Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Diffraction Limit
With a 720 nm infrared filter, the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV stays free of visible diffraction up to ƒ/6.3, and diffraction starts to soften images at ƒ/10.1. Unconverted (hot mirror), it is diffraction-free up to ƒ/9 and soft from ƒ/14.3. These limits come from its 5.36 μm pixel pitch: longer infrared wavelengths make a larger Airy disk, so diffraction appears at wider apertures than in visible light.
Open the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV in the calculator
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV specifications
- Pixel pitch: 5.36 μm
- Megapixels: 30.4
- Pixels: 6720 × 4480
- Sensor: Full Frame, 36.0 × 24.0 mm
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Sharpest ƒ-stop by filter
Safe is the narrowest aperture with a diffraction ratio of 3 or lower at every wavelength the filter passes. Caution allows up to 3.75. Avoid is the first aperture where any wavelength reaches 4.5. All three are calculated to the one-third stop. See which wavelengths each filter passes.
| Filter | Safe | Caution | Avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full spectrum | ƒ/6.3 | ƒ/8 | ƒ/10.1 |
| Hot mirror or UV/IR cut | ƒ/9 | ƒ/11 | ƒ/14.3 |
| 470 nm high-pass | ƒ/6.3 | ƒ/8 | ƒ/10.1 |
| 550 nm high-pass | ƒ/6.3 | ƒ/8 | ƒ/10.1 |
| 590 nm high-pass | ƒ/6.3 | ƒ/8 | ƒ/10.1 |
| 665 nm high-pass | ƒ/6.3 | ƒ/8 | ƒ/10.1 |
| 720 nm high-pass | ƒ/6.3 | ƒ/8 | ƒ/10.1 |
| 780 nm high-pass | ƒ/6.3 | ƒ/8 | ƒ/10.1 |
| 830 nm high-pass | ƒ/6.3 | ƒ/8 | ƒ/10.1 |
| 930 nm high-pass | ƒ/6.3 | ƒ/8 | ƒ/10.1 |
| 1000 nm high-pass | ƒ/6.3 | ƒ/8 | ƒ/10.1 |
| IR Chrome | ƒ/6.3 | ƒ/8 | ƒ/10.1 |
| UV Bandpass | ƒ/16 | ƒ/20.2 | ƒ/25.4 |
Diffraction ratio at each ƒ-stop
The Airy disk diameter divided by the 5.36 μm pixel pitch, for every wavelength from ultraviolet to infrared. A filter only passes some of these wavelengths; the table above applies each filter’s set. How the ratio is calculated.
| ƒ-stop | 350 nm | 400 nm | 470 nm | 550 nm | 590 nm | 665 nm | 720 nm | 780 nm | 830 nm | 930 nm | 1000 nm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ƒ/1.4 | 0.22 | 0.25 | 0.3 | 0.35 | 0.38 | 0.42 | 0.46 | 0.5 | 0.53 | 0.59 | 0.64 |
| ƒ/2 | 0.32 | 0.36 | 0.43 | 0.5 | 0.54 | 0.61 | 0.66 | 0.71 | 0.76 | 0.85 | 0.91 |
| ƒ/2.8 | 0.45 | 0.51 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.75 | 0.85 | 0.92 | 0.99 | 1.06 | 1.19 | 1.27 |
| ƒ/4 | 0.64 | 0.73 | 0.86 | 1 | 1.07 | 1.21 | 1.31 | 1.42 | 1.51 | 1.69 | 1.82 |
| ƒ/5.6 | 0.89 | 1.02 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 1.84 | 1.99 | 2.12 | 2.37 | 2.55 |
| ƒ/8 | 1.27 | 1.46 | 1.71 | 2 | 2.15 | 2.42 | 2.62 | 2.84 | 3.02 | 3.39 | 3.64 |
| ƒ/11 | 1.75 | 2 | 2.35 | 2.75 | 2.95 | 3.33 | 3.61 | 3.91 | 4.16 | 4.66 | 5.01 |
| ƒ/16 | 2.55 | 2.91 | 3.42 | 4.01 | 4.3 | 4.84 | 5.24 | 5.68 | 6.05 | 6.77 | 7.28 |
| ƒ/22 | 3.51 | 4.01 | 4.71 | 5.51 | 5.91 | 6.66 | 7.21 | 7.81 | 8.31 | 9.31 | 10.01 |
| ƒ/32 | 5.1 | 5.83 | 6.85 | 8.01 | 8.59 | 9.69 | 10.49 | 11.36 | 12.09 | 13.55 | 14.57 |
| No visible diffraction (less than 3) | |
| Visible diffraction may slightly impact image sharpness (3 to 4.5) | |
| Visible diffraction will impact image sharpness (4.5 or greater) |
Cameras with similar pixel pitch
Other Full Frame cameras within 0.2 μm of the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV. The same pixel pitch gives the same diffraction limits.
- Canon EOS R (5.36 μm)
- Canon EOS Ra (5.36 μm)
Pixel pitch comes from the camera database. Send a correction if anything here is wrong.