EOS M5vs A7R II
Sony
A7R II (2015)
Starting from £799 new
Best for Portrait, landscape & studio photography
View A7R 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.
Portrait, Landscape & Studio Photography — A7R II (2015): The A7R II transformed the A7R series — adding IBIS, 4K video, BSI sensor tech, and phase-detect AF in one generation. A landmark Sony camera.
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
A7R II (2015)
- Landscape and architecture photographers who want 42MP with IBIS for handheld shooting
- Portrait and studio photographers who need high resolution with improved AF reliability
- Sony FE system users who want a capable high-resolution body at a used price
- A7R I owners who need the stabilisation, 4K, and improved AF the original lacked
Quick take: The a7r ii has the highest resolution at 42mp; the eos m5 is the most affordable; only the a7r ii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS M5 (2016) | A7R II (2015) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £350 | £799 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS (Dual Pixel) | 42.4MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS Exmor R |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 42.4MP |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 4K/30p (S35 or full-frame), 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF with face detection | 399 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect AF points, face detection |
| Stabilisation | — | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 4.5 stops (first A7R with IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 9fps | 5fps |
| Battery Life | ~295 shots (CIPA) | ~290 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 427g (body only) | 625g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 116.2 × 88.1 × 60.6mm | 126.9 × 95.7 × 60.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Electronic, 2.36M dots, 0.39" type | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.78× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.62M dots | 3.0" tilting LCD, 1.23M dots (no touch) |
| Mount | Canon EF-M mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS M5 | A7R II |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Street | — | |
| Casual | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Sports & Action | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Architecture | — |
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