• APS-C 337.5mm2
  • 20.2 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 16,000
  • 35mm 864.0mm2
  • 30.4 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 32,000

Buy From

Differences

Canon 7D Mark II advantages over Canon 5D Mark IV

  • Less expensive
    $1849 vs $3249
    Save money for lenses or accessories
  • Internal flash
    Internal flash vs None
    Useful in a pinch for fill flash
  • More cross-type AF points
    65 vs 41
    Cross-type AF points improve autofocus performance
  • Faster JPEG shooting
    9.5 fps vs 7.0 fps
    Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
  • Faster RAW shooting
    9.5 fps vs 7.0 fps
    Faster RAW shooting in burst mode

Canon 5D Mark IV advantages over Canon 7D Mark II

  • Larger sensor
    35mm vs APS-C
    More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
  • Bigger pixels
    ~ 5.36 vs 4.11 microns
    Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
  • Shoot 4K video
    4K (DCI) vs 1080p
    Make sure you have a fast computer
  • Touchscreen
    Touch vs No touch
    Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
  • Built-in Wi-Fi
    Wi-Fi vs None
    Share your photos wirelessly
  • NFC
    Yes vs No
    Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
  • Better color depth
    24.8 vs 22.4 bits
    Capture richer, more accurate colors
  • Higher effective ISO
    2,995 vs 1,082 iso
    Take photos in low light with less noise
  • More dynamic range
    13.6 vs 11.8 evs
    Retain detail in highlight and shadows
  • Longer stills battery life
    More info 900 vs 670 shots
    Capture more photos
  • Higher-res screen
    540k vs 347k pixels
    More detail on the screen lets you judge focus and composition
  • Less shutter lag
    0.17 vs 0.25 sec
    Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
  • More viewfinder magnification
    0.71x vs 0.63x
    Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
  • More pixels
    30.4 vs 20.2 megapixels
    Higher resolution photos
  • Bigger JPEG buffer
    Unlimited vs 103 shots
    Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
  • Slow-motion videos
    Yes vs No
    Shoot slow-motion videos
  • Higher extended ISO
    102400 vs 51200 ISO
    Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

  • Eye-level viewfinder
    Both provide
    You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
  • Built-in GPS
    Both provide
    Geotag your photos
  • On-sensor phase detect
    Both provide
    Usually improves live view and video AF performance
  • Top deck display
    Both provide
    Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
  • External Mic Jack
    Both provide
    Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
  • Pentaprism viewfinder
    Both provide
    Much better viewfinder picture fidelity
  • HDMI out
    Both provide
    Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
  • Hot shoe
    Both provide
    Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
  • Dual card slots
    Both provide
    Gives you more storage flexibility
  • Headphone jack
    Both provide
    Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
  • Bulb shutter
    Both provide
    Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

  • Focus peaking
    Neither provide
    Your camera will highlight what's in focus
  • Tilt-swivel screen
    Neither provide
    Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
    Neither provide
    Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
  • In-camera panoramas
    Neither provide
    Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
  • Tiltable Screen
    Neither provide
    Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
  • Built-in Bluetooth
    Neither provide
    Always-on wireless connectivity

User reviews

Buy From

Your purchases support this site

Buy the Canon 7D Mark II

Your purchases support this site

Buy the Canon 5D Mark IV

Review Excerpt

  • Excellent image quality; High ISO performance improved over predecessor; Excellent burst speeds (up to 10fps); Significantly improved buffer depths; 65-pt AF system; Dual Pixel CMOS AF; Can focus down to f/8 (great for teleconverters); 1080/60p video; Headphone and mic jacks; Rugged build quality.

  • Autofocus speed (AF shutter lag) slower than 7D and 70D; Mediocre battery life for a pro DSLR; Dynamic range at low to moderate ISOs not as good as competitors; Phase-detect AF did not perform as well as expected in our low-light AF tests; No built-in Wi-Fi; No autofocus for 1080/60p video.

  • Superb image quality from RAW files; Improved dynamic range; Excellent high ISO performance; Fast 7fps burst rate with unlimited JPEG buffer; High-quality cinema 4K video; Built-in Wi-Fi; Dual Pixel CMOS AF is very good.

  • JPEG files look soft at default settings; 1/200s flash sync; 4K video codec is cumbersome; 29:59 continuous video recording limit.

The Competition

Compared to Canon 7D

Canon 7D Mark II
Canon 7D
  • $1647
  • APS-C
  • Higher effective ISO
  • Built-in GPS
  • $1499
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • Less shutter lag
Canon 5D Mark IV
Canon 7D
  • $2499
  • 35mm
  • Larger sensor
  • Bigger pixels
  • $1499
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • Internal flash

Compared to Canon 5D Mark III

Canon 7D Mark II
Canon 5D Mark III
  • $1647
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • Built-in GPS
  • $2139
  • 35mm
  • Larger sensor
  • Bigger pixels
Canon 5D Mark IV
Canon 5D Mark III
  • $2499
  • 35mm
  • Shoot 4K video
  • Touchscreen
  • $2139
  • 35mm
  • Less expensive
  • Bigger pixels

Compared to Canon 6D

Canon 7D Mark II
Canon 6D
  • $1647
  • APS-C
  • On-sensor phase detect
  • More telephoto lens reach
  • $1699
  • 35mm
  • Larger sensor
  • Bigger pixels
Canon 5D Mark IV
Canon 6D
  • $2499
  • 35mm
  • Shoot 4K video
  • Touchscreen
  • $1699
  • 35mm
  • Less expensive
  • Bigger pixels

Compared to Nikon D810

Canon 7D Mark II
Nikon D810
  • $1647
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • Built-in GPS
  • $2997
  • 35mm
  • Larger sensor
  • Bigger pixels
Canon 5D Mark IV
Nikon D810
  • $2499
  • 35mm
  • Less expensive
  • Shoot 4K video
  • $2997
  • 35mm
  • Longer stills battery life
  • Internal flash

Compared to Canon 70D

Canon 7D Mark II
Canon 70D
  • $1647
  • APS-C
  • Fast startup
  • Higher effective ISO
  • $999
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • Tilt-swivel screen
Canon 5D Mark IV
Canon 70D
  • $2499
  • 35mm
  • Larger sensor
  • Bigger pixels
  • $999
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • Tilt-swivel screen
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