The EOS-5D Mark IV is similar in its form factor and controls to the EOS-5D Mark III, but that’s where the similarities end. Everything in the EOS-5D Mark IV is entirely new, from its 30 Mega-pixel CMOS sensor and \u00a0the 61-point Reticular II AF system, to the magnesium shell.<\/p>\n
The table below compares the EOS-5D Mark IV with the EOS-5D Mark III. Everything has been upgraded while many new features have been added.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/arihazeghiphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/compare-table-copy.jpg\")
<\/a>Major features of the EOS-5D Mark IV compared to the EOS-5D Mark III.<\/p><\/div>\n
The two cameras are shown side-by-side below. The general layout and controls are similar. This means any\u00a0current EOS-5D Mark III owner can pick up the new camera and start shooting right away. \u00a0Although the EOS-5D series cameras (without the vertical grip) are noticeably smaller than the full-size EOS-1D X Mark II, they are still easy to handle and operate even when wearing thick gloves thanks to large buttons. The build quality is superb as with any pro-level Canon camera.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/a>EOS-5D Mark IV (left) vs. EOS-5D Mark III (right). Note the prism dome in the EOS-5D Mark IV is a separate composite piece the allow for GPS\/Wi-Fi reception.<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n The prism dome in the EOS-5D Mark IV is a separate piece made of composite material to allow reception of GPS\/Wi-Fi signals. The camera is water resistant and dust proof to a higher degree than the EOS-5D Mark III, says Canon.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n EOS-5 D Mark IV (left) vs. EOS-5D Mark III (right). The rear of the cameras are similar save for the new AF area selection button on the EOS-5D Mark IV. This button controls the AF pattern by default but it can be programmed to perform other functions as well.<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n Canon have added a new AF area selection button to\u00a0the back of the camera, close to the main dial. This button\u00a0can be configured to perform a variety of functions using the customs control menu.<\/p>\n New in EOS-5D Mark IV: AF area selection button. This button as well as the Q button and the multi-controller can be programed to performs other functions.<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n The EOS-5D Mark IV also includes a new cable management accessory which uses a thumbscrew to attach to\u00a0the I\/O port. It holds the USB\/HDMI cables firmly in place to prevent damage to the camera’s I\/O ports when using long heavy cables or if the cables are accidentally pulled.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The new cable holder\u00a0accessory makes it easy to securely attach a USB3 or HDMI cable to the I\/O port. The accessory is attached to the body using the included thumbscrew.<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n The only thing Canon did not update in the EOS-5D Mark IV is the camera’s storage interface. It still uses CF + SD card slots. CF is getting long in the tooth and is limited to UDMA7, the newer CFAST interface allows for much faster read and write speeds (500+ MB\/sec). Many of the EOS-5D Mark IV users also use the EOS-1D X Mark II and dealing with two types of storage media, card reader etc. is very cumbersome.<\/p>\n Touch screen<\/strong><\/p>\n The capacitive touch screen in the EOS-5D Mark IV is very useful. It can be used to quickly change the menu settings, zoom in or\u00a0scroll an image, move between images and more. It supports common touch gestures such as\u00a0pinch to zoom, drag to pan etc. and is calibrated as good as the best smartphones on the market. The touch sensitivity can be adjusted if needed. It surprises me that Canon did not include touch functions in the EOS-1D X Mark II which has an identical touch screen hardware. Perhaps a firmware upgrade will enable these functions for that camera as well. The touch screen can be disabled it needed.<\/p>\n Wi-Fi<\/strong><\/p>\n This is the first time Canon have included a Wi-Fi\/NFC module in one of their high-end cameras. Wi-Fi can be used not only to connect the camera to a smart phone like most other cameras, but also to connect the camera to any access point as an FTP\u00a0server. This can be used to upload images directly to your computer, NAS server, or even the internet photo-sharing and social sites (Flicker, Tweeter, Facebook, Google+ etc.). I find the transfer rate over Wi-Fi too slow when shooting volume in RAW but it can be useful for quick JPEG uploads to the web. All recent Canon bodies allow for in-camera RAW conversion so even if you exclusively shoot RAW like myself, you can quickly extract a JPEG and upload it to your destination.