Last week's exciting and long-anticipated announcement of the Canon 5D Mark IV DSLR camera has created a lot of buzz in the photography world. It has also generated a lot of questions from those considering using the camera. Here are some of the top questions the B&H experts have fielded on Facebook, Twitter,YouTube, Explora, and on our eCommerce site.
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I didn't notice but does the video feature still not have auto focusing capability.
As with the Canon 7D Mark II, auto-focus is maintained while shooting video. Be sure that "Movie Servo AF" is enabled. - Mark S -
C-Log? Dynamic Range?
The 5D IV does not have C-Log. As for dynamic range, this isn't a specification typically provided by DSLR manufacturers. We will need to wait for the camera to be released and third-party testing. - Christina S
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Is the dynamic range increased? How does it compare to the Nikon D810?
We are certain that we will see an improvement in dynamic range performance compared to the camera’s predecessors, but Canon has not released the specs for the dynamic range, nor have we been able to field-test the camera yet. - Christina S -
Would this work for wedding photos?
The 5D IV would be an excellent option for weddings. With the improved AF system, higher resolution sensor, increased frame rate, and great low light performance, this would be a great wedding camera for Canon shooters. - Christina S -
Release date?
Will begin shipping Thu, Sep 8 -
What does it output through hdmi?
The 5D IV will output full HD 4:2:0 8-bit. - Christina S -
Will WideDR or Canon Log eventually make its way to the Mark IV via firmware?
Unfortunately, it would be impossible to say what Canon might do with a future firmware update. - Christina S -
As a landscape photographer I have been using and loving the 5DSR. Will there be a 5dmk4 without the low pass filter? Then it would directly compete with the Nikon D810 and the Sonys.
I doubt that the 5D IV will be released in a version without the optical low pass filter. Canon would most likely have announced such an option at the same time. - Christina S -
Does it have the view finder light blocker built in or is it still the rubber piece on the strap?
The light blocker will still be the rubber piece on the strap for the 5D Mark IV. - Heather -
I would like to know if the 5D Mark IV can FTP transfer over Wi-Fi. Also... if the 7D Mark II will be able to do it with the W-E1 adapter?
It is our understanding that by using the 5D Mark IV's Wif-Fi or the 7D Mark II with the W-E1 adapter, you can transfer to the internet. Use EOS Utility software on a computer to set up that function. We apparently misunderstood your question. The camera does have FTP transfer capabilities. - Dennis -
Just wondering if 5D4 has metering with focal point?
We have discovered AF point-linked spot metering is not provided on the 5D Mark IV. - Heather -
When 120 fps at full hd or 4k??
The 5D Mark IV is only capable of shooting 120 FPS at 720p. It unfortunately cannot shoot 120 FPS at 4K or full HD. - Heather -
Can you explain the dual-pixel?
Dual Pixel's first job is seamless auto focus in Live View. Video shooters will be very happy. Dual Pixel Raw in photo will allow post focus adjustment. - Dennis -
Looks like it uses the same battery LP-E6N (?). How is battery life impacted when using new features (eg, GPS, Dual-pixel raw, etc.) What are the shutter counts on single charge?
The 5D IV uses an update on the LP-E6 (LP-E6N). Canon gives the following information for battery life:
Camera Body Only
Viewfinder shooting LP-E6N At 73°F/23°C: 900 At 32°F/0°C 850
Live View Shooting LP-E6N At 73°F/23°C: 300 At 32°F/0°C 280
Though, they don't mention if this is with or without GPS enabled. I would think this likely would be t GPS off (GPS will drain battery life, and should be turned off if not needed). - Christina S -
Can you save/load camera settings (to allow configuring multiple 5d4 bodies exactly the same)?
The Canon 5DIV has 3 Custom Shooting modes on its dial (like the 5D III), so up to 3 different custom settings could be saved and easily switched between on the dial. Though, I don't believe that these settings can be saved on a card to be loaded onto another 5D IV. To the best of my knowledge, this is still a feature limited to certain 1D series cameras. - Christina S -
How filmmaker friendly is it? Zebras? Focus Peaking? False Color? Flat Color profile? Choice of Export Codecs? >29min Recording limit?
There are no zebra or focus peaking capability, or false color. Flat color profile does not appear to be an option. You can export in 500Mbps MJPEG, however this can be transcoded to ProRes or other formats. There is a 29-minute recording limit unless you record directly to an external recorder. - Heather -
Is the 5D Mark IV the same physical form factor as the Mark3 (so it fits in Ikelite Mark3 dive housing)?
