Sony a7R Vs Canon 6D – Detailed Comparison

Hey there! Today, we’ll be comparing two very different cameras- Sony a7R Vs Canon 6D. The Sony a7R is a mirrorless camera, while the Canon 6D is a DSLR camera. From that alone, you can tell that this is definitely going to be quite an interesting comparison.

Get the Sony a7R now!	Get the Canon 6D now!

That’s not to say that those are the only things that make both of these cameras different. There are so many other differences, as well as, a handful of similarities too. In this article, we would be looking at all those, one after the other, including their pros and cons.

Because of how detailed we intend to make this article, it is going to be quite lengthy. However, if you do not have the time to read through the whole article, there’s no problem. Simply check out our comparison overview below. There you would find all the major things you need to take note of before choosing between either of these two cameras.

Sony a7R Vs Canon 6D – Comparison Overview

These two cameras are very different, and that’s not only referring to the fact that the Sony a7R is a mirrorless camera and the Canon 6D is a DSLR. You can check the comparison table below to see the long list of the differences in the features of these two cameras.

But on the overall, both of these cameras are pretty good, and similar too. What we mean by that is, although different, the features both of these cameras come with come together to make good cameras that are comparable in quality.

Looking at the price to performance ratio, both of these cameras are really good. They perform a lot better than most other cameras in the same price range.

Sony a7R Vs Canon 6D – Brand Comparison

Sony is a Japanese multinational company that is involved in a lot of different industries. They do things from gaming and entertainment to consumer and industrial electronics, music, and even offer financial services.

Canon is only involved in the manufacturing of optical and imaging products. So, Sony can be regarded as the bigger company in terms of width, while Canon can be regarded as the bigger product in terms of depth.

Sony is the biggest manufacturer of mirrorless cameras, while Canon is one of the two biggest manufacturers of DSLR cameras. Both of these companies have good reputations, as well as, customer service.

There is little between these two companies in terms of competence. Buying from either of them would definitely not be a bad idea.

Get the Sony a7R now!	Get the Canon 6D now!

Sony a7R Vs Canon 6D – Comparison Table

	Sony a7R	Canon 6D
Announcement Date	13th February 2014	12th February 2013
Maximum Sensor Resolution	36 megapixels	20 megapixels
Continuous Shooting Rate	4 frames per second	4.5 frames per second
Weight	465g	770g
Built-in GPS	None	Yes
Battery Life	340 shots per full charge	1090 shots per full charge
Time-lapse Recording	Only with optional app	Yes
LCD type	Articulating screen	Top LCD
Number of Focus points	25	11
Headphone port	Yes	No
NFC Connection	Yes	No

Get the Sony a7R now!	Get the Canon 6D now!

Sony a7R Vs Canon 6D – What Scenario Is What Camera Best For?

Sony a7R	Canon 6D
The first scenario where the Sony a7R absolutely trumps is when you’re printing large photos. If you print a lot of large copies of your photos, then you should certainly go for the Sony a7R.	If you’re one to lose things frequently, or perhaps you’re a travel photographer who loves to tag your professional photos with the different places you’ve been to, then you should definitely pick up the Canon 6D.
The reason is because the Sony a7R comes with a 36-megapixel sensor. This means that your images are well-detailed so they won’t get pixelated when they’re zoomed in.	Why? Well, that’s pretty simple. The Canon 6D comes with a built-in GPS. This built-in GPS will let you track your camera, if at all you ever lose it.
Apart from not getting pixelated, the more resolution you can capture with your camera, the more information you get on your pictures. With this much information, you have much more room to tweak and edit the pictures to your satisfaction.	Furthermore, it’ll allow you to geotag your photos. So your audience will also where you’ve taken certain photos.
Another scenario where the Sony a7R would be a better option is when you’re shooting video. This is as a result of two main features- articulating screen, and a headphone port.	To further improve your shooting creativity, this camera, the Canon 6D, allows you to shoot time-lapse photography, straight out of the box.
First, the articulating screen allows you shoot from different angles, comfortably, using it to frame your shots. Second, the headphone port allows you to connect a headphone to your camera. The headphone then allows you to listen to, and monitor the audio you’re recording with your camera.	Although the Sony a7R also allows you to record a time-lapse, you can only get that feature when you install an additional application. It’s much easier and faster to simply have it right out of the box.

