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Canon 5D MIV vs Nikon D800E Comparison

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Canon 5D MIV

30 MP | Full frame (36 x 24 mm) CMOS Sensor

Canon 5D MIV
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Nikon D800E

36 MP | Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) CMOS Sensor

Nikon D800E
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Canon 5D MIV vs Nikon D800E Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing 5D MIV and D800E, two Advanced DSLR cameras from Canon and Nikon. Both cameras have Full frame sensors but Canon 5D MIV has a 30.0 MP and Nikon D800E has a 36.0 MP resolution. Canon 5D MIV was introduced to market in August 2016 and Nikon D800E was launched in June 2012. As you can see, D800E is 4 years older than 5D MIV. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Canon 5D MIV and Nikon D800E before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Canon 5D MIV Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2016-08-25
  • 30MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 32000 ( expands to 50-102400)
  • Canon EF Mount
  • 3.2 Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 7.0 fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (DCI) - 4096 x 2160 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • Built-in GPS
  • 890g. 151 x 116 x 76 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Canon EOS 5D Mark III Compare

Nikon D800E Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2012-06-11
  • 36MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter
  • ISO 100 - 6400 ( expands to 25600)
  • Nikon F Mount
  • 3.2" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 4 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 900g. 146 x 123 x 82 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Nikon D700 Compare

Nikon D800E was replaced by Nikon D810. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon D810 vs Nikon D800E
Nikon D810 vs Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Canon 5D MIV and Nikon D800E compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Canon EOS 5D Mark IV over Nikon D800E
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder Magnification
0.71x vs 0.7x Larger Viewfinder
Max ISO
32.000 vs 6.400 400% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
61 vs 51 10 more focus points
Number of Cross Type Focus Points
41 vs 15 26 more cross type focus points
LCD Screen Resolution
1.620k dots vs 921k dots 75% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting
7.0fps vs 4.0fps 3 fps faster
Weight
890 g vs 900 g 10 g lighter
Low Light ISO
2995 vs 2979 better High ISO performance
Sensor Pixel Area
28.69µm2 vs 23.83µm2 20% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution
4096 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080 Higher Resolution Video
NFC Connection
Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
4K Photo Mode
Yes vs No Extract 8MP photos from 4K Video
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Min Focus Sensitivity
EV -3 vs EV -2 Autofocus in lower light
Autofocus at f/8 aperture
61 point vs 11 point Autofocus with teleconverters
Webcam Function
Yes vs No Use your camera as a Webcam
Anti Flicker
Yes vs No Reduced uneven color and exposure under flickering light


Reasons to choose Nikon D800E over Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Max Sensor Resolution
36 MP vs 30 MP 19% more pixels
Color Depth
25.6 vs 24.8 higher color depth
Dynamic Range
14.3 vs 13.6 higher dynamic range

Common Strengths of Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and Nikon D800E
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Yes (Optical) vs Yes (Optical) Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Max Resolution
30 MP vs 36 MP Bigger prints and more details
LCD Screen Size
3.2 vs 3.2" Large display
Microphone Port
Yes vs Yes High quality audio recording option
Headphone Port
Yes vs Yes better video control
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs Yes shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs Yes creative shooting
Top LCD Display
Yes vs Yes Help viewing and changing settings easily
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Flash Sync Port
Yes vs Yes Connect off-camera flash
AF Micro Adjustment (Fine Tune)
Yes vs Yes Adjust each lens for accurate focusing
Dual-axis Electronic Level
Yes vs Yes Level the camera easily in two axis
Storage Slot
2 vs 2 Extra Storage Slot
UHS Card Support
UHS-I vs UHS-I Read/Write in Ultra High Speeds
Common Weaknesses of Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and Nikon D800E
In-body Image Stabilization
No vs No No Built-in stabilization
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No No flexible viewing angles
Canon 5D MIV vs Nikon D800E: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Canon 5D MIV and Nikon D800E side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Canon 5D MIV has external dimensions of 151 x 116 x 76 mm (5.94 x 4.57 x 2.99″) and weighs 890 g (1.96 lb / 31.39 oz) (including batteries). Nikon D800E has external dimensions of 146 x 123 x 82 mm (5.75 x 4.84 x 3.23″) and weighs 900 g (1.98 lb / 31.75 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Canon 5D MIV and Nikon D800E. Canon 5D MIV is 7mm shorter and 6mm thinner than Nikon D800E but it is also 5mm wider.

