In the Field: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV for Wildlife

Travel blogger and wildlife photography couple Brock and Betty recently visited Skomer Island, just off the Pembrokeshire coast in Wales, to photograph the island’s famous colourful puffins. 

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV: An Expert Review

In this article, Brock and Betty review the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, along with the Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM EF zoom lens. How does the full-frame DSLR perform for wildlife and bird photography? Read on to learn about Brock and Betty’s experiences with the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV for photographing puffins and check out some of these stunning images.

Location

After watching the BBC’s Wild Isles, which brought fascinating UK wildlife into viewers’ living rooms, we wanted to follow in the footsteps of the great Sir David Attenborough and explore Skomer Island. According to the figures, there were more than 42,000 puffins, the most since records began. So we were sure we’d come across these photogenic birds and eagerly awaited being able to capture them on camera.

Setup

On our island adventure, we took with us our Canon EOS 5D Mark IV and Sigma 100-400mm f/5.6-6.3, as well as the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM, 16-35mm f/2.8 L USM and 50mm f/1.8 STM. We bought the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV mainly because it's a hardy camera, it’s great for every type of weather condition. The camera is weather-sealed, which is perfect for unpredictable weather—to be expected in the UK!

It’s also a versatile all-rounder for photography and videography. With wildlife, you have to be quick—you don’t always have time to switch cameras, so having one that’s good for both is ideal.

Settings for Wildlife Photography

When it comes to wildlife photography, practicing your setting beforehand is vital. Those important moments can be so brief. If you mess up with the camera, it’s game over. Keeping the shutter speed around 1/1000 allowed us to use the 100-400mm lens hand-held. 

During our trip to Skomer, we had excellent weather. But the island itself was very dusty and windy. With wildlife photography, especially, we found ourselves sitting on the ground a lot. Especially on Skomer, we sat on the dirt track for hours shooting the puffins. Our camera got very dusty, but it’s much easier to clean than other cameras we’ve had in the past.

A telephoto was mandatory for the lens setup. We’ve heard that puffins on the island can be very friendly—even walking over your feet if you stay still for long enough. So we brought the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 for close-up shots. The Canon EF 16-35mm is also good for close-ups while getting a unique perspective. 

We brought the Canon EF 24-105mm for its versatility and stabilisation in filming. With this lens, we can still capture images from a good distance, but it also allows us to change quickly to video without needing to change the lens.

Autofocus

Considering the Sigma 100-400mm isn’t a native lens, the autofocus works extremely well, almost as good as using the native Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM. If you’ve ever shot birds before, you’ll know it can be tricky for the focus of big lenses to change quickly. The Canon EOS 5D Mark IV kept up with the 100-400mm lens. With birds flying all around, we knew we could trust the setup and change the subject quickly.

Handling

When it comes to wildlife photography, you have to be adaptable. This is one of the main reasons we use the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV. Sometimes with other cameras, you feel you have too many options. What we like about the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV is that it's simple, easy to learn and easy to use. 

These spare seconds are valuable when you only have a split second to capture your subject. This camera feels great—not too big and not too small. You can use one hand to quickly change settings and hit the shoot button, all in a short period of time.

It feels like every few months, cameras are coming out onto the market, and you feel pressure to upgrade. But with the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, although we’ve had this body for a few years now, we’re still confident with our kit and this camera won’t let us down. That is why so many professionals still use the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV today.

Shooting

Shooting seven shots per second helps you capture those rare, intimate moments with wildlife. From a big yawn with their beak to flapping their wings, puffins are always on the move. So it’s great to shoot so many images per second.

Image quality

Having a 30-megapixel sensor enables you to always have high-quality images, whether you’re shooting wildlife, landscapes, people or cars. You’re able to crop and adjust images and still not lose that needed quality. For instance, being able to get close up to the birds, we were able to capture their individual feathers—and even our reflections in their eyes!

Conclusion

We spent five hours on Skomer Island shooting continuously while watching the puffins waddle between the wildflowers and fly to and fro from the sea. We were so engrossed with these colourful, inquisitive birds that we nearly missed the ferry off the island! We were happy to have the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV with us.

Looking for more about wildlife photography?

This article is part of the MPB Guide to Wildlife Photography and Videography, our comprehensive look at how to create wildlife imagery, with camera recommendations, advice and interviews with experts.