Sony a6000 Vs Canon M5 – Detailed Comparison

Ever thought of how two mirrorless cameras of equal professional status would do against each other? Well, in this Sony a6000 vs Canon M5 in-depth comparison, you’ll have that desire fulfilled. OK! You’re probably just here to find out how the Sony a6000 stands up against the Canon M5.

Anyway, we’ve got you covered. We’ve put together the features and functions of both cameras and have even pitted them against each other. This way, you can see which camera does better in what area.

However, if you are in a hurry, what you need are the comparison overview and the comparison table. In those two sections, we have compressed the information into small nuggets that you can quickly go through.

We’ve got some other Sony-Canon comparison articles that you can check out like the Sony a6000 vs Canon M50 and Sony a6000 vs Canon M6.

Comparison Overview — Sony a6000 Vs Canon M5

Now for the basic information in bite-sized sizes:

Overall Rating of The Sony a6000 Vs Canon M5

While the Sony a6000 and the Canon M each have what could be considered their niche, we generally consider both cameras to be good semi-pro cameras.

Now as for the niche, we consider the Sony a6000 to be the more flexible of the two cameras. Why? It is the lighter camera and is even the more compact camera. On the other hand, we consider the Canon M5 to be the better camera for taking videos because of some of the features it comes with. We’ll discuss them soon.

Rating of The Features Of The Sony a6000 Vs Canon M5

The Sony a6000 and the Canon M5 are mirrorless cameras and as a result, they both do not come with a mirror and an optical viewfinder but come with an electronic viewfinder.

In addition, they both have a wireless connection, can be controlled via a smartphone, take really good pictures and have a not so good battery life. The continuous shooting rate is another thing one could say they have in common. However, with 11 frames per second vs 9 frames, the Sony a6000 wins this one.

Talking about winning, the Canon M5 has a couple of wins of its own and 2 of them revolved around resolution. It has the better screen resolution (1620k dots vs 922k dots) and the better viewfinder resolution (2360k dots vs 1440k dots).

Which Has The Better Price-Value Ratio – Sony a6000 Vs Canon M5

The Sony a6000 and the Canon M5 are kinda within the same the same price range. And for the value you’ll get out of both cameras, we think they are both decently priced and will both give you about the same value for your money spent. The a6000 does cost a bit more than the M5 but it also does come with a few more features than its counterpart, so, all is balanced.

About The Brands

Sony

Sony is a Japanese conglomerate that has been around for quite some time. In that time, it has managed to grow to include an electronics line, a gaming line, an entertainment line and even financial services. Its products are usually of good quality and we do not expect less from the Sony a6000.

Canon

Canon is another Japanese brand. However, unlike Sony, it is more streamlined as its focus is just on optics and imaging. Canon products have also, overtime, become to be known for their quality and we expect no less from the Canon M5.

Comparison Table — Sony a6000 Vs Canon M5

	Sony a6000	Canon M5
Weight	0.76 pounds	0.94 pounds
Dimensions	4.7 by 2.6 by 1.8 inches	4.6 by 3.5 by 2.4 inches
Battery Life	360 shots per charge	295 shots
Continuous Shooting	11.0 frames per second (fps)	9.0 frames per second (fps)
Wireless Connection	In-built	In-built
Touch Screen	No	Yes
Articulating Screen	3 inch tilting screen	3.2 inch tilting screen
Microphone Port	No	Yes
ISO	100 – 25600 and can be expanded to 51200	100 – 25600

Which Is Better Under What Circumstance? — Sony a6000 Vs Canon M5

Sony a6000	Canon M5
The Sony a6000 is the smaller camera of the two cameras. So, if you’ll be doing a lot of traveling with this camera, we suggest you go for this one.	The Canon M5, on the other hand, has a microphone port and so is the better camera for recording sounds.
Also, the Sony a6000 is the more affordable of the two cameras. So, consider getting it if you are on a tight budget.	Also, this camera comes with a video stabilization feature which makes it the better camera for recording videos.

Common Features — Sony a6000 Vs Canon M5

Here are the things that make the Sony a6000 and the Canon EOS M5 similar:

i. No mirror mechanism

ii. Electronic viewfinder

iii. Light weight

iv. Articulating screen

v. Built-in flash

vi. Battery life

vii. Built-in Wi-Fi

viii. Pretty fast burst mode

ix. 100 -25600 ISO range

x. 24 mega pixel sensor resolution

xi. RAW support

xii. UHS memory card support

xiii. Time-lapse recording

We will now look at each of them in detail…

1. Mirrorless

One of the most significant similarities between these two cameras is that they are both mirrorless cameras. Being mirrorless or DSLR is basically what a camera is and so accounts for a number of features it does or does not have. We’ll explain.