Canon 5D MIV vs Nikon D800E Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Canon 5D MIV and Nikon D800E Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Canon 5D MIV and Nikon D800E.

Canon 5D MIV vs Nikon D800E Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Canon 5D MIV and Nikon D800E Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Canon 5D MIV and Nikon D800E.
Canon 5D MIV vs Nikon D800E Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Canon 5D MIV and Nikon D800E Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Canon 5D MIV is 10g lighter than the Nikon D800E but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since both Canon 5D MIV and Nikon D800E have the same Full frame sized sensor, their lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will be similar in size and weight.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

5D MIV
D800E
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

5D MIV
D800E
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Both 5D MIV and D800E have weather sealings in their body, making them resistant to water and dust.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Canon 5D MIV and Nikon D800E's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.2.

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.
Canon 5D MIV vs Nikon D800E: Sensor Comparison

Canon 5D MIV has a 30.0MP Full frame (36 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Digic 6+ processor. On the other hand, Nikon D800E has a 36.0MP Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Expeed 3 processor.

Nikon D800E's sensor provides 6MP more than Canon 5D MIV's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

One other difference between these two cameras that is worth mentioning is that Nikon D800E's sensor doesn't have an anti-alias (Low-Pass) filter. Removing anti-alias filter increases the sharpness and level of detail but at the same time, it increases the chance of moire occurring in certain scenes.

Below you can see the 5D MIV and D800E sensor size comparison.

Canon 5D MIV vs Nikon D800E Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon 5D MIV and Nikon D800E Cameras


Canon 5D MIV and Nikon D800E have almost the same sensor size so none of them has any significant advantage over other in providing control over depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. It scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Canon 5D MIV and Nikon D800E sensors have been tested by DxO and the results show that D800E has a better overall score of 96, 5 points higher compared to 5D MIV's score of 91.

Model Overall Color Depth Dynamic Range Low-light ISO
Canon 5D MIV 91 24.8 bits 13.6 Evs 2995 ISO
Nikon D800E 96 25.6 bits 14.3 Evs 2979 ISO
Canon 5D MIV vs Nikon D800E Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. When we look at the available lenses for these two cameras, we see that Nikon D800E has an advantage over Canon 5D MIV There are 309 lenses for Nikon D800E's Nikon F mount, on the other hand there are only 250 lenses for Canon 5D MIV's Canon EF lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. None of these bodies have sensor based image stabilization so you have to buy lenses with Optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 76 lenses for Canon EF mount and 106 lenses for Nikon F mount with IS.

Lens Type # of Canon 5D MIV Lenses # of Nikon D800E Lenses
Standard Zoom 22 (22 Full Frame) 33 (17 Full Frame)
Standard Prime 17 (17 Full Frame) 21 (18 Full Frame)
Wideangle Zoom 20 (20 Full Frame) 33 (17 Full Frame)
Wideangle Prime 46 (46 Full Frame) 48 (46 Full Frame)
Telephoto Zoom 50 (50 Full Frame) 53 (43 Full Frame)
Telephoto Prime 43 (43 Full Frame) 45 (44 Full Frame)
SuperZoom 9 (9 Full Frame) 30 (6 Full Frame)
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 3 (3 Full Frame) 8 (3 Full Frame)
Macro Prime 24 (24 Full Frame) 26 (23 Full Frame)
Perspective Control Prime 16 (16 Full Frame) 11 (11 Full Frame)
Telephoto Mirror Prime n/a 1 (0 Full Frame)
TOTAL 250 (250 Full Frame) 309 (228 Full Frame)


Now let's compare some sample lenses from each mount with typical Focal ranges for Canon 5D MIV and Nikon D800E to see how these lenses compares:

