Canon 6D DSLR Camera
Canon EOS 6D is the Canon’s first true enthusiast level full-frame digital camera. While the Canon EOS 5D Mark III and Canon EOS 1DX also have a full frame sensor, the Canon EOS 6D’s design and handling is far closer to that of the APS-C format Canon EOS 60D.

Description
In many ways the Canon EOS 6D is the Canon’s first true enthusiast level full-frame digital camera. While the Canon EOS 5D Mark III and Canon EOS 1DX also have a full frame sensor, the Canon EOS 6D’s design and handling is far closer to that of the APS-C format Canon EOS 60D.
In a mix of numbers, the Canon 6D sits just below the Canon EOS 7D and above the Canon EOS 60D, despite the Canon 7D being considerably cheaper. But then the Canon EOS 7D was launched back in 2009, and although it has high-end features that are well tuned to wildlife and sports photographers, its price has fallen.
The smaller body size and weight, as well as the reduced feature set, confirm that the Canon 6D is for the enthusiast or travel photographer. These users want a high-quality camera, but they don’t need the bomb-proof build quality of cameras higher up the Canon DSLR lineup.
Canon has included a couple of modern niceties with the 6D, including Wi-Fi and GPS technology built in for the first time in a DSLR.
These are handy for recording your location and taking wireless control of your camera or uploading your images directly to your computer or Facebook and so on, without having to carry cables.
At the heart of the Canon 6D is a 20.2 million pixel full frame CMOS sensor. This combined with the Digic 5 processor enables a native sensitivity range of ISO 100-25600, which is great for low light and landscape work, but can be extended to ISO 50-102400 if necessary.
Priced at £1,799/AU$2,349/US$2,099 body only or £2,519.99/AU$3,498/US$2,899 with an EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM kit lens, the Canon EOS 6D is appreciably more affordable than the Nikon D600.
There are a total of 11 AF points, eight fewer than the Canon 7D, with only the central one being cross-type. This means the Canon 6D has two more AF points than the Canon 60D, but this lower-level camera’s nine points are all cross-type.
Migrating down from the Canon 5D Mark III are the various AF fine tune options, showing that the Canon EOS 6D is capable of some advanced AF control. These enable you to quickly adjust the tracking sensitivity and the acceleration and deceleration of tracking, which again are all useful when shooting moving subjects.
At 4.5fps, the Canon EOS 6D’s maximum continuous shooting rate is also slower than the 5.3fps of the Canon 60D, which even given the Canon 60D’s 2MP lower resolution seems a little odd, because it has a Digic 4 processor.
Another key difference between the Canon 6D and the Canon 60D, of course, is that the APS-C format camera has an articulating LCD screen. In other respects, however, the screens are the same, and both cameras have a 3-inch 1,040,000-dot device.
Wi-Fi technology is slowly appearing in compact cameras and CSCs, but the Canon 6D is the first DSLR to feature it built in.
While this may seem like a gimmick in many cases, or at worst just a half-hearted attempt, Canon’s engineers have produced a simple, straightforward solution that’s easy to set up and is beautifully executed.
Pairing the camera and a smartphone takes a couple of minutes via the Canon EOS Remote app, and shouldn’t be beyond the reach of even the most tech-phobic photographer. Once paired, you can select the shooting mode you want and then adjust the settings on the screen of your phone.
Taking manual mode as the example, you have quick and instant access to aperture, shutter speed and sensitivity, which are all adjustable with a touch of the relevant option.
As default, the focus button is hidden, but once it’s switched on through the settings menu, the app suddenly becomes the wireless solution we’ve been waiting for.
In use this Wi-Fi app works seamlessly, enabling you to quickly select your focus point, touch to focus, double-tap to zoom in on the image preview and check, and tap the shutter release to shoot. Once taken, the image appears on screen.
As with solutions from Nikon, Panasonic and Olympus, images can be downloaded from the card to the device ready to view.
At present the only company to take the Wi-Fi solution a step further is Panasonic, with the GH3 and the ability to zoom wirelessly with its power zoom lenses.
The Wi-Fi feature isn’t just isolated to camera control through a smartphone, though, since there are further options in-camera that can connect to other wireless networks. These options include uploading your images, transfering files between camera bodies or computers or to your printer and even a Wi-Fi-enabled TV.
