In this article, you will discover a detailed comparison between two highly acclaimed camera models: the Canon 5D Mark IV and the R6. With their exceptional performance and cutting-edge features, these cameras have gained popularity among photography enthusiasts and professionals alike. We will explore the key differences and similarities between the Canon 5D Mark IV and the R6, helping you make an informed decision on which camera best suits your needs. So, whether you’re a passionate hobbyist or a seasoned pro, let’s embark on this exciting journey to discover which camera reigns supreme in the Canon 5D Mark IV vs. R6 showdown.
Design and Build
Design
Both the Canon 5D Mark IV and R6 boast a durable and ergonomic design that allows for comfortable handling and efficient operation. The 5D Mark IV incorporates a classic DSLR design while the R6 adopts a mirrorless design, making it more compact and lightweight. The choice between the two ultimately depends on personal preference and shooting style.
Build Quality
When it comes to build quality, both cameras excel in terms of durability and reliability. The 5D Mark IV features a magnesium-alloy body that offers excellent protection against dust and moisture, making it suitable for challenging shooting conditions. On the other hand, the R6 combines a magnesium alloy construction with extensive sealing, ensuring it can withstand harsh environments. Regardless of your choice, both cameras are built to provide peace of mind during demanding shoots.
Image Quality
Sensor
The Canon 5D Mark IV comes equipped with a 30.4-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor, while the R6 boasts a more impressive 20.1-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor.
While the resolution of the R6 is lower, it compensates by offering larger individual pixel size, resulting in improved low-light performance and reduced noise.
Both cameras offer excellent image quality, so the decision ultimately boils down to your specific needs and shooting preferences.
Resolution
With its higher resolution, the Canon 5D Mark IV is better suited for tasks that require detailed images, such as landscape or studio photography. The R6, with its lower resolution, excels in situations where speed and low-light performance are crucial, such as sports or event photography. Consider the type of photography you engage in regularly before making your decision based on resolution alone.
ISO Range
In terms of ISO performance, the R6 takes the lead with an expanded sensitivity range of ISO 100-102400, which can be further extended to an impressive ISO 204800. The 5D Mark IV offers a native ISO range of 100-32000, expandable to a maximum of ISO 102400. If you frequently shoot in low light conditions or need to push the ISO to extreme levels, the R6’s ISO range will be a strong advantage.
Color Accuracy
Both the Canon 5D Mark IV and R6 deliver accurate and vibrant colors, thanks to Canon’s advanced color science. Whether you’re capturing landscapes, portraits, or events, both cameras excel in reproducing natural and lifelike colors, ensuring your images are vibrant and true to life.
Dynamic Range
When it comes to dynamic range, the R6 has an edge over the 5D Mark IV. Its sensor and image processing capabilities allow for a wider dynamic range, meaning it captures a greater range of tones from shadows to highlights. This provides more flexibility in post-processing and helps to retain details in challenging lighting conditions.
Autofocus
Number of AF Points
The Canon 5D Mark IV boasts an advanced 61-point autofocus (AF) system, while the R6 takes it a step further with an impressive 5940 selectable AF points. The R6’s AF system covers a larger portion of the frame, allowing for more precise and accurate focusing, especially in challenging situations. If you frequently shoot fast-moving subjects or require utmost precision, the R6’s extensive AF coverage will be a significant advantage.
Focus Sensitivity
Both cameras offer excellent autofocus sensitivity, ensuring accurate focus even in low-light conditions. The 5D Mark IV features an AF sensitivity range of EV -3 to 18, while the R6 pushes the boundaries with an impressive AF sensitivity range of EV -6 to 20. This allows the R6 to maintain reliable focus even in extremely dim lighting, making it a preferred choice for low-light photography.
Tracking Performance
The tracking performance of both cameras is highly impressive, ensuring that your subjects remain in sharp focus even during motion. The 5D Mark IV’s advanced AF system excels in tracking subjects with precision, while the R6’s expanded AF coverage and superior focus tracking algorithm make it a powerhouse for tracking fast-moving subjects, such as athletes or wildlife.
Eye AF
Eye autofocus is an essential feature for portrait and wildlife photographers, as it enables precise and effortless focusing on the subject’s eye. Both the 5D Mark IV and R6 come equipped with reliable Eye AF capabilities, ensuring that the eyes of your subjects are tack sharp, even in challenging shooting conditions. The R6, however, offers superior Eye AF performance, thanks to its advanced subject detection and tracking capabilities.