A DSLR camera, which is basically the opposite of a mirrorless camera, comes fitted with a mirror and an optical viewfinder.

So, when you take pictures, light passes through the attached lens and then hits the mirror. From the mirror, the light splits, part of it hitting the Autofocus Sensor and the other hitting the optical viewfinder.

On the other hand, a mirrorless camera doesn’t come with a mirror (hence the name) or an optical viewfinder. So what happens is that light passes through the lens and hits the sensor straight up. Now, instead of light, the sensor sends a digital image to the electronic viewfinder or the LCD screen.

From all these, you can see that the basic difference between a DSLR and a mirrorless camera is the presence/absence of a mirror and an optical viewfinder.

Now, while mirrorless cameras do not have an alternative for the mirror, they sure do have an alternative for the optical viewfinder. We’ll discuss that next.

2. Electronic Viewfinder

The viewfinder is that little screen through which you see whatever it is you are trying to capture. Now both the Sony a6000 and the Canon M5 come with an electronic viewfinder. However, you do not want to take this for granted and here is why.

There are basically two kinds of mirrorless cameras; the kind that come with an electronic viewfinder and the kind that come without. Now, for the ones that come with, there are no issues there, just use it like you would an optical viewfinder.

For the kind that come without, there are two options. One, you could decide to do your viewing on the LCD screen. That might be alright up until the time you have to take shots in bright light like under the sun. You’ll really struggle to see what’s on the screen.

Two, you could decide to get an external viewfinder which is the better idea. Most mirrorless cameras that come without an electronic viewfinder usually have a port for an external viewfinder, be sure to use it. And just as a reminder, both cameras in this review come with their own viewfinder.

3. Weight

This is something else that a good number of mirrorless cameras have in common. Because of the absence of a mirror, mirrorless cameras are at liberty to be as lightweight as possible without losing the essence of a camera.

That said, we consider both cameras to be lightweight. However, we need to point out that they do not exactly weigh the same. In fact, there is a significant weight difference between the cameras. The Sony a6000 comes in weighing 0.76 pounds while the Canon M5 weighs 0.94 pounds.

That said, there is more to determining the weight of a camera than just weighing the body. The lenses will be added to take a picture at any point and their weight can affect the weight of the camera in general.

That said, since what we are essentially looking to see which camera is heavier, we don’t need to check out the weight of each individual lens. Instead, let’s look at the sensor.

Both cameras have the same APS-C sensor. The implication of this is that for the same aperture and focal length, both cameras will use lenses of the same weight and size. As a result, the lenses cannot contribute to making one camera heavier than the other.

4. Articulating Screen

This is that kind of screen that can be moved in certain directions without having to move the camera body. Now, there are two kinds; the tilting kind and the full flex.

The tilting screen can basically just be moved upward and then back down again. However, the degrees to which said screen can be moved vary from camera to camera. On the other hand, a full flex articulating screen can basically be rotated.

The basic idea of an articulating screen is for you to be able to take shots from some seemingly impossible angles. That said, both the Sony a6000 has a 3 inch tilting screen while the Canon M5 has a 3 inch tilting screen.

5. Built-In Flash

This is one feature you’ll get to appreciate if you are shooting in places where the light is just too low. Granted, the in-built flash isn’t the best solution for a low light situation. However, it is definitely better than nothing. And thankfully, both cameras in this review come with their own in-built flash.

Furthermore, they both also come with an external flash shoe. This external flash will help provide even better light than the in-built flash. It will even come in handy when you want to take flash photography.

6. Battery Life

First off, mirrorless cameras are notorious for their low battery life. Now, this is not saying that all mirrorless cameras have low battery life. However, the two cameras in this review come have a not so impressive battery life.

Now, the battery life of a camera is measured by how many shots the camera can take before it needs to be charged. That said, the Sony a6000 can take 360 shots before it needs to be charged while the Canon M5 can go just 295 shots.

Obviously, the Canon M5 has an even shorter battery life than the Sony a6000. However, we still consider both cameras low in battery life.

7. Wireless Connection

Nowadays, a lot of devices are outfitted with features that enable them to connect to the internet and cameras are not left out. With some cameras, you’ll have to connect a separate device to the camera to get that internet connection.

