EOS M5vs EOS R1
Canon
EOS R1 (2024)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & photojournalism
View EOS R1
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Travel & Portrait — EOS M5 (2016): The EOS M5 was the first EF-M camera with a built-in EVF — and it made the system feel complete. Fast Dual Pixel AF, a 9fps burst, and a high-resolution articulating screen deliver a confident shooting experience. No IBIS and 1080p video only limit its appeal for hybrid work, but for stills photographers it remains one of the most well-rounded EF-M bodies available.
Professional Sports, Wildlife & Photojournalism — EOS R1 (2024): Canon's ultimate professional camera — 40fps, a class-leading EVF, and AI AF that simply doesn't miss.
Who should buy what
EOS M5 (2016)
- Enthusiast photographers who want an EVF in a compact EF-M body
- Photographers switching from DSLR who want familiar handling
- Portrait and travel photographers who value fast AF and good ergonomics
- Used-market buyers wanting a capable EF-M stills camera
EOS R1 (2024)
- Professional sports and news photographers who cannot miss a shot
- Wildlife photographers needing the fastest AF and burst available
- Photojournalists requiring reliable pro-grade build and connectivity
- Canon R3 owners or 1D X Mark III users upgrading to mirrorless flagship
Quick take: The eos m5 is the most affordable; only the eos r1 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS M5 (2016) | EOS R1 (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £350 | £5,999 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS (Dual Pixel) | 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 6K RAW/60p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF with face detection | Dual Pixel CMOS AF III — 100% coverage, deep learning subject detection |
| Stabilisation | — | IBIS — up to 8 stops combined |
| Burst Rate | 9fps | 40fps electronic, 12fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | ~295 shots (CIPA) | ~530 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 427g (body only) | 1470g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | 116.2 × 88.1 × 60.6mm | 159.5 × 143.9 × 87.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Electronic, 2.36M dots, 0.39" type | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.62M dots | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon EF-M mount | Canon RF mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual CFexpress Type B |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth | USB-C (10Gbps), Wi-Fi 6GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS M5 | EOS R1 |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Street | — | |
| Casual | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Photojournalism | — | |
| Wedding | — |
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