Canon M vs T5i

The Canon EOS M and the Canon EOS Rebel T5i (labelled Canon 700D in some countries) are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in July 2012 and March 2013. The Canon M is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the T5i is a DSLR. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 17.9 megapixels.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon M		Canon T5i
Mirrorless system camera		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF-M mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
17.9 MP – APS-C sensor		17.9 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/30p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-12,800 (100 - 25,600)		ISO 100-12,800 (100 - 25,600)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
4.3 shutter flaps per second		5 shutter flaps per second
230 shots per battery charge		440 shots per battery charge
109 x 66 x 32 mm, 298 g		133 x 100 x 79 mm, 580 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS M and the Canon EOS Rebel T5i? 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 physical size and weight of the Canon M and the Canon T5i are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. 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 Canon M can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the T5i 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 T5i is considerably larger (85 percent) than the Canon M. Moreover, the T5i is substantially heavier (95 percent) than the Canon M. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the Canon M nor the T5i 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 Canon M gets 230 shots out of its LP-E12 battery, while the T5i can take 440 images on a single charge of its LP-E8 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 M	109 mm	66 mm	32 mm	298 g	230	n	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
2.		Canon T5i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
3.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
4.		Canon T6	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	485 g	500	n	Mar 2016	449	ebay.com
5.		Canon M10	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	301 g	255	n	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
6.		Canon T6i	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
7.		Canon T6s	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
8.		Canon G7 X	103 mm	60 mm	40 mm	304 g	210	n	Sep 2014	699	ebay.com
9.		Canon G16	109 mm	76 mm	40 mm	356 g	360	n	Aug 2013	549	ebay.com
10.		Canon SL1	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
11.		Canon T4i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	575 g	440	n	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
12.		Canon T3i	133 mm	100 mm	80 mm	570 g	440	n	Feb 2011	599	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic GF6	111 mm	65 mm	38 mm	323 g	340	n	Apr 2013	499	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic G3	115 mm	84 mm	47 mm	336 g	270	n	May 2011	599	ebay.com
15.		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

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. 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 Canon M was somewhat cheaper (by 8 percent) than the T5i 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. 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.

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 17.9 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the Canon M and the T5i have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the T5i is a somewhat more recent model (by 7 months) than the Canon M, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

The Canon EOS M has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 12800, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600. The Canon EOS Rebel T5i offers exactly the same ISO settings.

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 determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). Of the two cameras under review, the Canon M has a notably higher overall DXO score than the T5i (overall score 4 points higher), which gives it an advantage in terms of imaging quality. This advantage is based on 0.4 bits higher color depth, and 0.3 stops in additional low light sensitivity. 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 M	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.2	827	65
2.		Canon T5i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	681	61
3.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
4.		Canon T6	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	781	66
5.		Canon M10	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.4	753	65
6.		Canon T6i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
7.		Canon T6s	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
8.		Canon G7 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	23.0	12.7	556	71
9.		Canon G16	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	21.0	11.7	230	54
10.		Canon SL1	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
11.		Canon T4i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	722	62
12.		Canon T3i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	793	65
13.		Panasonic GF6	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60i	20.7	10.6	622	54
14.		Panasonic G3	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60i	21.0	10.6	667	56
15.		Sony NEX-3N	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	22.8	12.5	1067	74

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, and both provide the same movie specifications (1080/30p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the T5i 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 following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon M, the Canon T5i, 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 T5i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
4.		Canon T6	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon M10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.6/s	Y	n
6.		Canon T6i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon T6s	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon G7 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	6.5/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon G16	optical	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.2/s	Y	Y
10.		Canon SL1	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9/s	Y	n
11.		Canon T4i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon T3i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
13.		Panasonic GF6	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
14.		Panasonic G3	1440	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	Y	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
15.		Sony NEX-3N	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
Notes: *) 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 T5i has one, while the Canon M does not. While the built-in flash of the T5i 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 T5i 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 Rebel T5i 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 T5i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon T6	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon M10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon T6i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon T6s	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon G7 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon G16	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Canon SL1	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon T4i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Canon T3i	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Panasonic GF6	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Panasonic G3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Sony NEX-3N	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-

Both the Canon M and the T5i have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The Canon M was replaced by the Canon EOS M3, while the T5i was followed by the Canon T6i. Further information on the features and operation of the Canon M and T5i can be found, respectively, in the Canon M Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon T5i Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon M and the Canon T5i? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS M:

• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (4 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
• More compact: Is smaller (109x66mm vs 133x100mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 282g or 49 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in July 2012).

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS Rebel T5i:

• 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.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (440 versus 230) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (7 months) more recently.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the T5i emerges as the winner of the match-up (7 : 5 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 M and the Canon T5i place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best DSLR 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 says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the Canon M and the T5i in practical situations. 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 where reviews by experts come in. 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 T5i	..	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
3.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
4.		Canon T6	4/5	o	4/5	73/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2016	449	ebay.com
5.		Canon M10	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
6.		Canon T6i	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
7.		Canon T6s	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	649	ebay.com
8.		Canon G7 X	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	699	ebay.com
9.		Canon G16	4/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2013	549	ebay.com
10.		Canon SL1	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
11.		Canon T4i	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2012	849	ebay.com
12.		Canon T3i	3/5	o	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	599	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic GF6	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	499	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic G3	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2011	599	ebay.com
15.		Sony NEX-3N	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	499	ebay.com
Notes: (+ +) 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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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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