However, with both cameras in this review, the wireless connection feature is in-built. As a result, you basically just need your camera and a good Wi-Fi connection to do what you need to do. Via this connection, you can download stuff and even transfer between devices.

Still on the issue of wireless connections and transfers, both the Sony a6000 and the canon M5 are NFC enabled. The Near Field Communication connection enables a device to connect wirelessly to other devices. And via this connection, transfers can be made.

One last thing, both cameras can be controlled from a smartphone. You basically just need to download the appropriate app and then connect said camera to said smartphone via said app. Once that connection is made, you can take shots on the camera from the comfort and familiarity of your smartphone.

8. Continuous Shooting

In this mode, a camera can take more than one shot in one second and with just one push of the shutter button. The idea is to be able to take as many photos as possible in as short a time as possible, especially if your subject tends to move about a lot.

That said, both the Sony a6000 and the Canon M5 have an impressive continuous shot rate. With the Sony a6000 you can 11 frames per second, while the Canon M5 offers 9 frames per second.

9. ISO Range

When you talk about the ISO, you’re basically looking at how sensitive a camera is to light. That is, how much light the camera will/can let in as you take a shot and this is something you can set.

That said, the low ISO is the preferred setting for places where the light is just too bright. Why? Well, when a camera is set to a low ISO, it takes in as little light as possible. And this is a good thing because you don’t want your camera taking in all that light.

On the other hand, the high ISO is the preferred option for places where there isn’t enough light. In high ISO, the camera tries to take in as much light as it can to compensate for the lack of light.

Now, the ISO range tells us the upper and lower limits of light sensitivity of a camera. And we are sure that you’ll agree with us that a wide ISO range wouldn’t hurt.

That said, both cameras have basically the same ISO range which is kinda impressive. They both have an ISO range of between 100 and 25600. However, the ISO range of the Sony a6000 can be expanded to 51200.

10. Picture Resolution

Both the Sony a6000 and the Canon M5 have a decent picture resolution that accounts for the quality of the pictures they take. They both have a 24 megapixel max resolution and as a result, pictures taken with either camera will be really detailed and in large prints.

11. RAW Support

This one is basically about the format in which photos get saved. They both allow for the jpeg, of course. This format saves a lot of space, however, photos are usually reduced in quality when they get saved. On the other hand, the RAW format retains the quality of the pictures but said pictures will take up space.

12. Memory Card Support

Basically every digital camera stores its photos in a memory card or memory cards slotted into them. However, there are different kinds of memory cards and not all of them are compatible with all kinds of cameras.

The kind we are interested in is the Ultra High Speed memory card, the UHS-I kind to be particular. Why? Well, the UHS memory card allows for pictures to be transferred in ultra-high speed. The faster the better, right? Thankfully, both cameras support the use of the UHS-I memory card.

13. Time-Lapse Recording

When a camera time-lapse records, it basically records in a lower frequency than it normally would. This way, when it is played back, the recording plays faster than is normal.

That said, you can time-lapse record with either of these cameras. However, while the Canon M5 is factory fitted to do this, you’ll have to download the appropriate app to be able to time-lapse record on the Sony a6000.

A Sony a6000 Demonstration Video

Unique Features — Sony a6000 Vs Canon M5

Which comes with an external microphone jack: Sony a6000 or Canon M5?

The Canon EOS M5 comes with an external microphone jack, which is one of the features that makes the Canon M5 the better camera for recording videos. Cameras usually come with built-in microphones, however, they tend to pick up background noise; you can avoid this by using a good external microphone.

Which comes with video stabilization: Sony a6000 or Canon M5?

The Canon M5 comes with video stabilization, another reason it is the better camera of the two for recording videos. You know how you might be trying to take videos and your hands could get all shaky? Well, that won’t be a problem with the M5 because of this feature.

Well, for the a6000, it will be advisable to record using a tripod stand or a gimbal if you will have to move. These should help prevent the camera from shaking to some extent.

Which has more available lenses: Sony a6000 or Canon M5

Neither of these cameras has the most impressive lineup of available lenses as regards numbers. However, the Sony a6000 does have a lot more lenses than the Canon M5. The Sony a6000 has 102 lenses available with it while the Canon M5 has just 20.

Furthermore, neither camera has an image stabilization feature. As a result, pictures taken could come out looking blurry if things are not corrected.

How do you correct things? Get optical stabilization lenses, they’ll help balance things out. That said, while the Canon M5 has only 4 of those available, the Sony a6000 has 23 of them available.

