Upgrade Guide
Canon EOS 500D→Canon EOS M
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Situational
One clear hardware improvement over the EOS 500D. Worth it if that specific upgrade aligns with what you shoot.
What's new in the EOS M
-
Generation3 years newer (2012 vs 2009)
Unchanged or similar
-
ResolutionSimilar (18MP)
-
StabilisationIBIS not present in new body
Suitability by genre
Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.
| Genre | EOS 500D | EOS M | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | -0.4 | ||
| Street | +1.3 | ||
| Travel | +1.3 | ||
| Wedding & Events | -0.3 | ||
| Documentary | +1.0 | ||
| Sports & Action | -0.8 | ||
| Landscape | +0.4 | ||
| Wildlife | -1.0 | ||
| Casual | +1.6 | ||
| Food | +0.7 | ||
| Macro | +0.2 | ||
| Architecture | -0.3 | ||
| Astrophotography | -0.4 |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | EOS 500D | EOS M | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £57 | £80 | |
| Released | 2009 | 2012 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 15.1MP APS-C CMOS | 18MP APS-C CMOS | |
| Resolution | 15MP | 18MP | ↑ |
| Video | Full HD 1080p/20, 720p/30 | 1080p 30fps | |
| Autofocus | 9-point phase-detect (centre cross-type) via viewfinder; contrast AF with face detection in live view | Hybrid CMOS AF (phase + contrast), notoriously slow | |
| Stabilisation | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | — | |
| Burst Rate | 3.4fps | 4fps | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~400 shots (CIPA) | ~230 shots (CIPA) | ↓ |
| Weight | 530g (with battery) | 262g (body only) | ↑ |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Not weather sealed | |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentamirror, 95% coverage, 0.87x | No viewfinder | |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed LCD, 920k dots | 3.0" fixed touchscreen, 1.04M dots | |
| Mount | Canon EF / EF-S | Canon EF-M mount | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD slot | 1× SD/SDHC/SDXC |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See EOS 500D and EOS M next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
Get a personalised upgrade score
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Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the EOS M against your specific genres — not just specs.
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