This video provides a critical analysis of the Canon 5D Mark IV's "Dual Pixel RAW" feature, which captures data from two slightly different perspectives for each pixel. The narrator tests its three main functions—Image Micro Adjustment (focus shift), Bokeh Shift (parallax effect), and Ghosting Reduction—using Canon's mandatory and poorly regarded Digital Photo Professional software. The conclusion is that the feature is fundamentally impractical. The focus and bokeh adjustments are too subtle to be useful in real-world scenarios, failing to correct even minor focus errors. The narrator posits the effect is an illusory software trick involving selective sharpening and blurring rather than genuine detail recovery. These negligible benefits are outweighed by severe drawbacks, including doubled file sizes, a significant reduction in frame rate, and increased noise in high-ISO images. The feature is dismissed as a gimmick, and the narrator advises permanently disabling it.
An Analysis of Canon's Dual Pixel RAW Feature
00:00:03 The Dual Pixel RAW Concept: The feature captures two images from slightly different angles using the left and right sides of each pixel. This ostensibly allows for post-processing adjustments, the most visually obvious being "Bokeh Shift," which moves background blur. However, the usable effect is half of what is shown in exaggerated demonstrations.
00:01:08 Image Micro Adjustment is Ineffective: This function is meant to correct minor focus errors by shifting focus forward or back. In practice, the effect is imperceptible and completely fails to save shots where focus is missed, such as focusing on a subject's nose instead of their eyes. It does not solve any real-world problems.
00:02:44 Mandatory and Inferior Software: Adjusting Dual Pixel RAW files requires using Canon's Digital Photo Professional (DPP) software, which is described as "terrible" and disrupts standard workflows. While Adobe Lightroom may support viewing the files, it is not expected to implement the actual adjustment tools.
00:04:49 An Illusory Effect, Not True Recovery: The narrator concludes the software is not extracting additional detail but is likely creating a depth map to apply selective sharpening and blurring. The result is a software-simulated adjustment, not a genuine recovery of out-of-focus information.
00:08:53 Increased Image Noise: Using the Bokeh Shift feature on high-ISO images significantly increases visible noise. This makes the feature incompatible with low-light photography and suggests it may be discarding half the light information from the sensor.
00:10:08 Severe Performance Penalties: The costs of enabling Dual Pixel RAW are substantial:
File sizes double, becoming larger than those from the 50-megapixel 5DS R.
Continuous shooting speed drops from 7 FPS to 5 FPS.
The camera's buffer fills much faster.
Continuous shooting is completely disabled in Live View.
00:11:21 Final Verdict: A Useless Feature: The feature offers no practical, real-world benefits to justify its significant performance and workflow costs. The narrator states he is permanently turning it off and advises that anyone who pre-ordered the camera for this feature should reconsider their purchase.