New Firmware Coming Shortly for EOS 5D Mark IV? [CR1]

[Etienne]

For all the naysayers , Canon HAS added significant new features after release, for free, in the past.
They added manual audio level control to the 5DII and changed the frame rates from 30 to 29.97 fps as requested by users. I believe they also added f/8 AF to some cameras after release.
I think it's quite possible that Canon will add a higher compression codec option for 4K because the file sizes are a big problem for non-critical 4K usage. Not likely this early, but they are at least thinking about it now I suspect.

I think the biggest thing they added was DPAF to the C cameras.

Yes, but that wasn't free.
They also added free manual video control to the 5DII .
Some people on this site are ultra-critical of Canon, and others are ultra-defensive.

Canon gets a lot of stuff right, but not everything all the time. Canon cameras are very competitive for photography, I think they are the best options ... but they are lagging in video. Sony and Panasonic are both pulling away from Canon in many areas of video. The C100 lags the FS5, the C300 is much more expensive than the FS7, which offers additional tricks. The EOS-M5 doesn't do 4K where every other mirrorless does. The 5DIV might do good 4K for short bits, but the codec is crippling for any kind even coverage.

I've got a fair bit of L glass, so I am always rooting for Canon, especially given the wonderful promise of DPAF. The C100 mk III will probably be a decisive camera for me. If they really do it well, I'll be with Canon for the foreseeable future. If not, I'll probably move to Sony.

 

[Act444]

I have my 5D4 for more than a week now. I found it was not as sharp as my 6D when 16-35 f/4 was used.

Haven't tested 70-200 and 100-400. Not sure what would happen.

Anyone has any experience to share?

At default settings I notice the images are softer. I think it's a combination of more aggressive default NR and stronger AA filter.

But - if the time is taken to process the images and tweak the USM (sharpness & fineness), ultimately I find I'm getting a better (or at worst, the same) result than the 5D3. I do notice the 5D3 (in some cases) renders really fine details a bit more smoothly, but the increased resolution and cropping power of the 5D4 gives it the upper hand.

So - it looks like if you shoot JPEG or do little to no processing, you're better off sticking to the 5D3 or 6D, or getting a 5DS/R if you need more resolution. But if you shoot RAW, the 5D4 files seem to be more flexible in post and overall, it is a nice improvement over the previous generation.

I've changed my mind overall - initially I was lukewarm about the 5D4, but after getting to use it a bit more, I'm seeing the improvements slowly but surely.

 

[Christianstella]

Complaints about sharpness should try looking at the RAW files in DPP. Lightroom takes a ton of sharpening (more than I've ever used before) to come close to what I'm seeing in DPP.

I've been a Lightroom user for years, and DPP is crap for workflow, but man does it look good.

On the firmware update, I'd love a shortcut to turn wireless on and off. When it is on it flashes on the touchscreen, so just let me tap Q then tap the wireless icon to shut it off. Even cooler option would be to allow me to re-assign the lock switch to do this. I just want to quickly send a photo to my phone, then shut the wireless off.

 

[melbournite]

For all the naysayers , Canon HAS added significant new features after release, for free, in the past.
They added manual audio level control to the 5DII and changed the frame rates from 30 to 29.97 fps as requested by users. I believe they also added f/8 AF to some cameras after release.
I think it's quite possible that Canon will add a higher compression codec option for 4K because the file sizes are a big problem for non-critical 4K usage. Not likely this early, but they are at least thinking about it now I suspect.

I think the biggest thing they added was DPAF to the C cameras.

Yes, but that wasn't free.
They also added free manual video control to the 5DII .
Some people on this site are ultra-critical of Canon, and others are ultra-defensive.

Canon gets a lot of stuff right, but not everything all the time. Canon cameras are very competitive for photography, I think they are the best options ... but they are lagging in video. Sony and Panasonic are both pulling away from Canon in many areas of video. The C100 lags the FS5, the C300 is much more expensive than the FS7, which offers additional tricks. The EOS-M5 doesn't do 4K where every other mirrorless does. The 5DIV might do good 4K for short bits, but the codec is crippling for any kind even coverage.