Low Light Performance
When it comes to low-light autofocus performance, the R6 surpasses the 5D Mark IV due to its superior AF sensitivity and expanded AF coverage. The R6’s ability to focus accurately in extreme low-light conditions, often encountered during astrophotography or event photography, makes it a valuable tool for photographers who frequently shoot in challenging lighting scenarios.
Performance
Burst Shooting
Burst shooting refers to the camera’s ability to capture a continuous stream of images in rapid succession. The 5D Mark IV offers a continuous shooting speed of 7 frames per second (fps), while the R6 outperforms it with an impressive 12 fps when using the mechanical shutter and a remarkable 20 fps when using the electronic shutter. The R6’s faster burst shooting capabilities make it an ideal choice for capturing fast action and ensuring you never miss a critical moment.
Buffer Capacity
Buffer capacity refers to the camera’s ability to store images during continuous shooting before it needs to slow down and write them to the memory card. The 5D Mark IV offers a buffer capacity of around 21 RAW files or 170 JPEG files. The R6, on the other hand, boasts an impressive buffer capacity of approximately 240 RAW files or over 1000 JPEG files. The R6’s larger buffer capacity allows for extended continuous shooting sessions without the need to pause and wait for the buffer to clear.
Shutter Speed
Both cameras offer a versatile range of shutter speeds, allowing for a wide range of exposure options. The 5D Mark IV has a maximum mechanical shutter speed of 1/8000 sec, while the R6 matches it with the same maximum mechanical shutter speed. Additionally, the R6 offers a superior electronic shutter option, which eliminates any mechanical movement or noise, enabling silent shooting up to an incredible 1/8000 sec. The ability to shoot silently can be particularly beneficial in situations that require minimal disturbance, such as weddings or wildlife photography.
Startup Time
Fast startup time is crucial for capturing spontaneous moments without delay. The 5D Mark IV impresses with a speedy start-up time, ensuring you can power on and start shooting almost instantly. The R6 takes it even further with an even faster startup time, allowing you to be ready to capture the action in an instant. Whether you’re an event photographer or simply want to ensure that you never miss a fleeting moment, the R6’s swift startup time is a valuable feature.
Battery Life
Battery life is a significant consideration, especially for photographers who engage in long shooting sessions or travel extensively. The Canon 5D Mark IV offers a respectable battery life, allowing you to capture approximately 900 shots on a single charge. In comparison, the R6 provides an even more impressive battery life, thanks to its new high-capacity battery. With the R6, you can expect to capture around 1300 shots before needing to recharge. The R6’s extended battery life ensures you won’t be caught off guard during crucial moments.
Audio Quality
Both cameras offer excellent audio recording capabilities, allowing you to capture high-quality sound alongside your videos. Whether you’re shooting interviews, vlogs, or professional video projects, both the 5D Mark IV and R6 provide professional-quality audio recording that will complement your visuals. Consider your specific audio needs and whether you plan to use an external microphone when choosing between the two.
Video Recording Options
Both the Canon 5D Mark IV and R6 are capable of capturing stunning video footage, offering a range of video recording options for different shooting scenarios. The 5D Mark IV shoots 4K video at up to 30 fps and offers a variety of recording formats, including All-I and IPB compression options. The R6, on the other hand, takes video capabilities to the next level, offering uncropped 4K video at up to 60 fps and HDR video recording options. If video is a significant part of your workflow, the R6’s enhanced video features make it the clear winner.
Viewfinder and LCD
Viewfinder Type
The Canon 5D Mark IV sports a bright and clear optical viewfinder, providing a traditional shooting experience for those who prefer the DSLR design. On the other hand, the R6 features an electronic viewfinder (EVF) with an impressive resolution and refresh rate, allowing for a more accurate preview of the final image. The choice between the two ultimately depends on personal preference, with some photographers favoring the optical viewfinder for its natural viewing experience, while others appreciate the EVF for its real-time information overlay and customizable display.
Viewfinder Coverage
The viewfinder coverage refers to the percentage of the frame that is visible through the viewfinder. The 5D Mark IV offers a viewfinder coverage of approximately 100%, ensuring that what you see in the viewfinder accurately represents the final image. The R6, however, surpasses this with an impressive viewfinder coverage of approximately 100%, ensuring that no details are missed at the edges of the frame. If precise framing and composition are essential to your photography, the R6’s wider viewfinder coverage may sway your decision.
LCD Screen
Both cameras feature a high-resolution LCD screen that allows for quick and easy image playback, menu navigation, and live view shooting. The Canon 5D Mark IV boasts a 3.2-inch Clear View LCD II with approximately 1.62 million dots, providing a sharp and vibrant display. The R6 matches it with a 3.0-inch LCD screen that also features approximately 1.62 million dots, ensuring a similar level of image clarity and detail. Regardless of your choice, both cameras offer excellent LCD screens that are ideal for reviewing and assessing your images on the fly.
