EOS Mvs A7R
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.
Studio, Tripod Landscape & Camera History — A7R (2013): The world's first 36MP full-frame mirrorless — a landmark camera that launched the A7R series, despite contrast-detect AF and significant shutter shock limitations.
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
A7R (2013)
- Collectors and photographers interested in the camera that started the A7R lineage
- Studio photographers who work on a tripod and can manage contrast-detect AF
- Landscape photographers who prioritise resolution over autofocus performance
- Sony FE system users who want a historical body at a very low used price
Quick take: The a7r has the highest resolution at 36mp; the eos m is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS M (2012) | A7R (2013) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £80 | £349 |
| Sensor | 18MP APS-C CMOS | 36.4MP Full-Frame CMOS (no OLPF) |
| Resolution | 18.0MP | 36.4MP |
| Video | 1080p 30fps | 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF only — notoriously slow | Contrast-detect AF only (no phase-detect on sensor) |
| Stabilisation | — | None |
| Burst Rate | 4fps | 4fps |
| Battery Life | ~230 shots (CIPA) | ~340 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 262g (body only) | 465g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 108.6 × 66.5 × 32.3mm | 126.9 × 94.4 × 48.2mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | No |
| Viewfinder | None (optional EVF accessory) | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.71× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.0" fixed LCD, 1.23M dots (no tilt, no touch) |
| Mount | Canon EF-M mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | 1× SD/SDHC/SDXC | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB 2.0 | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS M | A7R |
|---|---|---|
| Casual | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Architecture | — | |
| 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