Canon M6 Mark II vs T4i

The Canon EOS M6 Mark II and the Canon EOS Rebel T4i (labelled Canon 650D in some countries) are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in August 2019 and June 2012. The M6 Mark II is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the T4i is a DSLR. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The M6 Mark II has a resolution of 32.3 megapixels, whereas the T4i provides 17.9 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon M6 Mark II		Canon T4i
Mirrorless system camera		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF-M mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
32.3 MP – APS-C sensor		17.9 MP – APS-C sensor
4K/30p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-12,800 (100 - 25,600)
Viewfinder optional		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
14 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
305 shots per battery charge		440 shots per battery charge
120 x 70 x 49 mm, 408 g		133 x 100 x 79 mm, 575 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS M6 Mark II and the Canon EOS Rebel T4i? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Canon M6 Mark II and the Canon T4i are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon T4i is considerably larger (58 percent) than the Canon M6 Mark II. Moreover, the T4i is substantially heavier (41 percent) than the M6 Mark II. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the M6 Mark II nor the T4i are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the M6 Mark II gets 305 shots out of its Canon LP-E17 battery, while the T4i can take 440 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E8 power pack. The power pack in the M6 Mark II can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon M6 Mark II	120 mm	70 mm	49 mm	408 g	305	n	Aug 2019	US$ 849	ebay.com
2.		Canon T4i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	575 g	440	n	Jun 2012	US$ 849	ebay.com
3.		Canon 2000D	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	US$ 449	amazon.com
4.		Canon 4000D	129 mm	102 mm	77 mm	436 g	500	n	Feb 2018	US$ 399	amazon.com
5.		Canon G5 X Mark II	111 mm	61 mm	46 mm	340 g	230	n	Jul 2019	US$ 899	ebay.com
6.		Canon M5	116 mm	89 mm	61 mm	427 g	295	n	Sep 2016	US$ 979	ebay.com
7.		Canon M6	112 mm	68 mm	45 mm	390 g	295	n	Feb 2017	US$ 779	ebay.com
8.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	US$ 779	ebay.com
9.		Canon M50 Mark II	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	387 g	305	n	Oct 2020	US$ 599	ebay.com
10.		Canon RP	133 mm	85 mm	70 mm	485 g	250	n	Feb 2019	US$ 1 299	amazon.com
11.		Canon T2i	129 mm	98 mm	62 mm	530 g	440	n	Feb 2010	US$ 699	ebay.com
12.		Canon T3i	133 mm	100 mm	80 mm	570 g	440	n	Feb 2011	US$ 599	ebay.com
13.		Canon T5	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	480 g	500	n	Feb 2014	US$ 449	ebay.com
14.		Canon T5i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	US$ 649	ebay.com
15.		Canon T6s	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	US$ 649	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic LX100 II	115 mm	66 mm	65 mm	392 g	300	n	Aug 2018	US$ 999	ebay.com
17.		Sony A6400	120 mm	67 mm	50 mm	403 g	410	Y	Jan 2019	US$ 899	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The two cameras under review were launched at the same price and fall into the same market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the T4i is 2 percent smaller. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.6. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

In terms of chip-set technology, the M6 Mark II uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 8) than the T4i (DIGIC 5), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

With 32.3MP, the M6 Mark II offers a higher resolution than the T4i (17.9MP), but the M6 Mark II has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.23μm versus 4.31μm for the T4i). However, the M6 Mark II is a much more recent model (by 7 years and 2 months) than the T4i, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels.