I've got a fair bit of L glass, so I am always rooting for Canon, especially given the wonderful promise of DPAF. The C100 mk III will probably be a decisive camera for me. If they really do it well, I'll be with Canon for the foreseeable future. If not, I'll probably move to Sony.

+1

 

[Tugela]

Maybe a compression option for 4K recording that does not take so much space.

No. The hardware can't do it. The only way they can handle 4K is to use inefficient software codecs such as mjpeg.

 

[Tugela]

Please add:

1) full frame 4K video
2) focus peaking
3) an efficient video codec
4) unlimited button assignment

and I gladly send my 5D4 in if you install an articulating screen, an EVF and sensor stabilization.

The hardware can't do it.

This has been explained so many times, why do people keep asking for things that are not feasible with the current equipment. Canon are not "holding off" implementing these things to "protect high end cinema cameras", they are not doing it because the hardware in the cameras can't handle it.

 

[Mikehit]

I would think many people would be looking for a resolution to the compatibility issues using Sigma lenses.

That's a Sigma issue, not a Canon issue. Why would/should Canon help the competition?

 

[wockawocka]

I would think many people would be looking for a resolution to the compatibility issues using Sigma lenses.

That's a Sigma issue, not a Canon issue. Why would/should Canon help the competition?

Agreed, I'm sure if Canon could stop all third party sales they would.

 

[leWrat]

I'm hoping that the firmware will bring about a 25% reduction in the price of all Canon products in Europe, availability of the same mail-in rebates that occur in the USA and a removal of the "they'll just have to suck it up" filter that they apply when importing to Europe.

Oh, and any bug fixes that they have identified.

Pretty sure I'll see some of the above.

 

[Bob Howland]

I would think many people would be looking for a resolution to the compatibility issues using Sigma lenses.

That's a Sigma issue, not a Canon issue. Why would/should Canon help the competition?

Maybe because (1) a significant percentage of potential 5D4 buyers already own one or more Sigma or Tamron lenses and (2) incompatibility between the 5D4 and currently owned lenses might cause their owners to postpone or cancel purchases of the 5D4.

Bias alert: I own a 5D3 and don't intend to buy a 5D4, simply because the incremental improvement in the 5D4 doesn't seem worth the money. I also own a 7D and haven't bought a 7D2, for the same reason.

 

[raptor3x]

Is it possible for DLO when enabled to refresh a little faster :-\

Doubtful, DLO involves some very computational expensive calculations. That it works as fast as it does is extremely impressive.

 

[gsealy]

The firmware track record seems to involve bug fixes and minor feature changes. They did add the clean HDMI feature for the 5DIII a few years ago, but I do not recall other major items for other cameras. Pretty much what you buy is what you are going to have for the life of the product.

 

[Ozarker]

I have my 5D4 for more than a week now. I found it was not as sharp as my 6D when 16-35 f/4 was used.

Haven't tested 70-200 and 100-400. Not sure what would happen.

Anyone has any experience to share?

I noticed this as well except comparing with my 5dMKIII. The image seemed softer as if there was more aggressive noise reduction happening behind the scenes. Don't get me wrong, the Mark IV was cleaner and I could add sharpening and still retain a cleaner image than the mark III but out of the camera was definitely softer.

You guys need to stop dreaming about the motion jpeg going away. If it did, I'd be on this camera in a heartbeat but that ain't gonna happen.

W, w, wait. Nakean, I thought you had a 5D Mark IV and compared it to your Mark III. Hmmmm... they always show up. No AFMA either.

 

[Don Haines]

I would think many people would be looking for a resolution to the compatibility issues using Sigma lenses.

That's a Sigma issue, not a Canon issue. Why would/should Canon help the competition?

Agreed, I'm sure if Canon could stop all third party sales they would.

Wrong!

