We’ve been talking about the Canon 5D Mark IV for so long, it’s hard to believe that the camera is almost here. The amount of images and specs that have now leaked and corroborated among several outlets leave the official announcement as a mere formality.
The camera should be announced next week and is expected to be available within a month. As such, it should be a monster seller.
So, what is the fuss about?
Pretty much everything we’ve reasonably asked for…
Some may think the resolution is too high at 30.4MP but that should fit nicely between the Canon 5Ds models, while giving the 6D room for an upgrade without duplicating the resolution of the 5D Mark IV. Additionally, the sensitivity range looks like it will stay put at ISO 100-102,400, which makes sense with the increased resolution.
The 61-point AF system is probably the same new Reticular AF II found the 1D X Mark II. If not exactly, at least a close sibling to it. Frame rate gets a bump to 7fps (from 6fps), while still staying well below the 14fps of the 1D X Mark II so as not to encroach on its sports/wildlife prowess.
We’ll have to see the practical results but the new Dual Pixel RAW feature sounds like a promising tech advance. This appears to be a carry-over of the Dual Pixel AF we see on the video side of Canon DSLRs. The Dual Pixel RAW feature reportedly records a standard RAW file and a Dual Pixel RAW file. The latter of which is opened in Canon Digital Photo Professional for further processing in one of the following ways:
- Image Micro-adjustment: by using the depth information, fine adjustment enables the position of the maximum sharpness and resolution
- Bokeh Shift: to change the position of the previous blur (original: re-positions the viewpoint of foreground bokeh for a more pleasing result)
- Ghosting Reduction: reduces the ghost and flare
What we don’t yet know is if Canon will make the tech available to third-party software vendors so we can edit these Dual Pixel RAW files in our favorite editing apps (e.g., Lightroom, Capture One, Camera Raw, etc.).
Additionally, it looks like Canon is finally including GPS built into the camera, which will join WiFi and NFC for modern connectivity in the 5D line.
Notably, Canon appears to be sticking CF and SD cards for yet another generation. However, USB 3.0 is now on the table for the Mark IV. It also looks like the remote port is moved to the front of the camera.
The 5D Mark III saw a mild bump in video specs and overall performance. It was basically a more user-friendly camera with the addition of a headphone port and some user-interface improvements. It was by no means a revolutionary upgrade over the 5D Mark II.
Much of the same will probably be said for the 5D Mark IV; however, we finally (finally!) see 4K video capture available on the 5D Mark IV. We also see Dual Pixel AF as a bump for video and live view AF.
In-camera 4K capture is available at 24/30p. Additionally, it will shoot 1080/60p and 720/120p. The higher frame rates on the 1080 and 720 resolutions is a bit of a yawn – particularly considering what Sony is doing right now on the video side of their stills cameras (at pro and even consumer levels).
That said, the 5D Mark IV is said to capture 4:2:2 color – at what resolutions, I’m not yet sure. Another spec touts 500Mbps MJPEG 8 bit data rate, which requires sustained 62.5MB/s write speeds for a memory card. That 500Mbps data rate is almost certainly a 4K video data rate and will require some strong memory cards for continuous recording. It will also push the DIGIC 6+ (just a single?) processor to manage the data from the sensor to the card.
To put the 500Mbps into context, everything that Sony is putting out in this range uses Sony’s XAVC-S 4K codec at 100Mbps. Canon is giving us 5x the data in its 4K files?!?
If true, these numbers may remain hidden with their real value not displayed until we see those files pushed in post. Additionally, we don’t yet know what the HDMI-output capabilities will be. Those specs could make the Mark IV even more appealing for video work.
In the end though, it looks like there are just enough limitations to push those who are serious about video to look more closely at the EOS Cinema line of cameras – or, perhaps, Sony’s cinema cameras. Expect the video side of the 5D Mark IV to be the topic of many blog posts, comment sections and forum threads in the months and years ahead.
All in all, the 5D Mark IV will be another solid camera in the 5D line. It’s not revolutionary but it doesn’t have to be. Canon continues to follow a logical, albeit conservative, upgrade path. If the camera’s firmware and components are buttoned down and free from defects/recalls, the 5D Mark IV is sure to be another hit for Canon and its bottom line.
It will most certainly receive plenty of criticism across the spectrum for one spec or the other. Barring a major defect, the camera will be a best seller among photo retailers around the world for the next few years.
What are your biggest takeaways for the 5D Mark IV? Are you going to pre-order one? Will you wait and see? Are you switching to Nikon, Sony, Fuji, etc.? Are you moving to Canon from another brand for the 5D Mark IV?
Sound off in the comments below. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Canon 5D Mark IV Leaked Specs
- 30.4mp
- 7fps
- 150,000 actuation rating for shutter
- DIGIC 6+
- 100% viewfinder
- Magnification: 0.71
- LCD: 3.2 inches 1.62 million dot touch panel
- LCD tone adjustment (warm / standard / cool1 / cool2)
- Dual Pixel RAW
- New noise reduction algorithm
- 61 point AF, 41 crosstype
- -3ev (-4ev in live view)
- 150,000-pixel RGB + IR metering sensor. 252 zone photometry
- EOS iSA system
- EOS iTR system
- Anti-flicker
- ISO 100-102400 (extended sensitivity)
- 24/30fps @ 4K
- 60fps @ 1080
- 120fps @ 720
- 4:2:2
- 8bit 500mbps MJPEG
- Full HD: ALL-I (For editing / I-only), IPB (Standard), IPB (Light)
- HD: ALL-I (I-only)
- RAW file size
- RAW: 6270 x 4480 about 36.8MB (A few have noted aspect ratio is wrong, 6720×4480 perhaps?)
- DPRAW: 6270 x 4480 about 66.9MB (A few have noted aspect ratio is wrong, 6720×4480 perhaps?)
- M-RAW: 5040 x 3360 about 27.7MB
- S-RAW: 3360 x 2240 about 18.9MB
- New Picture Style “Fine Detail”
- Dust and weathersealed
- 8.8mp still from 4K video
- Time-lapse movie
- Electronic Level, 2 axis
- Mirror vibration control system (MVCS)
- Built-in interval timer and valve timer
- GPS built-in
- Wi-Fi
- FTP · FTPS can be transferred wirelessly also only in the body
- NFC
- SD / SDHC / SDXC and CompactFlash TypeII
- USB 3.0, HDMI, microphone
- Battery: LP-E6N / LP-E6
- 900 shot battery life (approx)
- Size X 116.4Mm X 150.7Mm 75.9Mm
- Weight 890g (1.96lbs)
Specs and photo leaks sources are from DCI (1), (2) and Canon Rumors.
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