vs Canon EOS 6D

Canon 6D was replaced by Canon EOS 6D Mark II. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Canon EOS 6D Mark II vs Canon EOS 6D
Canon EOS 6D Mark II vs Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Let's read on in the following sections in order to better understand in detail how the Canon 5D MII and Canon 6D compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

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**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Canon EOS 5D Mark II over Canon EOS 6D

Sensor Resolution	21 MP vs 20 MP	5% more pixels
Viewfinder Coverage	98% vs 97%	More accurate viewfinder
Max Mech. Shutter	1/8000s vs 1/4000s	faster mechanical shutter
Flash Sync Port	Yes vs No	Connect off-camera flash
Shutter Life Expectancy	150000 cycles vs 100000 cycles	Longer use without changing the shutter mechanism

CHECK 5D MII PRICE

Reasons to choose Canon EOS 6D over Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Wireless Connection	Built-In vs None	Better connectivity
GPS	BuiltIn vs None	track your location
Image Processor	Digic 5+ vs Digic 4	More Capable Processor
Max ISO	25.600 vs 6.400	300% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points	11 vs 9	2 more focus points
LCD Resolution	1.040k dots vs 920k dots	13% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting	4.5fps vs 4.0fps	0.5 fps faster
Battery Life	1090 shots vs 850 shots	240 more frames with a single charge
Weight	770 g vs 850 g	80 g lighter
Color Depth	23.8 vs 23.7	higher color depth
Dynamic Range	12.1 vs 11.9	higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO	2340 vs 1815	better High ISO performance
AE Bracketing Range	±3 EV vs ±2 EV	Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR
Smartphone Remote	Yes vs No	Remote control your camera with a smartphone

CHECK 6D PRICE

Common Strengths of Canon EOS 5D Mark II and Canon EOS 6D

External Flash Shoe	Yes vs Yes	Better for flash photography
Viewfinder	Yes (Optical) vs Yes (Optical)	Better framing and control
RAW Support	Yes vs Yes	Better image quality
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits
Max Resolution	21 MP vs 20 MP	Bigger prints and more details
LCD Screen Resolution	920k dots vs 1.040k dots	High resolution screens
Microphone Port	Yes vs Yes	High quality audio recording option
Environmental Sealing	Yes vs Yes	shoot at tough conditions
Top LCD Display	Yes vs Yes	Help viewing and changing settings easily
AE Bracketing	Yes vs Yes	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
AF Micro Adjustment (Fine Tune)	Yes vs Yes	Adjust each lens for accurate focusing

Common Weaknesses of Canon EOS 5D Mark II and Canon EOS 6D

In-body Image Stabilization	No vs No	No Built-in stabilization
Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	Screen tilts or Flips out independently, perfect for both stills and video
Built-in Flash	No vs No	Require external flash

Canon 5D MII vs Canon 6D: Physical Specs and Body Features Comparison

Size and weight are big decision factors when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, we are going to illustrate the Canon 5D MII and Canon 6D side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Canon 5D MII has external dimensions of 152 x 114 x 75 mm (5.98 x 4.49 x 2.95″) and weighs 850 g (1.87 lb / 29.98 oz) (including batteries). Canon 6D has external dimensions of 145 x 111 x 71 mm (5.71 x 4.37 x 2.8″) and weighs 770 g (1.70 lb / 27.16 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front-view size comparison of the Canon 5D MII and the Canon 6D. Canon 6D is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 7mm narrower, 3mm shorter and 4mm thinner than Canon 5D MII.

Comparison image of the Canon 5D MII and the Canon 6D Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Weight is another important factor, especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Canon 6D is 80g lighter than the Canon 5D MII but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you also have to take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since both Canon 5D MII and Canon 6D have the same Canon EF lens mount and Full frame sized sensors, lenses will not be a differentiator on total size of the system.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

5D MII

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

5D MII

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Both the 5D MII and the 6D have weather sealings in their bodies, making them resistant to water and dust.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Canon 5D MII and Canon 6D's LCD screens have the same diagonal size of 3.00 inches.

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.

Canon 5D MII vs Canon 6D: Sensor Comparison

Canon 5D MII has a 21.0MP Full frame (36 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Digic 4 processor. On the other hand, Canon 6D has a 20.0MP Full frame (36 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Digic 5+ processor.

Below you can see the 5D MII and 6D sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon 5D MII and Canon 6D Cameras

Canon 5D MII and Canon 6D have the same sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. It scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Canon 5D MII and Canon 6D sensors have been tested by DxO and the results show that 6D has a better overall score of 82, 3 points higher compared to 5D MII's score of 79.

Model	Overall	Color Depth	Dynamic Range	Low-light ISO
Canon 5D MII	79	23.7 bits	11.9 Evs	1815 ISO
Canon 6D	82	23.8 bits	12.1 Evs	2340 ISO

Canon 5D MII vs Canon 6D Comparison of Available Lenses

Which camera has more lenses?

