Canon EOS 6D Verdict and Video Review

Just like the BMW 3 series, Canon introduces entry level full frame luxury with the 20 megapixel Canon EOS 6D with a street price under $2000. In the EOS full frame lineup, the Canon EOS 6D is the smallest and least expensive compared to the venerable Canon 5D Mark III and the ultimate Canon flagship, the 1DX.



To the majority of DSLR owners, the lesser expensive APS-C cropped sensor sits comfortably in their camera bag. Why full frame then? Full frame means a true focal length equivalent of your lenses. A wide angle 14mm lens with a full frame sensor will give that extra wide reach for landscapes and architecture. The larger surface area of a full frame sensor produces a dreamier background bokeh with your glass compared to cropped sensors. A must for portrait photographers.



Enough of the "why?" and now more to the "what?"...The Canon EOS 6D touts a 20 megapixel CMOS sensor with a DIGIC 5+ processor to keep up with the 4.5fps shutter rate. The smaller form factor of the Canon 6D is just about the body equivalent of the Canon 60D. Also like the 60D, the Canon 6D has only a single Secure Digital memory card slot. Similar to the rest of Canon full frames, no built in flash. The Canon 6D has a 97% viewfinder coverage with interchangeable screens to satisfy most demanding photographers.



The Canon EOS 6D is the first Canon DSLR with built in Wi-Fi connectivity to mobile devices and GPS capability. With the free Canon EOS Remote App for both Apple and Android operating systems, you can remotely control, capture and view images on your Apple iPad or even a Samsung Galaxy Tablet. For social media fanatics out there, you can photograph in full frame glory and wirelessly transfer your images directly to your Apple iPhone's Camera Roll. Fuzzy cellphone Facebook pictures are now things of the past...



A true test for ISO capability is a tungsten lit portrait at ISO 3200. In the usual Canon fashion, ISO 3200 is nice and clean with wonderful skin tone and detail. The Canon EOS 6D boasts an expandable ISO range of 100 to 102800. Enough range for even the faint of heart...



He shoots, he scores! The Canon EOS 6D has 11 AF points to satisfy most soccer moms and dads. The 11 AF points does not compare to the flagship Canon 1D series, but the sports photography performance of the Canon 6D is decent in my opinion. With my Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 IS lens set at wide open, I was able to track my son with any of the 11 AF points in the viewfinder with no problem.



Now for the video nitty gritty. A dedicated selectable video/still record button gets you up and running for multiple resolution HD video with your choice of ALL-I or IPB compression. The Canon 6D touts the extended record time up to 29 minutes and 29 seconds with built in Time Code. Only one SDHC memory card slot for all those disappointed redundancy fans. Low light video capability? ISO 3200 is nice and clean. The Canon EOS 6D HDMI output is a selectable info overlay cropped 1080i signal that does not black out when you press the record button. An audio input allows external stereo microphones for dual channels of manually adjustable audio but of course no headphone jack to monitor audio like the Canon 5D Mark III. Ugh!



How about aliasing and moire? I pointed the Canon EOS 6D in the direction of busy textured surfaces such as brick walls, patio screens and landscape foliage with no success. Despite all the online reviewers out there, in my honest opinion I found no horrible or distracting aliasing and moire with my practical hands on review. Other than the usual CMOS jello shutter and vertical smearing of fast moving objects, the Canon EOS 6D is a quality FULL HD DSLR.



My Canon EOS 6D video review opinion? The Canon EOS 6D has outstanding full frame video quality but of course no headphone jack for true video fans like the more expensive Canon EOS 5D Mark III. Entry level is entry level, full frame or not...Is almost $1000 a worthy upgrade to the Canon 5D Mark III for audio monitoring ? IMHO, YES!!! For aspiring filmmakers upgrading from a Canon EOS Rebel T4i/650D to glorious full frame affordability of the Canon EOS 6D? Of course, an astounding YES !!!.



