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Does The Canon 6D Have Continuous Autofocus In Video

No, the Canon 6D (released in 2012) does not have continuous autofocus in videos (movie servo AF), but there are some decent alternatives that do.

The best alternatives to the Canon 6D, if you want continuous autofocus in videos, are the EOS 6D Mark II, the Canon EOS R8, and the Canon EOS Rebel SL3.

All of these 3 alternative cameras have movie Servo AF:

How To Autofocus In Video On Canon 6D?

The Canon 6D does not have continuous autofocus in video mode.

If you want to autofocus on the Canon 6D during video you will have to half press the shutter button to lock on to a subject, but then if you start recording the autofocus system won’t track the subject.

If the subject isn’t moving then this isn’t an issue but it does get annoying. If you plan to do any type of vlogging or anything like that then the Canon 6D definitely isn’t right for you. 

If you really want to use the Canon 6D for video you’ll be better off learning to get good at manual focus for recording videos. 

Alternative Cameras to Canon 6D that have Continuous Video Autofocus

Some decent alternative cameras to the original Canon 6D include the Canon 6D Mark II and the Canon EOS R8.

Both of these are full frame Canon cameras just like the Canon 6D, with the 6D Mark II being a DSLR and the EOS R8 being a mirrorless camera.

  • Canon EOS 6D Mark II (Full-frame, DSLR, no 4K)
  • Canon EOS R8 (Full-frame, mirrorless, has 4K, up to 180 FPS in 1080P)

If you just want a more budget option and don’t mind using an APS-C camera then I would suggest the Canon Rebel SL3 (250D).

  • Canon EOS Rebel SL3 (APS-C, DSLR, has 4K, 1080p up to 60fps)

Canon 6D Mark II

If you want similar full frame DSLRs to the 6D that do have continuous video autofocus then there’s a few cameras you could consider.

The Canon 6D Mark II is probably the most obvious option though

It’s a direct upgrade and just like the 6D the Canon 6D Mark II has a full-frame sensor. 

The main thing is that the 6D Mark II does have movie servo AF meaning the 6D Mark II has continuous autofocus for video. 

Some other improvements that the Canon 6D Mark II makes over the original 6D is that the 6D Mark II has:

  • Higher resolution sensor 26.2 MP vs 20.2 MP on 6D
  • A fully articulated screen
  • About 10% better battery life 
  • 60fps at 1080p (the 6D can only do 60fps at 720p)

One reason not to get the 6D Mark II is that it doesn’t have 4K video, which isn’t ideal for 2023.

Canon EOS R8

The Canon EOS R8 is one of Canon’s newest full-frame cameras at the time of writing (May 2023), and it’s probably one of the best affordable full frame cameras out there right now. 

Of course, the Canon EOS R8 does have movie servo AF so you can use continuous autofocus in videos. 

Here are some of the other main things that make the Canon EOS R8 better than the Canon 6D for video:

  • Higher resolution sensor of 24.2 MP vs 20.2 on the Canon 6D
  • A fully articulated screen
  • Can shoot 4k at 60 fps
  • Can shoot 180 fps video at 1080p!
  • Has up to 40fps continuous shooting (photos) with the electronic shutter.

Canon Rebel SL3

If you need a budget option then this one is for you my friend.

The Canon Rebel SL3 (250D) is a great entry-level DSLR for its price. Even though it is a crop sensor camera with a smaller sensor than the original 6D, the SL3 is a lot newer.

The Canon Rebel SL3 (250D) came out in 2019, but the Canon 6D was released in 2012 meaning there’s 7 years of new tech that can get utilized by the SL3.

Just like the other alternatives mentioned above the Canon Rebel SL3 does have movie servo AF so you can use continuous autofocus in your videos.

Here are some other benefits for the Canon Rebel SL3 that make it a good alternative to the Canon 6D for video:

Related reading:

Now you should know that video autofocus isn’t that good on the Canon 6D but there are some great alternative cameras like the Canon EOS R8.

If you want to have a look at other full frame cameras then you can see every Canon full-frame camera in this list.

The Canon 6D is a pretty old camera now so whether you are buying one or selling one you should know how to check the shutter count on a Canon 6D.