Decision tools · Compare
EOS 550D vs EOS M
Quick take: The EOS 550D is the most affordable.
Where the EOS 550D wins
- Cheaper new: £26 vs £40
- Battery Life: ~440 shots (CIPA)
- Portrait: 5.4 vs 4.9
- Sports & Action: 4.5 vs 3.6
- Wildlife: 5.0 vs 3.9
Where the EOS M wins
- Burst Rate: 4fps
- Weight: 262g (body only)
- Street: 6.6 vs 5.4
- Travel: 6.0 vs 4.8
- Documentary: 4.5 vs 4.0
16 specs side by side·13 genres scored·UK prices from Wex Photo Video, Clifton Cameras, MPB, eBay and Amazon UK
How to read this page. Highlighted cells win that row on the spec alone. Genre scores are the engine's base scores (enthusiast, photo and video); Camera Match re-weights them for your level and priorities. Price buttons are affiliate links; the price you pay is the same.
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Size comparedbody only, no lens · drawn to one scale
- EOS 550D 129 × 98 × 75 mm · 530 g
- EOS M 109 × 66 × 32 mm · 298 g
The EOS M is 20 mm narrower, 32 mm shorter, 43 mm slimmer and 232 g lighter than the EOS 550D.
Drawn to scale from the makers' dimensions (W × H × D). Front shown, depth on the slanted edge.
Verdictwhich should you buy?
EOS M — Canon Mirrorless History & Ef-M Collectors: Canon's first mirrorless — a historic body that broke new ground with touch-AF and EF-M, but its sluggish contrast-detect system quickly became its Achilles heel.
Who should buy what
EOS M (2012)
is the right camera for you if…
- Canon shooters who want the camera that started Canon's mirrorless story
- Budget first-time mirrorless buyers who already own EF/EF-S glass
- Collectors of significant digital camera milestones
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | EOS 550DCanon · 2010 | EOS MCanon · 2012 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £26 usedBest | £40 used |
| Sensor | 18MP APS-C CMOS | 18MP APS-C CMOS |
| Resolution | 18.0MP | 18.0MP |
| Video | Full HD 1080p/30, 720p/60 | 1080p 30fps |
| Autofocus | 9-point phase-detect via viewfinder; contrast AF with face detection in live view | Hybrid CMOS AF (phase + contrast), notoriously slow |
| Stabilisation | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | — |
| Burst Rate | 3.7fps | 4fpsBest |
| Battery Life | ~440 shots (CIPA)Best | ~230 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 530g (with battery) | 262g (body only)Best |
| Dimensions | 128.8 × 97.5 × 75.3mm | 108.6 × 66.5 × 32.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Not weather sealed |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentamirror, 0.87x | No viewfinder |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed LCD, 1.04M dots | 3.0" fixed touchscreen, 1.04M dots |
| Mount | Canon EF / EF-S | Canon EF-M mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD slot | 1× SD/SDHC/SDXC |
| Connectivity | USB 2.0, mini HDMI, AV out, 3.5mm mic, E3 remote | USB 2.0 |
Wins the row — price, resolution, burst, battery, weight and sealing are compared; text specs aren't ranked.
How they score by genreengine base scores out of 10
Genre
EOS 550D
EOS M
Portrait
5.4/10
4.9/10
Street
5.4/10
6.6/10
Travel
4.8/10
6.0/10
Wedding & Events
4.0/10
3.6/10
Documentary
4.0/10
4.5/10
Sports & Action
4.5/10
3.6/10
Landscape
4.0/10
4.2/10
Wildlife
5.0/10
3.9/10
Casual
3.3/10
4.9/10
Food
4.0/10
4.6/10
Macro
3.8/10
3.9/10
Architecture
4.4/10
3.8/10
Astrophotography
4.4/10
4.0/10
Scores come from the same engine as Camera Match: verified specifications weighted by what each genre needs, with documented adjustments. The product page and this table show the enthusiast base score. See how scores are calculated →
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Camera family history