My Canon EOS 6D verdict? The Canon EOS 6D is a full frame still image powerhouse that caters to old school 35mm photographers. Now considered "Dinosaurs" of our time, still photographers cherish a picture worth a thousand words. Despite all the fancy gadgetry and Full HD video, the Canon EOS 6D shines as a phenomenal still image maker with outstanding resolution and low light capability. The extras are for the other 99%.



You can view more pictures and videos in my Canon EOS 6D Verdict and Video Review Gallery shot with the Canon EOS 6D paired with the Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L, EF 24-105mm f/4L IS and the 70-200mm f/4L IS lenses.



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Canon EOS 6D Video Test

Patience is a virtue. The lure of full frame sensor DSLRs is now a step closer to reality for all those drooling APS-C sensor owners. The new Canon EOS 6D is the latest addition to Canon's full frame DSLR lineup along with the Canon EOS 5D Mark III and the flagship Canon EOS 1DX.



Categorized as an entry level full frame DSLR in a compact form factor, the Canon EOS 6D packs a mighty punch with a 20 megapixel sensor, DIGIC 5+ processor, 4.5fps shutter, 1080p video with full manual control and selectable compression and the first Canon DSLR built in Wi-Fi and GPS connectivity. Enough of the pleasantries, more of the good stuff later in my upcoming Canon EOS 6D Verdict and Video Review. Let us move on to video!



My brief Canon EOS 6D experience was the direct result from my friends at North Tampa Photography. With Canon EOS 6D in hand, I quickly shot some video to get some hands on time with this Canon 60D sized body with a full frame sensor. A big sensor means wonderful and dreamy bokeh with a true lens focal length equivalent in the viewfinder. A must for popping portraits and wide detailed landscapes. Full frame ROCKS !



Now for the video nitty gritty. A dedicated selectable video/still record button gets you up and running for multiple resolution HD video with your choice of ALL-I or IPB compression. The Canon 6D touts the extended record time up to 29 minutes and 29 seconds with built in Time Code. Only one SDHC memory card slot for all those disappointed redundancy fans. Low light capability? ISO 3200 is nice and clean. The Canon EOS 6D HDMI output is a selectable info overlay cropped 1080i signal that does not black out when you press the record button. An audio input allows external stereo microphones for dual channels of manually adjustable audio but of course no headphone jack to monitor audio like the Canon 5D Mark III. Ugh!



How about aliasing and moire? I pointed the Canon EOS 6D in the direction of busy textured surfaces such as brick walls, patio screens and landscape foliage with no success. Despite all the online reviewers out there, in my honest opinion I found no horrible or distracting aliasing and moire with my practical hands on review. Other than the usual CMOS jello shutter and vertical smearing of fast moving objects, the Canon EOS 6D is a quality FULL HD DSLR.



My Canon EOS 6D video review conclusion? The Canon EOS 6D has outstanding full frame video quality but of course no headphone jack for true video fans like the more expensive Canon EOS 5D Mark III. Entry level is entry level, full frame or not...Is almost $1000 a worthy upgrade to the Canon 5D Mark III for audio monitoring ? IMHO, YES!!! For aspiring filmmakers upgrading from a Canon EOS Rebel T4i/650D to glorious full frame affordability of the Canon EOS 6D? Of course, an astounding YES !!!.



There is more full frame goodness of the new Canon EOS 6D in my upcoming Canon EOS 6D Verdict and Video Review. Stay updated with the latest Canon 6D updates by Becoming a Fan on my Facebook Fan Page and following me on Twitter!

***UPDATE***

My Canon EOS 6D Verdict and Video Review is posted with my full evaluation with ISO comparisons, more images and video tests.

Click here for more...Canon EOS 6D Verdict and Video Review

Canon EOS Rebel T3i Video: Serenity

Routine is never routine. Any planning, organizing and reading cannot mentally prepare you for the unexpected. Meet my new addition to my family, Serena Soriano. Scheduled as a routine natural delivery like the two previous siblings before her, minor complications preceded mother nature and my wife was quickly whisked away to the operating room for an unscheduled C-section.