The 5D IV does have a different form factor than the 5D III, so it's highly unlikely that it will be compatible with the 5D III housings. - Christina S -
Does it include a (software) intervalometer (either in the camera or via Wi-Fi connection - eg, set bulb mode to 60 minutes, without having to stand there holding down the shutter button for an hour)?
While the 5DIV can do in camera time lapse, it does not appear as though you could set specific exposure times for Bulb exposures. This does not look to be a feature with the Canon remote apps either. For this, you would need an external intervalometer. Though, if you already have an intervalometer for a Canon camera with the 3-pin connection, you could use it with the 5D IV. - Christina S -
Can you do focus stacking (in camera or via WiFi app)?
You can shoot in Dual Pixel RAW to micro adjust focus post-shot using Canon's software. - Heather -
Thanks for your reply, but focus stacking (taking many shots <1mm a part, and reassembling the slices for complete DOF in post) is completely different than dual pixel raw (a light field-like tech allowing a little refocusing in post).
Sorry to misunderstand you. Beyond the micro adjustment ability, there is no in-camera focus stacking capability. - Heather -
Thanks Heather. And there's no focus stacking in their "Canon Camera Connect" iPhone App either, correct?
That is correct. - Heather -
Video compared to Sony or Lumix?
The 5D Mark IV has full frame full HD video at true 24 and 30 FPS, 120 FPS at 720p, as well as 4K shooting (with 1.74x crop). The video quality will be excellent. - Heather -
What is the Dynamic Range? Are file 10bit, 12bit, 14bit?
While we don’t know the dynamic range spec, we do know that the files are 14-bit, the same as the current Canon pro DSLR cameras. - Heather -
With Dual Pixel Raw, they keep saying you can focus shift "slightly" - can you quantify that please?
- Has Adobe indicated support for dual pixel raw (eg, Lightroom & Photoshop)?
- Given the tiny photosite size does the dual pixel raw help at all with diffraction limitations? Specifically with extreme macro
Unfortunately, we cannot really quantify how much the focus could be adjusted with DPRAW, but to reiterate that this will only allow for a slight adjustment. It won't be anywhere the amount you could get with a Lytro camera. You might checkout the Canon UK site: they have some great information about DPRAW along with some sample photos. I don't know if/when Adobe might support these files. It typically takes a couple months for Adobe to offer support for regular RAW files. It's anyone's guess for the DPRAW files. Canon does have some in camera options for counteracting diffraction for JPEGs. Though, I don't know how much DPRAW might assist with diffraction. - Christina S
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Video recording time limit?
The 5D IV has a max clip length of 29min 59sec. - Christina S
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Does 5D4 allow 16X zoom in during Live View? Can you use touchscreen focus when zoomed in to 16X?
The image on the LCD can be zoomed in 5X or 10X to assist with manual focus. - Christina S -
when shooting 4k does the smaller image fill the lcd and viewfinder
When shooting 4K, what was being captured would fill up the entire LCD. - Christina S -
will the Wi-Fi capability with the Canon 5D mk4 allow for wireless tethering?
Using Canon's EOS Remote app, you could shoot tethered wirelessly with your phone. - Christina S -
what is the distance range for Wi-Fi?
Canon doesn't state this, but the WFT-E7's range is roughly 492', and its range is supposedly 10X that of the built-in Wi-Fi. -
Is there a reason why the CF card was not upgraded? It's more MegaPixels, so it's logical to have a faster CF card ??
We honestly don’t have an answer for you on this. Based on the increased resolution and frame rates over the Mark III, we would have liked to have seen an upgrade in this region as well, but there isn’t one to be had. - Christina S -
Will the battery and battery grip for Canon 5D III work on a Canon 5D IV?
The Canon 5D IV can use the LP-E6, though it uses a different battery grip: the BG-E20. - Christina S -
Pros and Cons 1.7x crop factor at 4k?
Pro: pulling on a pixel per pixel basis (no pixel binning/line skipping). Possible con: you get more telephoto angles of view -
when shooting video, does the Mark IV auto focus as the subject is moving? I believe the 80D and 7D MkII have this technology.
The 5D IV does have continuous automatic AF and AF tracking during video. - Christina S -
will there still be a write limit on the SD card like the 5DM3?
There will be a max video clip of roughly 29min 59sec. - Christina S -
Can you zoom in to check focus during recording video? What is record time limit?
The image can be magnified 5X or 10X to help w/manual focus, though this isn't possible while recording. 29:59 record limit - Christina S -
So do or do not need external intervalometer? Can you do >30" exposures in camera?
To set specific times for bulb exposures, you would likely need an intervalometer. - Christina S -
Camera have focus peaking?
