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Canon M5 vs T7

The Canon EOS M5 and the Canon EOS Rebel T7 (labelled Canon 2000D in some countries) are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in September 2016 and February 2018. The M5 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the T7 is a DSLR. Both cameras 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 M5
versus
Canon T7
Canon M5   Canon T7
Mirrorless system camera Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF-M mount lenses Canon EF mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor 24 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60p Video 1080/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600 ISO 100-6,400 (100 - 12,800)
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots) Optical viewfinder
3.2" LCD – 1620k dots 3.0" LCD – 920k dots
Tilting touchscreen Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
9 shutter flaps per second 3 shutter flaps per second
295 shots per battery charge500 shots per battery charge
116 x 89 x 61 mm, 427 g 129 x 101 x 78 mm, 475 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS M5 and the Canon EOS Rebel T7? 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.

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Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon M5 and the Canon T7. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Size Canon M5 vs Canon T7
Compare M5 versus T7 top
Comparison M5 or T7 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon T7 is notably larger (26 percent) than the Canon M5. Moreover, the T7 is markedly heavier (11 percent) than the M5. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the M5 nor the T7 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 M5 gets 295 shots out of its Canon LP-E17 battery, while the T7 can take 500 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E10 power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. 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.

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Body Specifications
# image Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Canon M5 116 mm 89 mm 61 mm 427 g 295 n Sep 2016 979ebay.com
2.
 
Canon T7 129 mm 101 mm 78 mm 475 g 500 n Feb 2018 449 amazon.com
3.
 
Canon SL3 122 mm 93 mm 70 mm 449 g 1070 n Apr 2019 599 amazon.com
4.
 
Canon M50 116 mm 88 mm 59 mm 390 g 235 n Feb 2018 779ebay.com
5.
 
Canon T100 129 mm 102 mm 77 mm 436 g 500 n Feb 2018 399 amazon.com
6.
 
Canon 77D 131 mm 100 mm 76 mm 540 g 600 n Feb 2017 899ebay.com
7.
 
Canon M6 112 mm 68 mm 45 mm 390 g 295 n Feb 2017 779ebay.com
8.
 
Canon M100 108 mm 67 mm 35 mm 302 g 295 n Aug 2017 499ebay.com
9.
 
Canon SL2 122 mm 93 mm 70 mm 453 g 650 n Jun 2017 549ebay.com
10.
 
Canon T6 129 mm 101 mm 78 mm 485 g 500 n Mar 2016 449ebay.com
11.
 
Canon M3 111 mm 68 mm 44 mm 366 g 250 n Feb 2015 679ebay.com
12.
 
Canon M10 108 mm 67 mm 35 mm 301 g 255 n Oct 2015 499ebay.com
13.
 
Canon T6i 132 mm 101 mm 78 mm 555 g 440 n Feb 2015 749ebay.com
14.
 
Canon T6s 132 mm 101 mm 78 mm 565 g 440 n Feb 2015 649ebay.com
15.
 
Nikon D5500 124 mm 97 mm 70 mm 470 g 820 n Jan 2015 899ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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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 T7 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 54 percent) than the M5, 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.

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.

In terms of chip-set technology, the M5 uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 7) than the T7 (DIGIC 4+), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Canon M5 and Canon T7 sensor measures

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 24 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the M5 and the T7 have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the T7 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 5 months) than the M5, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

The M5 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS M5 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS Rebel T7 are ISO 100 to ISO 6400, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-12800.

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.

M5 versus T7 MP

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
# image Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Canon M5 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.412.4126277
2.
 
Canon T7 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/30p23.813.3168481
3.
 
Canon SL3 APS-C 24.0 6000 40004K/25p23.913.4179182
4.
 
Canon M50 APS-C 24.0 6000 40004K/24p23.813.3168481
5.
 
Canon T100 APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.911.469563
6.
 
Canon 77D APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.613.397178
7.
 
Canon M6 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.412.6131778
8.
 
Canon M100 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.512.9127278
9.
 
Canon SL2 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.613.4104179
10.
 
Canon T6 APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.011.778166
11.
 
Canon M3 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/30p22.811.8116972
12.
 
Canon M10 APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.211.475365
13.
 
Canon T6i APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/30p22.712.091971
14.
 
Canon T6s APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/30p22.612.091570
15.
 
Nikon D5500 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.114.0143884
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
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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 M5 provides a higher frame rate than the T7. It can shoot video footage at 1080/60p, while the T7 is limited to 1080/30p.

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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the M5 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), while the T7 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon M5 and Canon T7 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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Core Features
# image 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 M52360 n3.2 / 1620 tilting Y 1/4000s 9.0/s Y n
2.
 
Canon T7optical n3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
3.
 
Canon SL3optical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
4.
 
Canon M502360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 10.0/s Y n
5.
 
Canon T100optical n2.7 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
6.
 
Canon 77Doptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
7.
 
Canon M6optional n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 9.0/s Y n
8.
 
Canon M100none n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 6.1/s Y n
9.
 
Canon SL2optical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
10.
 
Canon T6optical n3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
11.
 
Canon M3optional n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 4.2/s Y n
12.
 
Canon M10none n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 4.6/s Y n
13.
 
Canon T6ioptical n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
14.
 
Canon T6soptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
15.
 
Nikon D5500optical n3.2 / 1037 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The M5 has a touchscreen, while the T7 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The M5 has an articulated LCD that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in snapping selfies. In contrast, the T7 does not have a selfie-screen.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the M5 and the T7 write their files to SDXC cards. The M5 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the T7 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

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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 M5 and Canon EOS Rebel T7 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
# image Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Canon M5Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0YYY
2.
 
