EOS Mvs A7 IV
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.
Portrait & Wedding Photography — A7 IV (2021): The full-frame portrait benchmark — 33MP, AI Eye AF, and exceptional skin-tone rendering in a pro-grade hybrid body.
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
A7 IV (2021)
- Working photographers who want a reliable full-frame all-rounder
- Portrait, wedding, and event photographers needing 33MP and fast AF
- A7 III owners ready for a major upgrade in resolution, AF, and video
- Hybrid shooters who want 4K/60p and 33MP stills in one dependable body
Quick take: The a7 iv has the highest resolution at 33mp; the eos m is the most affordable; only the a7 iv is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS M (2012) | A7 IV (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £80 | £2,299 |
| Sensor | 18MP APS-C CMOS | 33MP Full-frame BSI Exmor R CMOS |
| Resolution | 18.0MP | 33.0MP |
| Video | 1080p 30fps | 4K/60p oversampled, 10-bit internal, S-Log3, S-Cinetone |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF only — notoriously slow | 759-point phase-detect, AI subject recognition |
| Stabilisation | — | 5-axis IBIS, 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 4fps | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic |
| Battery Life | ~230 shots (CIPA) | ~580 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 262g (body only) | 659g body only |
| Dimensions | 108.6 × 66.5 × 32.3mm | 131.3 × 96.4 × 79.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | None (optional EVF accessory) | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon EF-M mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | 1× SD/SDHC/SDXC | Dual slots: CFexpress Type A + SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB 2.0 | USB-C (3.2 Gen 2), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS M | A7 IV |
|---|---|---|
| Casual | — | |
| Travel | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Studio Portraits | — | |
| Outdoor Portraits | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| 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