7D vs 70D vs 6D etc - Compare Bodies - SHUTTER LAG / FPS , etc

This thread has been edited. I had some bad information regarding shutter lag results.


For me, I wanted the following in my 2nd body. And if I didn't have a markIII, I would want these things in my primary body.
But I do shoot sports at times, so that is a factor here!
Criteria:
- some of the technology that I have learned to love from my markIII (a smart AF engine being most important)
- wifi (I love it)
- video (I need to get more into video, so having it on a 2nd body may be the trick)

Why did I end up with the 70D as my 2nd body, not the 6D?
Well, it's not my primary body, it won't get that much use.
When it does, it'll be on my other shoulder, ready with a 85mm or 200mm, when I have a 24 or 50 on my full frame.
Or perhaps on vacation, when it'll be nice to have a smaller and light (and affordable) body with me.

70D Has technological advances in the form of a proprietary 20.2 M-Pix Dual Pixel CMOS AF sensor.
Each pixel has twin photo diodes that can be read together for image capture or separately for fast focusing during movie capture.

70D won for a few reasons:
1. much better AF than most cameras (the markIII spoiled me, 6D wouldn't cut it)
-> including 19 cross type focus points vs. 1 on the 6D
2. excellent fps (frames per second) 7 for the 70D vs 4.5 for the 6D
3. it's a backup. so cost is a factor there. I got it for $950 after rebate.
4. 1/8000 for 70d vs 1/4000 for 6D, that is big on a portrait shoot or vacation, when shooting during the day.
5. this amazing sensor in the 70D!
automatically focuses shooting video!!!
you can use the articulating screen, touch a person's face and the camera and lens do the rest, it will follow the subject. it is amazing.
touch another person, boom. focus.
drag from one area to the next, boom, focus on demand.
I will now use video. it's so much fun.

Here's a little "easter egg" that I have in mind...
If I'm walking around a city on vacation or whatever, I have both bodies with me.
I hand the 70D to a friend, to inspire them to get into the hobby, and/or get shots of my lady and I (I'm never in shots).....
I can teach them how to select the AF point, which will instantly make them a better photog.
Sure I can teach them how to do it on the 6D, but it's so archaic, an amateur is not gonna be able to rock n' roll with it.
I also don't mind handing my $950 body over to an amateur.

Sure, the 6D is an amazing tool at a decent price. IQ is > 70D for sure.
The high ISO from the 6D, dude, it's killer.
It's full frame! So it's wide. It can be used in lower light.
It should have dual card slots. Neither bodies mentioned do, but seriously, a FF body should have this now.
But try to rent it or borrow it, make sure you're not going to kick yourself for not getting the markIII.
Again, it's not designed for sports... it's for portrait and landscape, blah blah...
...but you know that and still want it to shoot your grandkids.
The 6D is not as versatile.
It can not be used in the same ways that a markIII or the old 7D can be used.
If you want to shoot sports with it - will it perform adequately for you? Probably if you're awesome, which you may be.
Seriously, a pro can do it.
If you hand the 6D to an amateur, to shoot sports, will they get the shots with that AF system? Maybe, probably not.

Some it all up in one statement:
-> I feel an amatuer will do a lot better with a modern/proper AF system, auto-focusing video, and $400 in their pocket (or an 85 f/1.8 len)

For a pro, who wants a backup body, if money is no object and full frame is really desired/needed... sure the 6D makes sense.

nice review.

How did you get the shutter lag numbers? I hope you're not including AF time.

By the way, from TDP review, shutter lag:

Canon EOS 6D <60ms
Canon 70D 65ms

I presume these numbers are from Canon so who knows if it's true.

EDIT: oh I see where you got your number from... Snapsort . That explains

By the way, I would have chosen the 70D also, the reasons you listed are pretty accurate. We traveled a lot in December (NYC, Florida) and I had both my 6D and 70D on those trips with me. 80-90% of the time I used my 70D, such a well rounded camera.
However, I hope I'm not causing any buyer's remorse when I say that the 6D's AF is a bit more accurate than the 70D's (for static objects).

gabebalazs wrote in post #16650374
By the way, from TDP review, shutter lag:
Canon 6D <60ms
Canon 70D 65ms

I presume these numbers are from Canon so who knows if it's true.

