Canon introduces the EOS R6 Mark III, its latest full-frame mirrorless model that's versatile for both stills and video. The new camera features a 32.5-megapixel sensor, improved autofocus, up to 7K video recording, and a new dual-memory card arrangement with a faster CFexpress Type B slot. It goes on sale on November 25 and will be sold in body only for $2,799, as well as in kits with the RF 24-105mm STM lens or the RF 24-105mm L lens for $3,149 and 4049 US dollars respectively.
The R6 line is aimed at a wider range of users who may not need the higher 45-megapixel resolutions of more expensive models. EOS R5 Mark II or want to spend over $4,000 on the body alone. But the R6 Mark III seems to be catching up now that it increases resolution from 24 megapixels in the last generation model to 32.5 megapixels. The Mark III can also shoot higher-quality video in up to 4K/120p and 7K/60p RAW formats, including support for full open-shutter shoot-through shooting for added framing flexibility.
It also offers more gamma settings, including Canon Log 2 mode and a custom look. But some of the most useful feature changes for videographers may be the inclusion of a guide light to make it visible from afar while filming, and the move from a Micro HDMI port to a full-size HDMI Type A port. As for the new camera's autofocus system, you can now register a person's face to ensure it gets priority when tracking at all times.
One change that may polarize some is Canon's move from two SD card slots on the R6 Mark II to an asymmetrical setup on the Mark III with one CFexpress Type B and one SD. CFexpress can achieve faster speeds, and this is likely partly responsible for the R6 Mark III's ability to capture longer bursts of images while maintaining the same shooting speed as the last-gen model (12 fps with the mechanical shutter or 40 fps with the electronic shutter), even at a higher resolution. But CFexpress cards tend to be more expensive, and managing multiple card formats is more complex. Unlike CFexpress Type A, the Type B card slots cannot be configured to accept an SD card, as is the case with Sony cameras with their combo slots.
Along with the EOS R6 Mark III, Canon introduced an interesting new lens: the RF 45mm f/1.2 STM. This is a compact standard prime lens with a very bright maximum aperture for low-light shooting with very shallow depth of field. It's also one of the most affordable f/1.2 lenses I've ever heard of, priced at $469.99 and expected to ship in early December. Full-frame f/1.2 autofocus lenses typically cost well over $1,500, even from third-party manufacturers like Sigma, so seeing a lens from Canon for under $500 is pretty wild.
However, it's not an L lens, so it's not weather sealed, and you'll have to pay an extra $59.99 for the lens hood. During the briefing, Canon USA spokesman Drew McCallum described the lens as unsuitable for the most scrupulous pixel specialists due to its reliance on some in-camera corrections to support image rendering and help offset its lower cost. However, as someone whose favorite lens is the Sony FE 50mm f/1.2, I would love to see affordable f/1.2 lenses become a trend.
