Reader's Choice Camera of the Year 2023

For the first time, we asked our readers to vote in the Reader’s Choice Awards, we share your Reader’s Choice Camera of the Year 2023 below

It’s that time of year again, as the AP Awards 2023 are announced! As a weekly magazine Amateur Photographer tests more software and accessories than any other UK publication and our tests are widely respected around the world for their independence, quality and depth.

As a result, the AP Awards, which have been an annual highlight in the photography calendar for well over 40 years, are held in higher regard within the global camera industry than any other UK award.

We received well over 1000 votes in the Reader’s Choice Awards, but with 20% of the vote find out more about your Reader’s Choice Camera of the Year 2023 below…

AP Awards 2023: Reader’s Choice Camera of the Year 2023

Canon EOS R6 MK II

canon eos r6 II readers choice camera of the year ap awards 2023

Canon’s original EOS R6 won our coveted Product of the Year award in 2021, so we were very excited when its replacement arrived at the end of 2022. It seems our readers were, too, as the EOS R6 Mark II won our Readers Choice Camera of the Year by a clear margin. It pipped the Sony Alpha A7R V and Fujifilm X-T5 into second and third place, respectively.

Much like its predecessor, the EOS R6 Mark II boasts an impressive spec sheet while offering excellent handling in a reasonably compact body. Its new 24MP sensor features Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF II technology, which, enables phase detection autofocus anywhere in the frame in light levels as low as -6.5EV. It offers a standard sensitivity range up to ISO 102,400, alongside continuous shooting at up to 40 frames per second. In-body image stabilisation promises up to 8 stops of shake correction.

Subject detection

One major update is the addition of subject detection autofocus, which is capable of recognising aircraft, trains, cars, humans, animals and birds. Unlike most cameras, you don’t have to specify the subject type in advance, as the camera can choose between them automatically. So it’s less likely you’ll miss shots.

Canon EOS R6 Mark II review photo by Andy Westlake

The Canon EOS R6 Mark II. Photo credit: Andy Westlake

Naturally, the video specification is also very impressive. The camera offers 4K recording at 60 fps from the full sensor width, which is oversampled in 6K for increased detail. It can also output 6K 60p ProRes raw to an external recorder over HDMI. While Full HD slow motion recording is available at 180fps. Interesting new features include ‘face only AF’ where the camera won’t attempt to refocus when a human subject walks out of shot, and a pre-recording option where either 3 or 5 seconds of footage can be buffered before you start filming.

In design terms, the Mark II is very similar to its predecessor, which means it handles extremely well with external controls for almost every important setting. The biggest update is that it gains a new photo/video mode switch. Elsewhere, it employs the same 3in, 1.62m-dot fully articulated touchscreen and 0.76x, 3.69m-dot viewfinder. Altogether, this makes for an impressive camera with an extremely well-rounded specification that should be adept at shooting almost any kind of subject.