Canon EOS 6D - why no builtin flash?

Hello all,

I was just wondering if anyone have any idea why the newly announced 6d does not have built in flash?

I can kind of understand why higher models does not have it, because professional photographers will probably never use it.
But 6d is designed for photo entusiasts and they will most certainly use it sometimes?

Likely a marketing decision based on many people using an external flash like one of the Speedlights. Personally, once I used a Speedlight, I never used the built in again. I don't like the extra weight, but I find the quality and ease of use well worth the extra effort.

It's been mentioned elsewhere that Canon make sure all their bodies allow clearance for all movements of all the tilt-shift lenses they have ever made for EOS. This is apparently a nightmare on Nikon.

Wasn't there a baby flash released with the EOS-M?

With that crazy ISO who needs a flash

There has yet to be a Canon FF DSLR that has built-in flash. I don't see Canon reversing that.

I would hardly use the built-in flash as the primary flash, although it would be convenient in a pinch. But for me, I would miss the built-in flash for its use as the optical Speedlite transmitter. Very handy when I had my T3i.

Built in flash features of the 7D are really cool, controlling speedlights. Nikon FF cams can do this. I guess Canon ran out of space cramming in the silly stuff like GPs and WiFi.

They probably just want you to buy their optional expensive transmitter add-on.

melcat wrote in post #15007974
It's been mentioned elsewhere that Canon make sure all their bodies allow clearance for all movements of all the tilt-shift lenses they have ever made for EOS. This is apparently a nightmare on Nikon.

I've heard that, don't know if it's true

FF bodies' prism actually occupies the space where the built-in flash would be.

Neilyb wrote in post #15008460
Built in flash features of the 7D are really cool, controlling speedlights. Nikon FF cams can do this. I guess Canon ran out of space cramming in the silly stuff like GPs and WiFi.

You mean like the huge pentaprism? None of Canon's full frame cameras have a built in flash so I don't get why people would expect this one to.

Numenorean wrote in post #15008537
You mean like the huge pentaprism? None of Canon's full frame cameras have a built in flash so I don't get why people would expect this one to.

Because Nikon do not seem to have a problem doing so.

scorpio_e wrote in post #15007985
With that crazy ISO who needs a flash

You only need flash if you want well lit images...

I love this excerpt from Neil van Niekirk:

"These pages were originally written to help other photographers who struggle with on-camera flash. But they were also written as a reaction against the snobbery of the purists who insist on using available light only – even when it looks terrible."

See Neils page at:
http://neilvn.com …h-photography-techniques/

I was wondering the same thing... I often use the flash as fill in during the day or sunlight. I really like having the built in flash when its needed. I do not want to carry around my 420ex nor add it to the weight of my already heavy DSLR.

The D600 is looking better and better...

Neilyb wrote in post #15008622
Because Nikon do not seem to have a problem doing so.

Then one should buy a Nikon instead of a Canon.

Pretty silly really anyway because built in flashes suck. They are underpowered, in the worst possible place for redeye and ugly shadows, rob power from the camera itself, and are only a marginally useful way to do wireless off-camera flash control (due to obnoxious white light flashes, limited reach and overheating).

I can count on one hand the number of times I've used a built-in flash in the past ten years, taking over a million images with various Canon cameras that have built-in flashes. I'd rather use a small, accessory flash than the one in the camera and keep wishing Canon would leave the built in flash off crop models, too, but that ain't going to happen.

One of the design goals of the 6D was to make a more compact full frame camera. The pentaprism in a full frame camera needs to be bigger than in a crop camera, so addiing a flash on top of that would have made the camera even larger. I applaud Canon's decision. I do wish they'd put an articulated rear LCD screen on the 6D, 60D/T4i style... Wish they had gone with CF instead of SD memory too... And really don't care about built-in WiFi, would never use the built-in GPS (unless it can help be if I get lost).... But those are entirely different subject.