Canon could stop ALL third party lenses from operating with ease. They could also sue Sigma and Tamron over patent infringement. There is a very good reason why they do not..... Imagine what would happen if they did? Every clerk in every camera store would be telling their customers not to buy Canon because they don't work with the cheaper third party lenses.... Sales of the Rebel line would plummet and that would mean the loss of most of their revenue. (Sales of the 1DX2 and 5D4 are just noise compared to sales of Rebels). Every person at Canon who was involved in that decision would then be fired, but on the plus side, those executives would get a Christmas fruit basket from the people at Nikon and at Sony each year.......

 

[zim]

I'm hoping that the firmware will bring about a 25% reduction in the price of all Canon products in Europe, availability of the same mail-in rebates that occur in the USA and a removal of the "they'll just have to suck it up" filter that they apply when importing to Europe.

Oh, and any bug fixes that they have identified.

Pretty sure I'll see some of the above.

;D

 

[Geaibleu16]

I find that my iMac does not accept RAW images from the 5DIV I got some days ago. It accepts any JPEG but all Raw get the grey warning sign treatment.
However If I store a string of RAW images, the iMac accepts them in its 'slide show" operation, and they are gorgeous. But if I want to modify them I get the message that this iMac does not take care of RAW.
Did any of you encounter this problem? We were told that the new Mac Sierra had some problems with the 5DIV.
I don't have the Sierra yet.
Thanks for any help.

 

[melbournite]

I find that my iMac does not accept RAW images from the 5DIV I got some days ago. It accepts any JPEG but all Raw get the grey warning sign treatment.
However If I store a string of RAW images, the iMac accepts them in its 'slide show" operation, and they are gorgeous. But if I want to modify them I get the message that this iMac does not take care of RAW.
Did any of you encounter this problem? We were told that the new Mac Sierra had some problems with the 5DIV.
I don't have the Sierra yet.
Thanks for any help.

Geailbleu16,

Apple have not updated their RAW image compatibility for the 5D4 yet. Adobe & Capture One have but if you're using Photos or Aperture, you will have to wait.

 

[tron]

The firmware track record seems to involve bug fixes and minor feature changes. They did add the clean HDMI feature for the 5DIII a few years ago, but I do not recall other major items for other cameras. Pretty much what you buy is what you are going to have for the life of the product.

They also added f/8 AF for center point in 5D3 (in 1.2.3)

 

[Cthulhu]

Please add:

1) full frame 4K video
2) focus peaking
3) an efficient video codec
4) unlimited button assignment

and I gladly send my 5D4 in if you install an articulating screen, an EVF and sensor stabilization.

The hardware can't do it.

This has been explained so many times, why do people keep asking for things that are not feasible with the current equipment. Canon are not "holding off" implementing these things to "protect high end cinema cameras", they are not doing it because the hardware in the cameras can't handle it.

The hardware can do focus peaking - ML have shown that. So too could unlimited button assignment be done.

What the hardware can't do is full-frame 4K video and HEVC. Do they need hardware support? Most absolutely. So it isn't just the software where Canon is skimping on us, it is the hardware side too. The point being that if Sony can do full frame 4K video in the A7RII (and that is how old now?) then why can't Canon with a brand new 5D4?

I'm sure if they decided to build the 5d mkIV like a consumer / toy product they could source different parts and do what you're asking at a similar price point, but I wouldn't want that camera and neither does anyone who hasnm't switched to Sony A7RII by now. And before you say you're willing to pay extra for better 4K, there's a 1dc and 1dx mk2 waiting to be bought at any time.

 

[makowako]

This may be for an overheating issue when shooting 4K.

I have this camera and shot an ad with it on Sept 14th and can attest shooting 4K gets hot fast, which leads to recording stops at shorter and shorter intervals until the camera cools down.

On my production team was a young man that works at the biggest local pro camera shop in town and said he heard about this issue and was expecting a firmware update for it.

I hope this is what it fixes, anyway.