Canon 5 DSR vs Canon 5D Mark IV

Introduction

As a photographer, you already know how difficult it is to choose the camera of your dreams due to the fact that there are several personal preferences that your ideal camera should have to match in order to grab your attention. Choosing between Canon EOS 5DS R and Canon EOS 5D Mark IV isn’t the easiest thing in the world, but instead, it is exactly the opposite.

After a huge number of people have been asking me throughout the past few months, I’ve decided to give the best possible answer to the question “Which one is better”? To be honest, I don’t think that it will be easy though, because both cameras are outstanding, performance and design-wise and that’s the main reason why are they among the best and most purchased products in this category and price range.

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Head To Head Comparison

Canon 5DS R

To begin with, the Canon EOS 5DS R is a fairly, chunky, and heavy SLR that measures 4.6 x 6 x 3″ (HWD), weighs approximately 1.9 pounds without a lens, and has a magnesium alloy chassis that is furtherly protected by a dust and splash-resistant seal which makes this unit be a portable tank in terms of durability!

In addition, the button layout is intuitively-designed, something that always comes handy for the photographer because he/she can access the menu and use each available setting that this camera offers. As a matter of fact, Canon has managed to create buttons for virtually every setting you would use, and all of them are spread across the entire body.

On the top, there is a large, monochrome LCD screen positioned on the right side of the plate, while on the rear, there is a 3.2″ ClearView screen that packs up to 1,040,000-dots and has an anti-reflective coating which is something that I absolutely favor because you will have a clear sight especially if you shoot in bright-light situations.

Slightly above the screen, there is an Intelligent Viewfinder that integrates an embedded transparent LCD panel that can even display cropped shooting frames, but let’s not also forget that it offers an approximate coverage of 100% vertically and horizontally!

Moreover, EOS 5DS R’s interface merges USB 3.0 terminal, 2 mini-HDMI out ports, PC sync socket for studio lighting, single connector for external remote control, dual memory card slots of which one supports SD/SDHC/SDXC while the other is for CompactFlash, and unfortunately, this model lacks Wi-Fi and GPS. So far, this is the only remark I have regarding this camera because I really think that Canon should’ve made this model Wi-Fi enabled if we take into consideration its price tag.

Speaking of the performance, the Canon 5DS R combines a full-frame 50.6MP CMOS sensor, low-pass filter, 61-point High-Density Reticular AF with 41 cross-type points, an ISO range of 100-6400 that is expandable to 50-12,800 and two DIGIC 6 processor that output a truly unmatchable performance!

First of all, I have to express my satisfaction regarding the AF system of this camera due to the fact that the 5DS R can quickly track subjects and what’s even better is that you can set a specific autofocus point as well.

Furthermore, in order to get the best possible results with this camera, I’d advise you stick to ISO 800, because the noise is low to nonexistent. Otherwise, JPGs images that were shot at default setting look impressive with minimal noise, however, at ISO 6400 the noise increases more, and reaches its peak at ISO 12800.

I would also like to mention that EOS 5DS R lets you achieve excellent results for portraits and landscapes not only because of the included specs, but also because of the built-in viewfinder that allows you to stabilize the camera and reduce the camera shake! Aside from this, since it captures 8712 x 5813 pixels, you can also use this camera for large-scale commercial printing and even fine art.

When it comes to the video, the 5DS R records videos at 1080p30 resolution, but you can set the camera to record 1080p videos at 24 fps, or 60 fps if you prefer recording at 720p. Clearly, if you’re a videographer this camera wouldn’t be the best choice for you, however, if you’re a photographer, this would be a top-notch choice for you!

Canon 5DSR Sample Footage:

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Canon 5D Mark IV

At glance, the EOS 5D Mark IV looks similar to 5DS R and its predecessor, the 5D Mark III in various ways, and if you’ve had an opportunity to see these cameras, I’m sure that you will instantly detect the similarities.

Speaking of the dimensions, this model measures 4.6 x 5.9 x 3.0″ (HWD), weighs approximately 1.8 pounds, and if we compare it to Canon 5DS R ( 4.6 x 6 x 3″) , you can see that their dimensions almost match.

