Request a product

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV vs Nikon D5

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

Better figure, where one is clearly better

CanonEOS 5D Mark IVNikonD5
Overview
ReleasedSeptember 2016March 2016
Image and sensor
Camera typeDSLRDSLR
Sensor formatFull frameFull frame
Sensor typeCMOSCMOS
Sensor dimensions36 × 24 mm35.9 × 23.9 mm
Effective resolution30.4 MP20.8 MP
Largest image6720 × 44805568 × 3712
RAW recordingYesYes
Standard ISO range100–32000100–102400
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 specifies 20.82 million effective and 21.33 million total pixels, rounded to 20.8 million effective in the US; sensor-cleaning system. FX, 1.2×, DX and 5:4 image areas
Image formats14-bit RAW, M-RAW, S-RAW and Dual Pixel RAW; JPEG and simultaneous RAW plus JPEG, including different formats to separate cardsLarge NEF RAW at 12 or 14 bits with lossless compression, compression or no compression; medium and small RAW fixed to 12-bit lossless compression on Nikon's technical sheet. TIFF RGB, JPEG and RAW plus JPEG; Flat Picture Control. The original US announcement incorrectly describes medium/small RAW as uncompressed
ISO detailStandard still-photo ISO 100–32000, expandable to ISO 50, 51200 or 102400; movie sensitivity depends on resolution and exposure modeExpanded equivalents ISO 50–3280000; Auto ISO
Image processorDIGIC 6+ image processorEXPEED 5; Advanced Scene Recognition System
Lens and shooting
Lens mountCanon EFNikon F mount
Stabilisation–Optical lens stabilisation
Maximum continuous burst7 fps12 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 moviesMulti-CAM 20K; 153 points including 99 cross-type, with 55 points and 35 cross-type points user-selectable. Fifteen points support f/8, nine selectable; centre sensitivity -4 EV and other points -3 EV at ISO 100, 20°C. Single-point, dynamic 25/72/153, 3D tracking, Group-area and auto-area; firmware C1.10 adds dynamic nine-point AF, C1.20 adds Group-area HL/VL
ShutterElectronically controlled focal-plane shutter, 30–1/8000 second plus Bulb1/8000 to 30 seconds, Bulb and Time; flash sync 1/250 second; electronic front-curtain option in mirror-up mode; Nikon tested the shutter to 400000 actuations
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 12 fps with AF/AE tracking; 14 fps locks focus and exposure with the mirror up. Nikon quotes up to 200 full-size 14-bit lossless RAW frames with its specified Lexar 2933× XQD 2.0 card
Stabilisation detail–Optical VR depends on the lens; no sensor-shift stabilisation. Firmware C1.10 adds electronic movie vibration reduction with a crop, excluding 4K and 1920 × 1080 crop modes
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/radio Nikon CLS with compatible external Speedlights and required accessories
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; 180000-pixel RGB metering with Colour Matrix Metering III, centre-weighted, spot and highlight-weighted modes; ±5 EV compensation; Active D-Lighting
Video
Highest video resolution4096 × 2160 at 29.97 fps3840 × 2160 at 30 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 4K 30p/25p/24p, Full HD 60p/50p/30p/25p/24p and 720p 60p/50p; actual NTSC rates 59.94/29.97/23.976. Native 1920 × 1080 crop also supports 60p/50p/30p/25p/24p. Firmware C1.10 extends recording to 29 minutes 59 seconds across up to eight 4 GB files; Photography Blog's three-minute 4K criticism concerns original firmware. Contrast-detection AF-S/AF-F; uncompressed HDMI output; in-camera time-lapse movies
AudioBuilt-in monaural microphone; external stereo microphone/line input and headphone socketsBuilt-in stereo 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 dots1,620,0002,359,000
TouchscreenYesYes
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 touch TFT with 170° viewing angle and approximately 100% coverage; playback gestures and touch text entry. US specifies 2359000 dots, Japan rounds to 2360000; 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; 0.72× magnification with 50mm f/1.4 at infinity; 17 mm eyepoint; grid overlay
Connections and design
Wi-FiYes–
Battery life (maker's claim)900 photographs3780 photographs
Body weight800 g1235 g
Release detailCanon Camera Museum records first marketing in September 2016; no exact first-sale day inferredNikon Japan records sale on 26 March 2016; the US announcement scheduled March availability. Nikon's Japanese announcement explicitly identifies D4S as the previous model
Recording mediaOne CompactFlash Type I slot supporting UDMA7 and one SD/SDHC/SDXC slot supporting UHS-I; no CompactFlash Type II or Microdrive supportTwo XQD slots or two CompactFlash Type I UDMA7 slots, selected by body version; overflow, backup, separate RAW/JPEG and card copying. Firmware C1.40 adds CFexpress Type B support to XQD bodies
PortsSuperSpeed USB3.0; mini HDMI Type C, external microphone/line input, headphone socket, N3 remote terminal, hotshoe and PC flash syncUSB 3.0 Micro-B, 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-6/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-6/WT-5 provides wireless network transfer. Optional GP-1A connects through the ten-pin terminal
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°CApproximately 3780 CIPA photographs; original US specifications use EN-EL18a, while the later Japanese technical sheet specifies EN-EL18b at the same shot count
ChargingSupplied LC-E6E external battery charger; optional AC adapter and DC couplerExternal MH-26a charger; Japanese technical sheet lists optional EH-6c adapter with EP-6 power connector
DimensionsApproximately 150.7 × 116.4 × 75.9 mm (width × height × depth)Approximately 160 × 158.5 × 92 mm
Weight detailApproximately 800 g body only or 890 g with battery, CompactFlash and SD cards; photographed kit lens is not includedXQD version approximately 1235 g body only or 1405 g with battery and two XQD cards; CompactFlash version 1240 g body only or 1415 g with battery and two CF cards. Main weight represents the XQD body
MaterialsMaker specifies dust- and water-resistant constructionWeather-sealed construction; illuminated controls

More comparisons