Decision tools · Compare
EOS M5 vs A1
Quick take: The A1 has the highest resolution at 50MP; the EOS M5 is the most affordable; only the A1 is weather sealed.
Where the EOS M5 wins
- Cheaper new: £213 vs £4,199
- Weight: 427g (body only)
Where the A1 wins
- Resolution: 50.1MP
- Burst Rate: 30fps electronic with full AF/AE
- Battery Life: ~430 shots (CIPA)
- Weather Sealed: Yes
- Portrait: 8.2 vs 5.9
16 specs side by side·15 genres scored·UK prices from Wex Photo Video, Clifton Cameras, MPB, eBay and Amazon UK
How to read this page. Highlighted cells win that row on the spec alone. Genre scores are the engine's base scores (enthusiast, photo and video); Camera Match re-weights them for your level and priorities. Price buttons are affiliate links; the price you pay is the same.
Sony
A1 2021
Best for Professional sport, wildlife, portrait & hybrid shooting
£4199
new today at Wex Photo Video
Price buttons are affiliate links — GearFrame may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never affects a score. Learn more
Size comparedbody only, no lens · drawn to one scale
- EOS M5 116 × 88 × 61 mm · 427 g
- A1 129 × 97 × 81 mm · 737 g
The EOS M5 is 13 mm narrower, 9 mm shorter, 20 mm slimmer and 310 g lighter than the A1.
Drawn to scale from the makers' dimensions (W × H × D). Front shown, depth on the slanted edge.
Verdictwhich should you buy?
EOS M5 — Travel & Portrait: 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.
A1 — Professional Sport, Wildlife, Portrait & Hybrid Shooting: 50MP, 30fps, 8K — the Sony A1 is the most complete professional camera ever made.
Who should buy what
EOS M5 (2016)
is the right camera for you if…
- 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
A1 (2021)
is the right camera for you if…
- Professional photographers who need resolution and speed without compromise
- Sports and wildlife photographers demanding the absolute fastest Sony
- Studio and fashion photographers who also shoot sport or events
- A9 III or A7R V owners who want a single body that does everything
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | EOS M5Canon · 2016 | A1Sony · 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £213 usedBest | £4,199 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS (Dual Pixel) | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 50.1MPBest |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF with face detection | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points |
| Stabilisation | — | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 9fps | 30fps electronic with full AF/AEBest |
| Battery Life | ~295 shots (CIPA) | ~430 shots (CIPA)Best |
| Weight | 427g (body only)Best | 737g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 116.2 × 88.1 × 60.6mm | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | YesBest |
| Viewfinder | Electronic, 2.36M dots, 0.39" type | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps |
| Screen | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 1.62M dots | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon EF-M mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth | USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI |
Wins the row — price, resolution, burst, battery, weight and sealing are compared; text specs aren't ranked.
How they score by genreengine base scores out of 10
Genre
EOS M5
A1
Portrait
5.9/10
8.2/10
Street
6.2/10
6.1/10
Travel
5.5/10
5.9/10
Wedding & Events
4.5/10
7.9/10
Vlogging & Video
4.5/10
—
Documentary
4.2/10
7.6/10
Sports & Action
5.3/10
8.8/10
Landscape
4.6/10
7.6/10
Wildlife
5.3/10
8.7/10
Casual
4.4/10
4.8/10
Food
5.4/10
7.4/10
Macro
4.4/10
7.3/10
Architecture
4.7/10
7.9/10
Astrophotography
4.1/10
6.8/10
Filmmaking
—
7.8/10
Scores come from the same engine as Camera Match: verified specifications weighted by what each genre needs, with documented adjustments. The product page and this table show the enthusiast base score. See how scores are calculated →
Next
More comparisons with EOS M5
Camera family history