Canon 5D MK IV vs 5D MK III - Side by Side Specs

Now that the dust has settled a little around the release of the Canon 5D MK IV, what's the consensus? Is it worth the upgrade from the Canon 5D MK III? Canon did make major improvements including...

DIGIC 6+ image processor, which can handle up to 7 frames per second during continuous shooting

150,000-pixel RGB+IR metering sensor

improved 61-point High Density Reticular AF

Dual Pixel CMOS AF and Movie Servo AF

3.2" 1.62m-dot touchscreen LCD

DCI 4K (4096 x 2160) video recording at up to 30 fps

But does all this add up to a worthwhile upgrade? The new metering sensor performs beautifully in low light and images from this camera are damn crisp. But, no full frame 4K recording? In 2016? Do you think these specs are up to par? To help you decide whether it's time to upgrade to the Canon 5D MK IV we've set up a full specification breakdown next to its predecessor, the MK III, below. It's easy to see where Canon spent their time between the camera releases. What do you think?

	CANON 5D MK IV	CANON 5D MK III
IMAGING
Lens Mount	Canon EF	Canon EF
Camera Format	Full-Frame (1.0x Crop Factor)	Full-Frame (1.0x Crop Factor)
Pixels	Actual: 31.7 Megapixel Effective: 30.4 Megapixel	Actual: 23.4 Megapixel Effective: 22.3 Megapixel
Max Resolution	30.4 MP: 6720 x 4480	22.1 MP: 5760 x 3840
Aspect Ratio	3:2	3:2
Sensor Type / Size	CMOS, 36 x 24 mm	CMOS, 36 x 24 mm
File Formats	Still Images: JPEG, RAW Movies: Audio: AAC, Linear PCM (Stereo)	Still Images: JPEG, RAW Movies: MOV, MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 Audio: Linear PCM
Bit Depth	14-bit	14-bit
Dust Reduction System	Yes	Yes
Memory Card Type	CompactFlash SDXC SDHC SD	CompactFlash SD SDHC SDXC
FOCUS CONTROL
Focus Type	Auto & Manual	Auto & Manual
Focus Mode	Continuous-servo AF (C), Manual Focus (M), Single-servo AF (S)	Continuous-servo AF (C), Manual Focus (M), Single-servo AF (S)
Autofocus Points	Phase Detection: 61, 41 cross-type	61
VIEWFINDER/DISPLAY
Viewfinder Type	Pentaprism	Pentaprism
Viewfinder Eye Point	21.00 mm	21.00 mm
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	Approx. 0.71x	Approx. 0.71x
Diopter Adjustment	- 3.0 to +1.0 m	- 3.0 to +1.0 m
Display Screen	3.2" Rear Touchscreen LCD (1,620,000)	3.2" Rear Screen LCD (1,040,000)
Screen Coverage	100%	100%
Diagonal Angle of View	170.0°	-
EXPOSURE CONTROL
ISO Sensitivity	Auto, 100-32000 (Extended Mode: 50-102400)	100-25600 (High Sensitivity Mode: 50-102400)
Shutter	Type: Electronic & Mechanical Speed: 30 - 1/8000 second, Bulb Mode	Type: Mechanical Speed: 1/8000 - 30 second
Remote Control	TC-80N3, RS-80N3 (Optional)	RS-80N3, LC-5 & RC-6 (Optional)
Mirror Lock-Up	Yes	Yes
Metering Method	Evaluative metering, Partial Metering, Spot metering	Average metering, Center-weighted average metering, Multi-zone metering, Spot metering
Exposure Modes	Modes: Aperture Priority, Auto, Manual, Programmed Auto, Shutter Priority Metering Range: EV 0.0 - EV 20.0 Compensation: -5 EV to +5 EV (in 1/3 EV steps)	Modes: AE Lock, Aperture Priority, Auto, Manual, Programmed Auto, Shutter Priority Compensation: -5 EV to +5 EV (in 1/3 EV steps)
Continuous Shooting	Up to 7 fps at 30 MP for up to 21 frames in raw format Up to 7 fps at 30 MP for unlimited frames in JPEG format	-