Canon T7Ymono / mono--mini2.0YY-
3.
 
Canon SL3Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0Y-Y
4.
 
Canon M50Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0Y-Y
5.
 
Canon T100Ymono / mono--mini2.0YY-
6.
 
Canon 77DYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YYY
7.
 
Canon M6Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0YYY
8.
 
Canon M100-stereo / mono--micro2.0YYY
9.
 
Canon SL2Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0YYY
10.
 
Canon T6Ymono / mono--mini2.0YY-
11.
 
Canon M3Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
12.
 
Canon M10-stereo / mono--mini2.0YY-
13.
 
Canon T6iYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
14.
 
Canon T6sYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
15.
 
Nikon D5500Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0Y--
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It is notable that the M5 has a microphone port, which is missing on the T7. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

The T7 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the M5 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). There has not been a direct replacement model for the M5 from Canon. Further information on the features and operation of the M5 and T7 can be found, respectively, in the Canon M5 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon T7 Manual.

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Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Canon M5 or the Canon T7 – 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 M5:

  • Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 7 vs DIGIC 4+).
  • Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/30p).
  • Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
  • Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
  • More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
  • Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1620k vs 920k dots).
  • More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
  • Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
  • More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (9 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • More compact: Is smaller (116x89mm vs 129x101mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
  • Less heavy: Is lighter (by 48g or 10 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
  • More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
  • Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
  • Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in September 2016).


Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS Rebel T7:

  • Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
  • Longer lasting: Gets more shots (500 versus 295) out of a single battery charge.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (54 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More modern: Was introduced somewhat (1 year and 5 months) more recently.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the M5 is the clear winner of the match-up (17 : 4 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 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.

M5 17:04 T7

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon M5 and the Canon T7 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 comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the M5 and the T7 in practical situations. 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.

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Expert Camera Reviews
# image  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Canon M54/5+4/582/1004/54/5 Sep 2016 979ebay.com
2.
 
Canon T7..o3.5/5..3.5/53.5/5 Feb 2018 449 amazon.com
3.
 
Canon SL34/5o4.5/579/1004/54/5 Apr 2019 599 amazon.com
4.
 
Canon M50..+4/579/100..3.5/5 Feb 2018 779ebay.com
5.
 
Canon T100..o3/5..3.5/53.5/5 Feb 2018 399 amazon.com
6.
 
Canon 77D4.5/5..4/582/1004.5/54/5 Feb 2017 899ebay.com
7.
 
Canon M6......80/1004/54/5 Feb 2017 779ebay.com
8.
 
Canon M1003/5+....4/53.5/5 Aug 2017 499ebay.com
9.
 
Canon SL24/5+ +4/578/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2017 549ebay.com
10.
 
Canon T64/5o4/573/1004/54/5 Mar 2016 449ebay.com
11.
 
Canon M34/5o..75/1004.5/54/5 Feb 2015 679ebay.com
12.
 
Canon M10..........4/5 Oct 2015 499ebay.com
13.
 
Canon T6i5/5....75/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2015 749ebay.com
14.
 
Canon T6s5/5+..77/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2015 649ebay.com
15.
 
Nikon D55005/5+..79/1004.5/54.5/5 Jan 2015 899ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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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 use the search menu below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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    Specifications: Canon M5 vs Canon T7

    Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

    Camera Specifications
    Camera Model Canon M5 Canon T7
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Canon EF-M mount lenses Canon EF mount lenses
    Launch Date September 2016 February 2018
    Launch Price USD 979 USD 449
    Sensor Specs Canon M5 Canon T7
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format APS-C Sensor APS-C Sensor
    Sensor Size 22.3 x 14.9 mm 22.3 x 14.9 mm
    Sensor Area 332.27 mm2 332.27 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 26.8 mm 26.8 mm
    Crop Factor 1.6x 1.6x
    Sensor Resolution 24 Megapixels 24 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 6000 x 4000 pixels 6000 x 4000 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 3.72 μm 3.72 μm
    Pixel Density 7.22 MP/cm2 7.22 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 1080/60p Video 1080/30p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 25,600 ISO 100 - 6,400 ISO
    ISO Boost no Enhancement 100 - 12,800 ISO
    Image Processor DIGIC 7 DIGIC 4+
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 77 ..
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 23.4 ..
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 12.4 ..
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 1262 ..
    Screen Specs Canon M5 Canon T7
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100% 95%
    Viewfinder Magnification .. x 0.50x
    Viewfinder Resolution 2360k dots
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.2inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 1620k dots 920k dots
    LCD Attachment Tilting screen Fixed screen
    Touch Input Touchscreen no Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Canon M5 Canon T7
    Focus System On-Sensor Phase-detect Phase-detect AF
    Manual Focusing AidFocus Peakingno Peaking Feature
    Continuous Shooting 9 shutter flaps/s 3 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy100 000 actuations100 000 actuations
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Single card slot
    UHS card support UHS-I no
    Connectivity Specs Canon M5 Canon T7
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port mini HDMI mini HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port no MIC socket
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in Wifi built-in
    Near-Field Communication NFC built-in NFC built-in
    Bluetooth Support Bluetooth built-in no Bluetooth
    Body Specs Canon M5 Canon T7
    Battery Type Canon LP-E17 Canon LP-E10
    Battery Life (CIPA)295 shots per charge500 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 116 x 89 x 61 mm
    (4.6 x 3.5 x 2.4 in)
    129 x 101 x 78 mm
    (5.1 x 4.0 x 3.1 in)
    Camera Weight 427 g (15.1 oz) 475 g (16.8 oz)
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