EOS Mvs A5100
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.
Casual & Travel — A5100 (2014): The A5100 is one of the smallest APS-C mirrorless cameras ever made. Its 24MP sensor, phase-detect AF, and selfie-friendly flip screen pack remarkable capability into a shirt-pocket-sized body. No EVF or hot shoe limits it for serious use, but as a compact travel camera or beginner's first mirrorless, it punches well above its price on the used market.
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
A5100 (2014)
- Beginners stepping up from a smartphone
- Compact travel photographers
- Casual vloggers who want APS-C quality
Quick take: The a5100 has the highest resolution at 24mp; the eos m is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS M (2012) | A5100 (2014) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £80 | £200 |
| Sensor | 18MP APS-C CMOS | 24.3MP APS-C Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | 18.0MP | 24.3MP |
| Video | 1080p 30fps | 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF only — notoriously slow | Hybrid phase-detect / contrast-detect AF, face detection |
| Stabilisation | — | None |
| Burst Rate | 4fps | 6fps |
| Battery Life | ~230 shots (CIPA) | ~400 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 262g (body only) | 224g (body only) |
| Dimensions | 108.6 × 66.5 × 32.3mm | 109.6 × 62.8 × 35.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | No |
| Viewfinder | None (optional EVF accessory) | None |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.0" flip-up touchscreen, 921k dots |
| Mount | Canon EF-M mount | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | 1× SD/SDHC/SDXC | Single SD / MemoryStick PRO Duo slot |
| Connectivity | USB 2.0 | Micro USB, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS M | A5100 |
|---|---|---|
| Casual | ||
| Travel | ||
| Street | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Sports & Action | — |
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