How to Change Settings on Canon EOS R6 Mark II
If you are learning how to change settings on Canon EOS R6 Mark II, the menu system can feel dense at first.
Once you know where the key controls live, you can adjust exposure, autofocus, image quality, and video behavior in seconds.
The Canon EOS R6 Mark II combines a touchscreen, top dials, a quick control screen, and a customizable menu, so the real challenge is not whether a setting exists, but where Canon placed it.
Start With the Main Ways to Change Settings
The EOS R6 Mark II gives you multiple paths to the same result.
You can use the physical controls for speed, the Quick Control screen for common adjustments, or the full menu for deeper changes.
- Top dials: Useful for exposure settings such as shutter speed and aperture in manual or semi-automatic modes.
- Quick Control screen: Best for commonly changed settings like drive mode, ISO, white balance, and metering.
- Main menu: Used for autofocus behavior, image quality, video specifications, and customization.
- Touchscreen: Lets you tap, swipe, and jump through options faster than using only buttons.
How to Access the Menu System
Press the MENU button on the back of the camera to open the full menu.
The Canon EOS R6 Mark II organizes options into color-coded tabs, which makes it easier to separate shooting settings from playback, network, and customization.
Use the rear dial, control ring, or touchscreen to move between tabs.
Tap a setting, select the new value, and press the center button or tap SET to confirm.
Change Exposure Settings
Exposure settings are the first place many photographers start.
On the EOS R6 Mark II, these controls are often changed with the top dial, rear wheel, or Quick Control screen rather than buried in the menu.
Shutter speed, aperture, and ISO
In Manual mode, the camera lets you set shutter speed, aperture, and ISO independently.
In Aperture Priority, you control aperture while the camera selects shutter speed.
In Shutter Priority, the camera handles aperture while you choose shutter speed.
To change ISO, press Q or open the Quick Control screen and select ISO speed settings.
You can then choose a fixed ISO or enable Auto ISO for more flexible shooting.
Exposure compensation
If you are using an automatic or semi-automatic mode, exposure compensation is one of the fastest settings to adjust.
It helps brighten or darken the image without switching to full manual control.
Use the command dial or the exposure compensation control on the Quick Control screen.
Adjust Autofocus Settings
Autofocus is one of the most important areas to understand when learning how to change settings on Canon EOS R6 Mark II.
Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF II system supports subject detection for people, animals, and vehicles, and these options are easy to customize.
Select AF operation
Open the shooting menu or Quick Control screen and look for AF operation.
Common choices include:
- One-Shot AF: Best for still subjects.
- Servo AF: Best for moving subjects and continuous tracking.
- AF Tracking: Helps the camera stay locked onto a subject as it moves.
Choose subject detection
Under the autofocus menu, choose the subject detection mode that matches your subject.
Canon’s subject recognition can prioritize humans, animals, or vehicles, depending on what you are photographing.
If your subject is a person, enable People.
For pets or wildlife, use Animals.
For cars, motorcycles, or motorsports, choose Vehicles.
This is especially useful for sports, event, and action photographers.
Set face and eye detection
Face and eye detection are often enabled within the AF settings.
When active, the camera can detect a face in the frame and prioritize the eye for sharp focus.
This is especially helpful for portraits and documentary work where focus precision matters.
Change Image Quality and File Format
If you want to control file size, editing flexibility, or burst performance, adjust image quality settings.
These options are found in the red shooting menu.
- RAW: Preserves the most data for editing.
- JPEG: Smaller files and faster workflow.
- HEIF: Higher-efficiency format for supported workflows.
- RAW + JPEG: Saves both for maximum flexibility.
Also check Image quality and Image size if you want to change resolution.
Larger files can be useful for cropping, while smaller files save memory card space.
Change White Balance and Picture Style
White balance affects color accuracy, especially under artificial light.
On the EOS R6 Mark II, you can change it from the Quick Control screen or menu.
Choose Auto White Balance for general use, or switch to presets such as Daylight, Shade, Tungsten, or Fluorescent.
If you want even more control, use a custom white balance from a gray card or reference target.
Picture Style controls how the camera renders contrast, color, sharpness, and saturation in JPEG files and previews.
Available styles typically include Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Fine Detail, Neutral, and Monochrome.
Adjust Drive Mode and Continuous Shooting
Drive mode determines whether the camera takes a single image or multiple frames in a burst.
This setting is useful for everything from portraits to sports.
Open the Quick Control screen and select the drive mode icon.
Common options include:
- Single shooting: One frame per press.
- High-speed continuous shooting: Multiple frames for action.
- Self-timer: Useful for tripods and group photos.
- Silent shooting options: Helpful in quiet environments when electronic shutter is appropriate.
If you photograph action, pair continuous drive mode with Servo AF and subject detection for better tracking.
Customize Buttons and Dials
One of the most useful parts of the Canon EOS R6 Mark II is button customization.
If you are changing settings often, assigning them to buttons can save time and reduce menu diving.
Go to the Custom Functions or Customize buttons section in the menu.
From there, you can assign common tasks such as:
- ISO selection
- AF method
- Metering mode
- Exposure compensation
- Image quality
- Video recording
Customizing the lens control ring can also help, especially if you want quick access to ISO, aperture, or exposure compensation.
Use My Menu for Faster Access
If you frequently change the same settings, add them to My Menu.
This creates a personal shortcut list inside the camera menu.
To set it up, open the menu, go to the My Menu tab, and register the items you use most.
Good candidates include autofocus subject detection, image quality, card format, and flicker reduction.
This is a practical way to make the camera easier to use in real shooting situations.
Change Video Settings
The EOS R6 Mark II is also a capable video camera, so many users need to know how to change recording settings.
Video options are typically found in the movie shooting menu or Quick Control movie screen.
Important settings include:
- Resolution: Select Full HD, 4K, or other supported formats.
- Frame rate: Choose 24p, 30p, 60p, or higher options based on your project.
- Movie crop and aspect behavior: Affects framing and field of view.
- Audio input: Adjust microphone levels and external mic settings.
- Movie servo AF: Enables continuous focus during recording.
When shooting video, check stabilization, autofocus tracking, and recording format before you start.
Those settings have a bigger impact on usability than many new users expect.
Reset Settings If the Camera Gets Confusing
If you have changed too many options and want a clean slate, the EOS R6 Mark II includes reset functions.
You can reset shooting settings, custom functions, or all camera settings depending on how much you want to restore.
This is useful after testing unfamiliar features or preparing the camera for a new type of work, such as moving from stills to video.
Practical Settings to Learn First
If your goal is to shoot confidently without memorizing every menu item, focus on these core adjustments first:
- Exposure mode
- ISO
- Autofocus operation
- Subject detection
- Drive mode
- White balance
- Image quality
- Video resolution and frame rate
These are the settings you will likely change most often on Canon EOS R6 Mark II, and mastering them gives you a solid foundation for both photography and video.