oh man, congrats on the upgrade! I moved from a Rebel too and honestly, it's a huge jump. Ngl, I was kinda disappointed to find out the SD slot is way slower than the CF one—it basically bottlenecks your buffer if you shoot high-speed bursts... so frustrating. For your $600 budget, here's what I'd grab to save some cash:
- SanDisk 128GB Extreme Pro CompactFlash Card (get the 160MB/s version, it's actually necessary for the 4K video)
- Neewer BG-E20 Replacement Battery Grip (tbh the official one is overpriced, this works fine for me!)
- SmallRig L-Bracket for Canon 5D Mark IV (total lifesaver for landscapes) I also had issues with cheap screen protectors peeling off, so maybe get the Vancity 5D Mark IV Tempered Glass Screen Protector. It's a beastly camera but those cards and the grip are basically essential for events... good luck!! 👍

> I’m specifically curious about the best memory card setup. Since it has dual slots, should I be looking at high-speed CompactFlash cards for the primary slot and a fast SD for backup, or does the slower SD slot still bottleneck the buffer during high-speed bursts? So when I first moved to a bigger body like the 5D IV, I was super paranoid about breaking something or running out of juice mid-shoot. I actually bought a cheap knockoff battery grip and it almost fried my pins because the fit was so bad... super scary stuff!! Honestly, you gotta be careful with that SD slot. Since the 5D IV is only UHS-I, it definitely drags during bursts. I would suggest sticking to a reliable CF card for your main storage. The SanDisk Extreme 128GB CompactFlash Memory Card is around $65 and way more stable than trying to push a slow SD card. Regarding the grip, I wouldnt risk a cheap third-party one. I tried the Canon BG-E20 Battery Grip but it was just way too heavy for weekend hiking. I think just grabbing two extra Canon LP-E6NH Lithium-Ion Battery for about $79 each is a better call. It's safer for the electronics and saves you a ton of cash. Plus, for landscapes, definitely get the Sunwayfoto PCL-5DIV L-Bracket for Canon 5D Mark IV. Its like $50 and makes switching to portrait mode on a tripod sooo much faster. I guess my main lesson was that official batteries are always worth the extra peace of mind... gl!

Yeah, I totally agree with the idea of skipping the grip to keep things safe and simple. Since I'm still kinda new to this level of gear, I've been doing a ton of reading on whether third-party stuff is actually okay for the 5D IV. Tbh, seeing people talk about cheap batteries swelling up or damaging the camera really scares me! If ur looking to save a bit of cash without going totally off-brand, I've been looking at the Watson LP-E6N Li-Ion Battery Pack as a middle ground. They seem way more reliable than the super cheap ones you find on Amazon, but they aren't as pricey as the official Canon ones. Also, for ur landscapes, maybe check out the Vello LCD Multi-Function Shutter Release. It’s way cheaper than the Canon version but seems to have really solid reviews for safety and build quality. I’m always worried about breaking something expensive, so I usually try to find the safest 'budget' option if that makes sense? Does anyone else worry about the off-brand electronics messing with the weather sealing?

Wait really?? Thats actually super helpful. I always thought it was the other way around.

I'd actually suggest a different approach—skip the grip. Grab a Really Right Stuff B5D4-L L-Plate instead. Heavy power setups unfortunately just compromise the weather sealing and add unnecessary bulk.

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I've been shooting with 5D bodies since the Mark II days and one thing I've learned the hard way is that trying to 'over-protect' the camera can actually cause more issues. I used to be obsessed with those silicone skins to keep the body mint, but moisture got trapped underneath during a humid morning shoot and actually started corroding some of the external screws. It was a mess. Also, just a heads up on the dual slot thing... I once missed a critical shot during a fast-paced event because I had a slow SD card in the second slot 'just in case.' The camera buffer filled up and just hung there while the card struggled to keep up. It doesnt matter how fast your primary card is; that slow slot will drag the whole system down to its level if youre writing to both. Nowadays, I mostly treat the SD slot as emergency storage only. Keeping it simple usually saves you more grief than buying every gadget in the catalog, especially when you're starting out with a body this capable.

Nice, didn't know that