EOS M5vs Sony A9 III
Sony
Sony A9 III (2023)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Sports & action professionals
View Sony A9 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.
Sports & Action Professionals — Sony A9 III (2023): A paradigm-shifting camera — the global shutter eliminates every rolling shutter limitation that has constrained action photography for years.
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
Sony A9 III (2023)
- Professional sports photographers who need zero blackout and 120fps burst
- Wildlife photographers who demand the most advanced Sony AF available
- Photojournalists who need flash sync at any shutter speed
- A9 II owners upgrading to the world's first full-frame global shutter
Quick take: The sony a9 iii has the highest resolution at 25mp; the eos m5 is the most affordable; only the sony a9 iii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS M5 (2016) | Sony A9 III (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £350 | £5,999 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS (Dual Pixel) | 24.6MP full-frame Exmor RS CMOS (global shutter) |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 24.6MP |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 4K/120p, 4K/60p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF with face detection | AI subject recognition AF, 759-point phase-detect |
| Stabilisation | — | 8-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 9fps | 120fps blackout-free electronic |
| Battery Life | ~295 shots (CIPA) | 530 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 427g (body only) | 703g body only |
| Dimensions | 116.2 × 88.1 × 60.6mm | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Electronic, 2.36M dots, 0.39" type | 0.64" Quad-XGA OLED EVF, 9.44M dots |
| Screen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.62M dots | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon EF-M mount | Sony FE (E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth | USB-C 3.2, HDMI A, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3 |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS M5 | Sony A9 III |
|---|---|---|
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Street | — | |
| Casual | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Sports & Action | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — |
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