EOS M5vs Z6 II
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.
All-Round Full-Frame Photography — Z6 II (2020): The Z6 II is the Nikon most photographers should buy. It's balanced across every discipline — stills, video, autofocus, weather sealing — without overpaying for megapixels you don't need. The Z-mount glass is superb.
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
Z6 II (2020)
- Nikon DSLR users ready to move to mirrorless
- Photographers who need a reliable all-rounder without specialising
- Video creators wanting 4K/60p in a weather-sealed body
- Enthusiasts who shoot everything from portraits to travel
Quick take: The z6 ii has the highest resolution at 24mp; the eos m5 is the most affordable; only the z6 ii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS M5 (2016) | Z6 II (2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £350 | £1,699 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS (Dual Pixel) | 24.5MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 24.5MP |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 4K/60p, 4K/30p (oversampled), 1080p/120p slow-motion |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF with face detection | Phase-detect, 273 points, Eye AF, subject tracking |
| Stabilisation | — | 5-axis IBIS, 5 stops (up to 6 stops with VR lenses) |
| Burst Rate | 9fps | 14fps mechanical, 14fps electronic (12-bit RAW) |
| Battery Life | ~295 shots (CIPA) | ~410 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 427g (body only) | 705g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 116.2 × 88.1 × 60.6mm | 134.0 × 100.5 × 69.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Electronic, 2.36M dots, 0.39" type | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.80× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.62M dots | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.1M dots |
| Mount | Canon EF-M mount | Nikon Z-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual card: 1× CFexpress Type B / XQD + 1× SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth | USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS M5 | Z6 II |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Street | ||
| Casual | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Video | — | |
| Wildlife | — |
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