Caesarean sections are performed on a daily basis in hospitals across the world. My world was visibly shaken because this was my wife's very first major surgery in her entire life. Overwhelming concern for my wife and undelivered daughter filled my mind. I have been previously planning for months a well orchestrated and produced child birth video of our third child. My hands were trembling from worry but I managed to preserve the glorious moment.



At a healthy 8 pounds and 3 ounces, Serena emerged to a welcoming family and a Canon EOS Rebel T3i in the operating room. My oldest daughter finally has a younger sister to nurture and guide to everything Apple and Justin Bieber. My once youngest son and now middle child is outnumbered and has no comment on the matter.



Forgive me Father for I have sinned, it has been a long five years since my last child birth experience. 4 hour feedings, burping, diaper changing and the dreaded infant car seat installation quickly comeback as a harsh reality. A happy harsh reality.



The "boss" is slowly but surely recovering. I could not wait for my wife's heavy narcotics from surgery to wane because she can finally hold her newborn child in her arms. Anticipation of her baby daughter's touch pulled her through the worst of times. I am personally looking forward to the good times.



Welcome to the "Modern Family". iPad, iPhone 4, WiFi, HD DSLR's, 1080p video and Facebook connected child birth announcements invaded the maternity ward of the hospital, as if we never left home.



With the "all clear" from Pediatrician and Obstetrician, child in mother's embrace head home for some well needed rest in comfortable serenity.



I captured the entire journey with the Canon EOS Rebel T3i paired with the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS lens. With the small, lightweight and versatile T3i/600D around my neck, I easily documented my newborn daughter into this world. I could not think of a more practical and realistic test of a digital photographic tool than real life. The T3i/600D exceeded my expectations in versatility and image quality just like my previous Canon EOS Rebel T3i Verdict and Video Review.

You can view more pictures and videos in my Canon EOS Rebel T3i Serena Soriano Gallery.

Canon EOS Rebel T3i Verdict and Video Review

The new Canon EOS Rebel T3i is not a wolf in sheep's clothing waiting to pounce on unsuspecting consumers in the competitive entry level DSLR market. Like fine wine and its predecessor, the Canon EOS Rebel T2i, gets better with time. The time of exactly one year to the day of delivery of the Canon EOS Rebel T3i/600D to ChadSorianoPhotoBlog.



The 18 megapixel crop CMOS sensored Canon Rebel T3i is not just a Canon Rebel T2i with an articulating screen. It has big features in a small package. The most obvious one is the vari-angle high resolution LCD just like the Canon EOS 60D. The T3i has built in wireless flash control for Canon Speedlites just like the Canon EOS 60D. The T3i has manual audio control for video capture like the Canon EOS 60D. See a familiar pattern? Consider the T3i as a baby 60D. Wait a minute, the T3i replaces the T2i in the Rebel series. Let us finally move on to the T2i now.



My ChadSorianoPhotoBlog is not a Canon wikipedia, so I will only go over the major differences between the T3i and the T2i. The first thing you will notice is the slight change in ergonomics. The T3i has a slightly bigger grip with more non slip rubber areas on the surface of the body along with a taller stance and a bit more depth. All these minute changes were to accommodate the swivel screen. The button layout are well placed like the T2i despite the smaller 4 way controller. It just plain works.



The T3i is marketed to entry level DSLR consumers as well as more advanced prosumers. In other words, there is a lot of built in beginner oriented camera functions that make first time photographers at ease with making good pictures. Like the picture above, the new Creative Filters to the T3i give in camera manipulation of JPEG files effects. I found the "Toy Camera" effect as well as the "Miniature" effect quite convincing. There are plenty of "Scene Intelligent Auto" features otherwise known as fully automatic mode to fill pages of my PhotoBlog. I will now move on to the nitty gritty.



