Canon EOS R6 Mark III Hands-On Review
Summary Verdict
First impressions indicate that the Canon EOS R6 Mark III is a highly capable full-frame mirrorless camera that builds on the strengths of the Canon EOS R6 II. With a higher resolution sensor, enhanced subject detection, extended burst capacity and more flexible video tools, the R6 III appears well suited to enthusiast and semi-professional photographers who want speed, reliability and hybrid potential. It’s especially attractive for women who photograph people, wildlife or events and need a camera that can react quickly and track subjects with confidence.
Score: TBC
For
Subject detection and improved AF tracking
40fps burst with deeper buffer and pre-capture
7K video with Open Gate and external RAW
Against
Price increase over the R6 II
One CFexpress slot may not suit all workflows
No dual native ISO like the C50
Like the R6 II, the Canon R6 III has a flip-out vari-angle screen that allow you to compose images from a range of angles whether you’re shooting in landscape or portrait orientation.
What is the Canon EOS R6 Mark III?
The Canon EOS R6 Mark III is a full-frame mirrorless camera designed primarily for photographers, but with extensive video capabilities. It replaces the Canon EOS R6 II and builds on its strengths by adding a 32.5MP sensor, Canon’s latest Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with deep learning, and features aimed at action, event and hybrid shooters. It continues Canon’s commitment to improving mirrorless performance in a body that is familiar to existing users.
Read our Canon EOS R6 Mark II Review
Canon EOS R6 Mark III Price and Availability
The Canon EOS R6 III is priced at £2,799.99 / €3,149.99 body-only and will be available from 20th November 2025. It will also be available as a kit with the RF 24-105mm F4-7.1 IS STM lens for £3,149.99 / €3,599.99 or the RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM lens for £3,899.99 / €4,499.99.
Canon EOS R6 Mark III Specifications
Camera Type: Mirrorless
Announced: 6th November 2025
Sensor: 32.5MP Full-frame CMOS
Processor: DIGIC X
Lens mount: RF
Sensitivity range: ISO 100–64,000 expandable to ISO 102,400
Continuous shooting rate: Electronic shutter: 40fps for 150 raw images, Mechanical shutter: 12fps
Maximum video resolution: 7K up to 60fps, Open Gate 7K at 30fps, 4K up to 120fps
Autofocus system: Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with subject detection and deep learning Subject tracking: Humans (Eyes, Face, Head, Body), Animals (Dogs, Cats, Birds, Horses), Vehicles (Cars, Motorbikes, Trains, Planes), Registered People Priority (up to 10 x 10 faces)
Viewfinder: 0.5-inch 3.69-million-dot OLED electronic viewfinder
Screen: 3.0-inch 1.62-million-dot vari-angle touchscreen
Stabilisation: In-body image stabilisation (IBIS) that works with lens IS and enables up to 8.5 stops of shutter speed compensation
Storage: Dual slots, 1x CFexpress and 1x SDXC UHS-II
Battery: LP-E6NH
Battery life: Approx. 620 shots in CIPA testing
Connectivity: Full-size HDMI, USB-C with UVC up to 4K 60p, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Dimensions (WxHxD): 138.4 x 98.4 x 88.4mm
Weight: 588g body only, 670g with battery and memory card
The button and dial arrangement on the Canon R6 III will be familiar to R6 II users.
Key Features
The 32.5MP full-frame sensor in the R6 III offers a resolution boost over the R6 II’s 24.2MP chip, which already delivers detailed images with effective noise control. While the higher pixel count may present more of a challenge for noise control, it adds flexibility for cropping and printing.
Notably, although the new camera shares the same sensor as the C50, it does not include dual native ISO, which is often preferred for video recording. However, the DIGIC X processor continues to support fast data processing, essential for both high-speed stills and oversampled video.
Subject detection has been refined with deep learning updates. Like the R6 II, the Canon R6 III can track humans, animals and vehicles, but now includes ‘Registered People Priority’, a feature that lets you save and prioritise up to 100 faces.
The autofocus system in the R6 II is already known to be fast and accurate, but the R6 III builds on this with more responsive tracking and the ability to register and recall up to six custom AF settings groups. This lets you tailor the focusing to suit your most common shooting situations and subjects.
Further good news is that despite the jump in pixel count, the R6 Mark III can shoot at up to 40fps with the electronic shutter or 12fps with the mechanical shutter. The R6 II managed 40fps but was limited to 75 raw files; the R6 III can shoot up to 150 raw frames in one burst. There’s also a 0.5-second pre-capture function for catching action before you fully press the shutter button. That's very useful for capturing unpredictable action and wildlife movement, such as a bird taking flight.