Fast Standard Zoom Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Canon 24-70mm f2.8L II USM Lens Canon 24-70mm f2.8L II USM
24 - 70mm 805gr 1695gr 113mm Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon 24-70mm F2.8E ED VR Lens Nikon 24-70mm F2.8E ED VR
24 - 70mm 1070gr 1970gr 155mm Amazon B&H Photo
Fast Tele Zoom Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Canon EF 70-200 F2.8L IS III USM Lens Canon EF 70-200 F2.8L IS III USM
70 - 200mm 1440gr 2330gr 199mm Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon AF-S 70-200mm F2.8E FL ED VR Lens Nikon AF-S 70-200mm F2.8E FL ED VR
70 - 200mm 1430gr 2330gr 203mm Amazon B&H Photo
Fast Normal Prime Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Canon 50mm f1.4 USM Lens Canon 50mm f1.4 USM
50mm 290gr 1180gr 51mm Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon 50mm f1.4G Lens Nikon 50mm f1.4G
50mm 290gr 1190gr 54mm Amazon B&H Photo
Fast Wideangle Zoom Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Canon 16-35mm F2.8L III Lens Canon 16-35mm F2.8L III
16 - 35mm 790gr 1680gr 128mm Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon 17-35mm f2.8D ED-IF Lens Nikon 17-35mm f2.8D ED-IF
17 - 35mm 745gr 1645gr 106mm Amazon B&H Photo
24-105mm f4 Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Canon 24-105mm f4L IS USM Lens Canon 24-105mm f4L IS USM
24 - 105mm 670gr 1560gr 107mm Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon 24-120mm f4G ED VR Lens Nikon 24-120mm f4G ED VR
24 - 120mm 710gr 1610gr 104mm Amazon B&H Photo
Super-Tele Zoom Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM C Lens Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM C
150 - 600mm 1930gr 2820gr 290mm Amazon B&H Photo
Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM C Lens Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM C
150 - 600mm 1930gr 2830gr 290mm Amazon B&H Photo
What types of Photography are Canon 5D MIV and Nikon D800E Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Canon 5D MIV and Nikon D800E for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Canon 5D MIV for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Nikon D800E for Portrait Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 30.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 36.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Canon 5D MIV for Street Photography

GOOD

Nikon D800E for Street Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
No Image Stabilization
Large Body
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
No Image Stabilization
Large Body
Read the details

Canon 5D MIV for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT

Nikon D800E for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 7.0fps
Anti Flicker feature
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
41 Cross Type Focus sensors
61 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 900 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
15 Cross Type Focus sensors
51 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 900 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Average Continuous Shooting: 4.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Canon 5D MIV for Daily Photography

GOOD

Nikon D800E for Daily Photography

GOOD
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Anti Flicker feature
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
890g
Body Thickness 76mm
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
900g
Body Thickness 82mm
Read the details

Canon 5D MIV for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon D800E for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
Large Full frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 30.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 36.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details

Canon 5D MIV vs Nikon D800E: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Canon 5D MIV and Nikon D800E, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Canon 5D MIV and Nikon D800E scores compare:

Canon 5D MIV
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #10 out of 94 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #47 out of 1220 in all Cameras
Nikon D800E
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #13 out of 94 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #58 out of 1220 in all Cameras

Canon 5D MIV has a higher Overall Score than the Nikon D800E. It also has more features, more compact body and offers higher value for the money. But there is one area that 5D MIV trails behind the D800E: Imaging.
If image quality is the most important aspect in a camera, choose the Nikon D800E. If not, we recommend the Canon 5D MIV.

Canon 5D MIV
Canon 5D MIV
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Nikon D800E
Nikon D800E
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Nikon D800E vs Canon 5D MIV Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Nikon D800E
Brand Canon Nikon
Announced 2016-08-25 2012-06-11
Body Type Mid-size SLR Mid-size SLR
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size Full frame Full frame
Dimensions 36 x 24 mm 35.9 x 24 mm
Area 864.00mm2 861.60mm2
Megapixels 30 megapixels 36 megapixels
Max Resolution 6720 x 4480 7360 x 4912
Max Native Light sensitivity 32,000 ISO 6,400 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 102400 ISO 25600 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 100 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity 50 ISO -
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 61 51
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Canon EF Nikon F
Number of Available Lenses 250 309
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3.2 3.2"
Resolution 1,620k dots 921k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Optical (pentaprism) Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.71x 0.7x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/8000s 1/8000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization No No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range no built-in flash 12.00 m (at ISO 100)
Max Flash Sync 1/200s 1/250s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 7.0 fps 4.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 4096 x 2160 1920 x 1080
Video Formats MPEG-4, Motion JPEG MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 890g 900g
Dimensions 151 x 116 x 76mm 146 x 123 x 82mm
Battery Life 900 shots 900 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS Built-in Optional
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 91 96
DxO Color Depth 24.8 25.6
DxO Dynamic Range 13.6 14.3
DxO Low Light ISO 2995 2979
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