Canon 6D vs Sony A7

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Canon 6D vs Sony A7

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35mm 855.6mm²
20.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Canon 6D Review.
How does it shoot? Canon 6D in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the 6D.
Compare Canon 6D image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Canon 6D conclusion.

35mm 855.6mm²
24.3 megapixels
ISO 100 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Sony A7 Review.
How does it shoot? Sony A7 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the A7.
Compare Sony A7 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony A7 conclusion.

Succeeded by the Canon 6D Mark II
Compare 6D vs 6D Mark II

Succeeded by the Sony A7 II
Compare A7 vs A7 II

Compare CANON 6D MARK II vs SONY A7 II

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Differences

Canon 6D advantages over Sony A7

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Fast startup
~0.50 vs 2.1 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Built-in GPS
GPS vs None
Geotag your photos
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

1090 vs 340 shots
Capture more photos
More telephoto lens reach
105 mm vs 70 mm
Capture objects farther away with the kit lens
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Wider angle kit lens
24 mm vs 28 mm
Capture more of the scene with the included lens
Bigger JPEG buffer
1250 vs 50 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Higher extended ISO
102400 vs 51200 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Sony A7 advantages over Canon 6D

Less expensive
$819 vs $1555
Save money for lenses or accessories
Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Tiltable Screen
Tiltable vs Fixed
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
More dynamic range

More dynamic range

Cameras with more dynamic range allow you to take photos with dramatic differences in highlight and shadow areas while retaining detail in both.

Think of a brilliant sunset on a rocky beach: Bright sunset in the background, with dark rocks in the foreground. High dynamic range means more of the extremes will be faithfully reproduced.

Dynamic range test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
A7 test data on DxO Mark 6D test data on DxO Mark

14.2 vs 12.1 evs
Retain detail in highlight and shadows
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Thinner
48 mm vs 71 mm
Thinner
Lighter weight
769g vs 1448g
Lighter weight
More pixels
24.3 vs 20.2 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Faster JPEG shooting
5.0 fps vs 4.4 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
5.0 fps vs 4.4 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
28 vs 17 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Similarities

Common Strengths

Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
Built-in Wi-Fi
Both provide
Share your photos wirelessly
External Mic Jack
Both provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Neither provide
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Touchscreen
Neither provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Internal flash
Neither provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read 6D User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read A7 User Reviews

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Body Only
Kit with 24-105mm Lens

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Buy the Sony A7

Body Only

Body Only
Kit with 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 lens

All A7 Deals

Review Excerpt

Excellent image quality on par to more expensive full-frame DSLRs (including the 5D Mark III); Responsive all-around performer; Superior HD video-shooting chops; Built-in Wi-Fi with remote control and sharing features, Built-in GPS and geotagging.
Lacks a built-in, pop-up flash; No external headphone jack; Rather basic 11-point autofocus system; Mediocre burst speed.
Read our Canon 6D Review

Incredibly small body for a fully-featured, full-frame camera; Very high resolution; Hybrid autofocus is reasonably fast and confident; Significantly better burst-shooting performance than A7R; Excellent image quality even at very high sensitivities; Faster x-sync than A7R; Accepts existing Alpha-mount and E-mount lenses, and can optionally crop to APS-C image circle.
Grass-is-greener syndrome when compared to its higher-res sibling; Moderate performance; Loud shutter (but electronic first-curtain helps); Mediocre battery life when using electronic viewfinder; Weak low-light autofocus considering its price; Limited selection of native Sony FE lenses.
Read our Sony A7 Review

The Competition

Compared to Canon 5D Mark III

Canon 6D

Canon 5D Mark III

$1499
35mm

Less expensive
Built-in Wi-Fi

$2079
35mm

More cross-type AF points
Less shutter lag

Compare Canon 6D vs Canon 5D Mark III

Sony A7

Canon 5D Mark III

$748
35mm

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$2079
35mm

Lens selection
Fast startup

Compare Sony A7 vs Canon 5D Mark III

Compared to Nikon D610

Canon 6D

Nikon D610

$1499
35mm

Less expensive
Built-in Wi-Fi

$1196
35mm

Fast startup
Higher effective ISO

Compare Canon 6D vs Nikon D610

Sony A7

Nikon D610

$748
35mm

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$1196
35mm

Lens selection
Fast startup

Compare Sony A7 vs Nikon D610

Compared to Sony A7R

Canon 6D

Sony A7R

$1499
35mm

Lens selection
Bigger pixels

$1399
35mm

Focus peaking
Less expensive

Compare Canon 6D vs Sony A7R

Sony A7

Sony A7R

$748
35mm

Less expensive
Bigger pixels

$1399
35mm

Higher effective ISO
More pixels

Compare Sony A7 vs Sony A7R

Compared to Canon 7D Mark II

Canon 6D

Canon 7D Mark II

$1499
35mm

Less expensive
Larger sensor

$1597
APS-C

On-sensor phase detect
More telephoto lens reach

Compare Canon 6D vs Canon 7D Mark II

Sony A7

Canon 7D Mark II

$748
35mm

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$1597
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

Compare Sony A7 vs Canon 7D Mark II

Compared to Nikon D600

Canon 6D

Nikon D600

$1499
35mm

Built-in Wi-Fi
Built-in GPS

$1900
35mm

Fast startup
Higher effective ISO

Compare Canon 6D vs Nikon D600

Sony A7

Nikon D600

$748
35mm

Focus peaking
In-camera panoramas

$1900
35mm

Lens selection
Fast startup

Compare Sony A7 vs Nikon D600

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