To be honest, I didn’t purchase this camera when it was first released in 2016. I was just a young child taking pictures with my dad’s film camera back then. I purchased my Canon 5D Mark IV in 2020, just before COVID-19, and following a string of successful jobs. To be honest, this may have been one of my worst business choices. However, after using the camera virtually every day for three years, I’ve grown to like it and am glad I purchased it. I shot so much on it that I’ve already had to bring it in for a couple of minor repairs and a new shutter. Seven years later, very much in the mirrorless era, we shall see what the 5D Mark IV is capable of in this review. I will concentrate more on the user experience with the 5D Mark IV and less on the specifications because so many users have reviewed it. If you’re looking for a short spec sheet, though, here it is. Let’s now discuss some of the main advantages of utilizing a Canon 5D Mark IV in 2023.

The Canon 5D Mark IV’s greatest attributes with amazing statistics

Quality of Sensors in the Canon 5D Mark IV

An amazing 30.4-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor powers the 5D Mark IV. It is a change from the 5D Mark III, which many users both then and today found useful. But what good is a high-resolution sensor if it doesn’t have the corresponding bit depth and dynamic range? Thankfully, the Canon 5D Mark IV excels in both areas as well: 13.6 EVF dynamic range and 24.8-bit color depth. I have no trouble capturing shadow detail or taking shots that are either overexposed or underexposed. You may practically ignore the fact that something is overexposed or underexposed if the camera is set to raw.
I usually take slightly overexposed shots, but in post-production, I bring the image back to normal to correct skin tones. The ISO range of the Canon 5D Mark IV is another excellent feature. The range is ISO 100–32,000. For me, the highest useful setting is going to be ISO 12,800. If you’re shooting higher than that, you’re either astrophotography, shooting in the dark, or you’re doing something wrong. I’ve used it to shoot my late-night events, and not a single client has ever complained that the photos are too grainy. If anything, I enjoy adding grain to photos after the fact to give them a more textured, cinematic look. The Canon 5D Mark IV sensor produces amazing images, and you won’t have any issues using it to produce 99 percent of your work. For the past ten years, the prerequisites for creating high-level campaigns have remained unchanged. A 21-megapixel Canon 5D Mark II would do, although it would require a lot of cropping.

Canon Focusing Mark IV 5D Mark IV

Although it’s not as good as Canon’s flagship models, the 5D Mark IV deserves some attention. Although the live view focus is decent, my shooting style prevents me from using it much. It’s not as good as the autofocus systems in contemporary cameras, but it’s still functional. The more advanced facial recognition and tracking of the 5D Mark IV focusing mechanism is derived from that of the previous Canon 1D X model. Both your camera and lens affect how effectively your focus works. The Canon 5D Mark IV is usually a good choice for portrait, fashion, and beauty photography. The quality is not even close to that of the Canon 5Ds. I always go to the 5D Mark IV when I know the subject I’m about to shoot is going to move quickly.

Prolonged Dependability of the Canon 5D Mark IV

For me and other photographers who dislike frequently updating their cameras, this is a major one. Purchasing an expensive piece of equipment like a camera should be a long-term strategy rather than a one-time purchase. Thus, I’d like to discuss the Canon 5D Mark IV’s long-term dependability.
On set, I had a camera malfunction; it happened just under the 150k shutter barrier. I was initially persuaded to doubt the camera’s dependability by this. However, I purchased it secondhand, so there’s always a risk. Maybe I was too careless, or maybe the previous owner wasn’t as careful with it; the latter is probably more likely. Anyway, this camera has been fixed and is now operational again on the set. It has been dropped many times, the bottom has smashed on the tripod base, and water has splashed all over it. I genuinely believe that this is a workhorse of a camera that will provide you with years of dependable service. However, if it does break, all you have to do is change the shutter and you’ll have a brand-new camera. I’ll also include battery dependability. Even though my battery’s manufacture date is 2016, I can still get 800 pictures out of the camera. I rarely, if ever, worry that my batteries won’t hold out long enough for a full day of photography.

Canon 5D Mark IV’s glaring flaws

However, the camera has some shortcomings. The most evident is that it’s a DSLR, which is considered antiquated technology by modern marketing standards. Though functional, the video is not among the best that is out there. I rarely use it for video production since to be honest, the 4K on it is disappointing. That being said, this camera is not for you if you are a videographer. For those of us who love live-view photography, the lack of articulation in the LCD on the back may be a challenge.

Concluding Remarks for Canon 5D Mark IV

I advise acquiring the 5D Mark IV if you aren’t sure whether to get a mirrorless camera or not. Focus on your skills instead of worrying about outdated technology. For the next few decades, if not longer, the EOS series will continue to exist. Long beyond 2050, you will still be able to locate all EF lenses, just as you can still locate all FD lenses from the 1970s. Regarding myself, I’m not sure when I’ll upgrade, but it won’t happen for a long. Rather than the tools I use, I am having more issues creating the photos.