Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Four years since it was released, Canon
has finally announced the successor to the 5D Mark III, the new 5D Mark IV.
The 5D Mark III brings significant
improvements to both the photo and video aspect over its predecessor. There is
a brand new 30.4 megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor with an ISO range of
100-32000, Dual Pixel CMOS AF with 61 AF points including 41 cross-type,
150,000 pixel RGB+IR metering, Dual Pixel RAW, in-camera digital lens optimizer
for JPEG and diffraction correction. For video, you also get 4K video (up to
4096x2160) at 30fps and 4K frame capture during video recording. The Dual Pixel
AF works for both stills and videos in Live View mode. The camera also has NFC
and GPS built-in. The display on the back is touchscreen but non-articulating.
Overall, the 5D Mark IV seems like a
very modest jump over the Mark III. While most of the capabilities have been
improved Canon once again hasn't attempted to push itself too hard,
particularly in the video department, as the company is overly concerned with
selling its more expensive DSLR and video camera line. Yes, we do get 4K
resolution but professional videographers are bound to miss things such as
presence of a log profile.
This is where companies such as Sony and
Panasonic lead, with the no-holds-barred approach to features for both, photos
and videos, without compromising on quality that have made them so popular off
late. Not to mention the lighter and more compact body that people are now
swaying towards after being bogged down by bulky DSLR bodies for years. So
while the 5D Mark IV might look like a good upgrade over its four year old
predecessor, it might be a case of too little, too late, especially at the US$ 3500 price tag.
