Canon R1 vs R6

The Canon EOS R1 and the Canon EOS R6 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in July 2024 and July 2020. Both the R1 and the R6 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with a full frame sensor. The R1 has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the R6 provides 20 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon R1		Canon R6
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Canon RF mount lenses		Canon RF mount lenses
24 MP – Full Frame sensor		20 MP – Full Frame sensor
6K/60p Video		4k/60p Video
ISO 100-102,400 (50 - 409,600)		ISO 100-102,400 (50 - 204,800)
Electronic viewfinder (9440k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (3690k dots)
3.2" LCD – 2100k dots		3.0" LCD – 1620k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
12 shutter flaps per second		12 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
1330 shots per battery charge		360 shots per battery charge
158 x 150 x 87 mm, 1115 g		138 x 98 x 88 mm, 680 g

Check R1 price at
amazon.com
Check R6 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS R1 and the Canon EOS R6? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Canon R1 and the Canon R6 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon R6 is considerably smaller (43 percent) than the Canon R1. Moreover, the R6 is substantially lighter (39 percent) than the R1. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the R1 gets 1330 shots out of its Canon LP-E19 battery, while the R6 can take 360 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E6NH power pack. As can be seen in the images above, the R1 has a battery grip built in. This facilitates image-taking in portrait orientation and gives it additional battery power. In order to provide similar functionality for the R6, Canon provides the BG-R10 vertical grip as an optional accessory (see here on ebay). The battery packs of both cameras can be charged via USB, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon R1	158 mm	150 mm	87 mm	1115 g	1330	Y	Jul 2024	EUR 7 499	amazon.com
2.		Canon R6	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	680 g	360	Y	Jul 2020	EUR 2 699	amazon.com
3.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	EUR 1 999	ebay.com
4.		Canon R	139 mm	98 mm	84 mm	660 g	370	Y	Sep 2018	EUR 2 499	ebay.com
5.		Canon R3	150 mm	143 mm	87 mm	1015 g	760	Y	Sep 2021	EUR 5 999	amazon.com
6.		Canon R5 Mark II	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	746 g	340	Y	Jul 2024	EUR 4 799	amazon.com
7.		Canon R6 Mark II	138 mm	98 mm	88 mm	670 g	450	Y	Nov 2022	EUR 2 899	amazon.com
8.		Fujifilm GFX 100 II	152 mm	117 mm	99 mm	1030 g	540	Y	Sep 2023	EUR 7 999	amazon.com
9.		Leica SL3-S	141 mm	108 mm	85 mm	852 g	315	Y	Jan 2025	EUR 5 199	amazon.com
10.		Nikon Zf	144 mm	103 mm	49 mm	710 g	380	Y	Sep 2023	EUR 2 499	amazon.com
11.		Panasonic G9 II	134 mm	102 mm	90 mm	658 g	390	Y	Sep 2023	EUR 1 899	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic S1	149 mm	110 mm	97 mm	1017 g	400	Y	Feb 2019	EUR 2 499	ebay.com
13.		Sony A9 III	136 mm	97 mm	83 mm	702 g	530	Y	Nov 2023	EUR 6 999	amazon.com
14.		Sony A6700	122 mm	69 mm	64 mm	493 g	570	Y	Jul 2023	EUR 1 699	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The R6 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 60 percent) than the R1, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a full frame sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the large-sensor cameras that aim for top notch image quality. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the R1 offers a higher resolution of 24 megapixels, compared with 20 MP of the R6. This megapixels advantage translates into a 10 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the R1 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 6.00μm versus 6.57μm for the R6). In this context, it should be noted, however, that the R1 is much more recent (by 4 years) than the R6, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The resolution advantage of the Canon R1 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the R1 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon R6 are 27.4 x 18.2 inches or 69.5 x 46.3 cm for good quality, 21.9 x 14.6 inches or 55.6 x 37.1 cm for very good quality, and 18.2 x 12.2 inches or 46.3 x 30.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS R1 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 102400, which can be extended to ISO 50-409600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS R6 are ISO 100 to ISO 102400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-204800.