The addition of GPS should appeal to travel photographers, but is one of those features that can only be fully appreciated once used. Being able to accurately locate where you’ve shot your pictures is handy, especially if there are locations you visited and mean to return to.
As with Wi-Fi, setup is quick – just switch it on in the menu system, adjust the settings as needed and it’s ready to go, once a satellite has been located, of course.
Then go about shooting as normal, and once back at your computer the GPS data is automatically tagged to the image information. This can be recalled and viewed either through Canon’s software or any application that can read EXIF information.
Both Wi-Fi and GPS, once switched on, are highlighted on the LCD screen.
There are several omissions from the Canon EOS 6D that we might reasonably expect to see on a camera of this level, but times are changing and so is the way we use a DSLR, so some of these absences start to make sense.
Unlike the Canon EOS 7D, there’s no PC socket (the port for connecting a studio flash) or pop-up flash. However, there is a flash hotshoe. This shouldn’t be an issue for many enthusiasts, however, because they tend to use flashguns.
If you do want to use the camera with a studio setup, then many budget sets including some from Ellinchrom, Lencarta and Bowens now feature their own trigger wireless systems.
Next is the single SD card slot. With rivals such as the Nikon D600 featuring two SD card slots and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III having SD and CF ports, you’d expect to see two card slots in this body.
But keeping body size and weight to a minimum was important for the Canon EOS 6D’s designers. Add to this the low price and high capacity of SD cards today, and two slots becomes less essential to enthusiast photographers.
Full HD video capture is of course possible, but as with both the Canon EOS 7D and Canon EOS 60D there’s no headphone socket for you to monitor the sound while recording. There is a visual guide to audio levels, along with Manual control over them, however.
Hitting the info button in movie live view switches between the different overlay and info screens, one of which includes a visual audio level, which enables you to monitor the sound levels visually when recording.
So while the Canon EOS 6D has the ability to shoot high quality video footage, an external audio recorder such as the Tascam DR-40 is still worth considering.
Touch and articulated screens have become big news. So while the EOS 60D has a very handy articulated screen and the EOS 650D has a touchscreen, the EOS 6D feels a little bit of a letdown, with a fixed high resolution Clear View TFT 3-inch screen with approximately 1040k dots.
Although the screen has no new frills, it displays menus and images clearly. In bright sunlight the amount of reflection is kept to a minimum, and most importantly the colour and tone of images on the screen closely relates to those you see on screen back in the digital darkroom.
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Canon EOS 6D Full Specifications
Type | Digital AF/AE single-lens reflex camera | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Recording media | SD/SDHC/SDXC card (Compatible with UHS-I) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Image sensor size | Approx. 35.8 x 23.9 mm | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Compatible lenses | Canon EF lenses (except EF-S and EF-M lenses) (The effective focal length is the same as indicated on the lens) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Lens mount | Canon EF mount | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Image Sensor | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Type | CMOS sensor | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Pixels | Effective pixels: Approx. 20.20 megapixels Total pixels: Approx. 20.60 megapixels | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Aspect ratio | 3:2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Color filter system | RGB primary color filter | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Low-pass filter | Fixed position in front of the image sensor | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Dust deletion feature |
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Recording System | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Recording format | Design rule for Camera File System 2.0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Image type | JPEG, RAW (14-bit Canon original) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
RAW+JPEG simultaneous recording | Three RAW types and eight JPEG types can be set in any combination | ||||||||||||||||||||||
File size |
* Exact file sizes depend on the subject, ISO speed, Picture Style, etc. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Folder setting | Folder creation/selection enabled | ||||||||||||||||||||||
File numbering | Consecutive numbering, auto reset, manual reset | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Image Processing | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Color space | sRGB, Adobe RGB | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Picture Style | Auto, Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Neutral, Faithful, Monochrome, User Def. 1- 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Basic+ | Shoot by ambience selection, Shoot by lighting or scene type | ||||||||||||||||||||||