Get the Sony a7R now!	Get the Canon 6D now!

Sony a7R Vs Canon 6D – Features Common To Both Cameras

Just like we mentioned earlier, although these two cameras are very different, they do bear some similarities. In this section of this Sony a7R Vs Canon 6D comparison article, we would be looking at those features that you can find on both of these cameras- Sony a7R Vs Canon 6D.

Wireless Connection

Both of these cameras come with a wireless connection feature. A few years back, and people could really care less about a camera having wireless connection. In fact, not many cameras, back then, had wireless connection.

However, in this day and age, you definitely need to have a wireless connection to be considered a great camera. Why? Well, because the world is going digital. Everyone is tired of the manual ways of doing things.

Also, because the world is going digital, the internet has become the first consumer of many products, including a photographer’s work. And so, for the photographer to get to their audience as quickly as possible, they need a camera with a wireless connection that allows them communicate directly with the internet.

Apart from reaching your audience faster, uploading to the internet can help you to backup your files. If you want to keep your files safe and ensure that they do not get lost incase your SD card gets corrupted, uploading them to the cloud for safe-keeping, is the best option.

Get the Sony a7R now!	Get the Canon 6D now!

External Flash Shoe

Both of these cameras come with an external flash shoe. This is great if you take a lot of low-light shots. With an external flash shoe, you would be able to connect your camera to an on-camera flash.

This allows you to get enough lighting for your low-light shots. In some scenarios, it’s better to use an external flash, rather than increasing your ISO. This is because, with sensor resolutions as high as you have with these two cameras- Sony a7R Vs Canon 6D (36mp and 20mp), photos taken with a high ISO are more likely to have a lot of noise.

RAW Support

Another similarity that both of these cameras have is that they both allow you to save your images in their RAW format. RAW, just like JPEG, PNG, and so on, is an image saving format.

It’s a step above every other image format because all digital cameras initially capture photos in this format. However, not all cameras allow you to save the images captured in this format. So, what those cameras do is they edit the image, process it, compress it, and then convert it into a JPEG image.

If you don’t set your camera to save in “RAW” format. The process explained above is what is then carried out. The problem with this process is that your camera might not be editing the images the same way you want. Furthermore, the compression process reduces the quality of the image.

So, to get the best and the highest quality image, saving the image in its RAW format is your best option. This comes at a small price, though, storage space. RAW images are very large so you have to take that into consideration if you’re going to be shooting RAW.

Face Detection Focus

This is one feature that doesn’t look like much until you actually have the need for it and it’s not there. With face detection focus, your camera will detect a face, once it’s in the frame of the camera. Once detected, the camera will then automatically focus on that face.

If you take a lot of portrait shots, then you would definitely enjoy this feature. If the face that’s in the frame is not what you want to focus on, you can easily change it manually.

Get the Sony a7R now!	Get the Canon 6D now!

Microphone Port

Both of these cameras come with a microphone port. The quality of the audio is definitely the most important thing about a video. Most of the microphones that come built-in with the cameras are simply, not good enough.

If you want to take your audio up a notch, you definitely need to use attach an external microphone to your camera. This microphone port is what allows you to do that.

Environmental Sealing

If you do a lot of shooting outdoors, we’re sure you must’ve encountered a lot of problems with the weather. Sometimes it’s only raining mildly and we want to keep on filming, but the fear of damaging our camera just makes us stop.

Well, if that’s you, not anymore. Both of these cameras come with environmental sealing. This basically means that both of these cameras are properly shielded against both moisture and dust. This means that you can keep shooting, even when it’s raining or it’s windy.

AE Bracketing

Getting the exposure right is one of the most important things you need to do to get a great photo. While saying that is easy, achieving it is an entirely different story. This is why photographers decided to do something called “exposure bracket”.

Basically, an exposure bracket is a group of different pictures that are exactly the same, with the only difference being the level of exposure. This helps the photographer, later on, decide which of the images in the exposure bracket is good enough for him to use.