Unique Pros — Sony a6000 Vs Canon M5

Pros Of The Sony a6000

• First off, the Sony a6000 is significantly lighter than the Canon M5, lenses included.
• Furthermore, the Sony a6000 has more focus points (179) than the Canon M5 (49).
• Also, the Sony a6000 has way more lenses available with it (regular and optical optimization) than the Canon M5.
• While both cameras have the same ISO range, the ISO range of the Sony a6000 can be expanded to 51200 while that of the Canon M5 can’t be expanded.
• Furthermore, the flash of the Sony a6000 has a 1 meter longer reach (6 meters) than the Canon M5 (5 meters).
• Also, the Sony a6000 has more color depth 24.1 than the Canon M5 23.4.
• Finally, the Sony a6000 is significantly more affordable than the canon M5.

Pros Of The Canon M5

• First off, the Canon M5 comes with a microphone port which gives it potential to record better audio than the Sony a6000.
• Furthermore, the Canon M5 comes with the video stabilization feature which means it can record better videos than the Sony a6000.
• Also, the Canon M5 has a touch screen.
• The Canon M5 has a 75% higher screen resolution (1620k dots) than the Sony a6000 (922k dots).
• It also has a 63% higher viewfinder resolution (2360k dots) than the Sony a6000 (1440k dots).

A Canon M5 Demonstration Video

Unique Cons — Sony a6000 Vs Canon M5

Cons Of The Sony a6000

• The Sony a6000 doesn’t come with a microphone port or the video stabilization feature. As a result, it isn’t the right camera for recording videos.

Cons Of the Canon M5

• The Canon M5 doesn’t have so many lenses (regular and optical optimization) available to it. This already limits your choices.

Check out these other articles now:

• Sony a5000 Vs Canon 60D – Detailed Comparison
• Sony a5100 Vs Nikon D3200 – Detailed Comparison
• Sony a68 vs Nikon D5200 – A Detailed Comparison
• Sony a6000 Vs Nikon J4 – Detailed Comparison
• Sony a5100 Vs Samsung NX300 – Detailed Comparison
• Sony a7R Vs Canon 70D – Detailed Comparison

Common Pros — Sony a6000 Vs Canon M5

	Sony a6000	Canon M5
Articulating Screen	The Sony a6000 has a 3 inch tilting screen. As a result, you can tilt the screen to get shots from several angles.	Same as the Sony a6000. However, the Canon M5 has a 3.2 inch screen which is actually a touch screen.
Viewfinder	The Sony a6000 comes with its own in-built viewfinder. So, no need managing the LCD screen or getting an external viewfinder.	Same as the Sony a6000.
Flash	We like that the Sony a6000 comes with an in-built flash which will come in handy for low light situations. It also comes with an external flash shoe to which you can attach an external flash to for stuff like flash photography.	Same as the Sony a6000.
RAW Support	The Sony a6000 supports the storage of photos in the RAW format. As a result, photos can retain their original quality.	Same as the Sony a6000.
Wireless Connection	The Sony a6000 has an in-built wireless connection that allows it connect to the internet. It is also NFC enabled and so can connect with other NFC enabled devices, allowing for wireless transfers. Finally, the Sony a6000 can be controlled via a smartphone.	Same as the Sony a6000.
Picture Resolution	The Sony a6000 has a decent max resolution. Pictures taken will not just be in big prints but will also be really detailed.	Same as the Sony a6000.
Face Detection	Also, the Sony a6000 has the face detection feature that allows it focus on faces that it has detected as you prepare to take a shot.	Same as the Sony a6000.
UHS-I Memory Card	The Sony a6000 supports the use of the UHS-I memory card which allows for the transfer of files in ultra-high speed.	Same as the Sony a6000.

Common Cons — Sony a6000 Vs Canon M5

	Sony a6000	Canon M5
Image Stabilization	The Sony a6000 does not have the image stabilization feature. As a result, photos taken might come out looking blurry. Thankfully, you can take care of this issue with the optical optimization lenses.	Same as the Sony a6000.
Weather Sealing	The Sony a6000 is not weather sealed. That is, it is not dust resistant, water resistant or waterproof. As a result, you’ll have to be careful when and where you use the camera.	Same as the Sony a6000.
Battery Life	The Sony a6000 doesn’t have a very impressive battery life. However, this isn’t exactly surprising seeing as it is a mirrorless camera.	The Canon M5 has an even shorter battery life.

