Canon 5D IV vs Canon 5Ds R – Comparison

The names may be similar, but the Canon 5D IV is quite different from the Canon 5Ds R. On the outside they look the same, but because of their specifications, they’re targeted at two completely different types of photography.

Our comparison table below covers all the important specifications of each camera. Below that, we specifically talk about the new improvements and which model is better suited for your needs.

	Canon 5D IV	Canon 5Ds R
Megapixels	30.4	50.6
Sensor Type	CMOS	CMOS
Sensor Format	Full Frame	Full Frame
Crop Factor	None	None
AA Filter	Yes	None
Image Resolution	6720 x 4480	8688 x 5792
Body Image Stabilization	No	No
Lens Mount	Canon EF	Canon EF
ISO	100 - 32,000	100 - 6,400
Expanded ISO	102,400	12,800
AF Points	61	61
Cross-type AF Points	41	41
Continuous Mode	7fps	5fps
LCD	3.2" - Fixed	3.2" - Fixed
LCD Resolution	1,620,000 dots	1,044,000 dots
Touchscreen	Yes	No
Focus Peaking	No	No
Top LCD Display	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder Type	Optical	Optical
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.71x	0.71x
Video Resolution	4096x2160 (30/25/24p)	1920x1080 (30/25/24p)
	1920x1080 (60/50/30/25/24p	1280x720 (60/50p)
Microphone Jack	Yes	Yes
Headphone Jack	Yes	No
Memory Card Type	CF + SD	CF + SD
Dual Card Slots	Yes	Yes
SD UHS Support	UHS-I & UDMA7	UHS-I & UDMA
Fastest Shutter Speed	1/8000	1/8000
Slowest Shutter Speed	30"	30"
Bulb Mode	Yes	Yes
JPEG Buffer Size	Unlimited	28
RAW Buffer Size	19	15
Time Lapse	Yes	Yes
Built-in Flash	No	No
Max Flash Sync Speed	1/200	1/200
Startup Time	0.5s	0.5s
Built-in Wi-Fi	Yes	No
Built-in GPS	Yes	No
Built- in NFC	Yes	No
Bluetooth	No	No
USB Type	USB 3.0	USB 3.0
Environmentally Sealed	Yes	Yes
Battery Life (CIPA)	900 shots	700 shots
Battery Included	Yes (LP-E6N)	Yes (LP-E6 or LP-E6N)
Weight	31.4 oz (890g)	33.4 oz (948g)
Size	5.9 x 4.6 x 3.0"	6.0 x 4.6 x 3.0"
Price	Amazon	Amazon
Release Date	2016	2015

Canon 5D Mark IV Advantages:

• More ISO Range – The native ISO is 2 stops higher, same for the expanded one

• 7 vs 5fps -2fps more every second is enough to make a difference in sports and wildlife.

• LCD Resolution – The screen sports a higher resolution

• Touchscreen – The 5D IV supports touchscreen so you can navigate through the menus or select the focus point directly on the screen itself

• Dual Pixel AF – Canon’s DPAF technology results in faster and more accurate video focusing, especially for moving subjects

• 4K Video – Available in 30/25/24p

• Headphone Jack – Great for directly monitoring the audio

• Buffer – Unlimited JPEG buffer versus 28, 19 vs 15 for RAW

• Connections – The 5D IV features built-in Wi-Fi, GPS, NFC and Bluetooth connections

• Battery Life – 200 shots longer

• Weight – The 5D IV is 60g lighter

• Less Expensive – The 5D IV costs around $200 less for body only

The Canon 5D IV has a higher ISO range since it’s got almost 20MP megapixels less and won’t show as much noise as the 5Ds R. It’s much better for video thanks to DPAF, touchscreen and 4K recording, and the built-in connections and a longer battery life definitely add a lot. Feel free to check out our Best Lenses for Canon 5D Mark IV.

You can buy it at Amazon or read more reviews here.

Canon 5Ds R Advantages:

• Sensor – The 5Ds R has 20 megapixels more; 50 vs 30.

• AA Filter – The 5Ds R has no AA filter so you can expect slightly sharper results when printing big

The one and only advantage of the 5Ds R is the big impressive 50MP sensor. If you don’t need it, you shouldn’t buy it. For landscape, studio, fashion and anywhere where you want plenty of details, having this much resolution is a big deal. It’ll also do good in sports and other scenarios, but it shouldn’t be your option if that’s what you mostly shoot.

You can buy it at Amazon or read more reviews here.