EDIT: oh I see where you got your number from... Snapsort . That explains

LOL thx
but hey, there is no way those lag times are accurate from TDP.
I've used both bodies, and I really can't see it.

Dj R wrote in post #16650443
LOL thx
but hey, there is no way those lag times are accurate from TDP.
I've used both bodies, and I really can't see it.

With that I fully agree, to me the 70D seems faster too, but only by a little bit, not by what Snapsort states.

Every site I have checked (not Snapsort) show the 6d at 60ms or less.

Canon USA show the 70d and 6d identical in shutter lag.

gabebalazs wrote in post #16650456
With that I fully agree, to me the 70D seems faster too, but only by a little bit, not by what Snapsort states.

GregoryF wrote in post #16650457
Every site I have checked (not Snapsort) show the 6d at 60ms or less.

I found the 6D to be slower than the 70D.

So a bunch of stooges are running snapsort?
They should just figure out what Canon reports the shutter lag is.

There may be two different types of figures being reported?

Dj R wrote in post #16650495
I found the 6D to be quite slow.

So a bunch of stooges are running snapsort?
They should just figure out what Canon reports the shutter lag is.

There may be two different types of figures being reported?

Did you test prefocused lag?

Curious to know more about why you didn't choose the 7D? I saw only one reference to it in your post, aside from the title.

Aiming for video use does seem to point toward the 70D being a good second body.

Blubayou wrote in post #16650551
Curious to know more about why you didn't choose the 7D? I saw only one reference to it in your post, aside from the title.

Aiming for video use does seem to point toward the 70D being a good second body.

b/c it's old. look I don't want to waste the money. but I'm not broke. a new 70D vs a used 7D? seems like a no brainer... I want the latest technology. I did own a 7D a while back. the 70D isn't gonna look that much better, in terms of high iso. but I really did want wifi and the incredible dual sensor AF, mainly for video. that said, I am not a video guy. this new feature is just that much to get me excited.

the screen is also a major advantage. if I'm a wedding with a wide angle on, I can hold the camera up over my head on the dancefloor.

Blubayou wrote in post #16650551
Curious to know more about why you didn't choose the 7D? I saw only one reference to it in your post, aside from the title.

Aiming for video use does seem to point toward the 70D being a good second body.

Yeah, the want for video made the option pretty obvious 7d vs 70d

Dj R wrote in post #16650565
the screen is also a major advantage. if I'm a wedding with a wide angle on, I can hold the camera up over my head on the dancefloor.

but now, you have to actually buy a wide angle. It's kinda sad the 6D doesnt have the articulating screen, but I'm sure it will have it the next time around. So much better than laying down on the floor or using live view for overhead shots.

I wouldnt shoot events with two different formats, just too much trouble for my liking. Different workflows since presets wont work as well with one body as the other.

the shutter lag you're experiencing is probably in silent mode. It's a tad slower, but in regular mode, there's virtually no lag. Maybe the lag you're talking about is when shutter is pressed and the image comes to screen?

not really sure what is defined with shutter lag.

Charlie wrote in post #16650621
but now, you have to actually buy a wide angle.

haha very strong point there sir.

Charlie wrote in post #16650621
the shutter lag you're experiencing is probably in silent mode. It's a tad slower, but in regular mode, there's virtually no lag. Maybe the lag you're talking about is when shutter is pressed and the image comes to screen?

nah, just normal shooting mode, nothing to do with reviewing images. well at least another person or two recognized the difference in lag time, above.
so I'm not completely crazy, just partially.

cheers, those are good points.

I think I found where snapsort got those numbers: imaging-resource

"Time from fully pressing shutter button to image capture." - under category: Full Autofocus
Single Point AF
70D http://www.imaging-resource.com …canon-70d/canon-70dA6.HTM

6D http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/can​on-6d/canon-6dA6.HTM

the problem with said comparison is that it's based on the lens. Both tests were performed with different lenses, and shutter lag should be based off of manual focus/prefocused.

What's the point in conducting the test if they are using different lenses. WTH?!