White Balance | Auto, daylight, shade, cloudy, tungsten light, white fluorescent light, flash, custom, color temperature setting (2500-10000K) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Auto white balance | Auto white balance with the image sensor | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Color temperature compensation | White balance correction: +/-9 stops in full-stop increments White balance bracketing: +/-3 stops in full-stop increments * Blue/amber direction or magenta/green direction possible | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Color temperature information transmission | Provided | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Noise reduction | Applicable to long exposures and high ISO speed shots | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Automatic image brightness correction | Auto Lighting Optimizer | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Highlight tone priority | Provided | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Lens aberration correction | Peripheral illumination correction, Chromatic aberration correction | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Viewfinder | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Type | Eye-level pentaprism | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Coverage | Vertical/Horizontal approx. 97% | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Magnification | Approx. 0.71x (-1 m-1 with 50mm lens at infinity) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Eyepoint | Approx. 21 mm (from eyepiece lens center) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Built-in dioptric adjustment | -3.0 – +1.0 m-1 (diopter) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Focusing screen | Eg-A II provided, interchangeable 2 types (sold separately) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Mirror | Quick-return half mirror (Transmission: reflection ratio of 40:60, no mirror cut-off with EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM or shorter lenses) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Viewfinder information | AF information (AF points, focus confirmation light), Exposure information (shutter speed, aperture, ISO speed, AE lock, exposure level, exposure warning), Flash information (flash ready, high-speed sync, FE lock, flash exposure compensation), Image information (Highlight tone priority(D+), maximum burst, card information), Battery check, Composition information (Electronic level), Warning symbol (Displayed if any of the following is set: Monochrome, White balance correction, expanded ISO speed, or spot metering) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Depth-of-field preview | Enabled with depth-of-field preview button | ||||||||||||||||||||||
AutoFocus | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Type | TTL Secondary image-registration, phase detection system with AF-dedicated CMOS sensor | ||||||||||||||||||||||
AF points | 11 AF points Center: Cross-type AF at f/5.6 Center: Vertical line-sensitive AF at f/2.8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Focusing brightness range | EV –3-18 (at center AF point [sensitive to f/2.8 and f/5.6], 23°C, ISO 100) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Focus operation |
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AF point selection | Automatic selection, manual selection | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Selected AF point display | Superimposed in viewfinder and indicated on LCD monitor | ||||||||||||||||||||||
AF-assist beam | Emitted by the EOS-dedicated external Speedlite | ||||||||||||||||||||||
AF Microadjustment | Possible | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Exposure Control | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Metering modes |
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Metering range | EV 1-20 (at 23°C with EF 50mm f/1.8 II lens, ISO 100) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Exposure control | Program AE (Scene Intelligent Auto, Creative Auto, Special scene [Portrait, Landscape, Close-up, Sports, Night Portrait, Handheld Night Scene, HDR Backlight Control], Program), Shutter-priority AE, Aperture-priority AE, Manual exposure, Bulb exposure | ||||||||||||||||||||||
ISO speed (Recommended Exposure Index) | Basic Zone modes*: ISO 100 – 12800 set automatically*Landscape: ISO 100 – 1600 set automatically, Handheld Night Scene: ISO 100 – 25600 set automatically P, Tv, Av, M, B: Auto ISO, ISO 100 – 25600 (in 1/3- or whole-stop increments), or ISO expansion to L (equivalent to ISO 50), H1 (equivalent to ISO 51200), H2 (equivalent to ISO 102400) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
ISO speed settings | ISO speed range, Auto ISO range, and Auto ISO minimum shutter speed settable | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Exposure compensation | Manual : +/-5 stops in 1/3- or 1/2-stop incrementsAEB : +/-3 stops in 1/3- or 1/2-stop increments (Settable in combination with manual exposure compensation) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
AE lock | Auto: Applied in One-Shot AF mode with evaluative metering when focus is achieved. Manual: By AE lock button in all metering modes. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
HDR Shooting | Dynamic range adjustment: Auto, +/-1 EV, +/-2 EV, +/-3 EV Auto image align: Possible | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Multiple Exposure | Multiple-exposure control: Additive, Average No. of multiple exposures: 2 to 9 exposures | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Shutter | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Type | Electronically-controlled, focal-plane shutter | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Shutter speeds | 1/4000 to 30 sec., bulb (Total shutter speed range. Available range varies by shooting mode.) X-sync at 1/180 sec. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Shutter release | Soft-touch electromagnetic release | ||||||||||||||||||||||
External Speedlite | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Compatible flash | EX-series Speedlites | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Flash metering | E-TTL II autoflash | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Flash exposure compensation | +/-3 stops in 1/3- or 1/2-stop increments | ||||||||||||||||||||||
FE lock | Provided | ||||||||||||||||||||||