The 5D IV does not have focus peaking. - Christina S
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Can the Mark iv take SDXC UHS-II cards? They are currently the fastest cards on the market in the SD sphere.
This camera uses UHS-I cards. - Heather -
What accessories do I need to activate the GPS functionality and the Wifi functionality
No accessories needed. Both functions are built-in. Information on how to use the functions are here. http://www.canon-europe.com/apps/canon-camera-connect/ - Dennis -
Should I use a CF card that write at "up to 150MB/s Write Speed" or a SD card that write at " Max. Write Speed: 90 MB/s " ?
For the price, the quality, and the maximum recording time. I'd like to use one card for photo storage and the other one for video.
Canon says the camera supports UDMA 7 Compact Flash and SD, SDHC and SDXC UHS-I cards. Get cards that have that specification and you will be fine. - Dennis -
Does the 5D Mark IV have the built in levelling system (as in the 5D Mark III)?
Yes, the 5D Mark IV has an electronic level. - Heather -
Will this allow you to pull focus with the touchscreen while you are shooting video, like the 70d does?
Yes, you can pull focus with the LCD touch screen during video recording on the 5D Mark IV. - Heather -
Does this camera have zebras or any type of exposure aid yet?
No zebra or false color with this camera. All that is available is a histogram. - Dennis -
Can I use the canon LP-E6 batteries and charger instead of the LP-E6N batteries and charger
Canon changed the battery inside enough to warrant the name change. However, both OEM batteries are completely interchangeable. You risk no damage to your camera, OEM batteries or OEM charger. - Dennis -
What is it's time lapse capability? Frame rates? Length, or number of shots? I can't find that info anywhere, but they mentioned it in the video.
As with any time lapse timer, you set the number of shots, the interval between those shots, and the duration of the shooting. Here is complete information from Canon. http://bit.ly/2bMVPCm - Dennis -
While shooting video, is there any kind of auto-focus mode that tracks your subject, like a traditional video camera?
Yes indeed there is! The inclusion of Canon's outstanding Dual Pixel Auto Focus allows, for the first time in a Canon full frame camera, continuous Live View auto focus during video. I have used it and it works better than promised. And yes, it focuses just like a traditional video camera but this time, the image looks so much better. - Dennis -
How do we turn off the Wi-Fi and GPS? Everything else is great and I would like it.
Page 79 and page 227 of the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR Camera's instruction manual (and pages 11-13 of the Canon 5D Mark IV Wi-Fi Function Basic Instruction Manual) states that under the Camera Settings section in the menu is the GPS and Wi-Fi/NFC settings, both which can be set to "Disable" to turn the settings off. "Disable" is selected by default; you must go into the menu and turn these options on to "Enable" if you wish to use them. - Manzell L.
Do you have questions on the Canon 5D Mark IV?
Ask us in the Comments section, below!
107 Comments
I just got 5d mark 4. there are 2 clarifications.
1. while shooting live view at the single shutter, when I press the shutter button I am hearing the shutter sound 2 times
2. while taking pictures with high-speed shutter indoor under led lights, I am observing some banding or flickering effect are these phenomena normal or should I be worried? y are these caused.
For your first issue, we ask that you e-mail us to [email protected] so we can look into that further. As for the second issue, banding can sometimes occur when shooting a higher shutter speed with certain LED lights, particularly those made for household applications or lower end LED lights for photography/video.
1) According to Canon, they state that while shooting in Live View, as long as nothing is attach to the hot shoe of the camera, the camera should only produce one shutter sound. Page 300 of the camera's instruction manual does sate that when using Live View and using a flash on the hot shoe, there will be two shutter sounds, but only one shot will be taken. They state if you do not have anything attached to the camera's hot shoe and you are hearing multiple shutter sounds, you may need to send the camera into a Canon service center for evaluation.
2) Artificial lights (especially sources like fluorescent and LED lights) emit light in different intensities and wavelengths. Lights will tend to pulse at the speed of the AC cycle used in your country (which is 60Hz in the USA and Canada and 50Hz in other countries), so you will have one AC cycle every 1/50 sec or 1/60 sec, and each cycle emits two pulses of light. As such, when shooting at shutter speeds above 1/50 or 1/60 sec, you have the potential to freeze part of the cycle. Depending on when you take the image, it can be frozen at the peak of one cycle, or in the middle of a cycle, or anywhere in-between in the cycle. Not capturing the image at the peak of a cycle is what will cause the banding you see in your image.