<\/p>\n The image below was converted from RAW and cropped in the camera itself and then uploaded to my iPhone via the Canon app. Click on the image to see it large, although the image quality is not as good as a RAW conversion in DPP using my desktop, it is acceptable for internet sharing or record keeping and even making prints.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Female American Kestrel. In-camera converted JPEG. ESO-5D Mark IV. EF 600mm f\/4 IS II + EF Extender 1.4X III. ISO 2500. F\/5.6 at 1\/800sec. Hand held from vehicle. Click on the image to see a large file. (c) 2016, Arash Hazeghi, all right reserved.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Another useful feature enabled by Wi-Fi \u00a0is the smartphone remote app. I have used remote\u00a0apps for several other cameras including Fuji and Sony but to date none\u00a0has been as robust and as refined as the Canon app on my iPhone. The live view feed is very stable\u00a0and doesn’t crash my\u00a0\u00a0iPhone, the app can run indefinitely as long as the camera has battery without freezing or dropping the connection.\u00a0Switching to other\u00a0apps on the phone will not kill the connection. Most camera functions can be set remotely. Below is a screen capture from the remote app.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n EOS Camera Remote for iOS. The app is stable and fast, camera settings are displayed and can be changed. Servo AF (LV DPAF) is possible with the app as well.<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n One killer application enabled via\u00a0WiFi is reviewing images quickly on your laptop, iPad or large screen phone without needing to download them. You can browse, tag and delete unwanted images \u00a0directly via the app. After each shoot you can simply walk through and weed out your files when sitting in a cafe without needing to take the camera out if your bag. you have to watch for battery usage though, using WiFi for a couple of hours can drain the battery. I found 2 fully charged batteries to be\u00a0sufficient for a full day of shooting plus moderate WiFi usage (with the GPS active).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Thumbnail display of the RAW files on the CF card. Multiple Images can be selected, sorted or deleted.<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Each image can be displayed individually. You can zoom to inspect sharpness or download a JPEG copy to the phone.<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n The desktop-based EOS viewer utility can be used for remote shooting over Wi-Fi from your computer. This is also very useful when the camera is attached to a super-telephoto lens on a tripod sitting outside or in a different room, or when performing calibration. You can also set the custom functions via the EOS viewer utility as well.\u00a0The EOS-5D Mark IV also includes built-in GPS, like the EOS-1D X Mark II and unlike the EOS-7D Mark II, the GPS module uses little power and doesn’t drain the battery. I keep it ON at all times. Make sure you set it to mode 2 (low power).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Image quality comparison\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Every\u00a0EOS-5D series is ultimately going to be judged by its image quality. The EOS-5D Mark III brought\u00a0only a minor resolution increase over the EOS-5D Mark II while it improved the high-ISO performance. \u00a0After\u00a0the introduction of the original EOS-1D X, the 5D Mark III became a strictly backup body for me. The 18 Mega-pixel sensor in the EOS-1D X provided similar resolution and at least \u00a0full stop of better high-ISO performance. There was really no situation where I’d reach out for my EOS-5D Mark III, unless the my 1D X was not available. With the EOS-5D Mark IV’s 30 mega-pixel sensor I can see situations where I’d reach out for this camera instead of my EOS-1D X Mark II to take advantage of the extra resolution. That is *IF* the image quality is great, which we are going to find out.<\/p>\n The scene below should be familiar to those who follow my blog, it is my decoy owl decorated by game feathers to simulate a bird. I compared the EOS-5D Mark III with the EOS 5D Mark IV shooting this owl with my EF 70-200 f\/2.8 IS II, set to 200mm and f\/8, attached to a sturdy tripod.<\/p>\n The RAW files were converted to TIFF using the latest DPP 4.5. Luminance NR was set to zero to level the playing field. I used minimal\u00a0amount of chrominance NR to remove color noise. Chrominance NR in DPP does not affect spatial detail. For more information please see the DPP4 RAW conversion guide.<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Note: you must\u00a0click on image to see the full-size crops<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n 100% crop from RAW converted with DPP 4.5. ISO 100. Click on the image to expand.<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 100% Crop from RAW converted with DPP 4.5. ISO 400. Click on the image to expand<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n 100% Crop from RAW converted with DPP 4.5. ISO 800. Click on the image to expand.