Reasons to choose EOS 5D Mark IV
Released in 2016, EOS 5D Mark IV has about 864 mm² of sensor area, 30.1 MP effective resolution, and a 890 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.
Side-by-side comparison
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
vs Canon EOS 6D
VS
Sensor area
864 mm²
EOS 5D Mark IV856 mm²
EOS 6D- Area ratio
- 1.01:1
- Absolute difference
- 8 mm²
- Relative difference
- 1%
The EOS 5D Mark IV has the larger sensor area. More area usually means greater light-gathering potential, though real image quality still depends on sensor architecture and generation.
These cameras were released 4 years apart. Consider sensor generation when comparing pixel metrics.
Key specification differences
EOS 5D Mark IVMetricEOS 6D
30.1 MPEffective pixels20.2 MP
36 × 24Sensor35.8 × 23.9
5.36 µmPixel pitch6.51 µm
28.7 µm²Pixel area42.36 µm²
3.48 MP/cm²Pixel density2.36 MP/cm²
1Crop factor1.01
4,096 × 2,160Maximum video1,920 × 1,080
890 gWeight770 g
SD/SDHC/SDXC/CompactFlashStorageSD/SDHC/SDXC
LP-E6N lithium-ion battery Li-ion batteryBatteryLithium-Ion LP-E6 rechargeable battery Li-ion battery
Amber marks the value that is generally preferable in this comparison context. It is not an overall camera score.
How to choose between these cameras
The EOS 5D Mark IV has the larger sensor area. The EOS 6D has the lighter body. The EOS 5D Mark IV has the higher effective resolution. The EOS 5D Mark IV is the newer release. Also consider the lens system and subjects you shoot.
Reasons to choose EOS 6D
Released in 2012, EOS 6D has about 856 mm² of sensor area, 20.2 MP effective resolution, and a 770 g body. Use these values to narrow the field, not as an overall image-quality score.