Canon 850D vs M10

The Canon EOS 850D (called Canon T8i in some regions) and the Canon EOS M10 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in February 2020 and October 2015. The 850D is a DSLR, while the M10 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The 850D has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the M10 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 850D		Canon M10
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/24p 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		Tilting touchscreen
7.5 shutter flaps per second		4.6 shutter flaps per second
800 shots per battery charge		255 shots per battery charge
131 x 103 x 76 mm, 515 g		108 x 67 x 35 mm, 301 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 850D and the Canon EOS M10? 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 850D and the Canon M10. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The M10 can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the 850D is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon M10 is considerably smaller (46 percent) than the Canon 850D. Moreover, the M10 is substantially lighter (42 percent) than the 850D. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the 850D nor the M10 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 850D gets 800 shots out of its Canon LP-E17 battery, while the M10 can take 255 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E12 power pack.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

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 850D	131 mm	103 mm	76 mm	515 g	800	n	Feb 2020	749	ebay.com
2.		Canon M10	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	301 g	255	n	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
3.		Canon RP	133 mm	85 mm	70 mm	485 g	250	n	Feb 2019	1,299	amazon.com
4.		Canon 250D	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	449 g	1070	n	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
5.		Canon G5 X Mark II	111 mm	61 mm	46 mm	340 g	230	n	Jul 2019	899	ebay.com
6.		Canon G7 X Mark III	105 mm	61 mm	41 mm	304 g	235	n	Jul 2019	749	amazon.com
7.		Canon 2000D	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
8.		Canon 77D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
9.		Canon 200D	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
10.		Canon 800D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	532 g	600	n	Feb 2017	749	ebay.com
11.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
12.		Canon T6	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	485 g	500	n	Mar 2016	449	ebay.com
13.		Canon 750D	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
14.		Canon 760D	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
15.		Canon M3	111 mm	68 mm	44 mm	366 g	250	n	Feb 2015	679	ebay.com
16.		Canon SL1	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
17.		Canon M	109 mm	66 mm	32 mm	298 g	230	n	Jul 2012	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 listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The M10 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 33 percent) than the 850D, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. 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 imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to 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 850D uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 8) than the M10 (DIGIC 6), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the 850D offers a higher resolution of 24 megapixels, compared with 17.9 MP of the M10. This megapixels advantage translates into a 16 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the 850D 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 M10). In this context, it should be noted, however, that the 850D is much more recent (by 4 years and 4 months) than the M10, 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 850D implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 850D 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 M10 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 850D 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 M10 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 adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-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 850D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.5	1873	83
2.		Canon M10	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.4	753	65
3.		Canon RP	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.3	11.9	2977	85
4.		Canon 250D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/25p	23.9	13.4	1791	82
5.		Canon G5 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
6.		Canon G7 X Mark III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
7.		Canon 2000D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	11.9	1009	71
8.		Canon 77D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.3	971	78
9.		Canon 200D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
10.		Canon 800D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.1	1586	80
11.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
12.		Canon T6	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	781	66
13.		Canon 750D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
14.		Canon 760D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
15.		Canon M3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.8	11.8	1169	72
16.		Canon SL1	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
17.		Canon M	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.2	827	65
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. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the 850D provides a higher video resolution than the M10. It can shoot video footage at 4K/24p, while the M10 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 850D has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the M10 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon 850D and Canon M10 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 850D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	7.5/s	Y	n
2.		Canon M10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.6/s	Y	n
3.		Canon RP	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
4.		Canon 250D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon G5 X Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon G7 X Mark III	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon 2000D	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon 77D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon 200D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon 800D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
12.		Canon T6	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
13.		Canon 750D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
14.		Canon 760D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
15.		Canon M3	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
16.		Canon SL1	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9/s	Y	n
17.		Canon M	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.3/s	n	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The Canon 850D 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 850D and the M10 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 850D and Canon EOS M10 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 850D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Canon M10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon RP	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon 250D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon G5 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon G7 X Mark III	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon 2000D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon 77D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
9.		Canon 200D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
10.		Canon 800D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
11.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
12.		Canon T6	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Canon 750D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Canon 760D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Canon M3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Canon SL1	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Canon M	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the 850D has a hotshoe, while the M10 does not. This socket makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun.

Both the 850D and the M10 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The M10 was replaced by the Canon M100, while the 850D does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the 850D and M10 can be found, respectively, in the Canon 850D Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon M10 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 850D or the Canon M10 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Canon EOS 850D:

• 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 6).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/24p vs 1080/30p).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• 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.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (7.5 vs 4.6 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 (800 versus 255) on a single battery charge.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More modern: Reflects 4 years and 4 months of technical progress since the M10 launch.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS M10:

• More compact: Is smaller (108x67mm vs 131x103mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 214g or 42 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (33 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in October 2015).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the 850D is the clear winner of the match-up (12 : 6 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape 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 850D and the Canon M10 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 specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the 850D or the M10 perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular 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 850D	4/5	+	3/5	80/100	4/5	3.5/5	Feb 2020	749	ebay.com
2.		Canon M10	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
3.		Canon RP	4/5	+	4/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2019	1,299	amazon.com
4.		Canon 250D	4/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
5.		Canon G5 X Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	..	4/5	Jul 2019	899	ebay.com
6.		Canon G7 X Mark III	..	+ +	4/5	81/100	4/5	..	Jul 2019	749	amazon.com
7.		Canon 2000D	3/5	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
8.		Canon 77D	4.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
9.		Canon 200D	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
10.		Canon 800D	4.5/5	..	3.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	749	ebay.com
11.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
12.		Canon T6	4/5	o	4/5	73/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2016	449	ebay.com
13.		Canon 750D	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
14.		Canon 760D	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
15.		Canon M3	4/5	o	..	75/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	679	ebay.com
16.		Canon SL1	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
17.		Canon M	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, 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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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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