Canon M6 vs M6 Mark II

Canon EOS M6 vs EOS M6 Mark II — Canon EOS M6 (left) compared to Canon EOS M6 Mark II (right), to scale

Now that Canon has released the new EOS M6 Mark II mirrorless camera, I wanted to take a look at how this camera compares to its predecessor, the EOS M6. Both are highly capable cameras, but they have more differences than similarities. Here’s how each one stacks up.

First up, let’s take a look at the specifications of both cameras.

M6 vs M6 Mark II Specifications

Camera Feature	Canon EOS M6	Canon EOS M6 Mark II
Sensor Resolution	24.2 megapixels	32.5 megapixels
Sensor Type	CMOS	CMOS
Sensor Size	22.3 × 14.9 mm	22.3 × 14.8 mm
Sensor Pixel Size	3.72 µm	3.2 µm
Low Pass Filter	Yes	Yes
Low Pass Filter Dust Reduction	Yes	Yes
Image Size	6000 × 4000 pixels	6960 × 4640 pixels
Image Processor	DIGIC 7	DIGIC 8
Viewfinder Type	None; compatible with separate EVF-DC2 electronic viewfinder (and included in most M6 II kits)	None; compatible with separate EVF-DC2 electronic viewfinder (and included in most M6 II kits)
Viewfinder Coverage	EVF-DC2 has 100% coverage	EVF-DC2 has 100% coverage
Viewfinder Magnification	EVF-DC2 has 1× magnification (0.63× 35mm equivalent)	EVF-DC2 has 1× magnification (0.63× 35mm equivalent)
Built-in Flash	Yes, no flash commander mode	Yes, no flash commander mode
Storage Media	1× SD, UHS I Compatible	1× SD, UHS II Compatible
Continuous Shooting Speed	7 FPS (9 FPS with focus locked)	14 FPS (30 FPS RAW burst with electronic shutter, locked exposure, locked focus)
Buffer Size (RAW, Max FPS)	17	23
Electronic Shutter	No	Yes
Shutter Speed Range	1/4000 to 30 sec	1/16,000 to 30 sec (electronic); 1/4000 to 30 sec (mechanical)
Live View Exposure Meter	384-zone sensor output metering	384-zone sensor output metering
Base ISO	ISO 100	ISO 100
Native ISO Sensitivity	ISO 100-6400	ISO 100-25,600
Boosted ISO Sensitivity	Up to ISO 25,600	Up to ISO 51,200
Focus Points	49 selectable positions	5,481 manually selectable positions; 143 automatically selected positions
On Sensor Phase Detection (Dual Pixel AF)	Yes	Yes
Focus Bracketing	No	Yes
Live View Eye AF	No	Yes
Joystick	No	No
Flicker Detection	No	Yes
Video Maximum Resolution	1920 × 1080 up to 60 fps	4K at 30 fps; 1920 × 1080 up to 120 fps
LCD Size	3″ diagonal LCD	3″ diagonal LCD
LCD Resolution	1,040,000 dots	1,040,000 dots
Tilt-Flip LCD	No; tilt only	No; tilt only
Touchscreen	Yes	Yes
Built-in GPS	No	No
Built-in Bluetooth	Yes	Yes
Built-in Wi-Fi / NFC	Yes	Yes
Battery	LP-E17	LP-E17
Battery Life	295 shots (rear LCD only); 295 shots (EVF-DC2 electronic viewfinder only); 425 shots (ECO mode on, rear LCD only)	305 shots (rear LCD only); 250 shots (EVF-DC2 electronic viewfinder only); 410 shots (ECO mode on, rear LCD only)
Weather Sealed Body	No	No
USB Version	2.0 Micro-B	2.0 USB-C
Weight (Body Only, Includes Battery and Card)	390 g (13.8 oz)	408 g (14.4 oz)
Dimensions	112.0 × 68.0 × 44.5 mm (4.4 × 2.7 × 1.8 in)	119.6 × 70.0 × 49.2 mm (4.7 × 2.8 × 1.9 in)
Announced	February 2017	August 2019
Current Price (Body Only)	$579	$849
Current Price (With 15-45mm Kit Lens)	$700 (viewfinder sold separately for $200 extra)	$1099 (includes EFV-DC2 viewfinder)

That’s a lot of improvements for the Mark II! The biggest differences are the new 32.5 megapixel sensor, 4K video capability (at full sensor width), and 14 FPS shooting. Clearly, the M6 Mark II is the more advanced camera.

Is it worth the extra price? Personally, I would say so, especially if you buy new. There’s less than a $300 difference between the two cameras, and only a $200 difference if you’re buying a kit with the 15-45mm f/3.5-6.3 lens and electronic viewfinder.

However, keep in mind that the original Canon M6 has been on the market for more than two years now, so there are plenty of photographers selling used copies for less than the standard asking price. I’ve seen it go for $450 with a kit lens, and $550 with the kit lens plus viewfinder, on sites like eBay and FredMiranda.

Next, let’s take a look at the controls of both the M6 and the M6 Mark II:

Camera Layout Comparison

To start, here is the back of each camera (to scale):

The only meaningful change is the MF/AF switch on the M6 Mark II, which is not present on the original M6. If you look closely, you will notice that two of the buttons on the multi-select dial have changed as well. The top button on the Mark II is now an exposure compensation button instead of ISO, while the left-hand button has changed from a manual focus button to a burst selection option.

Here is the top of each camera for comparison:

Here, the big difference is that the M6 has an exposure compensation dial on top of a customizable command dial, while the M6 Mark II only has the customizable command dial. Otherwise, the two cameras have otherwise the same button layout.

Who Should Get Each One?

Both the Canon M6 and M6 Mark II are good cameras. If you can’t take the photos you want with one, it’s unlikely that the other will change things very much. That said, there are a number of differences between these two cameras, starting first with price.

New, the M6 is somewhat overpriced in my opinion, especially if you want the add-on electronic viewfinder. A full kit – camera, lens, EVF – costs $900, while the significantly more advanced M6 Mark II is only $1100 for the same kit.

However, things change if you’re on a budget and willing to buy used. In that case, the Canon M6 is certainly a better value than the M6 Mark II, coming in around $550 for the full kit (half the new price of the Mark II). Sure, the M6 is the older camera, but it has most of the things that photographers want in a mirrorless camera: light weight, good image quality, and interchangeable lenses.

That said, there are reasons to get the M6 Mark II instead. It has some serious upgrades compared to the M6 – plenty of them. If you’re a video shooter, or you photograph sports and wildlife that can benefit from the 14 FPS setting, I’d say the Mark II is worth the money.

Hopefully this article gave you a good idea of which camera is right for your needs! If you have any questions, please let me know below.