Canon R6 mark III brings 7K60 RAW, Open Gate, CLog2

[Django]

Just when I was about to pull trigger on a ZR, Canon drops this bombshell:

Canon EOS R6 III 

Key specifications

32.5MP full-frame CMOS sensor

Built-in image stabilization rated to 8.5EV

40fps burst rate w/ pre-capture

3.0", 1.62M dot fully-articulating screen

7K recording up to 60p (Canon Cinema Raw Lite)

Oversampled 4K <60p, 4K 120p with audio

Q&S mode dial

3:2 Open Gate recording up to 30p

$2799 / 2899 €

 

..and it doesn't stop there, Canon is also dropping a 45mm f1.2 STM lens.. for $470 / 445€ !

 

[Django]

 

[ND64]

Heat management is like Canon wants you to buy C50 instead 

And RAW file size situation is not different from ZR

[Django]

Well yeah the lack of a fan isn't going to give you unlimited thermals in the most demanding recording options but I find it quite acceptable (above reviewer got almost 2 hours in 7K RAW Open Gate 30p) and unlike the ZR the h265 is actually very usable here with constant bitrate oversampled 4K. If you add open gate, 4K120 no crop, mech shutter and EVF, it seems to me like the better hybrid choice. ZR is still fantastic considering its compact size, R3D code, 32-bit float and 4" display. It's just nice to see Canon holding no punches in this mid-tier market!

I'm still undecided, I hope this pushes Nikon to add open gate and more RED tech like traffic light system to ZR via firmware. 

[Chrille]

Another nice camera that ist perfectly capable to shoot your personal "Frances Ha". 

 

[MrSMW]

1 hour ago, Django said:

3.0", 1.62M dot fully-articulating screen

A bit small and lacking in res for 2025, but otherwise looks a decent spec overall but nothing especially exciting.

 

1 hour ago, Django said:

Canon is also dropping a 45mm f1.2 STM lens.. for $470 / 445€

That sounds pretty decent though...

With a clean sheet, I'd still go Nikon personally, - I just prefer their history and direction they are going in.

[Django]

The ZR is still a beast. That big screen, 32 bit audio and R3D workflow are seriously impressive, but it’s video first and still has a few UI quirks. The Nikon/RED partnership still feels a bit first gen. The R6 Mark III just feels more balanced, yet flexible enough to deliver cinematic footage straight out of the body with many C50 features/sensor ported over.

A bit like the 5D mark3 with ML Raw, this feels like they struck the perfect balance. You can shoot open gate h265 for social or RAW for high-end delivery, switch to the mechanical shutter for flash stills, and color match Canon’s C line with zero hassle.

Paired with the new 45 mm f1.2 STM, it’s a setup that really nails what I want in a hybrid rig. As a shooter who still swears by my old EF 35 mm f1.4 and 50 mm f1.2, this combo really speaks to me. Could probably now trade those lenses in for this new setup. The fact that the whole kit comes in around 3000 euros is kind of wild for what it delivers.

For me it’s not about beating other systems, it’s just the first Canon in years that feels genuinely right for how I shoot.

I'll give it a few days to sink in, Nikon Z mount holds the advantage of being able to adapt my EF, Sony E & Leica M glass all with AF which is something big to consider but its hard for me to dismiss open gate value in 2025 moving forward.

[toxotis70]

that camera is not for us here in Greece... like first and second Canon R6 , they are overheat like crazy (30-40 Celsius half the year) !

Much more expensive too than ZR here.

 

[Kino]

R63 is looking good here in terms of colors and texture. It is not going to set any records for DR, but it has a nice filmic noise pattern and the DR is perfectly fine for its class. It would be a great camera to carry around town, especially if you are already in the Canon system:

 

 

[KnightsFan]

So is this also a cinema camera, or is the screen too small?

[MrSMW]

14 hours ago, KnightsFan said:

So is this also a cinema camera, or is the screen too small?

It’s a bit small and lower res in 2025 I think…

As someone who will not rig out beyond a cage and a mic and only uses the rear LCD, 3” and 1.6 million dot isn’t great, especially when the ZR has 4” and over 3 million dot screen.

OK the Nikon is a bit more cine orientated and the Canon, more hybrid, but I know which I’d choose between the two.

Canon just don’t seem to be innovating enough or if they do, still cripple hammering too hard. Looking at you C50.

The bodies are also looking more and more old hat unsexy plasticky blobs, even if they are well built.

No IBIS is a very hard sell in 2025 to the more mass market.

