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Canon EOS 5D Mark IV vs Nikon D4S

Every spec side by side, from each maker's published figures.

Better figure, where one is clearly better

CanonEOS 5D Mark IVNikonD4S
Overview
ReleasedSeptember 2016March 2014
Image and sensor
Camera typeDSLRDSLR
Sensor formatFull frameFull frame
Sensor typeCMOSCMOS
Sensor dimensions36 × 24 mm36 × 23.9 mm
Effective resolution30.4 MP16.2 MP
Largest image6720 × 44804928 × 3280
RAW recordingYesYes
Standard ISO range100–32000100–25600
Sensor detailApproximately 30.4 million effective and 31.7 million total pixels; 36 × 24 mm CMOS with fixed low-pass filter and integrated sensor cleaningJapan states 16.23 million effective and 16.61 million total pixels, rounded to 16.2 million effective globally; sensor-cleaning system. FX, 1.2×, DX and 5:4 areas; maximum cropped sizes 4096 × 2720, 3200 × 2128 and 4096 × 3280 respectively
Image formats14-bit RAW, M-RAW, S-RAW and Dual Pixel RAW; JPEG and simultaneous RAW plus JPEG, including different formats to separate cards12-bit or 14-bit NEF RAW with lossless compression, compression or no compression; TIFF RGB, JPEG and RAW plus JPEG. RAW S uses one-quarter of full-size pixels, with 12-bit uncompressed files; some in-camera RAW editing functions unavailable for RAW S
ISO detailStandard still-photo ISO 100–32000, expandable to ISO 50, 51200 or 102400; movie sensitivity depends on resolution and exposure modeExpanded equivalents ISO 50–409600; Auto ISO
Image processorDIGIC 6+ image processorEXPEED 4; Advanced Scene Recognition System
Lens and shooting
Lens mountCanon EFNikon F mount
Stabilisation–Optical lens stabilisation
Maximum continuous burst7 fps11 fps
Lens detailCanon EF mount; EF-S and EF-M lenses incompatible; photographed with EF 24-105mm F4L IS II USM, whose specifications and weight are separate from the bodyCompatible G/E/D AF NIKKOR lenses, subject to PC lens restrictions; body autofocus motor for compatible screw-drive lenses. Non-CPU AI lenses support aperture-priority/manual; non-AI, IX and F3AF lenses unsupported; DX lenses use the DX image area
AutofocusDedicated 61-point phase-detection system with up to 41 cross-type points, including five dual-cross at f/2.8; up to 61 points and 21 cross-type at f/8 depending on lens; Dual Pixel CMOS AF for live view and moviesAdvanced Multi-CAM 3500FX; 51 points including 15 cross-type; 11 points support f/8, with only the centre point cross-type at f/8. Detection to -2 EV; single-point, dynamic 9/21/51, 3D tracking, five-point Group-area and auto-area; AF fine-tuning; separate landscape/portrait sub-selectors
ShutterElectronically controlled focal-plane shutter, 30–1/8000 second plus Bulb1/8000 to 30 seconds, Bulb and Time; flash sync 1/250 second
Burst detailApproximately 7 fps with AF/AE tracking, or 4.3 fps live view with AF tracking; maker claims unlimited JPEG or 21 RAW under specified UDMA7 CompactFlash test conditions; exposure, card, scene and settings can reduce speed and bufferApproximately 11 fps with full AF/AE tracking under Nikon's AF-C, S/M, 1/250-second-or-faster test conditions; low-speed continuous approximately 1–10 fps
Stabilisation detail–Optical VR depends on the lens; no sensor-shift stabilisation
FlashExternal EX Speedlite E-TTL II support, hotshoe and PC terminal; sync 1/200 secondNo built-in flash; hot shoe and threaded PC sync terminal; optical Nikon CLS with compatible external Speedlights
Exposure controlsScene Intelligent Auto, P, Tv, Av, M, Bulb and three custom modes; 150000-pixel RGB+IR metering sensor and 252-zone evaluative metering; up to ±5 EV still-photo compensationP/S/A/M; 91000-pixel RGB metering with 3D Colour Matrix Metering III, centre-weighted and spot modes; ±5 EV compensation; Active D-Lighting
Video
Highest video resolution4096 × 2160 at 29.97 fps1920 × 1080 at 60 fps