The number of available lenses is a big deciding factor when choosing your interchangeable lens camera. In this case, both Canon 5D MII and Canon 6D have the same Canon EF lens mount so have 257 native lenses available. All of these lenses cover Full frame sensor.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. None of these bodies have sensor based image stabilization so you have to buy lenses with Optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 77 lenses with Image stabilization for Canon EF mount.

Lens Type	# of Canon 5D MII Lenses	# of Canon 6D Lenses
Standard Zoom	22 (22 Full Frame)	22 (22 Full Frame)
Standard Prime	19 (19 Full Frame)	19 (19 Full Frame)
Wideangle Zoom	20 (20 Full Frame)	20 (20 Full Frame)
Wideangle Prime	48 (48 Full Frame)	48 (48 Full Frame)
Telephoto Zoom	51 (51 Full Frame)	51 (51 Full Frame)
Telephoto Prime	44 (44 Full Frame)	44 (44 Full Frame)
SuperZoom	9 (9 Full Frame)	9 (9 Full Frame)
Wideangle Fisheye Prime	3 (3 Full Frame)	3 (3 Full Frame)
Macro Prime	24 (24 Full Frame)	24 (24 Full Frame)
Perspective Control Prime	16 (16 Full Frame)	16 (16 Full Frame)
Telephoto Mirror Prime	n/a	n/a
TOTAL	257 (256 Full Frame)	257 (256 Full Frame)

Here are some of the most popular Canon EF Mount Lenses on Camera Decision:

Popular Canon EF Mount Lenses for the 5D MII and the 6D

	Coverage	Weight	Focusing	Street Price
Canon EF 24-105mm f4L IS USM	35mm FF	670gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM	35mm FF	630gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 75-300mm f4.0-5.6 III	35mm FF	480gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 35-350mm f3.5-5.6L USM	35mm FF	1385gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 70-200mm f2.8L IS II USM	35mm FF	1490gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 50mm f1.8 STM	35mm FF	159gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 80-200mm f4.5-5.6 II	35mm FF	250gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 35-80mm f4.0-5.6 III	35mm FF	175gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo

What types of Photography are Canon 5D MII and Canon 6D Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Canon 5D MII and Canon 6D for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Canon 5D MII for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Canon 6D for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 21.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Check the Best Canon EF Mount Lenses for Portrait Photography

Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Canon 5D MII for Street Photography

GOOD

Canon 6D for Street Photography

GOOD

Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
No Image Stabilization
Large Body
Read the details

Check the Best Canon EF Mount Lenses for Street Photography

Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
No Image Stabilization
Large Body
Read the details

Canon 5D MII for Sports Photography

GOOD

Canon 6D for Sports Photography

GOOD

Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
Good Battery Life: 850 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Average Continuous Shooting: 4.0fps
No Image Stabilization
9 Focus Points
Read the details

Check the Best Canon EF Mount Lenses for Sports Photography

Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
1 Cross Type Focus sensors
11 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 1090 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Average Continuous Shooting: 4.5fps
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Canon 5D MII for Daily Photography

GOOD

Canon 6D for Daily Photography

GOOD

Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
850g
Body Thickness 75mm
Read the details

Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
770g
Body Thickness 71mm
Read the details

Canon 5D MII for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Canon 6D for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 21.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details

Check the Best Canon EF Mount Lenses for Landscape Photography

Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Built-in GPS
Read the details

Canon 5D MII vs Canon 6D: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far, but in case you wonder how we rated Canon 5D MII and Canon 6D, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Canon 5D MII and Canon 6D scores compare:

Canon 5D MII

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #47 out of 96 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #276 out of 1275 in all Cameras

Canon 6D

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #40 out of 96 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #241 out of 1275 in all Cameras

Canon 6D is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Canon 5D MII in all criteria.
It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money

Canon 6D vs Canon 5D MII Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Canon EOS 5D Mark II	Canon EOS 6D
Brand	Canon	Canon
Announced	2009-02-13	2013-02-12
Body Type	Mid-size SLR	Mid-size SLR
Sensor
Type	CMOS	CMOS
Size	Full frame	Full frame
Dimensions	36 x 24 mm	36 x 24 mm
Area	864.00mm²	864.00mm²
Megapixels	21 megapixels	20 megapixels
Max Resolution	5616 x 3744	5472 x 3648
Max Native Light sensitivity	6,400 ISO	25,600 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	25600 ISO	102400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	100 ISO	100 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity	50 ISO	50 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	9	11
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Canon EF	Canon EF
Number of Available Lenses	257	257
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3.00"	3.00"
Resolution	920k dots	1,040k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Optical (pentaprism)	Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage	98%	97%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.71x	0.71x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/8000s	1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization	No	No
Built-in Flash
Max Flash Sync	1/200s	1/180s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	4.0 fps	4.5 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	H.264	H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	850g	770g
Dimensions	152 x 114 x 75mm	145 x 111 x 71mm
Battery Life	850 shots	1090 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	Built-in
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	79	82
DxO Color Depth	23.7	23.8
DxO Dynamic Range	11.9	12.1
DxO Low Light ISO	1815	2340
	Report a correction	Report a correction