The Sweet Spot

R2D2 wrote:

Alastair Norcross wrote:

Excellent review. My only major disagreement is with the portrait score. I give it 5/5 for that. I much prefer primes over zooms for portraits, and the Sigma 56 is simply a stellar portrait prime for APS-C. The 32 and 22 are also good for portraits (depending on the style). The combination of the excellent eye AF of the M6II and the available fast primes (for longer working distance, the adapted 85 F1.8 works really well) makes the M6II an excellent portrait camera.

Yes, I’d have to give it at least 4.5/5 for portraits. The Eye AF is simply beyond marvelous, and the Siggy 56 is a stellar lens for M. So much so that I sold my 50 STM and 60 Macro, and hardly ever use my 40 or even my 85 any more!

The only reason I don’t give it a 5/5 is that you can still get slightly more background blur with FF.

R2

Understand, that the EOS M system does not exist in a vacuum, and both comparing it against it's peers (Fuji X and Sony E mounts) and even now FF offerings due to price (Eos RP with say a EF 85mm f/1.8 adapted) and these reviews go on Amazon, not just our little echo chamber of folks wanting confirmation bias.

Pictures say a thousand words.

EF 85mm f/1.8 adapted

The fabulous, but, manual focus Rokinon 50mm f/1.2 on the EOS M6 Mark II. A lens I don't recommend to most people as they simply can't or won't do manual focus, let alone at f/1.2 at a longer focal

28mm on a FF @ f/2. We still don't have a fast zoom. Environmental portraits, not just "85mm" exist I can assure you

The reality is a Fuji X-T3 or A6600 should get 4/5 and a EOS R and A7 III should get 5/5 for portraits in the grand context of general cameras, especially when you start looking at price and peers and what someone will logically shoot. Even a used 6D with 85mm f/1.8 is arguably better at portraits due to the sheer glass alone.

Now, is the M6 Mark II just "average" because I gave it 3/5? No, it's excellent. But then again so is your smartphone at that now (ouch). Canon at this junction, needs to step up their game if they want 4/5 or 5/5 for portraits in this category with the M. I fear they won't truth told and that's okay. A camera that does pretty darn good in portraits, and stellar in everything else, is nothing to poke an eye with a sharp stick with. I can't say the same about other cameras, especially for the bulk and price which is once again, why I own an M6 Mark II. But, I also own an R and RF 28-70 f/2L for "party duty" and special events, bokeh, and extreme low light still as a result.