<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n 100% Crop from RAW converted with DPP 4.5. ISO 1600. Click on the image to expand.<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n 100% Crop from RAW converted with DPP 4.5. ISO 3200. Click on the image to expand.<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n 100% Crop from RAW converted with DPP 4.5. ISO 6400. Click on the image to expand.<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n From the crops the resolution advantage of the EOS-5D Mark IV is readily visible. It can resolve more details across the ISO range from ISO-100 all the way to ISO-6400. At the same time, at higher ISO’s the EOS-5D Mark IV looks sharper and shows less noise. Canon have increased the pixel count\u00a0by 50% and improved the high ISO at the same time which is quite remarkable. The EOS-5D Mark III was no slouch in high-ISO performance but the EOS-5D Mark IV takes it a nudge higher.<\/p>\n Overall I would not hesitate to use EOS-5D Mark IV all the way up to ISO 3200. ISO 6400 can be used in most situations as well,\u00a0it works\u00a0best when lightning is uniform.<\/p>\n The EOS-5D Mark III had some pattern noise (FPN) which could\u00a0limit the lower ISO shadow detail. I never found this to be an issue as I have learned not to\u00a0underexpose my photographs and not to shoot\u00a0in harsh light when\u00a0shadows are strong and equally unattractive. The only situation where I found the pattern noise objectionable with the EOS-5D Mark III was for nigh time long exposures. The darker tones could show FPN if pushed too much.<\/p>\n To exaggerate any pattern noise in the sensor I photographed the night scene below at 6 sec, f\/5.6 at ISO 100.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Night scene: San Francisco Bay Bridge extension. EOS-5D Mark IV, EF 70-200mm f\/2.8 IS II. 6 seconds exposure at ISO 100. 100% crops of the red frames are shown below after +3EV exposure adjustment and maximum shadow adjustment of +4 in DPP4.5<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n 100% crop from RAW. Exposure was raised by +3EV and a shadow adjustment of +4 was applied in DPP4.5. No noise reduction applied.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n 100% crop from RAW. Exposure was raised by +3EV and a shadow adjustment of +4 was applied in DPP4.5. No noise reduction applied.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n I don’t shoot landscapes but below is another example which might be relevant to photographers who like to shoot landscapes, the original RAW was exposed to maintain the highlights in the sky and ocean, then I raised the exposure by an equivalent\u00a07 stops in DPP4.5 and Photoshop for the shaded regions.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n EOS-5D Mark IV, EF 16-35mm f\/4 L IS. ISO 250, F\/4 at 1\/250sec, B+W circular\u00a0polarizer.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n Same file after processing is shown below. \u00a0Click on the image to see a very large 3000-pixel wide image (best viewed on a \u00a04K screen)<\/p>\n Same file as above after optimal processing.<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n You can push the RAW file even\u00a0more, but personally, \u00a0I am not a fan of the unnatural looking HDR processing that is trending these days.<\/p>\n As we can see the FPN\u00a0has been greatly improved as was the case in the EOS-1D X Mark II. Again wildlife and avian photographers don’t usually care much for low ISO or pushing deep shadows. My starting ISO when shooting birds is usually between 640 and 800. I only make photographs in early hours of the morning or late hours of the evening when soft light makes attractive images. The improvement is welcome, nevertheless.<\/p>\n Field Image Quality\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n I\u00a0spent a few months photographing with the EOS-5D Mark IV, during this time I had the opportunity to shoot a variety of avian subjects with this camera. The image quality of EOS-5D Mark IV is excellent across the ISO range. It delivers sharp and detailed files that retain their quality even after cropping. If you have an HD or a 4K monitor, click on the image below to see an example. This photograph is about 60% of the original file.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Female Northern Harrier. EOS-5D Mark IV, EF 600mm f\/4 IS II + EF Extender 1.4X III. ISO 800. F\/5.6 at 1\/3200 sec. Hand held from vehicle. Processed with DPP 4.5. Click on the image to see a high-definition file<\/span> (requires a large screen).<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n Interestingly the EOS-5D Mark IV has a smaller pixel size and thus more “reach” than the old EOS-1D Mark IV which was the professional Canon body for\u00a0wildlife shooter for a number of years, obviously, the EOS-5D Mark IV has much better high ISO performance.