In terms of underlying technology, the R1 is build around a Stacked BSI-CMOS sensor, while the R6 uses a CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon R1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/60p	25.4	14.8	3332	97
2.		Canon R6	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4k/60p	24.2	14.3	3394	90
3.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
4.		Canon R	Full Frame	30.1	6720	4480	4K/30p	24.5	13.5	2742	89
5.		Canon R3	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/60p	25.0	14.7	4086	96
6.		Canon R5 Mark II	Full Frame	44.8	8192	5464	8k/60p	25.4	14.8	3332	97
7.		Canon R6 Mark II	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	25.4	14.6	3154	96
8.		Fujifilm GFX 100 II	Medium Format	101.8	11648	8736	8K/30p	25.9	15.0	3651	101
9.		Leica SL3-S	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	6K/30p	25.4	14.8	3383	97
10.		Nikon Zf	Full Frame	24.3	6048	4024	4K/60p	25.4	14.7	3243	96
11.		Panasonic G9 II	Four Thirds	25.0	5776	4336	5.7K/60p	23.4	13.5	1710	78
12.		Panasonic S1	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	25.2	14.5	3333	95
13.		Sony A9 III	Full Frame	24.0	6000	4000	4K/120p	25.4	14.7	3243	96
14.		Sony A6700	APS-C	25.6	6192	4128	4K/120p	24.3	14.0	2329	86
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the R1 provides a higher video resolution than the R6. It can shoot video footage at 6K/60p, while the R6 is limited to 4k/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the R1 offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the R6 (9440k vs 3690k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon R1 and Canon R6 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon R1	9440	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
2.		Canon R6	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
4.		Canon R	3690	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
5.		Canon R3	5760	Y	3.2 / 4150	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
6.		Canon R5 Mark II	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
7.		Canon R6 Mark II	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
8.		Fujifilm GFX 100 II	9440	Y	3.2 / 2360	full-flex	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
9.		Leica SL3-S	5760	Y	3.2 / 2333	tilting	Y	1/8000s	30.0/s	n	Y
10.		Nikon Zf	3690	n	3.2 / 2100	swivel	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
11.		Panasonic G9 II	3680	n	3.0 / 1840	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
12.		Panasonic S1	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
13.		Sony A9 III	9440	n	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/80000s	120.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony A6700	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the R1, but is missing on the R6 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, both cameras under consideration feature an electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Canon R1 and the Canon R6 both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The R1 writes its imaging data to CFexpress (type B) or SDXC cards, while the R6 uses SDXC cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. Both cameras support UHS-II cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS R1 and Canon EOS R6 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon R1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
2.		Canon R6	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
4.		Canon R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.1	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon R3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon R5 Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon R6 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
8.		Fujifilm GFX 100 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
9.		Leica SL3-S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
10.		Nikon Zf	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
11.		Panasonic G9 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
12.		Panasonic S1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
13.		Sony A9 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.2	Y	-	Y
14.		Sony A6700	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	YES	3.2	Y	Y	Y

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon R1 (unlike the R6) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the R1 and the R6 are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. Neither of the two has a direct predecessor, so perhaps they will constitute the origins of new camera lines for Canon. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Canon website.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Canon R1 or the Canon R6 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Canon EOS R1:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (24 vs 20MP) with a 10% higher linear resolution.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (6K/60p vs 4k/60p).
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (9440k vs 3690k dots).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.9x vs 0.76x).
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2100k vs 1620k dots).
• More portrait friendly: Features an integrated vertical grip for easier portrait shooting.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (1330 versus 360) on a single battery charge.
• More solid recording: Has a full-sized HDMI port for a sturdy connection to an external recorder.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• More modern: Reflects 4 years of technical progress since the R6 launch.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS R6:

• More compact: Is smaller (138x98mm vs 158x150mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 435g or 39 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (60 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in July 2020).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the R1 is the clear winner of the match-up (12 : 4 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon R1 and the Canon R6 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the R1 or the R6. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon R1	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jul 2024	EUR 7 499	amazon.com
2.		Canon R6	5/5	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2020	EUR 2 699	amazon.com
3.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	EUR 1 999	ebay.com
4.		Canon R	4/5	o	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2018	EUR 2 499	ebay.com
5.		Canon R3	5/5	o	4.5/5	..	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2021	EUR 5 999	amazon.com
6.		Canon R5 Mark II	..	..	..	93/100	..	..	Jul 2024	EUR 4 799	amazon.com
7.		Canon R6 Mark II	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Nov 2022	EUR 2 899	amazon.com
8.		Fujifilm GFX 100 II	5/5	+	5/5	..	..	4.5/5	Sep 2023	EUR 7 999	amazon.com
9.		Leica SL3-S	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jan 2025	EUR 5 199	amazon.com
10.		Nikon Zf	4.5/5	..	4.5/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2023	EUR 2 499	amazon.com
11.		Panasonic G9 II	5/5	..	4.5/5	87/100	..	4.5/5	Sep 2023	EUR 1 899	amazon.com
12.		Panasonic S1	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2019	EUR 2 499	ebay.com
13.		Sony A9 III	4.5/5	..	..	91/100	..	..	Nov 2023	EUR 6 999	amazon.com
14.		Sony A6700	4.5/5	+	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2023	EUR 1 699	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Check R1 price at
amazon.com
Check R6 price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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Check R1 price at
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Check R6 price at
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