White Balance Modes	Auto, Cloudy, Color Temperature, Custom, Daylight, Flash, Fluorescent (White), Shade, Tungsten	Auto, Cloudy, Custom, Daylight, Flash, Fluorescent (White), Kelvin, Manual, Shade, Tungsten
FLASH
Built-in Flash	No	No
Max Sync Speed	Mechanical Shutter: 1 / 200 seconds	1 / 200 seconds
Flash Compensation	-3 EV to +3 EV (in 1/3 or 1/2 EV steps)	-3 EV to +3 EV (in 1/3 or 1/2 EV steps)
Dedicated Flash System	eTTL	-
External Flash Connection	Hot Shoe, PC Terminal	Hot Shoe, PC Terminal
AV RECORDING
Video Recording	Yes, NTSC/PAL	Yes
File Size	4096 x 2160p 1920 x 1080p 1280 x 720p	1920 x 1080 (Full HD) 1280 x 720 640 x 480
Video Format/Frame Rates	4K M-JPEG 4096 x 2160p / 29.97 fps (500 Mbps) / 24 fps (500 Mbps) / 23.98 fps (500 Mbps) High Definition MOV 1920 x 1080p / 59.94 fps (180 Mbps) / 29.97 fps (90 Mbps) / 24 fps (90 Mbps) / 23.98 fps (90 Mbps) / 59.94 fps (60 Mbps) / 29.97 fps (30 Mbps) / 24 fps (30 Mbps) / 23.98 fps (30 Mbps) 1280 x 720p / 120 fps (160 Mbps) High Definition MP4 1920 x 1080p / 59.94 fps (60 Mbps) / 29.97 fps (30 Mbps) / 24 fps (30 Mbps) / 23.98 fps (30 Mbps) / 29.97 fps (12 Mbps)	MOV (Image data: H.264/MPEG-4 AVC; Audio: Linear PCM) @ 1920 x 1080: 30 fps, 25 fps, 24 fps @ 1280 x 720: 60 fps, 50 fps @ 640 x 480: 30 fps, 25 fps
Exposure Control	Auto: Shutter Speed, Aperture, ISO Manual: Shutter Speed, Aperture, ISO	Manual: Shutter Speed, Aperture, ISO
ISO Sensitivity	Auto, 100 - 32000	100 - 12800, Expandable to 25600
Exposure Compensation	-3 EV to +3 EV (in 1/3 or 1/2 EV steps)	-3 EV to +3 EV (in 1/3 EV steps)
Focus	Auto Manual Continuous Auto	Auto Manual
Video Clip Length	4096 x 2160 29 min. 59 seconds	29 min. 59 seconds
Audio Recording	Built-in Mic: With Video, Mono Optional External Mic: With Video, Stereo	Optional External Mic: With Video, Stereo
PERFORMANCE
Start-up Time	0.1 seconds	0.1 seconds
Shutter Lag	0.058 seconds	0.059 seconds
Self Timer	10 seconds, 2 seconds	2 seconds, 10 seconds
Interval Recording	Yes	Not Specified By Manufacturer
Connectivity	1/8" Headphone 1/8" Microphone Canon N3 HDMI C (Mini) USB 3.0	1/8" Headphone 1/8" Microphone AV Output HDMI C (Mini) USB 2.0
Wi-Fi Capable	Yes	Yes (with Optional Transmitter)
POWER
Battery	1x LP-E6N Rechargeable Lithium-ion Battery Pack, 7.2 VDC, 1865 mAh	1x LP-E6 Rechargeable Lithium-ion Battery Pack, 7.2 VDC, 1800 mAh
AC Power Adapter	ACK-E6 (Optional)	ACK-E6 (Optional)
Operating/Storage Temperature	Operating 32 to 104°F (0 to 40°C) Humidity: 0 - 85%	Operating 32 to 104°F (0 to 40°C) Humidity: 0 - 85%
PHYSICAL
Dimensions (WxHxD)	5.9 x 4.6 x 3.0" / 150.7 x 116.4 x 75.9 mm	6.0 x 4.6 x 3.0" / 15.2 x 11.7 x 7.6 cm
Weight	1.76 lb / 800 g body only	1.89 lb / 860 g

Canon 5d and Zacuto

The Canon 5D MK IV and the Canon 5D MK III are both compatible with our Z-Finder Pro with 3.2" Frame. Our Z-Finder Pro viewfinder is an optical viewfinder that allows DSLR cameras to have the correct form factor for video. The Z-Finder will magnify the LCD screen by 2.5x and has a diopter for specific focus tuning. It cuts out any extraneous light and offers an initial point of stability by pressing your eye against our comfy, large eyecup. Also check out our comfortable Run'N'Gun rigs and the balanced, customizable Indie Recoil shoulder rig.