While the process of creating an exposure bracket helps find the right exposure, it is pretty stressful. This is because you have to individually take every single shot, changing the exposure setting each time you do.

This is where AE bracketing comes in. With Auto-exposure bracketing, all you need to do is to initially set all the different exposure levels you want for the different photos. Once that’s set, when you click the shutter button, the camera will save the photo as different photos with the different, preset, exposure settings.

Another benefit of AE bracketing is the ability to create HDR photos. HDR photos are perfectly exposed photos. They are perfectly exposed because they are formed by joining all the photos in the AE bracket together.

Get the Sony a7R now!	Get the Canon 6D now!

Sony a7R Vs Canon 6D – Features Unique To Each Camera

Alright! It’s time we get into what we’re sure you’ve all been waiting for, the differences! Just like we pointed out at the beginning of this article, both of these cameras- Sony a7R Vs Canon 6D, are very different.

In this section of this article, we would be looking at those features that either of these cameras comes with, that the other does not. Let’s get into it!

Sony a7R Vs Canon 6D – Features Unique To The Sony a7R

1. Articulating Screen

The Sony a7R comes with an articulating screen, otherwise known as a tilting screen. From the name, you can already tell what it does. The major benefit of having an LCD screen that can tilt is that it gives you the ability to shoot from different angles, still framing your photos properly.

If you only make use of your viewfinder, it will be difficult for you to frame your videos properly when you’re shooting from angles where it’s difficult to use your viewfinder.

2. Headphone Port

While both of these cameras come with a microphone port, only this camera, the Sony a7R, comes with a headphone port. This gives it a serious edge over the Canon 6D in the sound department.

Without a headphone, you would have to record the whole audio, then go into the camera for the saved file, in order to hear what they sound like. On the other hand, with a headphone plugged in, you will be able to listen to, and monitor the audio that your camera is recording.

3. NFC Connection

NFC connection is an added wireless connection feature that the Canon 6D lacks. NFC refers to Near Field Communication. It’s a wireless connection feature that pairs your camera with other NFC compatible devices, simply by placing them close to each other.

Once these two devices are paired, they will automatically connect to each other once they’re brought close to each other. It’s a really good and easy way for your camera to communicate with other devices. You don’t need to set anything or click anything, just bring them close together and they automatically connect.

Get the Sony a7R now!	Get the Canon 6D now!

4. It’s A Mirrorless Camera

We’re sure you were subconsciously waiting for this particular point. Well, we decided to keep it last to show you that there are, indeed, other differences between these two cameras, apart from the fact that this is a mirrorless camera, while the other is a DSLR.

Mirrorless cameras have recently gained increased popularity with many photographers in recent years. This is as a result of many contributing factors, most of which is the portability of these cameras.

The aim of making mirrorless cameras was to create something smaller, lightweight, and more portable than the traditional DSLRs, without compromiising on the quality. Well, they achieved this excellently well. In fact, some might argue that in some instances, the mirrorless camera provides better quality than the DSLR.

Mirrorless cameras were able to achieve this by replacing the mirror and pentaprism needed to transmit light to the viewfinder in DSLRs, with a single electronic sensor which performs the same task. They achieved this by replacing optical viewfinders with electronic viewfinders. We’ll talk more about that later.

Apart from offering a more portable solution, mirrorless cameras also offer a more affordable solution. DSLRs come with loads of mechanical parts that are quite expensive to make. On the other hand, mirrorless cameras are made mainly with electronic parts, which are more cost effective.

So, most of the time, what you see with two cameras, similar in quality and performance, is that the mirrorless camera is slightly more affordable than the DSLR.

Other benefits of mirrorless cameras, include:

Speed

Before an image is captured on a DSLR the mirror inside needs to shift upwards to allow light hit the imaging sensor. On the other hand, with mirrorless cameras, light is always hitting the imaging sensor. So, when the shutter button is clicked, no parts need to move before the image is captured.

You can see this evident in the Sony a7R Vs Canon 6D comparison. The Sony a7R has a maximum shutter speed of 1/8000 seconds, while the Canon 6D has a maximum shutter speed of 1/4000 seconds.

