Canon 250D vs Canon M

The Canon EOS 250D (called Canon SL3 in some regions) and the Canon EOS M are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in April 2019 and July 2012. The 250D is a DSLR, while the Canon M is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The 250D has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Canon M provides 17.9 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon 250D		Canon M
Digital single lens reflex		Mirrorless system camera
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon EF-M mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		17.9 MP – APS-C sensor
4K/25p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-12,800 (100 - 25,600)
Optical viewfinder		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Fixed touchscreen
5 shutter flaps per second		4.3 shutter flaps per second
1070 shots per battery charge		230 shots per battery charge
122 x 93 x 70 mm, 449 g		109 x 66 x 32 mm, 298 g

Check 250D price at
amazon.com
Check Canon M offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 250D and the Canon EOS M? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon 250D and the Canon M. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Both cameras are available in two different colors (black, white).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon M is considerably smaller (37 percent) than the Canon 250D. Moreover, the Canon M is markedly lighter (34 percent) than the 250D. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the 250D nor the Canon M are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the 250D gets 1070 shots out of its Canon LP-E17 battery, while the Canon M can take 230 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E12 power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon 250D	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	449 g	1070	n	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
2.		Canon M	109 mm	66 mm	32 mm	298 g	230	n	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
3.		Canon 77D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
4.		Canon 200D	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
5.		Canon 760D	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
6.		Canon 800D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	532 g	600	n	Feb 2017	749	ebay.com
7.		Canon 850D	131 mm	103 mm	76 mm	515 g	800	n	Feb 2020	749	ebay.com
8.		Canon 2000D	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
9.		Canon 4000D	129 mm	102 mm	77 mm	436 g	500	n	Feb 2018	399	amazon.com
10.		Canon M10	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	301 g	255	n	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
11.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
12.		Canon M50 Mark II	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	387 g	305	n	Oct 2020	599	ebay.com
13.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
14.		Canon SL1	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
15.		Canon T3i	133 mm	100 mm	80 mm	570 g	440	n	Feb 2011	599	ebay.com
16.		Canon T5i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
17.		Fujifilm X-T100	121 mm	83 mm	47 mm	448 g	430	n	May 2018	599	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The two cameras under review were launched at the same price and fall into the same market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.6. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

In terms of chip-set technology, the 250D uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 8) than the Canon M (DIGIC V), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the 250D offers a higher resolution of 24 megapixels, compared with 17.9 MP of the Canon M. This megapixels advantage translates into a 16 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the 250D has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.72μm versus 4.31μm for the Canon M). In this context, it should be noted, however, that the 250D is much more recent (by 6 years and 8 months) than the Canon M, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The resolution advantage of the Canon 250D implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 250D for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon M are 25.9 x 17.3 inches or 65.8 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 20.7 x 13.8 inches or 52.7 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 17.3 x 11.5 inches or 43.9 x 29.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS 250D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS M are ISO 100 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon 250D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/25p	23.9	13.4	1791	82
2.		Canon M	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.2	827	65
3.		Canon 77D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.3	971	78
4.		Canon 200D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
5.		Canon 760D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
6.		Canon 800D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.1	1586	80
7.		Canon 850D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.5	1873	83
8.		Canon 2000D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	11.9	1009	71
9.		Canon 4000D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.4	695	63
10.		Canon M10	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.4	753	65
11.		Canon M50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
12.		Canon M50 Mark II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.6	1939	83
13.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
14.		Canon SL1	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
15.		Canon T3i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	793	65
16.		Canon T5i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	681	61
17.		Fujifilm X-T100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.4	1829	83
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the 250D provides a higher video resolution than the Canon M. It can shoot video footage at 4K/25p, while the Canon M is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the 250D has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the Canon M relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon 250D and Canon M along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon 250D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
2.		Canon M	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.3/s	n	n
3.		Canon 77D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon 200D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon 760D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 800D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon 850D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	7.5/s	Y	n
8.		Canon 2000D	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon 4000D	optical	n	2.7 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon M10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.6/s	Y	n
11.		Canon M50	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon M50 Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
13.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
14.		Canon SL1	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9/s	Y	n
15.		Canon T3i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
16.		Canon T5i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
17.		Fujifilm X-T100	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The 250D has one, while the Canon M does not. While the built-in flash of the 250D is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The Canon 250D has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the 250D and the Canon M write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS 250D and Canon EOS M and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon 250D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Canon M	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 77D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon 200D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon 760D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon 800D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
7.		Canon 850D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Canon 2000D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon 4000D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon M10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon M50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
12.		Canon M50 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
14.		Canon SL1	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Canon T3i	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Canon T5i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Fujifilm X-T100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y

It is notable that the 250D offers wifi support, while the Canon M does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

The 250D is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the Canon M has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the Canon M was succeeded by the Canon EOS M3. Further information on the features and operation of the 250D and Canon M can be found, respectively, in the Canon 250D Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon M Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 250D or the Canon M – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS 250D:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (24 vs 17.9MP) with a 16% higher linear resolution.
• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 8 vs DIGIC V).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/25p vs 1080/30p).
• Easier framing: Has an optical viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5 vs 4.3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (1070 versus 230) on a single battery charge.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More modern: Reflects 6 years and 8 months of technical progress since the Canon M launch.

Advantages of the Canon EOS M:

• More compact: Is smaller (109x66mm vs 122x93mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 151g or 34 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in July 2012).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the 250D is the clear winner of the match-up (13 : 4 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 250D and the Canon M place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the 250D or the Canon M. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon 250D	4/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
2.		Canon M	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
3.		Canon 77D	4.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
4.		Canon 200D	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
5.		Canon 760D	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
6.		Canon 800D	4.5/5	..	3.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	749	ebay.com
7.		Canon 850D	4/5	+	3/5	80/100	4/5	3.5/5	Feb 2020	749	ebay.com
8.		Canon 2000D	3/5	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
9.		Canon 4000D	2.5/5	o	3/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	399	amazon.com
10.		Canon M10	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
11.		Canon M50	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
12.		Canon M50 Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	3.5/5	Oct 2020	599	ebay.com
13.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
14.		Canon SL1	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
15.		Canon T3i	3/5	o	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	599	ebay.com
16.		Canon T5i	..	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
17.		Fujifilm X-T100	4/5	+	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2018	599	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Check Canon M offers at
ebay.com

Other camera comparisons

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