Canon R6 Mark III — check this before your next shoot.

Upgrading cameras usually means learning the new headline features. With the Canon EOS R6 Mark III ($2,799 body), the features are genuinely exciting — a new 32.5MP full-frame sensor, up to 40 frames per second with pre-capture, and internal 7K video including open-gate recording. But the thing most likely to trip up an owner on shoot day isn't a headline feature at all. It's a quiet hardware change carried over from Canon's cinema line.

The Mark III does not take two SD cards anymore. Check your bag before the shoot does it for you.

The big check: your memory cards

1. One slot changed type. The Mark III has one CFexpress Type B slot and one SD UHS-II slot — replacing the Mark II's dual SD setup. If your kit is all SD cards, you need at least one CFexpress Type B card before you can use the fastest burst and video modes.
2. Match the card to the mode. 7K RAW video and long 40fps bursts write far faster than everyday stills. Put your fastest card in first, format it in-camera, and shoot a test burst and a test clip at home.
3. Re-plan your backup habit. Dual-slot recording still exists, but your two slots are now two different card types — stock both, so a card failure never becomes a lost shoot.

Three more checks while you're at it

• Battery: the Mark III uses the LP-E6P and stays compatible with LP-E6NH/E6N packs — the oldest original LP-E6 batteries are not supported. Check which spares you're carrying.
• Pre-capture: turn on pre-continuous shooting for action and wildlife — it buffers about half a second of frames before you fully press the shutter, which is the feature most likely to save a moment you'd otherwise miss.
• Subject detection: set detection for your subject (people, animals, vehicles) and, for events, try Registered People Priority so the camera favors the faces that matter.

Five minutes at home beats a surprise at the venue. The Mark III rewards a little setup — 8.5 stops of stabilization, Dual Pixel CMOS AF II across the whole frame, and video that crops cleanly to vertical for social. Just feed it the right cards first.