Video detailDCI 4096 × 2160 up to 29.97 fps using internal Motion JPEG, 8-bit 4:2:2 at approximately 500 Mbps; cropped 4K sensor area; Full HD up to 59.94 fps and HD 1280 × 720 up to 119.9 fps slow motion; normal clips up to 29 minutes 59 seconds; HDMI outputs Full HD rather than 4KH.264 MOV at Full HD 60p/50p/30p/25p/24p, 720p 60p/50p or 640 × 424 at 30p/25p; actual NTSC rates 59.94/29.97/23.976. FX, DX and native 1920 × 1080 crop modes, the latter limited to 30p/25p/24p; maximum clip 29 minutes 59 seconds, with 20/10-minute limits depending on mode and quality. Contrast-detection AF-S/AF-F, Auto ISO in manual exposure, index marking, time-lapse exposure smoothing and simultaneous memory-card/HDMI recording
AudioBuilt-in monaural microphone; external stereo microphone/line input and headphone socketsBuilt-in mono microphone; 3.5 mm stereo microphone input and headphone output; adjustable sensitivity; linear PCM; photograph voice memos
Screen and viewfinder
ViewfinderOpticalOptical
Screen size3.2″3.2″
Screen dots1,620,000921,000
TouchscreenYes–
Tilting screenNo–
Display detailFixed 3.2-inch Clear View LCD II capacitive touchscreen with approximately 1.62 million dots and reinforced glass; separate illuminated top status LCDFixed TFT with 170° viewing angle, approximately 100% coverage, automatic brightness and custom colour adjustment. Global announcement gives approximately 921000 dots, while Japan rounds approximately 920000; dots count subpixels
Viewfinder detailOptical pentaprism with approximately 100% horizontal/vertical coverage and 0.71× magnification with a 50 mm lens at infinityPentaprism; approximately 100% FX, 97% 1.2×/DX, and 100% vertical/97% horizontal for 5:4; 0.7× magnification with 50mm f/1.4 at infinity; 18 mm eyepoint; grid overlay; revised mirror mechanism reduces blackout
Connections and design
Wi-FiYes–
Battery life (maker's claim)900 photographs3020 photographs
Body weight800 g1180 g
Release detailCanon Camera Museum records first marketing in September 2016; no exact first-sale day inferredNikon Japan records sale on 6 March 2014. Nikon's global announcement explicitly describes D4S as the next-generation flagship successor to D4
Recording mediaOne CompactFlash Type I slot supporting UDMA7 and one SD/SDHC/SDXC slot supporting UHS-I; no CompactFlash Type II or Microdrive supportOne XQD slot and one CompactFlash Type I UDMA slot; overflow, backup, separate RAW/JPEG and card copying. Type II CompactFlash and Microdrive unsupported
PortsSuperSpeed USB3.0; mini HDMI Type C, external microphone/line input, headphone socket, N3 remote terminal, hotshoe and PC flash syncHi-Speed USB, mini-HDMI Type C, 3.5 mm microphone/headphone sockets, RJ-45 Ethernet with 10/100/1000BASE-T support, ten-pin accessory terminal, PC sync and WT-5 expansion connector
Wireless connectionsWi-Fi 802.11b/g/n at 2.4 GHz with Dynamic NFC; built-in GPS, GLONASS and QZSS geotagging; UK maker states FTP/FTPS removed from units shipped from August 2025 and removable by optional firmware for earlier unitsNo integrated Wi-Fi or GPS; optional WT-5/WT-4 provides wireless network transfer and browser-based remote operation. Optional GP-1/GP-1A or MC-35 connects GPS equipment; WR-R10 requires WR-A10 adapter
Battery life detailLP-E6N supplied, LP-E6 supported; maker CIPA viewfinder claim approximately 900 photographs at 23°C or 850 at 0°C; Camera Museum live-view claim approximately 300 at 23°CEN-EL18a rechargeable battery; approximately 3020 CIPA photographs
ChargingSupplied LC-E6E external battery charger; optional AC adapter and DC couplerExternal MH-26a charger; optional EH-6b adapter with EP-6 power connector
DimensionsApproximately 150.7 × 116.4 × 75.9 mm (width × height × depth)Approximately 160 × 156.5 × 90.5 mm
Weight detailApproximately 800 g body only or 890 g with battery, CompactFlash and SD cards; photographed kit lens is not includedApproximately 1180 g body only; 1350 g with battery and XQD card, excluding body cap and accessory-shoe cover
In the box–EN-EL18a battery, MH-26a charger, UC-E15 USB cable, AN-DC11 strap, BF-1B body cap, BS-2 shoe cover, DK-17 eyepiece, BL-6 battery cover, USB/HDMI clips, UF-2 stereo cable cover and ViewNX 2 CD-ROM
MaterialsMaker specifies dust- and water-resistant construction–

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