Canon EOS R6, an exceptional mirrorless camera for wildlife photography

Photohraphy gear is expensive, sometimes fragile and always too heavy. Unfortunately inseparable from our practice, it is nonetheless secondary. The techniques of lookout, approach, irreproachable ethics and the knowledge of the environment and the fauna remain the essential prerequisites for wildlife photography. But gear is there to make our work easier and allow us to witness, in images, the beauty that nature offers us. Having good equipment helps us to take good photos, but the reverse is not necessarily true. A good photographer will be able to take good pictures with – almost – any equipment.

For several decades, the reflex camera has been the best, whatever the genra one exercises. First film, then digital, the SLR went through different evolutions, sometimes major in our practice. But in recent years, a new type of camera body has appeared: the mirrorless. But what exactly is a mirrorless camera? To put it simply, it is an SLR that has lost its mirror and its prism. It has everything of an SLR body, but instead of having an optical viewfinder whose light is directed into the viewfinder by a mirror and prism system, the mirrorless has a small screen. This has several advantages that we will detail with the example of the Canon R6.

The mirrorless is clearly revolutionizing the practice of wildlife photography. In addition to the two or three disadvantages that are the loss of the comfort of viewing through an SLR viewfinder, less autonomy and possibly less resistance to extreme climates, this evolution brings a lot of advantages.

Canon EOS R6: perfect discretion

The first advantage for me and not the least: the total absence of noise when triggering. Long considered a major drawback for photographing certain noise-sensitive species, it was necessary to equip yourself with noise-canceling covers and to trigger with extreme caution. Today, there is no need for a cover, the triggering is perfectly silent thanks to the absence of a mirror and the possibility of taking images using the electronic shutter. This advantage is a revolution for sensitive species. As long as the rest of his practice is almost free of disturbances, this possibility is the icing on the cake!

Canon EOS R6: a precise electronic viewfinder

The electronic viewfinder may put off some, me first. I had a hard time getting used to this type of viewfinder at first, since it puts a screen between the world and oneself. The images are however clear and well defined, and the refresh rate is more than enough to capture any moment in real time. But once you get used to the electronic viewfinder, you notice some major advantages: the exposure is done in real time, so you can see the image directly as it will be taken! It allows the display of many options, such as the histogram which can be particularly useful. You can also view your images or access the menu through the viewfinder. This can be useful if you want to check your photo and cannot afford to emit light. The little extra: the absence of a mirror and socket lightens the case by at least 200 grams!

Canon EOS R6: unrivaled and almost infallible autofocus

Advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning have enabled manufacturers to create extremely accurate, fast and intelligent focus systems. The Canon R6's autofocus is its strong point. It benefits from a latest generation processor that allows it to take stock in less time than it takes to tell. The main evolution is the detection of animals and their eyes! Aim at a bird, autofocus is automatically directed to its head or eye. Aim for a deer, a badger, a cat, a lynx... The R6 will immediately spot the eye of the animal and all you have to do is trigger to get a perfectly clear photo! The tracking of birds in flight is perfectly carried out, even if an obstacle is between the subject and you. It is possible to lock a subject that the camera will continue to follow without even having to switch to AI SERVO mode. The ease of use is exceptional. After customizing the buttons and finding the way you want the case to work, you'll be amazed at its capabilities and speed. It is not infallible, sometimes you will have to use a classic collimator or focus by hand (electronically assisted!). But the evolution brought by this autofocus is incredible!

Canon EOS R6: a built-in stabilizer and staggering ISO abilities

Wildlife photography often requires equipment that performs well in low light. Many species are crepuscular and the most beautiful atmospheres of the day are found early in the morning and late in the evening. The Canon R6 sensor is stabilized on 5 axes. If it is associated with an equally stabilized lens, the light gain can reach the equivalent of 6 to 8 EV! If we add to this a clean ISO rise up to ISO 10,000 or even 12,800, and usable without too much noise up to ISO 25,600, we obtain a spectacular combo.

A few details to know

All Canon EF lenses are compatible with the R range (R, RP, R6, R5 and R3) thanks to the EF-RF adapter ring. Its use is perfectly transparent and no degradation of the image or the speed of the focus is observed. It is mainly used to put the sensor and the rear lens of the objective at the right distance. Moreover, an additional advantage of using the mirrorless, is that it focuses directly on the sensor. So no more front or back focus problems with your favorite lenses!

The autonomy is not as bad as what we can hear about mirrorless. If the box is correctly configured for standby, a battery can easily allow you to take between 400 and 600 photos. That is about a third less than a 5D Mark IV for example.

To conclude

I don't like to talk about gear and I never will. But it must be admitted that having equipment adapted to your practice brings incomparable comfort. The mirrorless, despite its technology quite far from an authentic practice, brings me a little closer to nature. Silence is a precious good. The speed of development and the ease of use when you have grasped the workings of the case, allow you to be so fast and so efficient that the equipment is forgotten. It becomes an extension of his eye, a simple tool to transcribe his photographic intention and convey his emotions. The ergonomics are excellent, the aim intuitive. Extensive customization makes it possible to adapt the tool to its practice, and not the reverse. The Canon EOS R6 is a fantastic tool!

Arnaud
Guide Salva Fauna