It is all in the details. Skin details. I mean where skin looks like skin and not some mushy digital reproduction of skin. Canon excels in this category. As seen in my Canon Rebel T2i Verdict and the Canon 60D Verdict, the tried and tested 18 megapixel CMOS sensor with DIGIC IV processor wins the skin detail and dynamic range contest hands down. Canon also carried over the same winning sensor as well as the reliable 9 point focusing system. It plain works,again.



The DIGIC IV processor enables the T3i a native ISO range of 100-6400 plus a digital expansion of 12,800. I can confidently say you can shoot at ISO 1600 all day with no problem. Very clean images. ISO 3200 is good but easily cleaned up in RAW processing. ISO 6400 is for freezing action in dark interiors like cathedrals and church halls, so expect gritty but useful images. ISO 12,800 is for pitch black emergencies. Let the snowfall begin! The picture above is shot at ISO 3200 with ambient light from the restaurant and was processed from RAW with Digital Photo Professional. That is the free software that comes with every Canon DSLR.



Now for the glorious HD video capabilities of the T3i. Just like the T2i, the T3i has 1080p, 720p and 480p video resolutions at various frame rates in both NTSC and PAL. All exposure controls for video and audio are fully manual. You can plug in a stereo microphone in the minijack for external audio capture as well. Full control like this are only found in the more expensive full frame HD DSLR like the Canon 5D Mark II. A particular video feature of interest that cannot be found in the T2i and the 60D is 3x to 10x digital zoom during 1080p video recording. The video above demonstrates the amazing resolution at 3x to 10x. Imagine a 400mm lens with a 1.6x crop factor at 10x digital zoom. That is a 6400mm equivalent focal length. You can video tape a NASA Space Shuttle launch 12 miles away or shoot a lunar eclipse with no problem.



The above T3i Video Test is shot at 1080p at 29.97fps. Edited with iMovie'09 and used Quicktime at best quality to compress the h264 video file. I also used an IGUS Drylin Camera Slider on Benro 3580 legs give the camera some lateral movement during the shots. If you are wary of non linear video editing, the T3i has a new "Video Snapshot Mode". You can shoot 2,4, or 8 second video clips and the camera will do "in camera video editing". The finished sequence is saved to camera's SDHC memory card as a single movie file.



The Verdict? There is nothing entry level about the Rebel T3i except its price. $899 for the kit and $799 for body only. It is so chock full of pro-oriented features that the Rebel T2i will be only a faded Canon memory. The line between novice and advanced photographic tools is grossly blurred. Say good bye to my Rebel T2i and say hello to my new digital friend, the Canon EOS Rebel T3i/600D.

You can view more pictures, videos and ISO comparisons in my Canon EOS Rebel T3i Gallery.

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***MAJOR UPDATE***

My initial Canon EOS Rebel T4i/650D Video Test is posted here. My Canon EOS Rebel T4i Verdict and Video Review will be coming soon. Make sure you check out all the new features of the new Canon Rebel T4i/650D, it has all sorts of new goodies!


***Major Update***

I just posted my Canon EOS Rebel T4i/650D Verdict and Video Test here.

New Canon EOS Rebel T3i and T3 Announced

You may have seen the posts on the internet already, the Canon EOS Rebel T3i and T3 are coming to a store near you. It has been exactly a year since the Canon EOS Rebel T2i impressed the entry level DSLR market and it looks like the magic will appear again. As you noticed in the screen grab from the Canon USA website, the new T3i has an articulating screen just like the Canon EOS 60D. Also, like the 60D it has remote flash control, Full HD video capture and finally manual audio control over video. So, in a nutshell it is a baby 60D for a sub-$1000 entry level DSLR price! Amazing!
The Canon EOS T3 is projected as the Canon EOS Rebel XS replacement. It is bargain priced with a 12 megapixel sensor and the addition of 720p HD video. Consider it a slightly higher megapixel Rebel XS with 720p video. Not too shabby considering it is the basement entry level DSLR out there for Canon.
As expected, keep updated on my PhotoBlog for my upcoming review of the Canon EOS Rebel T3i and all of its wonderful features. See you all soon!

