EOS M5vs A9
Sony
A9 (2017)
Starting from £1999 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & action photography
View A9
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.
Professional Sports, Wildlife & Action Photography — A9 (2017): The camera that changed professional photography — the A9's 20fps blackout-free burst and silent shutter proved mirrorless had definitively surpassed the DSLR.
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
A9 (2017)
- Sports photographers who want the original 20fps mirrorless at a lower used price than the A9 II
- Wildlife photographers who need blackout-free burst with fast, reliable tracking
- Sony FE system users who want a professional sports body
- Photographers interested in the camera that changed the industry
Quick take: The eos m5 is the most affordable; only the a9 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS M5 (2016) | A9 (2017) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £350 | £1,999 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS (Dual Pixel) | 24.2MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 1080p/60p | 4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF with face detection | 693 phase-detect + 25 contrast-detect, real-time eye/body tracking |
| Stabilisation | — | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 9fps | 20fps (blackout-free, silent electronic shutter with full AF/AE) |
| Battery Life | ~295 shots (CIPA) | ~650 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 427g (body only) | 673g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 116.2 × 88.1 × 60.6mm | 126.9 × 95.6 × 63.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Electronic, 2.36M dots, 0.39" type | EVF, OLED 3.69M dots, 0.78× magnification, 60fps refresh (blackout-free) |
| Screen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 1.62M dots | 3.0" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon EF-M mount | Sony FE (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth | USB, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS M5 | A9 |
|---|---|---|
| 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