The Canon 6D Revolution
This weekend, I met with “Jimbo.” Jimbo is a geek, always the latest… Jimbo just bought, a week ago, a brand new Canon 6D. He explained how switching from his Canon 7D to his new 6D changed his outlook on photography. Going back to a full frame is so fantastic, the bokeh, the high ISO and the low noise… Everything worked except that he had to get rid of his 17-55 f/2.8, which is an APS-C lens.
How can we be so stupid to use APS-C cameras… BTW, I use APS-C, I love it and I must be stupid! Anybody with a “real brain” must immediately switch to a full frame camera. And to show me, he took a photo and instead of “chimping” on the LCD at the back of his Canon 6D, he pulled his iPad from his bag and showed me the photo on the iPad.
Now, it's my turn to be blown away and not because of the low noise, the high ISO or the bokeh but by just what he didn't do. He did nothing and “by magic” the image appeared on the iPad.
- The Canon 6D has wireless built-in.
- Canon has an app for the wireless streaming. I understand that there is also an Android version. Nothing to do, just activate it.
Wireless for cameras is nothing new, Eye-Fi has made wireless memory cards for years. People made it work, but it was not a “just straight out of the box.” Eye-Fi cards are only SD cards… What's different this time is the simplicity. Just use an app that does all the work.
Now think about the consequences.
- Street photography at demonstration with the cops seizing the cameras and/or the memory cards. It's already streamed to the web live.
- Photo journalists in Egypt, Syria, Iran…
- Sport photographers posting photos on the web for the event live or sending them to the editor as the game progresses.
- Wedding photographers displaying the photos on a projection screen TV as she takes the photos.
- Instead of “chimping” on the LCD at the back, use a 7” Nexus or even better a 10” iPad.
- Only professional models know what they look like when photographed. Regular people do not, so they are afraid of looking bad. That's why people make comments like “I will break your camera…”. Show the photo just just took but on a real screen.
- No need to be tethered anymore
- …
The app side of the wireless is what makes it so magical. Everybody can use it.
Would I buy a Canon 6D? No because of the focusing system. With age, my eyesight and my earing are declining but I'm still in business because of the fantastic focusing system of the Canon 7D. I hope that the 7DMkII, whenever it will come, will have a similar wireless system.
When comes the time to decide on the next camera, wireless connectivity will be a selection criteria.