More Options To Choose From

The problem with the DSLR market is that it mostly operates as a duopoly with just Nikon and Canon. So, if you’re looking at getting a DSLR, you would most likely be looking at only these two companies. With mirrorless cameras, it’s a lot different.

The mirrorless camera industry is an emerging one and because of that, there are a lot of players in the space. So, if you’re looking to pick up a mirrorless camera, you have a lot of different options, across different budgets.

5. Electronic Viewfinder

The electronic viewfinder is severely tied to the mirrorless camera. Any mirrorless camera that comes with a viewfinder, comes with an electronic viewfinder. However, there are also very few DSLRs (mostly made by Sony) that also come with electronic viewfinders, but we’re not going to talk about those today.

The biggest advantage with electronic viewfinders is that you get to see everything, exactly as it is. What do we mean? So in mirrorless cameras, light passes through the camera’s lens and hits an electronic sensor.

This sensor then converts the light into a digital image. The digital image is passed unto a miniature display which is what is viewed through the viewfinder. This means that any changes you make to exposure levels, ISO, and things like that, are easily noticeable because they’ve already been processed.

If you’re a beginner who has not yet mastered those vital settings, it’s great to use an electronic viewfinder so you can see exactly how the changes you’re making affect the image.

The one downside to electronic viewfinders is that they consume a lot of power. Apart from the electronic viewfinders, themselves, they also depend on the electronic sensor to be on for them to work, which further reduces the battery life.

So, if you want a camera that can last you a very long time, then you definitely want a DSLR with an optical viewfinder.

Sony a7R Vs Canon 6D – Features Unique To The Canon 6D

1. Built-in GPS

If you lose things a lot, then this feature is absolutely important for you. The Canon 6D comes with a Built-in GPS. With a built-in GPS, you can easily find your camera, wherever it is, if you ever misplace it.

Another big use of this feature, is geotagging. Geotagging can be described as the process of adding geographical metadata to a particular media, in this case, photos and videos recorded by your camera.

If you’re a travel photographer, this is one feature that shows your viewers your authenticity. With this feature, your viewers will be able to know exactly where exactly that photo or video was taken.

2. Time-lapse Recording

A time-lapse is a fun and creative way of shooting. Basically, a time-lapse is a series of photos of the same scene, captured by the camera, over a long period of time. When these images are played in one sequence, they show a passage of time and activities move a lot faster than they originally did.

Although the Sony a7R allows you to record a time-lapse, you can only do so after you’ve installed an optional application on your camera. With this camera, on the other hand, you can do so straight out of the box. You do not need to install any additional application.

3. Top LCD

While this camera comes with a fixed LCD screen, it does come with a smaller secondary LCD screen placed on top of the camera. This top LCD screen is great because it offers you quick and easy access into the camera’s settings.

Now when you’re shooting, you don’t need to always look at the main LCD screen to get to your settings. Just look right there on top of the camera, and voila!

4. It’s A DSLR

Last, but definitely not the least, the Canon 6D is a DSLR camera. Canon is very popular when it comes to making DSLR cameras. That’s why it doesn’t come as a surprise to us that this camera is a DSLR. DSLRs have been the photographers’ choice for a very long time.

In fact, before mirrorless cameras came around, these cameras were unrivalled for capturing both video and photos. In recent times, more people are beginning to move towards mirrorless cameras because of its modern, portable design. However, there are still some people who prefer DSLRs.

Why would anyone prefer DSLRs, you ask?

Well, first, the battery life. Small mirrorless cameras have abysmal battery lives. And the bigger ones, though better than the smaller ones, are still not nearly as good as the battery lives of DSLR cameras.

So, most people who still use a DSLR, do so because they want a camera that’ll be able to last them throughout the day. This will eliminate, or drastically reduce, the need for extra batteries.

Another reason why some people can’t give up on DSLRs is ergonomics. While the ergonomics of mirrorless cameras benefit some, they do not benefit others.

For example, if the kind of photography you’re into needs you to use really heavy lenses, then you’re much better, using a DSLR. This is because, the heavyweight of the DSLR will balance out the weight of the lenses, keeping the overall weight distribution balanced.

Finally, optical viewfinders. Surprisingly, some people prefer optical viewfinders to electronic viewfinders. If you’re one of those few people, then you’ll definitely want to get a DSLR, as opposed to a mirrorless camera.

