2016 saw the release of the long-awaited 5D Mark IV. The 5 series has certainly been a very influential series in Canon’s portfolio, and it was one of the most hotly anticipated models ever from Canon. However, the wait for the 5D Mk IV was nothing in comparison to the five years of waiting time for the arrival of the 6D Mk II.
Naturally, following years of speculation, both cameras caused an internet storm when they were released, but how do these two models compare when pitted against one another?
Shooting specs
The 5D Mk IV slightly pips the 6D Mk II to the post in terms of megapixels, boasting 30.4 over 26.2. Both cameras are full frame, yet their sensors differ slightly with the 6D having a DIGIC 7 sensor, and the 5D Mk IV has the DIGIC 6.
The 5D Mk IV also sees the addition of Canon’s signature Dual Pixel RAW feature, which allows you to slightly adjust the focus in post-production. This could be the difference between an extremely shallow depth of field only hitting the end of a nose, versus being completely focused on the eye. It seems small, but for a pro, it can make all the difference.
In terms of AF systems, the 6D Mk II has a 45 point, all cross-type AF system. The 5D Mk IV has more focus points overall with 61 points, however only 41 of them are cross-type. Both cameras boast Dual Pixel AF, which provides high-speed focus tracking when in live view – ideal for movie makers.
Burst mode speeds differ slightly between the two – the 5D Mk IV has a slight edge here with 7fps at full resolution over the 6D Mk II’s 6.5 fps burst at full resolution.
For low light shooting, the max ISO for the 6D Mk II is 40,000 and expands to 102,400, and the 5D Mk IV is 32,000, expandable to 102,400. Although it’s highly unlikely that you’ll ever feel the need to push your ISO to these kind of levels, you can be confident that both these cameras will perform well when using some higher ISO values.
Design
For a full-frame model, the 6D Mk II is great on size. It’s only 765g (body only) meaning that it won’t be awful carrying it with you all day. The 5D Mk IV comes in online marginally higher at 800g – still pretty great for a full-frame DSLR. The 5D Mk III was 150g heavier than the Mk IV, meaning that although it’s slightly heavier in this comparison, Canon has made a considerable improvement on the previous model.
The 6D Mk II is also the first full-frame DSLR to offer a vari-angle touchscreen, which gives you a huge advantage when trying to shoot more difficult compositions.
Other Features
One feature that seems to separate the enthusiast from the pro between these two models is the video. The 5D Mk IV shoots in 4K, whereas, slightly disappointingly, the 6D II can only shoot 1080p Full HD. It was slightly disappointing to see this feature missing from the 6D Mk II.
Both cameras boast WiFi and GPS, enabling to Geotag as you shoot and share your shots with the world as soon as possible.
Price
Price wise there is quite a significant difference between these two. The average price for a 5D Mk IV is currently around £3,350, which is pretty steep. For a 6D Mk II, you’re looking at the £2,000 mark- that’s a £1,350 difference between the two.
Summary
These were both huge releases for Canon and both sent some real rumblings through the internet and individually they’re undisputedly fantastic cameras. Comparing the two, it seems that the 5D Mk IV just pips the 6D Mk II to the post on almost everything, meaning it is the all-round better camera. However, there are some features where it has the real edge, such as the 4K video and Dual Pixel RAW.
Although you’d likely have very few grumbles with the 6D Mk II, that extra £1350 does give the 5D Mk IV the edge. Although these extra features aren’t essentials, it does define the difference between a solid enthusiast model and one that’s really here to play for the pros.