\u00a0The EOS-5D Mark IV is ideal for photographing some species that are difficult to approach such as the American Kestrel shown below.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Female American Kestrel. EOS-5D Mark IV. EF 600mm f\/4 IS II + EF Extender 1.4X III. ISO 800. 1\/3200sec at f\/5.6. Hand held from vehicle. Click on the image to expand.<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n The field low-light performance of the EOS-5D Mark IV is excellent. The image below (Merlin) was taken after sunset when it was very dark. The exposure has been boosted by +1EV in DPP 4.5, results look good, especially for a relatively tight crop.<\/p>\n Female Merlin. EOS-5D Mark IV, EF 600mm f\/4 IS II+ EF Extender 1.4X III. ISO 3200. F\/5.6 at 1\/1250sec. Hand held. Processed with DPP 4.5. Click on the image to expand.<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n It’s also important to note that\u00a0you don’t need to spend too much time applying noise reduction and sharpening to get a high-quality output, just a straightforward\u00a0conversion in Canon DPP 4.5 with optimal settings is often all you need to arrive at a clean, detailed TIFF file. This is in contrast to the higher resolution EOS-5DS R, which I have tried on many occasions, but I cannot say I find it a good fit\u00a0for my type of avian photography. At low ISO’s and bright scenes the detail in the 50 mega-pixel RAW’s is stellar but as soon as the light drops and the ISO is raised, the files lose critical sharpness and become too grainy. Careful processing is needed with advanced noise reduction to get the best out of that camera. This is time consuming given the files size, and even then the\u00a0files just lack the punch in lower light. I’d definitely pick the EOS-5D Mark IV over the EOS-5DS R for bird photography based on image quality alone.<\/p>\n I also spent a couple of days photographing in Southern California with iffy light, the high ISO performance of the ESO-5D Mark IV proved to be great.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Shrike, EOS-5D Mark IV, EF 600mm f\/4 IS II + EF Extender 1.4X III. ISO 2000. f\/5.,6 at 1\/2000 sec. Hand held from vehicle. Processed with DPP 4.5. Click on the image to see it in high-definition format (requires large screen).<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk. EOS-5D Mark IV, EF 600mm f\/4 IS II + EF Extender 1.4X III. ISO 2500. F\/5.6 at 1\/2000sec, Hand held from vehicle. processed with DPP 4.5. Click on the image to see in high-definition forma (requires a large screen).<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Yellowlegs, EOS-5D Mark IV. EF 600mm f\/4 IS II + EF Extender 1.4X III. ISO 2500. f\/5.6 at 1\/2000 sec. Hand held from vehicle. Processed with DPP 4.5. Click on the image to see a high-definition file (requires a large screen).<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Meadowlark, EOS-5D Mark IV, EF 600mm f\/4 IS II + EF Extender 1.4X III. ISO 500. F\/5.6 at 1\/3200sec. Hand held from vehicle. Processed with DPP 4.5. Click on the image to see in high-definition format (requires large screen).<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n White crowned sparrow. EOS-5D Mark IV, EF 600mm f\/4 IS II + EF Extender 1.4X IIII. ISO 1600. f\/5.6 at 1\/3200 sec. Hand held. Processed with DPP 4.5. Click on the image to see a high-definition file (requires large screen).<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Adult White-tailed Kite. EOS-5D Mark IV. EF 400mm f\/4 DO IS II + EF Extender 2X III. ISO 1600. F\/8 at 1\/3200 sec. Hand held. Processed with DPP 4.5. Click on the image to expand.<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n Against the EOS 1D X Mark II<\/strong><\/p>\n Although these cameras are targeted at different audiences and most photographers will not cross shop them, it is still interesting to see how much more detail can the EOS-5D Mark IV render from a scene.<\/p>\n The image below shows the resolution advantage of the EOS-5D Mark IV compared to the EOS-1D X Mark II when the light is good. I photographed the\u00a0female Northern Harrier in Southern California from a vehicle. I placed my EF 600mm f\/4 IS II, attached to my EF Extender 1.4X III on a bean bag and then quickly swapped bodies to take the shot before the harrier moved. It is not an ideal frame with the busy perch but demonstrates the difference.<\/p>\n Northern Harrier, EOS-5D Mark IV, EF 600mm f\/4 IS II + EF Extender 1.4X III. ISO 800. F\/5.6 at 1\/3200 sec.\u00a0shot on BB\u00a0from the\u00a0\u00a0vehicle. processed with DPP 4.5. Image has been cropped<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n 100% Crop from RAW, right: EOS-1D X Mark II, left: EOS-5D Mark IV. Click on the image to expand.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n As expected, the EOS-5D Mark IV has ~22% more resolution (resolution scales with square root of # of pixels) than the EOS-1D X Mark II. It is certainly visible but not a ground breaking difference.