01 April 2017
When you’re renting a camera you don’t need to worry about the long-term benefits and value of a particular camera, you just need to make sure you get the right one for the job in hand. In this post we’ll compare two recent camera greats, the Canon 5D Mark IV and the Fujifilm X-T2, to help you decide which is the most appropriate for your needs.
Sensor
The Canon 5D Mark IV is a full-frame camera which means it has a sensor that is the same size as a 35mm film frame (36x24mm). That’s larger than the APS-C format (23.6x15.6mm) sensor inside the Fujifilm X-T2.
The 5D Mark IV also has 30.4 million effective pixels, 6.1 million more than the 24.3Mp X-T2. That sounds like quite a big difference, but it has less impact that you might think. For example, if you make prints at 300ppi, images from the 5D Mark IV will measure 56.9 x 37.93mm while those from the X-T2 will measure 50.8 x 33.87mm.
One benefit often cited for full-frame cameras is that you get greater control over depth of field. That’s true, but with lenses like the Fujifilm XF 16mm f/1.4 R WY, 23mm f/1.4, 35mm f/1.4 R and 56mm f/1.2 R it’s easy enough to isolate your subject with the X-T2.
Low light capability
Because the X-T2 has a lower pixel count than the 5D Mark IV, the extra size of the Canon sensor makes less impact than some might expect. Canon has given the 5D Mark IV a wider sensitivity range than the X-T2 (ISO 100-32,000 expandable to ISO 50-102,400 vs ISO 200-12,800 expandable to ISO 100-51,200), but at the X-T2’s top native setting (ISO 12,800) there’s very little between the two cameras.
While you can go much higher with the Canon 5D Mark IV, ISO 25,600 is probably as far as you want to go with either model.
Shooting action
Both cameras have advanced autofocus (AF) systems but with 325 individually selectable points spread over most of the imaging area, the X-T2 enables you to pinpoint the area you want to target a little more early than the 5D Mark IV which has 61 points.
The two cameras also both have AF customisation options that enable you to control how the camera responds to objects coming between it and the subject, or subject acceleration and the like. It’s worth spending some time experimenting to find the right set-up for you, the shooting situation and the subject.
While the X-T2’s autofocus system is very good and is capable of shooting fast-moving subjects, the Canon 5D Mark IV has a slight edge.
Also, Canon has more telephoto lenses available, making it a more popular choice for sport and wildlife photography. That said, if you need a high frame rate, the X-T2 is a clear winner with a maximum continuous shooting rate of 14fps, double that of the 5D Mark IV.
Build
While you shouldn’t dunk either camera into water, both have weatherproof seals that mean they are capable of serving a rainstorm.
As a DSLR, the 5D Mark IV has a reflex mirror inside and this and its larger sensor makes it much bigger than the X-T2, 150.7 x 116.4 x 75.9mm vs 132.5 x 91.8 x 49.2mm. At 890g body only, it’s also appreciably heavier than the 457g X-T2, making the X-T2 a more attractive option for carrying over long distances.
Viewfinder and Screen
As a compact system camera, the X-T2 has an electronic viewfinder which is capable of showing the impact of camera settings if you want. That can be very useful in tricky lighting conditions or when you want to shoot black and white images.
While the Canon 5D Mark IV has a 3.2-inch 1,620,000-dot screen, the X-T2 has a 3-inch 1,040,000 dot unit. Both provide a good clear view, but the tilting mechanisms of the X-T2 give it a significant advantage when you’re shooting from above or below head-height.
Video
Both cameras are capable of shooting 4K, but the X-T2’s recording is limited to 3840x2160 for 10 minutes at a time, while the 5D Mark IV can shoot ‘true’ 4K (4096 x 2160) video for up to 29 minutes 59 seconds.
Both can shoot at 29.97p,25.00p,24.00p, or 23.98p but the 5D Mark IV records approximately 500 Mbps while the X-T2 musters around 100Mbps.
However, the 5D Mark IV doesn’t win on all counts as it’s not possible to record 4K footage externally and there no Log gamma mode recording or focus peaking like there is on the X-T2.
Both of these amazing cameras are available to hire now. You can find the Canon 5D MK IV here and the Fujifilm X-T2 here.