Canon EOS 60D Verdict and Video Review

The highly anticipated Canon EOS 60D with the first ever articulating screen for a Canon DSLR has landed on the shores of my PhotoBlog. The 18 megapixel Canon 60D replaces the Canon 50D as the prosumer DSLR in between the fabulous Rebel T2i/550D and the more professional Canon 7D. The 60D also puts itself in the middle with its price point. At $1099 for the body only, the 60D is only $300 more than the Rebel T2i/550D. What do you get for $300 more? Read on and you will be pleasantly surprised.



For $300 more, you get an articulating screen for those high, low and hard to reach shots for both stills and especially video. Manual audio control with levels for video makes the 60D only second to the Canon 5D Mark II to have this useful feature. The Canon 60D has a big and bright pentaprism viewfinder compared to the tunnel effect of the pentamirror viewfinder of the Rebel T2i/550D. Finally, the last major feature of the 60D over the T2i is the wireless remote flash control like the Canon 7D. The list goes on but more of that later. Now to the important stuff, image and video quality.



No, this is not a Disney Vacation Club Blog. This is a practical review of the Canon EOS 60D. Real life, real situations and real people are my test material for my PhotoBlog. Just like my previous Canon EOS Rebel T2i Verdict seven months ago, my diligent pursuit of a truthful review, comparison and test of equipment still holds true to this very moment. May I interest you in a lovely Disney timeshare?



I was not kidding about the Disney Vacation Club timeshare. We stayed as hotel guests in the brand new Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort and hit the streets of the Magic Kingdom next door to begin my practical review of the Canon EOS 60D.



The ISO verdict? The family pounded the pavement in search of tough lighting situations and Dole Pineapple Soft Serve. We found both. The race car action of the Walt Disney World Speedway at night proved to be a worthy ISO challenge for the 60D.



As with the Rebel T2i ISO results, you can safely use ISO 1600 all day with no problems. ISO 3200 is fine as long as you clean up the noise in post. As for ISO 6400, you might want to keep that for emergency purposes but not a bad image for those tough spots. Now ISO 12800 is absolutely horrible. Not any amount of post processing cleanup, just shy of a miracle, can salvage the snowy and grainy images of ISO "H".



Now to the true test of image quality in my PhotoBlog opinion is skin detail. I first discovered the mushy nature of in camera digital processing with the Rebel T1i. I discussed this in detail in my Canon Rebel T2i Verdict. My search for realistic skin tone and fine detail came to an abrupt halt with the Rebel T2i. Some magical elixir transformed the T1i mush into beautiful dancing skin tone in the T2i. So how about the Canon 60D skin detail? Despite a small inclination to the soft side, the Canon 60D skin detail comes very close or even equal to the T2i. Compare for yourself in the Canon 60D and T2i galleries listed below.



You can view ISO comparisons and skin detail in my Canon EOS 60D Photo Gallery.

You can view ISO comparisons and skin detail in my Canon EOS Rebel T2i/550D Photo Gallery.



Now for the Canon EOS 60D Video Test. I used a Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L prime lens with a Rode VideoMic shotgun microphone for audio to shoot the fountains in the video. The major video feature of the 60D is the manual audio control for video. Besides the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, the 60D has level controls and indicators for sound from the built in mono microphone or an external stereo microphone in the mini jack audio input of the 60D. You have to set your audio levels before you shoot because the indicators disappear when you record video in Live View just like the 5D Mark II. So the manual audio control and the swivel screen for those tough POV shots are key features for an aspiring filmmaker. No worry, the 60D and the T2i share the same Full HD resolutions and frame rates for video.