External flash settings | Flash function settings, Flash C.Fn settings (Compatible with radio wireless flash photography) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
PC terminal | None | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Drive System | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Drive modes | Single shooting, Continuous shooting, , Silent single shooting, Silent continuous shooting, 10-sec. self-timer/remote control, 2-sec. self-timer/remote control | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Continuous shooting speed | Continuous shooting: Max. approx. 4.5 shots/sec. Silent continuous shooting: Max. approx. 3.0 shots/sec. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Max. burst | JPEG L/Fine: Approx. 73 shots (approx. 1250 shots) RAW: Approx. 14 shots (approx. 17 shots) RAW+JPEG L/Fine: Approx. 7 shots (approx. 8 shots)*Figures are based on Canon’s testing standards (ISO 100 and Standard Picture Style) and an 8 GB card. *Figures in parentheses apply to an UHS-I compatible 8 GB card based on Canon’s testing standards. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Live View Functions | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Focusing |
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Focusing brightness range | EV 1 – 18 (with contrast detection, at 23°C, ISO 100) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Metering modes | Real-time metering with image sensor
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Metering range | EV 0-20 (at 23°C with EF 50mm f/1.4 USM lens, ISO 100) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Magnified view | Magnifiable by 5x or 10x at AF point | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Grid display | Three grid displays provided | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Exposure simulation | (1) Enable (2) While pressing depth-of-field preview button (3) Disable | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Silent Shooting | Provided (Mode 1 and 2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Movie Shooting | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Movie compression | MPEG-4 AVC (H.264) Variable (average) bit-rate | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Compression Method | ALL-I (Low Compression) / IPB (High Compression) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Audio recording format | Linear PCM | ||||||||||||||||||||||
File type | MOV | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Recording size and Frame rate | Full HD: 1920 x 1080; 30p/ 25p/ 24p (ALL-I or IPB) HD:1280 x 720; 60p/ 50p (ALL-I or IPB) SD:640 x 480; 30p/ 25p (IPB) * 30p: 29.97fps, 25p: 25.00fps, 24p: 23.976fps 60p: 59.94fps, 50p: 50.00fps | ||||||||||||||||||||||
File size | 1920 x 1080 (30p/25p/24p): ALL-I: Approx. 685MB/min.;IPB: Approx. 235MB/min. 1280 x 720 (60p/50p): ALL-I: Approx. 610MB/min.;IPB: Approx. 205MB/min. 640 x 480 (30p/25p): IPB: Approx. 78MB/min.;* No 4GB file size limitation * Duration cannot exceed 29min. 59sec. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Continuous shooting time | Approx. 1hr. 35min. at 23°C Approx. 1hr. 25min. at 0°C (with fully charged Battery Pack LP-E6) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Focusing | Same as focusing with Live View shooting | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Metering modes | Center-weighted average and Evaluative metering with the image sensor * Automatically set by the focusing mode | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Metering range | EV 0-20 (at 23°C with EF 50mm f/1.4 USM lens, ISO 100) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Exposure control | Program AE for movie shooting and manual exposure | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Exposure compensation | +/-3 stops in 1/3-stop increments (Still photos: +/-5 stops) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
ISO speed (Recommended Exposure Index) | With autoexposure: Auto ISO (automatically set within ISO 100 – ISO 12800), Maximum and minimum ISO speeds can be changed in Creative Zone modesWith manual exposure: Auto ISO (automatically set within ISO 100 – ISO 12800), ISO 100 – ISO 12800 set manually (in 1/3- or whole-stop increments), expandable to H (equivalent to ISO 16000/20000/25600) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Time Code | Supported | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Drop Frames | Compatible with 60p/ 30p | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Video Snapshots | Settable to 2-sec/4-sec/8-sec | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Sound recording | Built-in monaural microphone External stereo microphone terminal provided Sound recording level adjustable, wind filter provided, attenuator provided | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Grid display | Three types | ||||||||||||||||||||||
LCD Monitor | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Type | “Clear View LCD” TFT color liquid-crystal monitor | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Monitor size | 3.0 inch (3:2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Dots | Approx. 1,040,000 dots | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Coverage | Approx. 100% | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness adjustment | Manual (7 levels) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Interface languages | 25 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Feature Guide | Displayable | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Image Playback | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Display format | Single image, Single image + info (basic info, shooting info, histogram), 4- or 9- image index | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Highlight alert | Provided (Overexposed highlights blinks) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Histogram | Brightness, RGB | ||||||||||||||||||||||