<\/p>\n This image, (double-crested cormorant) was also shot from approximately the same distance with the same lens+extender combination (EF 400mm f\/4 DO IS II + Extender 2X III) at f\/8 ISO 3200, but in much lower light. The CR2 files were converted using Canon DPP4.5 with optimal noise reduction settings outlined in the DPP 4 guide. No noise reduction or sharpening applied\u00a0after RAW conversion.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Double-crested cormorant. EOS 5D Mark IV. EF 400mm f\/4 DO IS II+ EF Extender 2X III. ISO 3200. f\/8 at 1\/1250 sec. Hand held. Click on the image to expand.<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n below is the side-by-side 100% crop from each camera.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n EOS-5D Mark IV (left) vs. EOS-1D X Mark II (right). Double-crested Cormorant. Shot with EF 400mm f\/4 DO IS II plus Extender 2X III. ISO 3200. f\/8 at 1\/1000sec. Hand held. Each image converted in DPP 4.5 with optimal setting to maximize the detail while keeping noise low. Click on the image to expand.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n We can see that in low light, the EOS-5D Mark IV image is a bit grainier than the EOS-1D X Mark II but at the same time, it has slightly more detail as well. This is great performance on part of the EOS-5D Mark IV. I didn’t expect it to perform so well at this ISO.<\/p>\n Note that when the subject has dark tones or when the light is not uniform the EOS-5D Mark IV RAW files start to lose contrast and detail earlier than the EOS-1D X Mark II, closing the gap quickly. If you plan to shoot at ISO 3200 and above very frequently I’d still pick the EOS-1D X Mark II as the latter requires less\u00a0effort to produce a high quality output.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Dual-Pixel RAW<\/strong><\/p>\n The EOS-5D Mark IV is not the first camera with\u00a0Canon’s Dual-Pixel CMOS sensor, but is the first one to offer Dual-Pixel RAW recording. In DPCMOS, each pixel is comprised of two individual photo diodes. The camera effectively captures two parallax 30 Mega-pixel images that are slightly shifted with respect to each other. Normally the camera combines the readout from the two diodes in each pixel to deliver a standard RAW (CR2) file. With Dual Pixel RAW (DPRAW) the two parallax\u00a0images are recorded in a single CR2 file that is approximately twice as large as a standard CR2\u00a0file (60 Mega-pixels of data). User can then use these two parallax images to apply a variety of post capture corrections not other wise possible with a single photo diode per pixel architecture. It is basiclaly\u00a0a crude form of computational photography.<\/p>\n These adjustments include post capture focus micro-adjustment, bokeh shift and ghosting suppression. Canon series II super-telephoto lenses and series III extenders are almost optically perfect so most wildlife and bird shooters will never see ghosting in their images to begin with. The remaining corrections, post-capture focus micro-adjust and the bokeh shift look appealing on paper. In practice, however, the DPRAW has serious limitations:\u00a0First,\u00a0\u00a0The two parallax \u00a0images are only a few microns shifted with respected to each other (to be precise, half of the pixel pitch or about 2.7 um). This greatly reduces the amount\u00a0of \u00a0focus shift that can be applied post capture.\u00a0The farther the parallax images, the greater the degree of corrections that can be applied post capture.<\/p>\n The other factor is that because each photodiode is about half the size of a pixel, each parallax image effectively receives half the amount of light collected by the sensor. In other words, each parallax image is noisier than the image when data from both photodiodes are combined. When DPRAW corrections are applied at full strength the resulting image becomes a bit noisier. On the plus side DPP4.5 is relatively quick to process and apply corrections to the DPRAW files (when using a capable system).<\/p>\n When I first read about DPRAW,\u00a0I wasn’t expecting miracles but I was hoping that it would help improve those files that were relatively sharp but not quite tack-sharp. After using the camera for some time, I can’t really find a field example where this feature saved the day. Besides that, the increased file size eats disk space and reduced buffer capacity means that you might actually miss a shot. Overall in its current state I don’t see DPRAW as a productive format for avian and wildlife shooters. \u00a0Below is an example of DPRAW, I focused on the dog’s eye then converted the DPRAW with a focus micro-adjust of -5 and +5 (max. allowed) and a strength of 5 (choosing a higher value resulted in too much grain at ISO 1600)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Example of post capture focus micro adjust with DPRAW. Click on the\u00a0image to see the animation. Note how focus slightly moves closer to the camera. The settings used were +5 (far), 0 (as shot) and -5 (close). Shot with EF70-200 f\/2.8 L IS II at 160mm, ISO 1600. f\/2.8 at 1\/1000sec hand held. DPP 4.5. Note: this image is compressed.