Video capabilities are significantly improved. The R6 III offers 7K at 60p and 7K Open Gate at 30p, with support for 4K at 120p. Canon RAW video can be output via the full-size HDMI, and proxy recording at 2K is also available. C-Log2 and C-Log3 profiles provide up to 15 stops of dynamic range, and the ability to view two aspect ratios during recording is useful for anyone creating social content.
New to the R6 III is UVC support up to 4K 60p, making it Canon’s first full-frame mirrorless camera with this feature and ideal for livestreamers or hybrid creators.
Like it’s predecessor, the R6 III has a deep, comfortable front grip with a textured coating for added purchase.
Build and Handling
The Canon EOS R6 Mark III has the same dimensions, viewfinder and screen as the R6 II. That's good news for the handling as the grip is deep and comfortable while the controls are all within easy reach. It also means that the camera can support the BG-R20 battery grip and uses the LP-E6NH battery. One notable difference, however, is the move from dual UHS-II SD card slots to one CFexpress and one UHS-II SD slot. This provides faster data handling for high-speed bursts and video, but may be a less flexible arrangement for photographers who prefer matched SD slots. Plus, CFexpress cards are generally more expensive than SD-type media.
While it’s good that the R6 III has the same control arrangement as the R6 II, it puzzles me that Canon doesn’t have more consistency between the R6 and R5 series. The R6 III could make a great second camera to the R5 II for professional photographers, but their handling differences don’t make switching between them seemless.
The controls on the back of the Canon R6 III are arranged well.
Performance
In use, the R6 II was widely praised for its accurate autofocusing and clean results at high ISO settings like 12,800. The R6 III is expected to continue this trend with better tracking and the same low-light sensitivity down to -6.5EV. The IBIS has also been improved to deliver up to 8.5 stops of stabilisation, compared to 8 stops on the R6 II, which was already considered impressive for handheld work. ISO extends to 64,000 natively and up to 102,400 expanded, giving more scope for low-light environments.
So far I've only used a pre-production sample of the Canon EOS R6 Mark III at Canon Europe's HQ, but the early signs are very good. The autofocusing seems fast and accurate (as is the human eye detection) while noise appears well-controlled, but I need to use a final sample in a much wider range of conditions before I pass final judgment.
The battery life is rated at 620 shots, but real-world usage tends to exceed this.
The R6 III is the same size and shape as the Canon R6 II.
Canon EOS R6 Mark III Sample Images
These images were captured using a near-final sample of the Canon EOS R6 Mark III, however, the image quality from production samples may vary.
The Canon R6 III’s eye detection is very useful for portrait shoots like this.
Image Credit: Angela Nicholson, camera: Canon EOS R6 Mark III, lens: Canon RF 45mm F1.2 STM at f/1.2, 1/800 sec and ISO 100.
The skin tones and detail have been nicely reproduced here.
Image Credit: Angela Nicholson, camera: Canon EOS R6 Mark III, lens: Canon RF 45mm F1.2 STM at f/1.2, 1/500 sec and ISO 100.
The Canon R6 III’s subject detection spotted these two ducks quickly, getting them sharp before the launched themselves onto the lake.
Image Credit: Angela Nicholson, camera: Canon EOS R6 Mark III, lens: Canon RF 45mm F1.2 STM at f/5.6, 1/80 sec and ISO 160.
This JPEG was shot at ISO 12,800 and the noise is controlled well - however, as the leaves are plastic, it’s hard to assess the detail level.
Image Credit: Angela Nicholson, camera: Canon EOS R6 Mark III, lens: Canon RF 45mm F1.2 STM at f/5.6, 1/30 sec and ISO 12,800.
This is the raw file version of the previous image, shot at ISO 12,800. There’s a little more luminance noise visible in the image at 100% on-screen, but it still looks good and there’s scope to adjust the noise reduction in processing.
Image Credit: Angela Nicholson, camera: Canon EOS R6 Mark III, lens: Canon RF 45mm F1.2 STM at f/5.6, 1/30 sec and ISO 12,800.
Verdict
The Canon EOS R6 III is a welcome evolution of the R6 II, which already offered strong performance, colour quality and subject tracking. The new model adds greater resolution, deeper burst-shooting, better AF and significant video tools without fundamentally changing what made the R6 II so well-liked. If you enjoyed the grip, layout and image quality of the R6 II, the R6 III should be of interest. It's shaping up to be a very compelling option for women photographers who need a dependable and responsive hybrid camera for work or creative projects.