What People Think About Both — Sony a6000 Vs Canon M5

Sony a6000	Canon M5
The Sony a6000 looks to be popular among photographers who are looking to take that leap from beginner to somewhere before professional photographer. The 11 frames per second continuous shooting rate is one of the common ups that people point out in this camera. The weight is sure another thing. People like that it is lightweight and so can be conveniently transported to places. It also doesn’t take so much space in storage. Of course the fact that it takes good pictures, has a wireless connection and can be operated via a smartphone also get people excited.	The Canon M5 also has a decent following. People like to rave about the video stabilization feature because it allows you record good quality videos. The continuous shooting is another thing people like about this camera, especially because the M3 can only take 5 frames per second and then slow down. That it is compact is another thing a number of people like about the camera. That it takes pictures of good quality and comes with its own viewfinder also get to people.
However, as we said, it is more popular among photographers and not videographers. The reason is that the Sony a6000 doesn’t come with a microphone port. As a result, videos recorded with this camera will not have quality sound.	However, that the camera is not weather sealed is something that a number of people have complained about. The battery life too does not make people happy.

Our Take — Sony a6000 Vs Canon M5

Sony a6000	Canon M5
While the Sony a6000 will not see to all your professional camera needs, it sure will do a good job as a backup camera. It has a decent continuous shooting rate, takes good pictures and stores the in a good format, has an inbuilt wireless connection and all these are in one light and compact frame.	The Canon M5 is another good semi-pro camera. In fact, it could make a good resource for you if you are into informal video recording like for your vlog and such. The video stabilization and microphone port features are good for that. The camera also takes good pictures, has an in-built wireless connection and is pretty lightweight too.
We know that there are issues with this camera and we’ve even pointed them out. However, if you think they can be worked around, get the Sony a6000 now!	There are issues with this camera too, of course. However, if you think you can work around those issues, get the Canon M5 now!

Sony a6000 Vs Canon M5 – FAQs

What is the difference between the Canon M5 and M50?

	Canon EOS M5	Canon EOS M50
ISO range	100 – 25600	100 – 25600 ( expands to 51200)
Screen size	3.2 inches	3 inches
Image stabilization	No	Yes
Screen resolution	1.620k dots	1.040k dots
Video mode	Full HD	4K
Focus points	49	143
Continuous shooting	9 frames per second	10 frames per second
Battery capacity	295 shots per full charge	235 shots per full charge

Is the Canon EOS M5 full frame?

The Canon EOS M5 does not have a full frame sensor, it is designed with an APS-C CMOS sensor which is smaller than a full frame sensor. When pictures are taken with an APS-C sensor, there is a crop effect in the images, this is why they do better when the object being captured is far away from the camera (like in wildlife photography,most times), but full frame sensors are better when the object is close (like in portrait photography).

Anyway, the sensor of the M5 has a maximum resolution of 24 mega pixels; it will be producing images with sufficient detail.

When did the Canon EOS M5 come out?

The Canon EOS M5 was released by Canon in November of 2016 but was announced 2 months prior, making it a not so modern camera. It was released as part of the Canon M series; the first one in the series to be designed with a built-in electronic viewfinder. As a matter of fact, the M5 is even the very first mirrorless Canon camera to be fitted with a built-in electronic viewfinder.

Anyway, if you are looking for the more modern cameras in the series, then you could consider getting the Canon M200 and the Canon M6 MII which were both released in 2019.

Is the Canon EOS M5 weather sealed?

The Canon EOS M5 is not weather sealed, which is actually not very surprising. Of course, there are advanced cameras that are designed with a weather sealing, but it is also not shocking to see that a camera of this level does not come with one.

If the M5 was a professional camera, this would have been a big issue, but as it was designed for enthusiasts, it perhaps can be overlooked. You will just have to be careful not this use it outdoors when the weather starts acting funny.

What is the difference between the Canon M5 and M6?

	Canon EOS M5	Canon EOS M6
Built-in viewfinder	Yes	No
Screen size	3.2 inches	3 inches
Camera weight	427 grams	390 grams
Dynamic range	12.4	12.6
Screen resolution	1.620k dots	1.040k dots
Low light ISO	1262	1317

Is the Canon M5 a good vlogging camera?

The Canon EOS M5 is a great vlogging camera. It shoots full HD; great quality for YouTube and other social media platforms. With this camera, you can use an external microphone to get crisp and noise-free audio. It is also a really intuitive camera with its touch screen that makes operating it feel like using a smartphone.

Very important, it comes with a tilting screen which makes self-recording very easy. Not to forget the video stabilization which will be helping you get smooth and steady videos even when you have to record on the move.

The M5 can also record time-lapse videos, so, you can decide to play around with time in your videos if you so desire.