The Canon EOS R6 III has officially arrived, bringing one of the most significant upgrades to Canon’s mid-range full-frame lineup in years. The new 32.5MP sensor, 7K RAW video support and 40 fps burst speeds position the R6 III directly against Sony’s A7 IV, Nikon’s Z6 III, and Panasonic’s S1 II. However, Canon continues to avoid stacked sensor technology in this segment — a decision that may divide hybrid creators.
A New 32.5MP Sensor and Faster Shooting Performance
The R6 III’s biggest leap comes from its 32.5MP CMOS sensor, a clear jump from the 24MP chip inside the R6 II. While it’s not stacked, the increased resolution brings Canon closer to Sony’s A7 IV and delivers sharper stills and higher-detail video.
Canon also boosted continuous shooting performance:
- 40 fps with the electronic shutter
- 12 fps with the mechanical or first-curtain shutter
- 20-frame pre-shooting buffer — a valuable feature for wildlife and sports photographers who often miss critical moments
The camera uses Canon’s latest Dual Pixel AF system with updated AI-powered tracking. It can focus down to -6 EV, track people, animals and vehicles, and includes the Register People Priority feature borrowed from the EOS R5 II.
The R6 III’s Largest Upgrade: 7K RAW Video
The highest-impact improvement comes from video performance. Thanks to the new sensor, the Canon EOS R6 III offers:
- 7K 60 fps RAW Light
- 7K 30 fps full-sensor “open gate”
- 4K 120 fps
- Support for C-Log2 and C-Log3
Creators also get HEVC S, AVC-S, RAW, RAW Light and a long list of additional formats. Canon remains one of the strongest players in video autofocus, and all subject-tracking modes work in every video resolution.
Familiar Design With Smart Refinements
Canon kept the familiar R-series ergonomics. The R6 III includes:
- two top dials and a rear dial
- a joystick
- dedicated photo/video selector
- a fully articulating rear display (though not the hybrid tilt-flip system Panasonic uses)
- 3.69M-dot EVF
One major change is the addition of a CFexpress slot, enabling 7K RAW capture and faster burst speeds. The second slot remains SD UHS-II.
Battery life remains similar to the EOS R5 II — around 390 shots via the EVF.
Borrowed Pro Features and Better Stabilization
Canon added waveform monitoring, updated AF speed algorithms from its cinema lineup, and improved in-body stabilization from 8.0 to 8.5 stops, matching Panasonic’s latest bodies.
Connectivity includes:
- USB-C
- full-size HDMI
- 3.5mm mic and headphone jacks
New Lens: RF45mm F1.2 STM
Canon also introduced a new lightweight RF45mm F1.2 STM lens.
At just 346g, it is less than half the weight of the RF 50mm F1.2L USM and surprisingly affordable at $470.
Price and Competition
The Canon EOS R6 III ships later this month at:
- $2,799 (body only)
- $4,049 with the RF24-105mm F4 L IS USM kit
Competing cameras:
- Nikon Z6 III — $2,500, partially stacked 24MP
- Panasonic S1 II — $3,200, partially stacked 24MP, up to 70 fps
- Sony A7 IV — similar 33MP sensor but no 7K RAW video
The R6 III sits at a higher price point but delivers industry-leading video specs in its class.
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