<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n As you can see the amount of focus shift is tiny. I found this to be the case with all of my\u00a0lenses and in most combinations, ultimately, the system is limited by the small shift between the two parallax images. For the same reason,\u00a0 the image-sensor based phase detect AF systems are never as sensitive, responsive and as accurate as a\u00a0dedicated AF sensor where the split images are projected much farther away from each other. (The distance between AF line sensors is much greater than the distance between neiogboring pixels on the image sensor.)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Performance<\/strong><\/p>\n The EOS-5D Mark IV is a relatively snappy\u00a0camera. It’s not a 1D camera by any means but it is not sluggish like the EOS-5DSR either. 7 fps is sufficient for many situations although it may miss the peak-of-action or the most dynamic frame, especially \u00a0when several birds are interacting in a frame or when shooting fast flying raptors. While photographing raptors and some small song birds in southern California, I noticed a few occasions where the camera’s 7fps fell short of capturing the ideal head angle (HA) at first attempt even when the bird was perched. This is not a big issue if you have repeat opportunities, but if\u00a0it is a one-time opportunity with a rare bird, I’d stick with the 1DX (MKII).<\/p>\n Fortunately the camera’s continues shooting buffer proved sufficient in most cases. The buffer depth when using a fast CF card (I used SanDisk Extreme Pro 160MB\/sec UDMA7 card) is much more than the number quoted by Canon (they use a reference CF card). I was able to get about 35 shots before the camera slowed down, that is 5 seconds of continuous shooting at full speed. Once the buffer is full, it clears really quickly. If you shoot DPRAW however the buffer depth reduces significantly, the camera can only shoot for about a second before it slows down and it can even lock up for short periods. Another reason not to shoot DPRAW for action. Turning on DLO (Digital Lens Optimizer) in-camera also slows down the continuous shooting speed, I would keep it off.<\/p>\n Overall the EOS-5D Mark IV offers a positive experience but it is not an action camera, for that purpose I’d pick the EOS-1D X (Mark II) without any hesitation. Silent shooting is also possible at max burst speed, making it ideal for blind use.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n AF<\/strong><\/p>\n One of the major improvements of the EOS-5D Mark IV over its predecessor is the new reticular II AF module with Canon’s 3rd generation AI-servo algorithms. The sesnor module is the same unit used in the flagship EOS-1D X Mark II This is good news but it doesn’t necessarily mean that the two cameras will have identical AF performance in the field. The EOS-1DX Mark II has a much faster logic circuit powered by dual Digic 6+ processors as well has a higher voltage battery pack that enables high-speed servo drive when a super-telphoto lens is attached. The EOS-5D Mark III was also fitted with the same AF sensor as the original EOS-1D X, yet in practice the 5D was somewhat\u00a0sluggish compared to the 1D when tracking BIF with a super-telpehot lens, especially with extenders.<\/p>\n First the good news, the EOS-5D Mark IV AF consistency is greatly improved over the EOS-5D Mark III which itself was quite a capable camera in the right hands. With the EOS-5D Mark IV, right off the bat, I noticed a higher percentage of tack sharp files with challenging subjects. It tracks very\u00a0well against complex backgrounds, like the examples below.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adult White-tailed kite. EOS-5D Mark IV. EF 600mm f\/4 IS II + EF Extender 1.4X III. ISO 800. f\/5.6 at 1\/3200 sec. hand held. processed with DPP 4.5. Click on the image to see larger.<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Adult White-tailed Kite. EOS-5D Mark IV, EF 600mm f\/4 IS II + EF Extender 1.4X III. ISO 1600. F\/5.6 at 1\/2000sec. Hand held. Processed with DPP 4.5. Click on the image to see a high-definition file.<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Northern Harriers don’t fly very fast but they are often a challenging subject for the AF to track, as the flight path is very erratic plus they tend to fly very close to the ground. The foreground elements constantly block the line of sight throwing off the servo AF. In the example below you can see that the EOS-5D Mark IV held the focus well on the harrier as the bird entered the area behind the tall reeds.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adult female Northern Harrier. EOS-5D Mark IV. EF 600mm f\/4 IS II + EF Extender 1.4X III. ISO 800. F\/5.6 ay 1\/3200sec. Hand held. Processed with DPP4.5. click on the image to see in high-definition format (requires large screen).