I thought I would share some eye candy for our Canon 60D fans. I had the fortunate chance to visit the Canon EXPO 2010 in New York City for Labor Day Weekend at the Javits Convention Center. I previewed the new Canon EOS 60D along with new lenses and got to shoot a mock fashion show with a Canon EOS 5D Mark II and the EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II zoom lens. What Fun!



So what is my Canon EOS 60D Verdict? For $300 more than the T2i, the 60D features of the swivel screen, manual audio control for video and wireless flash control like the Canon 7D makes it an unbeatable value. And now for the "But". The only drawback to the 60D compared to the T2i is the larger size and everything associated with the 60D chunkiness. Larger grip and the significant heft of the 60D makes a night and day difference with the T2i. If you have small hands or you want to save the $300 for a better lens, the T2i is perfect for you. I used the T2i extensively and it is an excellent value for the money. Definitely for $300 more, the Canon EOS 60D with all its new features is the new value in the HD DSLR world.

You can view all my Photos and Videos in my Canon EOS 60D Gallery.

Canon EOS 60D Video Preview #2 at Canon EXPO 2010

Glitzy Fashion Runway Models, the latest Canon High Tech Gear and the best collection of HD DSLR Filmmakers like Vincent LaForet made the Canon EXPO 2010 in New York City a spectacular event.



The Canon EOS 60D made its physical debut this Labor Day Weekend at the Javits Convention Center. This gave me ample opportunity to get my hands on the new 18 megapixel Full HD DSLR with high resolution swivel screen, manual audio control for video and wireless flash control like the Canon EOS 7D.



At the retail price of $1099 for body only, the 60D is arranged to be a glorified upgrade to the Rebel T2i and an inexpensive alternative to the Canon 7D. It shares the same 9 AF points like the Rebel T2i and the discontinued 50D. The 7D has 19 AF points with a faster 8 frames per second.



The Canon EOS 60D is bigger in size than the T2i but smaller than the 7D. It is an entirely new form factor for the Canon DSLR lineup. The 60D fit my hands comfortably especially with the slightly larger grip. Great features like Full HD video resolutions and variable frame rates, wireless flash control like the 7D and a stereo audio input with manual audio control make the Canon EOS 60D a winner in my PhotoBlog eyes. The SDHC memory card for image and video capture has troubled the prosumer market but I do not mind because this camera is not meant for speed. If it were destined for shooting sports, the 60D would have 19 AF points like the 7D as well as the faster compact flash form factor.



I also handled the new Canon EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye zoom lens. A zoom fisheye is a L lens first for Canon and I am excited to use the lens for unique video capture.



I could not miss the chance to use the new version II of the Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II lens. It is supposed to be sharper and lighter than the previous version but unfortunately more expensive. The Canon rep told me the retail price is around $6000. Yikes!



As you noticed in the Youtube video, there was a mock Fashion Model shoot with a runway and techno music. Definite eye candy! Latest Canon gear and SuperModels are must shoot material for Canon HD DSLR's. When the Canon EOS 60D hits the store shelves before October 1st, 2010, I will give my Video Review and Verdict of this much anticipated camera.
You can view more in my Canon EOS 60D Video Preview at Canon EXPO 2010 Gallery.

Canon EOS 60D Preview At Canon EXPO 2010

One direct airplane flight from Florida and one bus ride into the Javits Convention Center in NYC, I arrived with excitement and hopes of my first hands on experience with the new Canon EOS 60D. As you can witness in the image I photographed with my iPhone 4, the 60D has a swivel screen, manual audio control for video and to my surprise a wireless flash control like the Canon EOS 7D. I will have more to post later on my ChadSorianoPhotoBlog and I will have a quick video preview shot on my iPhone 4 posted on my Canon1dm4 YouTube Channel soon. Ultimately, I will have a full Canon EOS 60D Video Review and Test shortly!