EOS Mvs Z5
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.
Entry-Level Full-Frame & Dslr Switchers — Z5 (2020): The most affordable route into full-frame Z — dual card slots, IBIS, and a capable sensor at an accessible price.
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
Z5 (2020)
- DSLR photographers switching to full-frame mirrorless for the first time
- Enthusiasts who want full-frame image quality on a tighter budget
- Photographers stepping up from APS-C who don't need fast burst or 4K
- Z5 II shoppers on a budget — the original Z5 is now excellent value used
Quick take: The z5 has the highest resolution at 24mp; the eos m is the most affordable; only the z5 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS M (2012) | Z5 (2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £80 | £999 |
| Sensor | 18MP APS-C CMOS | 24.3MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 18.0MP | 24.3MP |
| Video | 1080p 30fps | 4K/30p (with crop), 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF only — notoriously slow | Hybrid AF — 273 phase-detect points, eye/subject detection |
| Stabilisation | — | IBIS — up to 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 4fps | 4.5fps |
| Battery Life | ~230 shots (CIPA) | ~470 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 262g (body only) | 590g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | 108.6 × 66.5 × 32.3mm | 134 × 100.5 × 69.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | None (optional EVF accessory) | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.8× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.2" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon EF-M mount | Nikon Z mount |
| Memory Cards | 1× SD/SDHC/SDXC | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB 2.0 | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS M | Z5 |
|---|---|---|
| Casual | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Everyday | — | |
| Sports | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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Camera family history