5. Optical Viewfinders

In a DSLR, light enters into the camera through the lens. When the shutter is closed, this light hits a mirror. This mirror then moves this light upwards to a pentaprism. The light then bounces off of this pentaprism and is directed to the optical viewfinder.

So, when you look through an optical viewfinder, what you see is raw light coming through the camera’s lens. This means that you won’t be able to see changes made to things like exposure and ISO, until the picture is actually taken.

One reason why people like this viewfinder is that it works without power. This means that you can use your viewfinder even when your camera is off. It’s just like looking through a pair of binoculars, you don’t need any batteries.

The biggest downside to optical viewfinders, which a few people see as a strength, is the fact that what you see is exactly how it naturally looks. However, what your eye sees is different from what your camera’s imaging sensor sees. So, with an optical viewfinder, you get an accurate description of what your eye sees, but not what your camera captures.

Sony a7R Vs Canon 6D – Unique Pros

Sony a7R

• It is lightweight and portable.
• The articulating screen makes it easy for you view and frame your shots when you’re shooting from awkward angles.
• It has a maximum sensor resolution of 36 megapixels, which is 16 more than is available with the Canon 6D.
• This camera has a shutter speed of 1/8000s, this is two times faster than the shutter speed of the Canon 6D.
• You can monitor the audio that your camera is recording with your headphone, using the headphone port that comes with this camera.
• This camera comes with NFC connection which makes it easier and faster to connect with compatible devices.

Canon 6D

• With the built-in GPS that this camera comes with, you can track the location of the camera, in-case it’s lost. Furthermore, you can also use the feature to geotag your photos.
• This camera has a battery life of 1090 shots per full charge. This is a lot better than the Sony a7R which is only capable of 340 shots per full charge.
• You don’t need to install any additional application if you want to record a time-lapse with this camera.
• The top LCD display that this camera comes with makes it easy to access and tweak settings.

Get the Sony a7R now!	Get the Canon 6D now!

Sony a7R Vs Canon 6D – Unique Cons

Sony a7R

• The battery life is very poor. It only has 340 shots per full charge, in its tank.
• It has a continuous shooting rate of 4 frames per second, which is 0.5 frames lesser than the Canon 6D.
• To record a time-lapse with this camera, you would have to first install an external application.
• No built-in GPS. This means no location tracking, or geotagging.

Canon 6D

• The LCD screen is fixed. This limits the angles you can shoot from as it’ll be difficult to use your viewfinder from certain angles.
• The maximum sensor resolution of this camera is just 20 megapixels. Quite a fair distance between this and the Sony a7R that has a 36-megapixel sensor.
• It weighs 770g which is not great for portability.
• No headphone port. So, you can’t monitor your audio as you’re recording it.
• No NFC connection.

Sony a7R Vs Canon 6D – Common Pros

	Sony a7R	Canon 6D
Wireless Connection	Both of these cameras feature wireless connectivity. With this feature, you can easily transfer files from your camera to other devices. Furthermore, you can connect your camera to the internet and upload files directly.	Same as the Sony a7R.
External Flash Shoe	If you do a lot of low-light photography, then you would definitely understand the importance of external lighting. This external flash shoe allows you to connect an on-camera flash to your camera, seamlessly.	Same as the Sony a7R.
Viewfinder	Although very different ones, both of these cameras come with a viewfinder. A viewfinder is a lot better than using your LCD screen as it provides a more vivid and accurate view. Also, it is not affected by the brightness of the environment. This camera comes with an electronic viewfinder that allows you see everything, exactly how your imaging sensor would capture it.	This camera comes with an optical viewfinder. Optical viewfinders do not require power to run and you can use them even when your camera is turned off.
RAW Support	Both of these cameras support storing in RAW. RAW is an image saving format that saves images in their raw, unadulterated state. This pictures are of the highest quality because they’ve neither been processed, nor compressed.	Same as the Sony a7R.
Face Detection Focus	This is great if you take a lot of portrait photos. Your camera automatically detects a face in the frame and focuses on it.	Same as the Sony a7R.
High Maximum Sensor Resolution	The benchmark for sensor resolutions for most professional photographers is 20-megapixels. It’s safe to say that both of these cameras pass that benchmark. This camera comes in with a 36-megapixel sensor.	This camera comes with a 20-megapixel sensor.
Microphone Port	Every great video requires great audio. To get great audio, you need a great mic, which you would not get with most camera’s built-in microphone. Which is why this feature is small, but crucial. It allows you to connect a microphone to record audio from, directly into your camera.	Same as the Sony a7R.
Environmental Sealing	With the case that comes with these two cameras, your camera is protected from both moisture and dust. This means that you can keep using your camera even if it gets windy or it starts raining.	Same as the Sony a7R.
AE Bracketing	AE bracketing makes creating an exposure bracket super easy and simple. Furthermore, it allows you to create HDR photos. HDR photos are a combination of all the photos in the exposure bracketing, forming one perfectly exposed photo.	Same as the Sony a7R.

