17/02/2026 2:18 pm
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EF Mount Camera & Lens Forum
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Hey everyone! I finally bit the bullet and picked up a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV. I’ve been eyeing this beast for a long time, and since I’m starting to take on more professional event gigs and some weekend landscape work, it felt like the perfect time to upgrade from my trusty old 80D. The jump to full-frame is incredibly exciting, but I’m quickly realizing that my current bag of tricks might not be enough to keep up with this camera's capabilities.
I took it out for a test run yesterday, and a few things became immediately apparent. First off, this thing is a tank! I love the build quality, but after about three hours of shooting, my neck was definitely feeling the weight with the standard out-of-the-box strap. Also, those 30.4MP files are no joke—I filled up my old 32GB SD card way faster than I expected, and I noticed a bit of lag when I tried to record some 4K video clips.
I’m currently looking into a few specific upgrades but I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed by the options. For one, I’m debating whether to invest in high-speed CF cards or if I can get away with just using the dual SD slots with UHS-I cards. I’ve also been looking at the Canon BG-E20 battery grip because I have larger hands and do a lot of vertical portrait shooting, but I'm wondering if the added weight makes it too cumbersome for long days. I’m also curious if any of you use a specific L-bracket that doesn't block the side ports, as I’m planning to do more tripod-heavy landscape work soon.
I want to make sure I’m kitting this out correctly from the start without wasting money on junk that’ll just sit in my bag. I’m not on an unlimited budget, but I’m definitely willing to pay for quality if it actually improves the workflow or ergonomics.
For those of you who have been using this body for a while, what are your top 3 'cannot-live-without' accessories for the 5D Mark IV that actually make a difference in your day-to-day shooting?
5 Answers
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17/02/2026 3:20 pm
+1 to what was said earlier. The SD slot in the 5D4 is basically a bottleneck because it only supports UHS-I speeds, so even the fastest SD cards will lag during 4K or long bursts. Honestly, if you wanna stop that buffer lag, you gotta go CF for your primary slot; a Lexar Professional 1066x 128GB CompactFlash Card is way more reliable for those big 30MP files. For the L-bracket, don't waste money on a universal one; they're a total pain. I've used the Kirk BL-5D4 L-Bracket for Canon 5D Mark IV and it's perfect cuz it doesn't block the side ports at all. Regarding the grip, I'd skip it to save weight and just grab a BlackRapid Sport Breathe Camera Strap instead. It shifts the weight to your shoulder, which is a life-saver for long event gigs and way more cost-effective than the official grip. gl!
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17/02/2026 2:30 pm
Similar situation here - I went through this exact same headache last year when I jumped to the 5D4. Honestly, the file sizes are insane, right? I started out thinking I could save money using my old SD cards, but I quickly realized that the SD slot on this body is actually capped at UHS-I speeds (around 95MB/s max). I tried shooting 4K video on a cheap card and it literally just stopped recording after a few seconds. Kinda scary tbh. I eventually bit the bullet on a SanDisk Extreme Pro 128GB CompactFlash Card which usually goes for about $85. It’s way faster than the SD slot and handles the buffer better for events, tho it’s a bit pricey. Regarding the weight... oh man, my neck was killing me too. I was looking at the Canon BG-E20 Battery Grip because I have big hands, but it adds so much bulk. I was worried it’d make the camera too heavy for long hikes, so I just stuck with extra Canon LP-E6N Lithium-Ion Battery packs. You can find them for like $60, or even less if there’s a sale. I also grabbed a Peak Design Slide Camera Strap (about $65) which lets you carry it cross-body. It basically saved my life during a 10-hour shoot last month. For the L-bracket, be careful with the cheap ones... I tried a generic one and it blocked the cable release port. I’ve heard the Three Legged Thing QR11-L Universal L-Bracket is a decent budget option at $50, but idk, I’m still looking for the perfect one too! Good luck with the new beast!!
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18/02/2026 3:20 am
Would love to know this too
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23/02/2026 3:05 pm
Yep, this is the way
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28/02/2026 5:35 pm
Did this last week, worked perfectly
