“The big question on everyone’s mind is how does the new Canon EOS R stack up against the 5D Mark IV?”
Gemma Peanut
In this informative review video, professional lifestyle and wedding photographer Gemma Peanut compares the new EOS R full-frame mirrorless camera with her faithful 5D Mark IV DSLR. Hit play and find out what she had to say.
I’ve been using the 5D Mark IV since it came out in 2016 and absolutely love it, so I’m going to focus on the upgrades in the EOS R and highlight the differences to help you determine which camera to invest in.
Form Factor
The body of the EOS R is much slimmer, lighter and more compact than the 5D Mark IV. The bigger size of the 5D Mark IV isn’t necessarily a drawback though, as it feels more solid in my hands and is definitely more rugged. One of the reasons for its bigger size is that it has a dual memory card slot for an SD and a CF card.
Functionality
Looking at the back of both cameras, you can see a more streamlined look with fewer buttons on the EOS R. I’m not a fan of change but I knew I’d be able to form new camera-using habits, especially as you can completely tailor the camera to suit your personal shooting style. It took me less than an hour to become familiar and totally comfortable with the new layout.
Vari-angle LCD Screen
The EOS R has a vari-angle LCD screen, which is something I wish the 5D Mark IV had, especially as a wedding photographer where I shoot a lot of details from a bird’s eye view. The dynamic LCD screen and touch shutter release also help me achieve the shots I want while maintaining a posture that doesn’t hurt my back.
Electronic Viewfinder
Both the 5D Mark IV and the EOS R have a Live View functionality where the screen provides a visual representation of the exposure as you adjust it. Impressively, the EOS R also features this functionality within the electronic viewfinder itself.
“This is one of my favourite new features on the EOS R. It’s a real game changer—especially when you’re shooting in fast-paced environments.”
Gemma Peanut
I do want to note that the addition of the EOS R’s electronic viewfinder does mean that the camera’s battery life is shorter than on the 5D Mark IV. So if a longer battery life is important to you, the 5D Mark IV comes out on top.
Touch-and-Drag Auto Focus
The EOS R’s game-changing new Touch-and-Drag AF feature means you can look through the viewfinder and use your thumb to touch-and-drag the back of the LCD screen to select your focus point. This is a revolutionary way of locking focus and shooting.
Lens Control Ring
“I’m all about efficiency and speed when it comes to my style of photography, so the speed of this feature is a big win in my books.”
Gemma Peanut
Canon have gotten even more innovative by adding a groundbreaking control ring on all of the new RF lenses. This ring can be customised to control aperture, shutter speed, ISO or even exposure compensation.
Compatibility
Canon have also created a lens mount adaptor that allows you to use all Canon EF lenses with the EOS R. What’s more, if you fall in love with the new control ring feature, Canon have added this feature to the adaptor. So even if you want to use your EF collection of lenses with the EOS R, you can still adjust your ISO, exposure, aperture or shutter speed with a simple twist of this ring.
Conclusion
“I would happily welcome the EOS R into my photography kit to work alongside my 5D Mark IV.”
Gemma Peanut
There’s no denying that the 5D Mark IV is a workhorse—it’s the best of the DSLRs. It’s tried and tested and relied on by countless professionals. But the EOS R is without doubt the future of the mirrorless movement.
5D MARK IV • Dual memory card slots • Longer battery life • More rugged and robust body | EOS R • A more compact body • Better image quality lenses • More customisation on both body and lenses • Electronic viewfinder |
Find out more about the EOS R and 5D Mark IV. See more of Gemma Peanut’s photographs on Instagram.
Here at the store, it seems like customers are constantly asking what the main difference is between the Canon 5D Mark IV and the new mirrorless Canon EOS R. People seem reluctant at first to switch over to mirrorless when they’ve been using DSLRs for years. Don’t get us wrong, the 5D Mark IV is a phenomenal camera and between the two you really can’t make a bad decision. These two cameras are very similar but there are, of course, a few differences that might sway your decision one way more than the other.