<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n Camera held the focus on the harrier as it flew behind and the popped from behind the reeds<\/p>\n Adult female Northern Harrier. EOS-5D Mark IV. EF 600mm f\/4 IS II + EF Extender 1.4X III. ISO 800. F\/5.6 at 1\/3200 sec. Hand held.\u00a0Processed with DPP 4.5. click on the image to see at high definition format (require large screen).\u00a0<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n The sequence of 21 frames below is a particularly difficult scenario for AF tracking. The harrier is flying against a varied busy background as it goes into the shade, the AF stayed on the bird when it was in the shade and didn’t lock on the busy background as the bird emerged from the shade. The bird \u00a0was then partially blocked by the foreground reeds and branches towards the end of the sequence. The AF remains locked on the harrier even when its eye is barely visible between the reeds. In order to get the best results you need to setup your camera properly. I use expansion AF pattern and set the AI-servo sensitivity to locked-on for a scenario like this. I explain my AF setup and technique in detail in Birds in Flight Photography Basics.<\/a> Click on the image below to display the sequence in animation. It may take a while for the animation to load.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Northern Harrier flight sequence. EOS-5D Mark IV, EF 600mm f\/4 IS II + EF Extender 1.4X III. ISO 800. f\/5.6 at 1\/3200 sec. Hand held. Click on the image to display the animation, it may take a while for the animation to load depending on your internet speed. Note: images heavily compressed in GIF format.<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n All the 21 frames in the sequence are tack sharp, below is one of the frames from this sequence after\u00a0I raised the exposure by 3 stops in DPP 4.5.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Frame from the sequence above. Exposure was raised in DPP4.5 by 3 stops.<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Needless to say plain backgrounds offer no challenge for the new 5D.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adult White-tailed Kite. EOS-5D Mark IV, EF 600mm f\/4 IS II + Extender EF 1.4X III. ISO 800. F\/5.6 at 1\/3200 sec, hand held. click on the image to see a high-definitation file (require large screen).<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Male Northern Harrier. EOS-5D Mark IV, EF 600mm f\/4 IS II + Extender EF 1.4X III. ISO 640. F\/5.6 at 1\/3200sec. Hand held from vehicle. Click on the image to expand.<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Now the not-so good news:<\/p>\n The bare super-telephoto servo drive is pretty fast and doesn’t leave much to be desired, it’s not quite as fast as a EOS-1D X (MKII) but it is certainly fast enough. With the EF Extender 1.4X III added, the servo drive remains quick, it can still keep up with most subjects. With the EF Extender 2X III, however, the story changes a bit. All of the AF points are active at f\/8, just like the EOS-1D X Mark II, and the AF remains pretty accurate for static subjects. The servo drive speed and the percentage of critically sharp BIF frames however, takes a noticeable hit. It becomes challenging, and at times frustrating to keep up with BIF once the Extender 2X III is added. In good light, it is certainly possible to lock AF on BIF against complex backgrounds, but the success rate is nowhere as high as the EOS-1D X Mark II and for that matter the EOS-1D X. The AF can lag behind if the bird accelerates too quickly. This was a bit disappointing because otherwise the\u00a0camera’s excellent 30 Mega-pixel image sensor and compact body could make it a killer light combo when attached to the EF 400mm f\/4 DO IS II + Extender 2X III.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n BIF shots with the combination of the EOS-5D Mark IV and super-telephoto lens plus the EF Extender 2X III are easiest with simple backgrounds.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Marbled Godwit. EOS-5D Mark IV, EF 400mm f\/4 DO IS II + EF Extender 2X III. ISO 1600. f\/8 at 1\/4000 sec. Hand held. Processed with DPP 4.5. Click on the image to expand.<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n Large and slow birds aren’t much \u00a0of a challenge either, for the EOS-5D Mark IV attached to a super-telephoto lens and the EF Extender 2X III.<\/p>\n Great Egret. EOS-5D Mark IV, EF 400mm f\/4 DO SI II+ EF Extender 2X III. ISO 1600. F\/8 at 1\/3200 sec. Hand held. Click on the image to expand.<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n However, images like the example below are hard to come by with the EOS-5D Mark IV when the maximum aperture is f\/8 and often test photographer’s technique.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>