Upgrade Guide
Canon EOS M→Canon EOS 70D
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Strong upgrade
The EOS 70D improves across 4 key areas at a reasonable price gap. Most EOS M owners will notice the difference.
What's new in the EOS 70D
-
StabilisationIBIS added — significant for handheld and video
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Burst rate7fps vs 4fps
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Battery life~920 shots (CIPA) vs ~230 shots (CIPA)
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Generation1 year newer (2013 vs 2012)
Unchanged or similar
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ResolutionSimilar (20MP)
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 M | EOS 70D | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | +0.9 | ||
| Street | -1.3 | ||
| Travel | -1.2 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +1.3 | ||
| Documentary | -0.3 | ||
| Sports & Action | +1.7 | ||
| Landscape | +0.5 | ||
| Wildlife | +1.8 | ||
| Casual | -1.2 | ||
| Food | +0.9 | ||
| Macro | +0.7 | ||
| Architecture | +1.5 | ||
| Astrophotography | +1.2 | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | EOS M | EOS 70D | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £40 used | £35 used | |
| Released | 2012 | 2013 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 18MP APS-C CMOS | 20.2MP APS-C CMOS | |
| Resolution | 18MP | 20MP | ↑ |
| Video | 1080p 30fps | Full HD 1080p/30, 720p/60 | |
| Autofocus | Hybrid CMOS AF (phase + contrast), notoriously slow | 19-point all cross-type phase-detect via viewfinder; first Dual Pixel CMOS AF with face tracking in live view | |
| Stabilisation | — | No IBIS (lens-based stabilisation only) | |
| Burst Rate | 4fps | 7fps | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~230 shots (CIPA) | ~920 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 262g (body only) | 755g (with battery) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Not weather sealed | Not weather sealed | |
| Viewfinder | No viewfinder | Optical pentaprism, 98% coverage, 0.95x | |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.04M dots | |
| Mount | Canon EF-M mount | Canon EF / EF-S | |
| Memory Cards | 1× SD/SDHC/SDXC | Single SD slot |
Compare side-by-side
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Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the EOS 70D against your specific genres — not just specs.
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