EOS M5vs Nikon Z9
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 — Nikon Z9 (2021): The Z9 redefined what professional mirrorless could be — no mechanical shutter, 45MP stacked BSI, and 8K RAW in the most rugged Z body.
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
Nikon Z9 (2021)
- Professional sports, wildlife and photojournalism photographers
- Nikon D6 or D850 users making the final switch to mirrorless
- Those who need the fastest, most reliable AF Nikon has ever made
- Professionals who need a flagship body with no mechanical shutter
Quick take: The nikon z9 has the highest resolution at 46mp; the eos m5 is the most affordable; only the nikon z9 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS M5 (2016) | Nikon Z9 (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £350 | £5,499 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS (Dual Pixel) | 45.7MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 45.7MP |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 8K/30p RAW, 4K/120p, ProRes RAW |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF with face detection | Subject detection AF, 493-point phase-detect |
| Stabilisation | — | 6-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 9fps | 20fps RAW / 120fps JPEG |
| Battery Life | ~295 shots (CIPA) | 740 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 427g (body only) | 1340g body only |
| Dimensions | 116.2 × 88.1 × 60.6mm | 149.0 × 149.5 × 90.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Electronic, 2.36M dots, 0.39" type | 0.5" Quad-VGA OLED EVF, 3.69M dots, 120fps |
| Screen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.62M dots | 3.2" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon EF-M mount | Nikon Z-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS M5 | Nikon Z9 |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Casual | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Sports & Action | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Photojournalism | — |
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