To resolve the issue, the shutter speed will need to be adjusted to be in phase with the lights. The two main ways to deal with the issue would be to set the shutter speed at your country's AC hertz rate or slower; use a shutter speed of 1/60 sec or slower in the USA/Canada, or 1/50 sec or slower in other countries. An alternative of this would be to try setting your shutter speed to 1/125 sec in the USA or 1/100 sec in other countries to attempt to only capture half the light cycle. Anything faster or in-between may have banding issues as you are potentially recording multiple cycles and there may be inconsistent illumination across your frame. The other option would be to use strobe/flash lighting that overpowers the ambient lighting. If it is an option, the final option would be to use hot light sources, such as tungsten or incandescent lighting, which does not have this issue. This is mainly an issue with artificial, energy-efficient cool light sources.
In live mode, will the wifi output to a phone/device app? For instance, so you can see your composition for extreme angle or
ground level shots.
Canon states that when using the Canon Camera Connect app in Remote Live View Shooting mode, you may use your smartphone/tablet to shoot remotely with your Wi-Fi enabled Canon DSLR camera. You can use the LCD screen on your Android or iOS smartphone/tablet to compose your image, set the exposure settings (shutter speed, aperture, ISO, exposure compensation, drive mode, focus mode), focus, then release the shutter when using the Remote Live View Shooting Mode, all from the smartphone/tablet while viewing the scene shown on the camera's LCD screen on your smartphone/tablet. The photos/videos will be saved on the camera. The instruction manual for the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Wi-Fi Function is listed below for your convenience.
https://bit.ly/2lFt8Bb
Hey can someone tell me how much memory this camera uses when shooting HD? Like how many gigs would 15 minutes of footage eat up?
If you use the IPB Setting for HD at 30fps on the 5D Mark IV 15 minutes of footage will be around 4 GB.
Thanks!
Can the 5D Mark IV record video simultaneously on the CF card and SD card?
Yes, you can set the 5D Mark IV to record to both the CF and SD cards at the same time.
I want to share that with the 5D Mark IV you can set exposure timer of more than 30 seconds even in hours with the Bulb mode without using intervalometer/remote shutter. You need to go menu in Bulb mode and enable Bulb timer so you can set the timer as you wish. I think this is a new feature that many people do not know. Please edit in Q&A No. 36.
I shoot a lot of live theatre and find that the LCD monitor is on all the time. I can manually dim it. Can I shut it off completely?
Cycling through the INFO button options will turn the screen off. You can also go through the INFO display button options in the menu to disable unwanted screens which would speed up the cycling process. Turning your Image Review time to OFF will also help keep the LCD from turning back on.
How do you activate second curtain sync for a lobg expose shot on a 5D Mark IV?
You would access the flash function settings in the Shooting Menu. Page 293 of the manual for the 5D Mark IV touches on this.https://static.bhphotovideo.com/lit_files/269215.pdf
It seems to take longer for my 5d mark IV to record and show an image on the display screen. Have I changed a setting that makes this happen? If so, how do I change it back?
I don’t know what setting might have slowed down your camera, through you could reset the camera to factory settings and see if this helps. On pg 77 of the User Manual, it goes over how to do this.
Hi, I have the canon 5D mark IV, an upgrade from my previous 7D. I have not figured out how to capture still images while in video shoot mode - is it possible?
thanks!
Cara
On 5D4 is there an option to save only JPEG files on CF card and only RAW files in SDXC card? This way I can save all RAW files on one card and backup files as JPEG on another. Thank you
Yes, you can select the recording method Record To Multiple which will allow you to shoot RAW + JPG and have the specific file format saved to the card of your choosing. See page 166 of the manual for full instructions on how to do so: Canon 5D Mark IV Manual
There is a small exclamation piont symbol on the small top LCD screen and I cant figure out what it means?
The exclamation point is a warning indicator. There are several instances in which this alert may appear, see page 489 of the manual to see which warning may apply to your usage: Canon 5D Mark IV Manual
Can you tether and write raw to the cf card in the camera?
The Canon 5D IV does have the ability to shoot tethered, yes. The camera can save RAW files to the memory card while shooting tethered.
In 720p 120fps mode it seems like the tracking at and audio is off. Is that true or how do we turn these On?
Hi Ray -
Tracking and audio are not available at 120fps.
when shooting in video timelapse i don't hear the shutter. is it electronic only? i have taken a few hour ot two timelapses with 3600 frames. is that 3600 frames against my total shutter count before the shtter mechanism needs replacing?
Hi,
In my canon 5D mark IV , I am getting Flicker signal at rightside lower part in viewfinder .
What it is?
( Its a new cmera. But might have changed the setting.)
Can you give me correct setting.
