Canon 5D IV vs Sony A7 II – Comparison

Here’s a comparison of two full frame cameras, the Canon 5D Mark IV vs Sony A7 II. The latter is smaller, cheaper and a little bit older, so let’s see which one is better for the money.

Our comparison table below covers all the important specifications of each camera. Below that, we specifically talk about the new improvements and which model is better suited for your needs.

	Canon 5D IV	Sony A7 II
Megapixels	30.4	24.3
Sensor Type	CMOS	CMOS
Sensor Format	Full Frame	Full Frame
Crop Factor	None	None
AA Filter	Yes	Yes
Image Resolution	6720 x 4480	6000 x 4000
Body Image Stabilization	No	Yes
Lens Mount	Canon EF	Sony E
ISO	100 - 32,000	100 - 25,600
Expanded ISO	50 - 102,400	50 - 51,200
AF Points	61	117
Cross-type AF Points	41	117 phase
Continuous Mode	7fps	5fps
LCD	3.2" - Fixed	3.0" - Articulating
LCD Resolution	1,620,000 dots	1,228,800 dots
Touchscreen	Yes	No
Focus Peaking	No	Yes
Top LCD Display	Yes	No
Viewfinder Type	Optical	EVF
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.71x	0.71x
Video Resolution	4096x2160 (30/25/24p)	1920x1080 (60/30/24p)
	1920x1080 (60/50/30/25/24p	1920x1080 (120/100/60/50p)
Microphone Jack	Yes	Yes
Headphone Jack	Yes	Yes
Memory Card Type	CF + SD	SD or MS Pro
Dual Card Slots	Yes	No
SD UHS Support	UHS-I & UDMA7	UHS-I
Fastest Shutter Speed	1/8000	1/8000
Slowest Shutter Speed	30"	30"
Bulb Mode	Yes	Yes
JPEG Buffer Size	Unlimited	52
RAW Buffer Size	19	28
Time Lapse	Yes	Yes
Built-in Flash	No	No
Max Flash Sync Speed	1/200	1/250
Startup Time	0.5s	1.7s
Built-in Wi-Fi	Yes	Yes
Built-in GPS	Yes	No
Built- in NFC	Yes	Yes
Bluetooth	No	No
USB Type	USB 3.0	USB 2.0
Environmentally Sealed	Yes	Yes
Battery Life (CIPA)	900 shots	350 shots
Battery Included	Yes (LP-E6N)	Yes (NP-FW50)
Weight	31.4 oz (890g)	21.13 oz (600g)
Size	5.9 x 4.6 x 3.0"	5.0 x 3.8 x 2.4"
Price	Amazon	Amazon
Release Date	2016	2014

Canon 5D Mark IV Advantages:

• Sensor – 6 more megapixels

• Higher Max ISO – Half stop max higher native ISO, 1 stop higher expanded ISO.

• 7 vs 5fps – Makes a difference when shooting sports and wildlife

• LCD Size – 3.2″ vs 3.0″ and much higher resolution

• Top LCD Screen – Very useful for quickly checking out all of your settings, battery info etc.

• 4K Video – Available in 30p

• Dual Memory Cards – You can use SD + CF cards

• JPEG Buffer – Unlimited vs 52

• Startup Time – The 5D IV turns on 3x faster

• Built-in GPS

• USB 3.0 vs 2.0 – Faster file transferring out of the camera

• Battery Life – 550 shots longer battery life

Why is the 5D IV that much more expensive? It’s newer, has 6 more megapixels, is faster and despite having less AF points, it’ll still win in low light situations, has 4K video and turns on a lot faster. The battery life is much longer and it’s also more expensive because it doesn’t directly compete with the A7 II.

You can buy it at Amazon or read more reviews here.

Sony A7 II Advantages:

• Body Stabilization – The A7 II has built-in 5-axis stabilization that works for photographs and videos

• AF System – The A7 II has 117 vs 61 AF points, and they’re all phase-detection. The 5D IV is still extremely fast and might be more reliable for really fast moving subjects, especially in low light where the 5D wins

• LCD Screen – It’s fully articulated compared to the fixed one, so it’s better for shooting in awkward positions

• Focus Peaking – The Sony A7 II can highlight what’s in focus! Excellent when focusing manually, whether it’s video or photography

• Full HD – 120p instead of 60p, much better for clear, smooth slow motion clips

• RAW Buffer – 28 vs 19

• Flash Sync Speed – 1/250 vs 1/200

• Built-in Flash

• Weight & Size – The A7 II weighs almost 300g less and is a lot smaller

• Less Expensive – Body only, the A7 II costs around $2000 less

The Sony A7 II is an affordable full frame camera if you want something compact for traveling.

You can buy it at Amazon or read more reviews here.