Or maybe they don’t need to sell to the more mass market/prosumer? What do I know…

Canon, as it always has been for me, just don’t have that ‘want it’ buzz about them and it was Nikon who used to always seem to play second fiddle to them, but looks like Neekon have jumped them in recent times.

[Django]

The R6 Mark III has IBIS, so that point’s off. Canon’s lineup is just segmented now: the C50 is the pro cine body, while the R5 and R6 series are prosumer hybrids.

I’ve tried both the ZR and R6 (mk2) back to back. The ZR looks cooler and that big screen is gorgeous, but ergonomically it’s kinda average: very thin, shallow grip, no EVF, cheap buttons and a menu system in dire need of a revamp. Lack of DCI, open gate and meh exposure tools on the ZR is what bugs me most. Overall I still really like it for its streamlined compactness and big display but it's clearly a first gen product. The Canon feels faster, more natural, and better balanced once in hand for hybrid usage.

 

That said I admit the R series design language has zero mojo compared to the cine oriented C50, FX or ZR, but the R6 III is far from crippled. It’s balanced, feature complete, and a solid proposition in today’s mid tier hybrid market. The real genius move I think is launching it alongside that super affordable 45mm f1.2 where other brands keep pairing slow zooms as their kits.

Side note but speaking of sex appeal the camera that really had me drooling at the shop was the Sigma BF. Totally unpractical form over function design but that heavy solid unibody paired with minimal clever UI make it one of the most unique and oddly inspiring designs in recent times.

[Davide DB]

Does anyone know if the body and the button layout are identical to the Mark II?

Have any shilltubers said anything about it?

[MrSMW]

@Django the ‘crippling’ I was referring to (for want of a better term) was the lack of IBIS in the C50 killed it for my needs and the rear LCD on the R6iii. Not that the latter would have saved it for me but the C50 had HUGE appeal to me but IBIS is absolutely fundamental to me.

And the Sigma BF, yup, it’s a piece of jewellery. I really hoped they would have developed the FP and added a couple of features it was missing for me such as IBIS and a tilt screen.

Re. the ZR, I also think it’s a bit overhyped at the moment and has a few missing elements, but for price especially, has been the ‘best’ overall release of 2025. At least so far, - Sony are popping their next A7 out later this month if the smoke from the Dolomites is correct and they may pull a surprise?

My interest and commentary is more an impartial one. I’m 99% happy with the gear I have but at the same time if something else comes along that is quantifiably better (for my needs) and it’s financially doable, I am going to at least check it out.

Right now, I’d like the C50 body and spec but with the ZR screen, (the size & res of it anyway but would prefer a tilt or fully articulated) with with Z or E Mount and the IBIS and video tools of LUMIX.

Maybe one day someone will get it right for me and it all exists, just not in any single brand or camera!

The closest is probably Nikon…

[zerocool22]

On 11/7/2025 at 7:09 AM, Kino said:

R63 is looking good here in terms of colors and texture. It is not going to set any records for DR, but it has a nice filmic noise pattern and the DR is perfectly fine for its class. It would be a great camera to carry around town, especially if you are already in the Canon system:

 

 

These look really good. Looking forward to the comparison video's of the nikon zr, canon r6iii, panadonic s1ii and I guess still the sony a7siii.

(Would get the s1ii for the ibis, nikon zr for the monitor and IQ(but fear the datarates), hope the r6iii has similar IQ as the zr and good ibis, and the a7siii/fx3 is still somewhat industry standard which has benefits like lots of good luts available). + I still own a bunch of EF glass which really works well on panasonic. (Adapting it to sony kinda sucked back in the day, nikon not sure, canon should be pretty flawless I guess)

[Django]

9 hours ago, MrSMW said:

@Django the ‘crippling’ I was referring to (for want of a better term) was the lack of IBIS in the C50 killed it for my needs and the rear LCD on the R6iii. Not that the latter would have saved it for me but the C50 had HUGE appeal to me but IBIS is absolutely fundamental to me.

And the Sigma BF, yup, it’s a piece of jewellery. I really hoped they would have developed the FP and added a couple of features it was missing for me such as IBIS and a tilt screen.

Re. the ZR, I also think it’s a bit overhyped at the moment and has a few missing elements, but for price especially, has been the ‘best’ overall release of 2025. At least so far, - Sony are popping their next A7 out later this month if the smoke from the Dolomites is correct and they may pull a surprise?

My interest and commentary is more an impartial one. I’m 99% happy with the gear I have but at the same time if something else comes along that is quantifiably better (for my needs) and it’s financially doable, I am going to at least check it out.