Touchscreen Capability
The touchscreen capability is a convenient feature that allows for intuitive menu navigation and easy focus point selection. Both the Canon 5D Mark IV and R6 offer touchscreen functionality, making it effortless to navigate through menus, zoom in on images, and even select focus points directly on the LCD screen. If you value the convenience of touchscreen control, you’ll appreciate this feature on both cameras.
Connectivity
Wireless
Both cameras come with built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing for wireless image transfer and remote shooting using a smartphone or tablet. This wireless capability provides seamless integration with Canon’s dedicated smartphone app, making it easy to share your images on social media or transfer them to a computer for further editing. Regardless of whether you choose the 5D Mark IV or R6, you’ll have the ability to quickly and wirelessly transfer your images to your preferred devices.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth connectivity is another feature present in both the Canon 5D Mark IV and R6, allowing for constant low-energy connection to your smartphone or tablet. This feature enables easy and seamless remote control functionality, geotagging of images using your phone’s GPS, and automatic image transfer in the background. Bluetooth connectivity ensures that you remain connected to your camera even when Wi-Fi is not available.
NFC
NFC (Near Field Communication) is a short-range wireless technology that allows for quick and effortless pairing of devices by simply tapping them together. While both the 5D Mark IV and R6 lack NFC capabilities, the built-in Wi-Fi functionality negates the need for NFC, as wireless connection and pairing can be easily achieved through traditional pairing methods.
GPS
If geotagging your images with location data is a priority, the Canon 5D Mark IV is the camera of choice. It features built-in GPS, allowing you to embed accurate location information directly into your image files. Unfortunately, the R6 does not offer built-in GPS, but this can be compensated for by using a compatible external GPS accessory connected to the camera’s hot shoe.
Storage
Number of Card Slots
The Canon 5D Mark IV features dual card slots, allowing for simultaneous recording to two different memory cards. This redundancy can provide peace of mind and act as a backup in case one card fails or becomes full during a shoot. Conversely, the R6 features a single card slot, which may be a limitation for photographers who require the added security and convenience of dual card slots.
Supported Memory Cards
Both cameras support the popular SD memory card format, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of memory cards readily available on the market. The 5D Mark IV additionally supports compact flash cards, providing flexibility for photographers who prefer this format or already have an existing collection of compact flash cards. The R6 only supports the SD memory card format, simplifying the choice of memory cards for users.
Size and Weight
Dimensions
The Canon 5D Mark IV measures approximately 151 x 116 x 76 mm (5.9 x 4.57 x 2.99 inches) and weighs around 890 grams (31.4 ounces) with the battery and memory card included. In comparison, the R6 is more compact and lighter, with dimensions of approximately 138 x 97.5 x 88.4 mm (5.4 x 3.8 x 3.5 inches) and a weight of approximately 680 grams (24 ounces). The R6’s smaller size and lighter weight make it a convenient option for photographers who prioritize mobility and portability.
Weight
The weight of a camera plays a significant role, especially for photographers who need to carry their equipment for extended periods or travel frequently. The 5D Mark IV, weighing around 890 grams (31.4 ounces), may be considered relatively heavy for some, while the R6’s lighter weight of approximately 680 grams (24 ounces) provides a notable advantage in terms of portability and reduced strain during prolonged shooting sessions.
Price
Body Only
In terms of price, the Canon 5D Mark IV is positioned at a higher price point compared to the R6. The 5D Mark IV’s robust feature set and proven performance justify its higher price, making it an excellent investment for professional photographers who require the utmost in imaging quality and versatility.
With Kit Lens Options
Both the 5D Mark IV and R6 are available as body-only options, allowing photographers to pair them with their preferred lenses. However, if you prefer the convenience of a kit lens, both cameras are available with various lens options. The overall cost will vary depending on the specific lens included in the kit. Consider your specific needs and budget when choosing between the available kit lens options.
Conclusion
In conclusion, both the Canon 5D Mark IV and R6 are exceptional cameras with their own unique strengths. The 5D Mark IV’s higher resolution, dual card slots, and built-in GPS make it a top choice for photographers who require ultimate image quality, seamless backup solutions, and want to geotag their images. On the other hand, the R6 offers superior low-light performance, faster burst shooting, extended battery life, and advanced video capabilities, making it an excellent choice for photographers specializing in action, low-light, or video photography. Consider your specific needs, shooting style, and budget when making a decision between these two extraordinary cameras.