Get the Sony a7R now!	Get the Canon 6D now!

Sony a7R Vs Canon 6D – Common Cons

	Sony a7R	Canon 6D
No Image Stabilization	Unfortunately, neither of these cameras comes with image stabilization. This means that to get proper, stable shots, you’ll need to invest in an external camera stabilizer. You can get either a tripod or a gimbal, for this purpose.	Same as the Sony a7R.
No Built-in Flash	Although both of these cameras give you a proper lighting option with the external flash shoe, neither of them comes with a built-in flash. This means that more often than not, you’ll have to carry your on-camera flash wherever you go. This reduces the portability a lot.	Same as the Sony a7R.
No Touchscreen	Neither of these cameras comes with a touchscreen feature. It would’ve been a lot easier to manipulate through the settings with a touchscreen feature.	Same as the Sony a7R.
No Bluetooth	Although both of these cameras comes with wireless connection, they do not come with built-in Bluetooth. Because there are a lot of other devices that come with Bluetooth, it would have been easier to connect to those devices to transfer files.	Same as the Sony a7R.
Single Card Slot	This camera comes with only one card slot. No extra storage, nor is there storage flexibility.	Same as the Sony a7R.

Sony a7R Vs Canon 6D – What Do People Think About It?

Sony a7R	Canon 6D
As at the time of its release, the Sony a7R was regarded by most people as the best in terms of color and resolution. That doesn’t come as a surprise to us, looking at that 36-megapixel sensor.	The Canon 6D is a more “all-round” camera, compared to the Sony a7R. The first thing people commended about this camera is the menu settings.
Compared to some other cameras, many photographers believe that the Sony a7R is not for everyone. This simply means that, as opposed to being an all-round great camera, it’s a bit more specialized. It does best at what it does best.	Many people have mentioned that it’s easy to navigate. Furthermore, it comes with a custom menu option that allows you to customize the menu however it suits you best.
It’s great for staying in the studio, or for taking with you while you’re traveling. A lot of people love the fact that you can save your images RAW.	Another thing people commended about this camera is its autofocusing. This quite a contrast when we look at what people said about the autofocusing of the Sony a7R.
One thing that quite a number of people were disappointed in, though, is the autofocus speed. A lot of people mentioned that this does not have really fast autofocus speed. Take note if you intend taking a lot of action shots like sports, wildlife, or running kids during the family vacation.	“Accurate, and reliable, even in low-light” is what many people used to describe the autofocusing of this camera. When it comes to recording video, there wasn’t much to record about this camera. One downside that a lot of people had, though, is the lack of 4K resolution.

Get the Sony a7R now!	Get the Canon 6D now!

Sony a7R Vs Canon 6D – What Do We Think?

Both of these cameras, although very different, are pretty similar. The only major difference is the fact that one is a mirrorless and the other is a DSLR. If we were to choose, we would go for the Sony a7R.

Mirrorless cameras just have a more modern look and feel, compared to DSLRs. Apart from that, the sensor resolution, articulating screen, and the wider dynamic range, are a few other things that helped us make our decision.

We’ve done our bit but the final decision is up to you. Which of these cameras do you think is better?

Sony a7R	Canon 6D
Get the Sony a7R now!	Get the Canon 6D now!