Furthermore, as was the case with the previous model, this camera does have a deep grip as well, which by default, means that it will not only fit comfortably in your hands, but it will also provide you a fast access to the depth of field preview button and the shutter release button. This makes it my favorite camera for wedding photography.

Since I’ve mentioned the buttons, I would like you to know that the button layout is very simplistic, and well designed because during your shooting sessions, you will never face any difficulties adjusting the presets and tailoring the picture according to your preferences. For instance, on the top-left side, there is a mode dial, while on the right, there is a large monochrome Information backlit LCD will notify you all the time regarding the aperture, metering and more.

On the rear, there are multiple buttons that are spread on the left,top and right side of the unit, while at the center, there is a sleek-looking, 3.2″ 1.62M-dot LCD touchscreen which is better than Canon 5DS R, who lacks the touchscreen capabilities. But what they have in common is that their screens aren’t vari-angle. Either way, 5D Mark IV wins the race here.

On the rear-top, there is an optical viewfinder that covers up to 100% of the frame, and provides a 0.71x magnification, and in practice, you will always have a bright and clear sight of every subject you want to capture.

Moreover, the 5D Mark IV merges a mini-HDMI jack, single USB 3.0 port for fast data transfer, headphone and microphone ports that can be found toward the base of the camera, and what’s also great is that this camera is Wi-Fi and GPS-enabled. Once again, 5D Mark IV receives more points by me, since Canon 5DS R lacks this capability. Also, this model supports CF and SD/SDHC/SDXC cards, and you can find the memory door close to the NFC sensor.

When it comes to the performance, well, the 5D Mark IV employs 30.4 MP full-frame CMOS sensor, 61-point AF with 41-cross points like Canon 5DS R, an ISO range of 100-32,000 which can be set to 50-102,400, and Dual Pixel AF tech image sensor that supports 7 fps capture on one side ,while on the other, it allows you to record footage at 4K quality, something that Canon 5DS R lacks!

Once you start shooting with this camera, you will notice that your photo shooting sessions will never be the same anymore, because the images are exceptionally sharp, and the overall color representation is truly fascinating!

However, I’d recommend you avoid shooting through ISO settings of 51,200 and 102,400 because the overall quality isn’t the best.

At ISO 12,800 RAW images are extremely defined, and have numerous details, while at ISO 256,000, you will notice a presence of grain that may have a negative impact over the details. Finally, at ISO 102,400, the grain is heavily accented, but still, images can be usable.

In a contrary with Canon 5DS R, the 5D Mark IV does its job incredibly good for capturing outdoor and nature photography, as well as sports photography thanks to its fast continuous shooting rate, hence, it receives more points because of its versatility.

Before we end, let’s say a few words regarding its video capabilities.

This unit can record 4K videos at 30/24p, up to 60 fps if you record at 1080p, and there’s even a dedicated 120fps mode for 720p footage. Therefore, videos look sharper and have better definition in comparison to 5DS R, so, videographers and photojournalists can benefit a lot by having this camera.

Canon 5D Mark IV Sample Footage:

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Canon 5DSR vs 5D Mark IV Feature Comparison

	Canon 5DSR	5D Mark IV
Camera Type	DSLR	Mirrorless
Megapixels	50.6	30.4
ISO Range	100-6400 (expandable to 50-12800)	100–32000 (expandable up to 50–102400)
Flip-Out Screen	No	No
Microphone	No	Yes
Viewfinder	Yes	Yes
Touchscreen	No	Yes
Video Recording	Yes	Yes
Sensor Size	CMOS	CMOS

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Conclusion

By now, you may already know your future choice, but, if by any chance, you are still thinking, I will provide you with some arguments that favor each camera, so that you will have the last words and finally, choose your ideal camera.

For example, Canon EOS 5DS R has more megapixels (50.3 vs 30.1MP respectively), and lacks anti-aliasing filter which adds much in terms of photos` sharpness.

On the other hand, the 5D Mark IV has detailed LCD screen, faster burst (7 vs 5), it is Wi-Fi-enabled, records 4K videos and the overall image quality is better than the latter camera.

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