AF point display | Provided | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Grid display | Three types | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Zoom magnification | Approx. 1.5x – 10x, starting magnification and position settable | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Image browsing methods | Single image, jump by 10 or 100 images, by shooting date, by folder, by movie, by stills, by rating | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Image rotate | Possible | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Ratings | Possible | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Movie playback | Enabled (LCD Monitor, video/audio OUT, HDMI OUT) Built-in speaker | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Slide show | All images, by date, by folder, by movies, by stills, or by rating | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Background music | Selectable for slide shows and movie playback | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Post-Processing of Images | |||||||||||||||||||||||
In-camera RAW image processing | Brightness adjustment, white balance, Picture Style, Auto Lighting Optimizer, noise reduction at high ISO speeds noise reduction, JPEG recording quality, color space, peripheral illumination correction, distortion correction, and chromatic aberration correction | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Resize | Possible | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Image Protection and Erase | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Protect | Erase protection of one image, all images in a folder, or all images in the memory card can be applied or canceled at one time | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Erase | One image, all checkmarked images, all images in a folder, or all images in the memory card can be erased (except protected images) at one time | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Direct Printing | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Compatible printers | PictBridge-compatible printers | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Printable images | JPEG and RAW images compliant to Design rule for Camera File System | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Print ordering | DPOF Version 1.1 compatible | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Customization | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Custom Functions | 20 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Camera user settings | Register under Mode Dial’s C1 and C2 positions | ||||||||||||||||||||||
My Menu registration | Provided | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Copyright information | Entry and inclusion enabled | ||||||||||||||||||||||
GPS Functions | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Geotagging Images | Latitude, longitude, elevation, time (UTC) and signal acquisition | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Reception frequency | 1575.42 MHz (L1 band) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Positioning Interval | 1, 5, 10, 15, or 30 seconds, or 1, 2, or 5 minutes | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Time adjustment | Camera time can be set from GPS time data | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Logging mode | NMEA-0813 One file per day * When the time zone is changed, a different file is created. * Log files stored on the internal memory can be transferred to a card/computer. * When the camera’s internal memory becomes full, the oldest log files are overwritten with new information, one by one. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Deleting log data | Supported | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Wireless LAN | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Standards compliance |
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Transmission method | DS-SS modulation (IEEE 802.11b) OFDM modulation (IEEE 802.11g/n) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Transmission range | Approx. 30m * With no obstructions between the transmitting and receiving antennas and no radio interference * With a large, high-performance antenna attached to the wireless LAN access point | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Transmission frequency (central frequency) |
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Connection method | Infrastructure mode*, ad hoc mode, camera access point mode * Wi-Fi Protected Setup supported | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Security | Authentication method: Open, shared key, WPA-PSK, and WPA2-PSK Encryption: WEP, TKIP, and AES | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Wireless Network Functions | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Transfer images between cameras |
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Connection to smartphones |
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Remote operation using EOS Utility |
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Print from Wi-Fi printers |
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Send images to a Web service |
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View images using a media player |
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Interface | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Digital terminal |
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HDMI mini OUT terminal | Type C (Auto switching of resolution), CEC-compatible | ||||||||||||||||||||||
External Microphone input terminal | 3.5mm dia. Stereo mini jack | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Remote control terminal | Compatible with remote control via N3-type terminal | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Wireless remote control | With Remote Controller RC-6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Eye-Fi Card | Compatible |
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