Canon M vs M200

The Canon EOS M and the Canon EOS M200 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in July 2012 and September 2019. Both the Canon M and the M200 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Canon M has a resolution of 17.9 megapixels, whereas the M200 provides 24 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon M		Canon M200
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Canon EF-M mount lenses		Canon EF-M mount lenses
17.9 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/30p Video		4k/25p Video
ISO 100-12,800 (100 - 25,600)		ISO 100-25,600
No viewfinder, LCD framing		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed touchscreen		Tilting touchscreen
4.3 shutter flaps per second		6.1 shutter flaps per second
230 shots per battery charge		315 shots per battery charge
109 x 66 x 32 mm, 298 g		108 x 67 x 35 mm, 299 g

Check Canon M offers at
ebay.com
Check M200 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS M and the Canon EOS M200? 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 M and the Canon M200. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures 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 and the Canon M200 are of equal size. However, the M200 is slightly heavier (0 percent) than the Canon M. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the Canon M nor the M200 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.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras 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 M	109 mm	66 mm	32 mm	298 g	230	n	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
2.		Canon M200	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	299 g	315	n	Sep 2019	549	ebay.com
3.		Canon M50 Mark II	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	387 g	305	n	Oct 2020	599	ebay.com
4.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
5.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
6.		Canon M10	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	301 g	255	n	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
7.		Canon G7 X	103 mm	60 mm	40 mm	304 g	210	n	Sep 2014	699	ebay.com
8.		Canon G16	109 mm	76 mm	40 mm	356 g	360	n	Aug 2013	549	ebay.com
9.		Canon SL1	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
10.		Canon T5i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
11.		Canon T3i	133 mm	100 mm	80 mm	570 g	440	n	Feb 2011	599	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic GF6	111 mm	65 mm	38 mm	323 g	340	n	Apr 2013	499	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic G3	115 mm	84 mm	47 mm	336 g	270	n	May 2011	599	ebay.com
14.		Sony NEX-3N	110 mm	62 mm	35 mm	269 g	480	n	Feb 2013	499	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

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. 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 M200 was somewhat cheaper (by 8 percent) than the Canon M at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. 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.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its 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.

Technology-wise, the M200 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 M200 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 M200 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). However, it should be noted that the M200 is much more recent (by 7 years and 2 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 M200 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the M200 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 M has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 12800, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS M200 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600 (no boost).

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 is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

#		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon M	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.2	827	65
2.		Canon M200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/25p	24.0	13.5	1836	82
3.		Canon M50 Mark II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.6	1939	83
4.		Canon M50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
5.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
6.		Canon M10	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.4	753	65
7.		Canon G7 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	23.0	12.7	556	71
8.		Canon G16	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	21.0	11.7	230	54
9.		Canon SL1	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
10.		Canon T5i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	681	61
11.		Canon T3i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	793	65
12.		Panasonic GF6	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60i	20.7	10.6	622	54
13.		Panasonic G3	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60i	21.0	10.6	667	56
14.		Sony NEX-3N	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	22.8	12.5	1067	74
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 also of capturing video footage. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the M200 provides a better video resolution than the Canon M. It can shoot movie 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 variety of features. The Canon M and the M200 are similar in the sense that neither of the two has a viewfinder. The images are, thus, framed using live view on the rear LCD. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon M, the Canon M200, and comparable cameras.

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 M	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.3/s	n	n
2.		Canon M200	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
3.		Canon M50 Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon M50	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
6.		Canon M10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.6/s	Y	n
7.		Canon G7 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	6.5/s	Y	Y
8.		Canon G16	optical	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.2/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon SL1	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9/s	Y	n
10.		Canon T5i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon T3i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
12.		Panasonic GF6	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
13.		Panasonic G3	1440	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	Y	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
14.		Sony NEX-3N	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	4.0/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 M200 has one, while the Canon M does not. While the built-in flash of the M200 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the Canon M and the M200 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 M and Canon EOS M200 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 M	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon M200	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon M50 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon M50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Canon M10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon G7 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon G16	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Canon SL1	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon T5i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon T3i	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Panasonic GF6	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Panasonic G3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Sony NEX-3N	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the Canon M has a hotshoe, while the M200 does not. This socket makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun.

Both the Canon M and the M200 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The Canon M was replaced by the Canon EOS M3, while the M200 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the Canon M and M200 can be found, respectively, in the Canon M Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon M200 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon M and the Canon M200? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS M:

• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in July 2012).

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS M200:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 17.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 16%.
• 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).
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (6.1 vs 4.3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (315 versus 230) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• 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 7 years and 2 months of technical progress since the Canon M launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the M200 is the clear winner of the contest (11 : 3 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 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 M and the Canon M200 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the Canon M or the M200 perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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 M	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
2.		Canon M200	..	+	3/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2019	549	ebay.com
3.		Canon M50 Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	3.5/5	Oct 2020	599	ebay.com
4.		Canon M50	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
5.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
6.		Canon M10	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
7.		Canon G7 X	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	699	ebay.com
8.		Canon G16	4/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2013	549	ebay.com
9.		Canon SL1	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
10.		Canon T5i	..	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
11.		Canon T3i	3/5	o	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	599	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic GF6	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	499	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic G3	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2011	599	ebay.com
14.		Sony NEX-3N	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	499	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. 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, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Check Canon M offers at
ebay.com
Check M200 offers at
ebay.com

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 use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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