The resolution advantage of the Canon M6 Mark II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the M6 Mark II for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 34.8 x 23.2 inches or 88.4 x 58.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 27.8 x 18.6 inches or 70.7 x 47.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 23.2 x 15.5 inches or 58.9 x 39.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon T4i are 25.9 x 17.3 inches or 65.8 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 20.7 x 13.8 inches or 52.7 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 17.3 x 11.5 inches or 43.9 x 29.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS M6 Mark II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS Rebel T4i are ISO 100 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon M6 Mark II	APS-C	32.3	6960	4640	4K/30p	24.0	13.5	1848	83
2.		Canon T4i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	722	62
3.		Canon 2000D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	11.9	1009	71
4.		Canon 4000D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.4	695	63
5.		Canon G5 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
6.		Canon M5	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.4	1262	77
7.		Canon M6	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.6	1317	78
8.		Canon M50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
9.		Canon M50 Mark II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.6	1939	83
10.		Canon RP	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.3	11.9	2977	85
11.		Canon T2i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	784	66
12.		Canon T3i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	793	65
13.		Canon T5	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.3	724	63
14.		Canon T5i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	681	61
15.		Canon T6s	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
16.		Panasonic LX100 II	Four Thirds	16.8	4736	3552	4K/30p	22.8	12.7	979	72
17.		Sony A6400	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.0	13.6	1431	83
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the M6 Mark II provides a higher video resolution than the T4i. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the T4i is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the T4i has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the M6 Mark II relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. That said, the M6 Mark II can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the EVF-DC2. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon M6 Mark II and Canon T4i in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon M6 Mark II	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	14.0/s	Y	n
2.		Canon T4i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 2000D	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon 4000D	optical	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon G5 X Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon M5	2360	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon M6	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon M50	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon M50 Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon RP	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
11.		Canon T2i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
12.		Canon T3i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
13.		Canon T5	optical	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
14.		Canon T5i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
15.		Canon T6s	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
16.		Panasonic LX100 II	2764	n	3.0 / 1240	fixed	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
17.		Sony A6400	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the M6 Mark II is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Canon M6 Mark II has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the M6 Mark II and the T4i write their files to SDXC cards. The M6 Mark II supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the T4i can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS M6 Mark II and Canon EOS Rebel T4i and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon M6 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Canon T4i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 2000D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon 4000D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon G5 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon M5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
7.		Canon M6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Canon M50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
9.		Canon M50 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
10.		Canon RP	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
11.		Canon T2i	Y	stereo / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Canon T3i	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Canon T5	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Canon T5i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Canon T6s	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Panasonic LX100 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
17.		Sony A6400	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y

It is notable that the M6 Mark II offers wifi support, while the T4i does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Both the M6 Mark II and the T4i have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The T4i was replaced by the Canon T5i, while the M6 Mark II does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the M6 Mark II and T4i can be found, respectively, in the Canon M6 Mark II Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon T4i Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Canon M6 Mark II better than the Canon T4i or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS M6 Mark II:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (32.3 vs 17.9MP) with a 34% higher linear resolution.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 8 vs DIGIC 5).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/30p).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (14 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (120x70mm vs 133x100mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 167g or 29 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More modern: Reflects 7 years and 2 months of technical progress since the T4i launch.

Advantages of the Canon EOS Rebel T4i:

• Easier framing: Has an optical viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (440 versus 305) out of a single battery charge.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in June 2012).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the M6 Mark II is the clear winner of the match-up (14 : 4 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon M6 Mark II and the Canon T4i place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the M6 Mark II or the T4i perform in practice. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon M6 Mark II	..	+	4.5/5	85/100	4/5	4/5	Aug 2019	US$ 849	ebay.com
2.		Canon T4i	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2012	US$ 849	ebay.com
3.		Canon 2000D	3/5	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 449	amazon.com
4.		Canon 4000D	2.5/5	o	3/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 399	amazon.com
5.		Canon G5 X Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	..	4/5	Jul 2019	US$ 899	ebay.com
6.		Canon M5	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2016	US$ 979	ebay.com
7.		Canon M6	..	..	..	80/100	4/5	4/5	Feb 2017	US$ 779	ebay.com
8.		Canon M50	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 779	ebay.com
9.		Canon M50 Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	3.5/5	Oct 2020	US$ 599	ebay.com
10.		Canon RP	4/5	+	4/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2019	US$ 1 299	amazon.com
11.		Canon T2i	..	+ +	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2010	US$ 699	ebay.com
12.		Canon T3i	3/5	o	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	US$ 599	ebay.com
13.		Canon T5	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	US$ 449	ebay.com
14.		Canon T5i	..	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	US$ 649	ebay.com
15.		Canon T6s	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	US$ 649	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic LX100 II	4.5/5	+	4.2/5	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	US$ 999	ebay.com
17.		Sony A6400	4/5	+	4/5	85/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jan 2019	US$ 899	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

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