Canon Takes 5D to Mark IV

2016.08.25

After 4½ years, the legendary Canon EOS 5D series got a successor today. The just-announced Canon EOS 5D Mark IV features a completely new imaging pipeline with the autofocus system from the flagship Canon EOS 1D X Mark II in a body nearly identical to the 5D Mark III reviewed here.

This professional DSLR introduces a 30 megapixels Full-Frame CMOS sensor with Dual-Pixel AF that can measure phase at every pixel, allowing incredibly smooth continuous autofocus in Live-View and during video capture. For standard shooting via the large 0.71X magnification 100% coverage viewfinder, the 5D Mark IV offers the same 61-point Phase-Detect AF system as the 1D X Mark II, including 41 cross-type points. Incredibly, the new Dual-Pixel AF is even more sensitive than the traditional AF-sensor, managing to focus down to -4 EV compared to a respectable -3 EV.

One of the area where the 5D Mark III achieved the most fame is its video performance and feature set. The Mark IV version takes this up a huge notch with Cinema 4K video at 30 FPS in addition to 1080p at 60 FPS and 720p at 120 FPS. Yet another novelty is the addition of HDR video when recording 1080p video at 30 FPS. Note that Cinema 4K video is taken from a 1.6X crop area, rather than the full-sensor, and is captured at 4096x2160 rather than the usual 4K Ultra-HD.

The Canon EOS 5D Mark IV boasts a fast DIGIC 6+ processor which lets it capture full-resolution images at 7 FPS indefinitely or up to 17 RAW files. Speaking of RAW, a completely new Dual-Pixel RAW format makes its debut with this DSLR. This double-size file includes information at all 60 million photosites. Canon software can use that information to perform micro-focus adjustment, change bokeh and even reduce ghosting!

The new 30 megapixels sensor offers improved dynamic-range thanks to on-chip analog-to-digital conversion, allowing it to deliver a ISO 100 to 32,000 standard sensitivity range, expandable to ISO 50 - 102,400. A mechanical shutter provides a 1/8000-30s shutter-speed range. The 5D Mark IV offers a built-in GPS with digital compass, allowing it to record position, elevation and orientation with great precision. There is also built-in WiFi and NFC which are new to this iteration of the 5D.

As a professional DSLR, the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV has a 100% coverage viewfinder and dual control-dials in a weatherproof body. Weather-sealing is said to have been improved from previous generations. There is also a joystick to control the autofocus area and a large number of external controls which are inherited from the 5D Mark III.

Canon expects to ship the Mark IV next month for a suggested price of $3500 USD. Adorama and B&H Photo are already accepting pre-orders.

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