Canon 5D Mark IV Discontinued: End of an Era

The Canon EOS 5D series has been at the forefront of innovation in digital photography for the last two decades or so, with each successive version of the 5D series pushing the boundaries of professional and prosumer photography equipment innovation. The first of the 5D series was the original 5D, introduced to the market in 2005, which was a game-changer for photography enthusiasts as well as photography professionals who needed a full-frame camera with unparalleled quality, dynamic range, and performance even in low light conditions at a price point that was lower than what was available in full-frame cameras.

The 5D “Classic” was a revelation to me when I first bought one of those (back when grey market was a thing). I was blown away by the image quality of the camera, but what was even more shocking was the shutter lag.

The successive versions of the 5D series, such as the 5D Mark II, had full HD video recording capabilities on a full-frame camera for the first time ever on a DSLR camera. Then came the 5D Mark III, which had refined 22.3-megapixel resolution, 61-point autofocus for professional photography enthusiasts, as well as video recording capabilities.

The 5Ds and 5Ds R versions of the 5D series had 50.6-megapixel resolution, while the 5D Mark IV had a 30.4-megapixel sensor, Dual Pixel CMOS AF, 4K video recording capabilities, 7 fps continuous shooting, etc.

We stated in our overview video for the 5D Mark IV that this is the most refined 5D to date, and I believe that statement still holds true. This is a camera that can withstand many years of abuse and still produce images with better quality (and at a faster rate) than its predecessor.

The 5D series has always been a fan favorite for wedding, portrait, photojournalist, and many other types of photographers, as well as a personal favorite of mine. August 22, 2025, marked the 20th anniversary of the EOS 5 series for Canon.

In 2020, Canon launched its first mirrorless camera in the 5D series, the EOS R5, which was a huge success, followed by the launch of the second version of the same camera, the EOS R5 Mark II, which was launched in 2024, offering features such as 8K video recording, image stabilization, AI technology, etc., which are a testament to the company's legacy of innovation in the field of camera technology, with the camera being a huge hit with photography enthusiasts as well as professionals, thereby creating a sense of nostalgia with the discontinuation of the 5D series' last DSLR camera, the 5D Mark IV.

The last DSLR camera from the 5D series by Canon, the 5D Mark IV, has officially been marked as discontinued on the Canon Japan official store.

This does not mean you will not be able to obtain it at other retailers. There would still be existing stock on the shelves. It simply means that once the existing stock is depleted, that is it. The 5D Mark IV is still available at B&H Photo Video. If you need to obtain a spare, or want to own a piece of imaging history, you can get it $500 off the regular MSRP.

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Overview

30.4MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
DIGIC 6+ Image Processor
3.2″ 1.62m-Dot Touchscreen LCD Monitor
DCI 4K Video at 30 fps; 8.8MP Still Grab
61-Point High Density Reticular AF
Native ISO 32000, Expanded to ISO 102400
Dual Pixel RAW; AF Area Select Button
Dual Pixel CMOS AF and Movie Servo AF
7 fps Shooting; CF & SD Card Slots
Built-In GPS and Wi-Fi with NFC

The EOS 5D Mark IV is soon to celebrate its 10th anniversary on August 25th, 2026. I would have hoped they would have waited until this date to discontinue the 5D Mark IV.