Decision tools · Compare
EOS M vs A6000
Quick take: The A6000 has the highest resolution at 24MP; the EOS M is the most affordable.
Where the EOS M wins
- Cheaper new: £40 vs £125
- Weight: 262g (body only)
- Documentary: 4.5 vs 4.0
- Casual: 4.9 vs 4.4
Where the A6000 wins
- Resolution: 24.3MP
- Burst Rate: 11fps
- Battery Life: ~360 shots (CIPA)
- Portrait: 6.3 vs 4.9
- Street: 7.6 vs 6.6
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 M 109 × 66 × 32 mm · 298 g
- A6000 120 × 67 × 45 mm · 344 g
The EOS M is 11 mm narrower, 13 mm slimmer and 46 g lighter than the A6000.
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.
A6000 — Entry-Level Mirrorless & Budget E-Mount: The Sony that started a generation of E-mount loyalty — 11fps, 24MP, and 179 phase-detect points in a compact body that remained excellent value for nearly a decade.
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
A6000 (2014)
is the right camera for you if…
- First-time mirrorless buyers who want a capable, proven body at the lowest price
- Sony E-mount users who want a compact backup or second body
- Parents and travellers who want good image quality without a large camera
- Anyone curious about APS-C mirrorless who wants to try the system affordably
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | EOS MCanon · 2012 | A6000Sony · 2014 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £40 usedBest | £125 used |
| Sensor | 18MP APS-C CMOS | 24.3MP APS-C Exmor APS HD CMOS |
| Resolution | 18.0MP | 24.3MPBest |
| Video | 1080p 30fps | 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Hybrid CMOS AF (phase + contrast), notoriously slow | 179 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect AF points |
| Stabilisation | — | No stabilisation |
| Burst Rate | 4fps | 11fpsBest |
| Battery Life | ~230 shots (CIPA) | ~360 shots (CIPA)Best |
| Weight | 262g (body only)Best | 344g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 108.6 × 66.5 × 32.3mm | 119.9 × 66.9 × 45.1mm |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Not weather sealed |
| Viewfinder | No viewfinder | EVF, OLED 1.44M dots, 0.70× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.0" tilting LCD, 921k dots (no touch) |
| Mount | Canon EF-M mount | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | 1× SD/SDHC/SDXC | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB 2.0 | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC |
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 M
A6000
Portrait
4.9/10
6.3/10
Street
6.6/10
7.6/10
Travel
6.0/10
6.5/10
Wedding & Events
3.6/10
4.6/10
Documentary
4.5/10
4.0/10
Sports & Action
3.6/10
6.2/10
Landscape
4.2/10
4.8/10
Wildlife
3.9/10
6.7/10
Casual
4.9/10
4.4/10
Food
4.6/10
5.5/10
Macro
3.9/10
5.0/10
Architecture
3.8/10
5.2/10
Astrophotography
4.0/10
4.6/10
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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