EOS M5vs A6500
Sony
A6500 (2016)
Starting from £649 new
Best for Travel, street & versatile everyday photography
View A6500
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.
Travel, Street & Versatile Everyday Photography — A6500 (2016): The first Sony APS-C with IBIS — the A6500 added in-body stabilisation, touch AF, and a far deeper buffer to the A6300's already strong formula.
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
A6500 (2016)
- Travel photographers who want IBIS in a compact weather-sealed E-mount body
- A6300 owners who need the stabilisation or touch AF the A6300 lacked
- Street and documentary photographers who want a capable compact with weather sealing
- Sony E-mount shooters looking for a capable used body at an accessible price
Quick take: The eos m5 is the most affordable; only the a6500 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS M5 (2016) | A6500 (2016) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £350 | £649 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS (Dual Pixel) | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 4K/30p (full pixel readout), 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF with face detection | 425 phase-detect + 169 contrast-detect AF points, face/eye detection |
| Stabilisation | — | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops (first Sony APS-C with IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 9fps | 11fps |
| Battery Life | ~295 shots (CIPA) | ~310 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 427g (body only) | 453g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 116.2 × 88.1 × 60.6mm | 120.0 × 66.9 × 53.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Electronic, 2.36M dots, 0.39" type | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.62M dots | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon EF-M mount | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS M5 | A6500 |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Street | ||
| Casual | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Sports & Action | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Wildlife | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
More comparisons with EOS M5
Camera family history