EOS M5vs A7 III
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 Photography & Video — A7 III (2018): Still one of the best all-round cameras money can buy — particularly strong used. The A7 III proved that full-frame doesn't have to mean compromises, and nothing at this price point has meaningfully beaten it.
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
A7 III (2018)
- Enthusiast photographers upgrading from APS-C for the first time
- Working photographers who need reliable AF and weather sealing
- Anyone who shoots in low light regularly
- Hybrid shooters needing both stills and video performance
Quick take: The eos m5 is the most affordable; only the a7 iii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS M5 (2016) | A7 III (2018) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £350 | £1,699 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS (Dual Pixel) | 24.2MP Full-Frame Exmor R BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 4K/30p (6K oversampled), 1080p/120p slow-motion |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF with face detection | Phase-detect, 693 points, real-time Eye AF & animal AF |
| Stabilisation | — | 5-axis IBIS, 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 9fps | 10fps with AF/AE tracking |
| Battery Life | ~295 shots (CIPA) | ~710 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 427g (body only) | 565g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 116.2 × 88.1 × 60.6mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 73.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Electronic, 2.36M dots, 0.39" type | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.62M dots | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 921k dots |
| Mount | Canon EF-M mount | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual SD (UHS-II slot 1, UHS-I slot 2) |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth | USB-C (USB 3.2), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS M5 | A7 III |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Street | ||
| Casual | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Video | — |
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