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Canon EOS R vs. Canon 5D Mark IV Comparison
Camera Feature | Canon EOS R | Canon 5D Mark IV |
Mount Inner Diameter | 54mm | 54mm |
Mount Flange Distance | 20mm | 44mm |
Mount Type | RF Mount | EF Mount |
Sensor Resolution | 30.4 MP | 30.4 MP |
Sensor Type | CMOS | CMOS |
Sensor Size | 36 x 24mm | 36 x 24mm |
Low Pass Filter | Yes | Yes |
Sensor Pixel Size | 5.36µ | 5.36µ |
Image Size | 6,720 x 4,480 | 6,720 x 4,480 |
Image Processor | DIGIC 8 | DIGIC 6+ |
Max Buffer Capacity (Rated, RAW) | 47 images (USC-II) | 21 images (CF card) |
Native ISO Sensitivity | 100-40,000 | 100-32,000 |
Boosted ISO Sensitivity | 50, 51,200-102,400 | 50, 51,200-102,400 |
Dust Reduction/Sensor Cleaning | Yes | Yes |
Calibrations | No | Yes |
Viewfinder Type | (Electronic) EVF | Optical |
Built-in Flash | No | No |
Storage | 1x SD | 1x CF, 1x SD |
Continuous Shooting Speed | 8 FPS | 7 FPS |
Max Shutter Speed | 1/8000 to 30 sec | 1/8000 to 30 sec |
AE Bracketing Range | ±3 EV | ±3 EV |
Number of AF Points | 5655 AF points | 61 AF points, 41 cross-type |
AF Detection Range | -6 to +18 EV | -3 to +18 EV |
Smallest AF Detection Aperture | f/11 | f/8 |
Video Max Resolution | 3,840 x 2,160 (4K)/ 30 FPS | 4,096 x 2,160 (DCI 4K)/ 30 FPS |
1080p Video Max Frame Rate | 60 FPS | 60 FPS |
HDMI Output | 4:2:2, 10-bit | 4:2:2, 8-bit |
Video Crop Factor | 1.74x | 1.74x |
Audio Recording | Built-in stereo microphone, optional external stereo microphone | Built-in stereo microphone, optional external stereo microphone |
Headphone Jack | Yes | Yes |
LCD Resolution | 2,100,000 dots | 1,620,000 dots |
Built-in GPS | No | Yes |
Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
Bluetooth | Yes | No |
Battery Life | 350-560 | 900 |
Weather-Sealed Body | Yes | Yes |
USB Version | 3.1 | 3.0 |
Weight | 580 g | 800 g |
Dimensions | 135.8 x 98.3 x 67.7 mm | 150.7 x 116.4 x 75.9 mm |
MSRP Price | $2,299 (check price) | $3,099 (check price) |
Mirrorless or DSLR?
As you can see from the specification chart above, both cameras are comparable. Obviously, a mirrorless camera is going to have a few differences from a DSLR such as viewfinder type, size, weight, autofocus system and battery life. Regarding viewfinder type, optical viewfinders in DSLRs use the mirror to reflect the image from the lens to the viewfinder. Since there is no mirror in mirrorless cameras, they use Electronic Viewfinders (EVF). EVFs provide LIVE VIEW, the ability to see the changes you make in your camera settings in real-time. This can take some getting used if you are coming from a DSLR camera, but it’s an amazing feature to take advantage of.
The two major advantages of the 5D Mark IV is the battery life and the two card slots. If either of these is a top priority for what you do, then hands-down go with the 5D Mark IV. If you are a sports photographer or someone who needs a fast shutter, keep in mind, even though the EOS R might have 8 FPS over the 7 FPS on the 5D IV, it will lock autofocus at 5 FPS. The video resolution is a tad bit better on the 5D Mark IV with 4,096 x 2,160 (DCI 4K) compared to 3,840 x 2,160 (4K) on the EOS R, but the EOS R still takes the cake in that department with a 10-bit output, EVF and 180-degree tilt-screen.
Although minor, the EOS R has a slight edge over the 5D Mark IV. One feature that contributes to this is that it has more than double the buffer capacity with 47 shots compared to 21 in the 5D IV and comes with a newer processor. Autofocus points are now available almost edge to edge on your screen with 5655 AF points rather than the 61 in the 5D IV. Another noteworthy feature is the AF detection range of -6 to +18 with F1.2 lenses. This range reverts to the same -3 to +18 range in the 5D IV with smaller aperture lenses.
Mirrorless cameras, in general, are known for their ability to work well in low light and the EOS R is no different. It has a native ISO from 100-40,000 compared to 100-32,000 in the 5D IV. It also has a smaller maximum AF detection aperture at f/11 compared to f/8 in the 5D IV. A few other improvements include Bluetooth capability, a newer USB version and, not to mention, access to newer RF lenses.
Naturally, one main factor to keep in mind is the price. The price edges the competition closer to the EOS R at only $2,299 for the body, $800 cheaper than its older, DSLR counterpart. Currently, both cameras are on sale. Check our website for prices!