Sanjay Rokade
The Flicker detection signal/icon simply indicates that the camera has detected that you shooting under lighting that is flickering. If you are using a fast shutter speed, this can cause uneven colors or exposure across the frame. This default setting from the factory would have the flicker detection signal turned on in the viewfinder, though you can turn this off if you prefer. On page 84 of the user manual it goes over this.
You can do focus stacking with the Mark IV using "DLSR Controller' software. You use an Android phone or a computer to control the focus stack. You can also use Canon's utility manually, using a computer, stepping the focus one step at a time. These are certainly not as simple as having camera firmware do the job for you, and you have to have a computer, tablet or phone connected to your camera. One more thing to lug around.
Magic Lantern adds focus stacking to many of its Canon firmware hacks, but the Mark IV is not on the list yet. The Mark III is supported.
Two part question.
I wanted to know, when in video mode, can you simultaneously record to either CF/SD and at the same time record externally to an Atomos recorder? Meaning, if I am filming an event, I would like to have a backup version of the footage in case one or the other fails?
And the second question, also, when recording to Atomos and using one of the newer recorders, does the HDMI also record the audio onto the recorder from the camera or do you need to plug in an audio source to the recorder also?
You could record internally and to an external record such as an Atomos at the same time, yes. The audio would also be transmitted through HDMI to the external recorder, so it will record audio as well.
But, when I used an Atomos Ninja Blade, all of the INFO data from the 5d mkiv was recorded on the footage. How do I turn this off when outputting via the HDMI?
Cheers.
@Arwyn - you can turn that off under the HDMI display settings. Under menu (the red camera menu category) -> 5th panel -> HDMI display -> then select either of the last two options.
About the battery, can I use the same I have for my canon 70d on mk4? I have 5 and it would be shame to change them all out. I do think use batterygrip
Hi -
Canon changed the battery inside enough to warrant the name change. However, both OEM batteries are completely interchangeable. You risk no damage to your camera, OEM batteries or OEM charger.
Does the 5D Mark IV have a user replaceable clock/backup battery, or it has to be sent in for service to replace it?
This isn’t something that would be user replaceable. You would need to send the camera in for service for this.
i recently bought a brand new mk4 and the camera apparently caused a voltage surge that corrupted two of my SD cards and I had to pay £850 to get the data recovered. So Can the camera back up to the 2nd SD card slot whilst shooting video? As in can it record to two separate cards simultaneously? One to the cf card slot and one to the SD card slot?
Unfortunately, the 5D IV cannot record video to both the CF card and SD card simultaneously. You would need to choose one card or the other. The card that is recorded to is the one set for [Playback].
Does the 5D Mark IV have second curtain sync?
The Canon 5D IV is capable of Second-Curtain Synchronization.
When I attempt to register custom shooting modes I get a 'busy' msg on both my 5d4's and the settings don't register. Any suggestions?
This isn’t an issue I’m familiar with, nor am I finding any information about it. For this, you might want to contact Canon directly. They would likely be your best bet for trouble shooting what might be going on with the custom settings.
Canon
Tel: 800-652-2666 or 800-828-4040
Website http://www.usa.canon.com/
Before i get mk4, just to be sure, how can i do external recording to Atomos for example of 4k ? As far as i understand i can not, as HDMI output can not give 4k out ?
The 5D IV does not output 4K via HDMI out. It will output full HD video via HDMI. So, you would only be able to record HD video on an external recorder.
I am planning to buy a full frame DSLR for wedding photography, low light photography and just a well all-roud performance? Would it be good to invest in a 5D MarkIV or get the 5D MarkIII, like is there like a huge advantage with the MarkIV upgrade in terms of usability etc? Also any suggestions on suitable Compact Flash for a MarkIV would be great!!
The 5D IV would be better overall in low light. It has the better AF system, which is more sensitive in low light, and has the better low light performance in terms of noise at high ISO. It’s also a faster camera, which can be useful for the ceremony and reception. I would definitely lean towards the 5D IV over the 5D III. As for a compact flash, if you are referring to a CF card, you could look at the Lexar 64GB Professional 1066x CompactFlash Memory Card.
I shoot HDR. Does the Canon 5D Mark IV have the HDR capability the Canon 7D II has, i.e. 2,3,5 & 7 bracketed shots ?
The Canon 5D IV has auto exposure bracketing as well as a built-in HDR feature where you can shoot two to nine images to be merged into one.
How many gb does my computer have to have to handle files from the 5D MK IV?
Please send us an email at [email protected] to clarify if you are speaking about GB of RAM in terms of processing power, or GB in terms of available storage. Please also let us know the type of computer you are currently working with.