EOS Mvs EOS M5vs EOS R6
Canon
EOS M (2012)
Starting from £80 new
Best for Canon mirrorless history & EF-M collectors
View EOS M
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Canon Mirrorless History & Ef-M Collectors — EOS M (2012): 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.
Travel & Portrait — EOS M5 (2016): The EOS M5 was the first EF-M camera with a built-in EVF — and it made the system feel complete. Fast Dual Pixel AF, a 9fps burst, and a high-resolution articulating screen deliver a confident shooting experience. No IBIS and 1080p video only limit its appeal for hybrid work, but for stills photographers it remains one of the most well-rounded EF-M bodies available.
Wedding, Portrait, Sports, Video — EOS R6 (2020): The camera that made Canon's RF system worth taking seriously.
Who should buy what
EOS M (2012)
- 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
EOS M5 (2016)
- Enthusiast photographers who want an EVF in a compact EF-M body
- Photographers switching from DSLR who want familiar handling
- Portrait and travel photographers who value fast AF and good ergonomics
- Used-market buyers wanting a capable EF-M stills camera
EOS R6 (2020)
- Canon DSLR shooters moving to mirrorless
- Hybrid photographers who shoot both stills and video
Quick take: The eos m5 has the highest resolution at 24mp; the eos m is the most affordable; only the eos r6 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS M (2012) | EOS M5 (2016) | EOS R6 (2020) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £80 | £350 | £1,299 |
| Sensor | 18MP APS-C CMOS | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS (Dual Pixel) | Full-frame CMOS 35mm |
| Resolution | 18.0MP | 24.2MP | 20.1MP |
| Video | 1080p 30fps | 1080p/60p | 4K 60fps (crop), 4K 30fps (full), 1080p 120fps |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF only — notoriously slow | Dual Pixel CMOS AF with face detection | Dual Pixel CMOS AF II, 6072 AF positions, subject tracking |
| Stabilisation | — | — | 5-axis IBIS, up to 8 stops coordinated IS |
| Burst Rate | 4fps | 9fps | 12fps mechanical, 20fps electronic |
| Battery Life | ~230 shots (CIPA) | ~295 shots (CIPA) | 380 shots (LCD), 510 shots (EVF) |
| Weight | 262g (body only) | 427g (body only) | 598g (body only) |
| Dimensions | 108.6 × 66.5 × 32.3mm | 116.2 × 88.1 × 60.6mm | 138.4 × 97.5 × 88.4mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | None (optional EVF accessory) | Electronic, 2.36M dots, 0.39" type | EVF 0.76× 3.69M-dot |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.62M dots | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.62M-dot |
| Mount | Canon EF-M mount | Canon EF-M mount | Canon RF |
| Memory Cards | 1× SD/SDHC/SDXC | Single SD UHS-I slot | 2× SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB 2.0 | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth | Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth 4.2, USB-C 3.1, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS M | EOS M5 | EOS R6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casual | — | ||
| Travel | — | ||
| Street | |||
| Portrait | |||
| Vlogging & Video | |||
| Landscape | — | ||
| Sports & Action | — | ||
| Wedding & Events | — | — | |
| Wildlife | — | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
Compare pairs from this group
Camera family history