Working with a new client, in a new city gives me a chance to try new things both professionally and creatively. Among these new opportunities is the chance to use equipment I normally wouldn’t - in this case, I’ve been using the Canon 5D Mark IV, along with the 24-70mm f/2.8 USM II lens for the past week. After spending some time with the camera and learning it’s quirks compared to other Canon cameras I’ve used in the past, I’ve come away with understanding that it’s a perfect fit for startups and other operations that need a quick, accurate solution to creating sharp, vivid content.

Full Frame

Being a full frame camera, it features a sensor that captures more light and helps with depth of field when capturing images. That larger sensor capturing more light means that in low-light situations, you will have more flexibility in capturing images. Of course, part of making full use of the potential of the sensor comes back to lenses, but more on that later.

Built-in WiFi

One of the big features I like about this camera is it's solid, built-in WiFi connection. Used with the Canon Camera Connect app, I can send over RAW images from the camera to my phone or iPad. For time sensitive work, such as events, or places where you might want someone to review what is happening during a shoot, this is a great feature.

Wonderful Lens Selection

The EF mount features a tried and true library of lenses. The benefit of the EF mount is that the lenses can be used on a number of other popular cameras (RED Cinema Cameras, Canon Cinema Cameras and more), so if you were to get more Canon cameras or one that can take the EF mount, you already have a library of lenses you can use.

4K Video

4K on the 5D Mark IV is both wonderful to have, and a pain to use.  On the plus side, having really beautiful looking 4k footage from this camera is benefit for creating videos, and the high bitrate means that details look sharp and crisp as the footage is being played back. Add in the optional Canon Log update, and you end up with highly flexible footage you can color correct in post processing. However, the 5D Mark IV uses an older file codec for recording files, MJPEG, that creates larger files, so storage can become an issue, and on top of that, the 5D crops in the recording area of the sensor, so you loose a significant amount of recording area when using that mode.

Fantastic Colors Straight Out of the Camera

With your ISO, aperture and shutter speed correctly balanced for your subject, the Mark IV delivers outstanding color processing right out of the camera. If someone was looking to send over jpgs via the app for live updates, such as posting on an Instagram Story or Twitter, this would be a quick and reliable method to work.

When you combine the great colors, wonderful lens selection, and fantastic features, it proves the Canon 5D Mark IV is a perfect tool for startups who need a tool for photography. I would recommend it for companies who need a fast and reliable tool for their workflow when both in the office and on the go.

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