Canon EOS 5D Mark IV review: Introduction

At a glance:

• 30.4-million-pixel full-frame CMOS sensor
• Dual DIGIC 6 & DIGIC 6+ processors
• ISO 100-32,000 (expandable to ISO 50-102,400)
• 7fps continuous shooting
• 61-point AF system with 41 cross-type
• 3.2in, 1,620k-dot touchscreen
• Built-in Wi-fi, NFC and GPS
• £3,599 (body only)

The EOS 5D series has played a major role in Canon’s EOS line-up for more than a decade. Over the past 11 years we’ve seen no fewer than six DSLRs adorn the EOS 5D logo, but it was the original EOS 5D back in 2005 that will be remembered as the DSLR that made full-frame photography viable to enthusiast photographers for the first time. The combination of its well-proportioned body, excellent image quality and all-round versatility turned out to be a winning formula with the masses.

By 2008 the EOS 5D was starting to show its age, and to keep up with competition in the market Canon released the EOS 5D Mark II. The inauguration of full HD video made it a must-have model for amateur and professional filmmakers, while the jump from 12.8 million pixels to 21.1 million pixels made it tempting for those demanding higher resolution. Four years later its successor arrived in the form of the EOS 5D Mark III. Although its 22.3-million-pixel sensor didn’t provide the leap in resolution that many had expected, its new 61-point autofocus system was a huge step up from the outdated 9-point AF system. This was the first time Canon had used its top-of-the-range AF system in any DSLR outside its EOS-1 series, and this was something that was well received by original EOS 5D users who felt the EOS 5D Mark II didn’t offer enough to warrant an upgrade.

The 5D Mark IV is the sixth model in the EOS 5D-series. It carries on where the EOS 5D Mark III left off

Last year we were presented with the EOS 5DS and 5DS R, which hold claim to fame for being the world’s first 50.6-million-pixel full-frame DSLRs. As impressive as these models are, they’re primarily intended for high-end professional use where nothing but the highest resolution is good enough. They were never destined to replace the ‘Mark’ series, and those who’ve been holding out for a successor to the 5D Mark III have finally had their wish come true with the recent release of the EOS 5D Mark IV. The EOS 5D-series has been a favourite of many professionals and enthusiasts since 2005, so can this latest model live up to high expectations?