Right now, I’d like the C50 body and spec but with the ZR screen, (the size & res of it anyway but would prefer a tilt or fully articulated) with with Z or E Mount and the IBIS and video tools of LUMIX.

Maybe one day someone will get it right for me and it all exists, just not in any single brand or camera!

The closest is probably Nikon…

Yeah I totally get you on the C50. Without IBIS it’s a tough sell for any hybrid or handheld doc setup. Such a shame because that form factor is so right otherwise.

I’m actually the opposite on shooting style these days. My eyesight’s slipping a bit, so I rely heavily on the EVF for framing and just use the rear screen for settings and quick checks. In that sense the FX2 body design is near perfect, that tilting EVF paired with the big6 menu on rear display is brilliant. But they completely wasted it by putting that old slow A7 IV sensor inside. The rolling shutter kills any handheld motion, which makes no sense for a cinema body.

That’s also why I have low hopes for the A7 V. Sony can’t risk undercutting the FX2 and FX3, so I doubt we’ll see internal RAW, open gate or even 6K/8K included. They’ll probably save that for an eventual FX3 Mark II. 

I’m still keeping an eye on the ZR though. Bloom just dropped a lengthy review yesterday and his conclusions matched what I felt in my short time with it: gorgeous display, excellent RAW image quality, but odd handling and UI, plus that horrible baked noise reduction that makes the compressed codecs look soft and full of artifacts. It’s a fascinating camera, but definitely one that still feels like a work in progress. 

Canon’s not perfect, hardware is dull but at least with the R6 III they’ve finally built something balanced and forward thinking at a realistic price. In many ways it totally outperforms the much more expensive R5 mk2 which is a complete change in strategy and a good one. 

[Django]

6 hours ago, zerocool22 said:

These look really good. Looking forward to the comparison video's of the nikon zr, canon r6iii, panadonic s1ii and I guess still the sony a7siii.

(Would get the s1ii for the ibis, nikon zr for the monitor and IQ(but fear the datarates), hope the r6iii has similar IQ as the zr and good ibis, and the a7siii/fx3 is still somewhat industry standard which has benefits like lots of good luts available). + I still own a bunch of EF glass which really works well on panasonic. (Adapting it to sony kinda sucked back in the day, nikon not sure, canon should be pretty flawless I guess)

There are already C50 vs ZR, FX3, S1ii videos out there and the R6iii uses the same sensor as C50 so that'll already tell you quite a bit. 

Z mount adaptability is definitely what's making me consider going Nikon. If I go with the ZR I would get the megadap for Sony & EF lenses. This short test seems very positive about EF glass on Z body:

On the other hand, if I go R6 mk3 I'd probably dump my 50mm f1.2 & 35mm f1.4 and go with the RF 45mm f1.2. Gaining open gate is huge and its a true hybrid with EVF and mech shutter so that's where I'm leaning atm.

[MrSMW]

45 minutes ago, Django said:

Without IBIS it’s a tough sell for any hybrid or handheld doc setup. Such a shame because that form factor is so right otherwise

100%

45 minutes ago, Django said:

I’m actually the opposite on shooting style these days. My eyesight’s slipping a bit, so I rely heavily on the EVF for framing and just use the rear screen for settings and quick checks

Same here (eyesight slipping!) but would prefer a larger, brighter and more detailed LCD. A monitor would be better, but that doesn’t work for me for my use case. Tried it and it just doesn’t. Hence why the ZR has HUGE appeal and I just hope other manufacturers take note and follow suit because for too long we have had crappy little screens!

48 minutes ago, Django said:

That’s also why I have low hopes for the A7 V. Sony can’t risk undercutting the FX2 and FX3, so I doubt we’ll see internal RAW, open gate or even 6K/8K included. They’ll probably save that for an eventual FX3 Mark II

Yes, I really don’t know where they go with that because it can’t out FX3 the FX3 and… I just don’t know what it’s going to be that the A7IV isn’t?

34 minutes ago, Django said:

Z mount adaptability is definitely what's making me consider going Nikon. If I go with the ZR I would get the megadap for Sony

That’s exactly what I did with my single Z cam earlier this year, but both of my zoom lenses (Tamron 28-75 and 70-180) MKii versions are now available in native Z Mount and are still the best options out there from any brand/Mount for my needs…but I can’t access them with L Mount and there’s no equivalent of the 70-180 sadly.

Which reminds me, I still have 2x expensive Megadap Sony E to Z adapters I need to sell as I can’t realistically see any future for me with Nikon at this time.