Canon M200 vs Sony A6500

The Canon EOS M200 and the Sony Alpha A6500 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in September 2019 and October 2016. Both the M200 and the A6500 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 24 megapixels.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon M200		Sony A6500
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Canon EF-M mount lenses		Sony E mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
4k/25p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600		ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Electronic viewfinder (2359k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Tilting touchscreen
6.1 shutter flaps per second		11 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
315 shots per battery charge		350 shots per battery charge
108 x 67 x 35 mm, 299 g		120 x 67 x 53 mm, 453 g

Check M200 offers at
ebay.com
Check A6500 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS M200 and the Sony Alpha A6500? 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 M200 and the Sony A6500 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. 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.

The M200 can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the A6500 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 Sony A6500 is notably larger (11 percent) than the Canon M200. Moreover, the A6500 is substantially heavier (52 percent) than the M200. It is noteworthy in this context that the A6500 is splash and dust-proof, while the M200 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

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 M200 gets 315 shots out of its Canon LP-E12 battery, while the A6500 can take 350 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FW50 power pack. The power pack in the A6500 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

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 M200	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	299 g	315	n	Sep 2019	549	ebay.com
2.		Sony A6500	120 mm	67 mm	53 mm	453 g	350	Y	Oct 2016	1,399	ebay.com
3.		Canon R100	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	356 g	400	n	May 2023	479	amazon.com
4.		Canon M50 Mark II	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	387 g	305	n	Oct 2020	599	ebay.com
5.		Canon SL3	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	449 g	1070	n	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
6.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX740	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	265	n	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
8.		Canon T7	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
9.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
10.		Canon M10	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	301 g	255	n	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
11.		Canon M	109 mm	66 mm	32 mm	298 g	230	n	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
12.		Fujifilm XF10	113 mm	64 mm	41 mm	279 g	330	n	Jul 2018	499	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic GX8	133 mm	78 mm	63 mm	487 g	330	Y	Jul 2015	1,199	ebay.com
14.		Sony A6700	122 mm	69 mm	64 mm	493 g	570	Y	Jul 2023	1,399	amazon.com
15.		Sony A6600	120 mm	67 mm	69 mm	503 g	810	Y	Aug 2019	1,399	amazon.com
16.		Sony A6300	120 mm	67 mm	49 mm	404 g	400	Y	Feb 2016	999	ebay.com
17.		Sony A77	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	732 g	470	Y	Aug 2011	1,399	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 listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The M200 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 61 percent) than the A6500, which puts it into a different 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.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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 associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the A6500 is 11 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have format factors, respectively, of 1.6 (M200) and 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Even though the A6500 has a larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 24 megapixels. This implies that the A6500 has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 3.91μm versus 3.72μm for the M200), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. It should, however, be noted that the M200 is much more recent (by 2 years and 11 months) than the A6500, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The Canon EOS M200 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A6500 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-51200.

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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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 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 M200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/25p	24.0	13.5	1836	82
2.		Sony A6500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.5	13.7	1405	85
3.		Canon R100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/24p	24.1	13.9	2197	84
4.		Canon M50 Mark II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.6	1939	83
5.		Canon SL3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/25p	23.9	13.4	1791	82
6.		Canon M50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
7.		Canon SX740	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1050	51
8.		Canon T7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
9.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
10.		Canon M10	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.4	753	65
11.		Canon M	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.2	827	65
12.		Fujifilm XF10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.4	1844	83
13.		Panasonic GX8	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.5	12.6	806	75
14.		Sony A6700	APS-C	25.6	6192	4128	4K/120p	24.3	14.0	2329	86
15.		Sony A6600	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	23.8	13.4	1497	82
16.		Sony A6300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.4	13.7	1437	85
17.		Sony A77	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.2	801	78
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 have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the A6500 provides a faster frame rate than the M200. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Canon is limited to 4k/25p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A6500 has an electronic viewfinder (2359k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the M200 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon M200 and Sony A6500 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar 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 M200	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
2.		Sony A6500	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon R100	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.5/s	Y	n
4.		Canon M50 Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon SL3	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon M50	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon SX740	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Canon T7	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
10.		Canon M10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.6/s	Y	n
11.		Canon M	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.3/s	n	n
12.		Fujifilm XF10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
13.		Panasonic GX8	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
14.		Sony A6700	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A6600	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
16.		Sony A6300	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
17.		Sony A77	2359	Y	3.0 / 921	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that differentiates the A6500 and the M200 is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The A6500 reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while the M200 offers no blur reduction with lenses that themselves do not provide optical image stabilization.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the A6500 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The M200 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A6500 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo 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 M200 and Sony Alpha A6500 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 M200	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Sony A6500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon R100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon M50 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon SL3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon M50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon SX740	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Canon T7	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
10.		Canon M10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon M	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Fujifilm XF10	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Panasonic GX8	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony A6700	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	YES	3.2	Y	Y	Y
15.		Sony A6600	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	YES	2.0	Y	Y	Y
16.		Sony A6300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony A77	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the A6500 has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The M200 does not feature such a mic input.

Both the M200 and the A6500 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The A6500 was replaced by the Sony A6600, while the M200 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the M200 and A6500 can be found, respectively, in the Canon M200 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A6500 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Canon M200 better than the Sony A6500 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS M200:

• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 922k dots).
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 154g or 34 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (61 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 11 months of technical progress since the A6500 launch.

Advantages of the Sony Alpha A6500:

• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (4K/30p versus 4k/25p).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (11 vs 6.1 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (350 versus 315) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in October 2016).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the A6500 is the clear winner of the contest (12 : 6 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. 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 M200 and the Sony A6500 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 M200 or the A6500 perform in practice. 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 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 M200	..	+	3/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2019	549	ebay.com
2.		Sony A6500	5/5	+ +	3.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2016	1,399	ebay.com
3.		Canon R100	3/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	May 2023	479	amazon.com
4.		Canon M50 Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	3.5/5	Oct 2020	599	ebay.com
5.		Canon SL3	4/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2019	599	amazon.com
6.		Canon M50	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX740	..	+	3.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
8.		Canon T7	..	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
9.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
10.		Canon M10	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
11.		Canon M	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
12.		Fujifilm XF10	..	..	4/5	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2018	499	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic GX8	5/5	+	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2015	1,199	ebay.com
14.		Sony A6700	4.5/5	+	4.5/5	88/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2023	1,399	amazon.com
15.		Sony A6600	4/5	+	4/5	83/100	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2019	1,399	amazon.com
16.		Sony A6300	4.5/5	+	..	85/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2016	999	ebay.com
17.		Sony A77	5/5	91/100	..	81/100	..	5/5	Aug 2011	1,399	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 rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Check M200 offers at
ebay.com
Check A6500 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 make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

~

Check M200 offers at
ebay.com
Check A6500 offers at
ebay.com

Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.