Canon M6 versus Fujifilm X-T10

The Canon EOS M6 and the Fujifilm X-T10 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in February 2017 and May 2015. Both the M6 and the X-T10 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 24 megapixel, whereas the Fujifilm provides 16 MP.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon M6 and the Fujifilm X-T10. 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. You can also use the toggle button to switch to a percentage comparison if you prefer that the measures are being expressed in relative terms (in this case, the camera on the left – the M6 – represents the basis or 100 percent across all the size and weight measures).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Fujifilm X-T10 is notably larger (29 percent) than the Canon M6. However, the X-T10 is slightly lighter (2 percent) than the M6. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the M6 nor the X-T10 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 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 M6 gets 295 shots out of its LP-E17 battery, while the X-T10 can take 350 images on a single charge of its NP-W126 power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, just select a new right or left comparator from among the camera models in the table. Alternatively, you can also move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The M6 was somewhat cheaper (by 3 percent) than the X-T10 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. 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. 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. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better 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 X-T10 is 11 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have format factors, respectively, of 1.6 (M6) and 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the Canon M6 offers a higher resolution of 24 megapixel, compared with 16 MP of the Fujifilm X-T10. This megapixel advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.72μm versus 4.80μm for the X-T10). However, it should be noted that the M6 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 9 months) than the X-T10, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that partly offset its pixel-size disadvantage. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the X-T10 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

For most cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. 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 table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. 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 (1080/60p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the X-T10 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the M6 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 M6, the Fujifilm X-T10, and comparable cameras. If you need more detail on the specs, you can find comprehensive listings, for example, in the dpreview camera hub.

The M6 is a current model that online retailers, such as amazon, will have in stock. In contrast, the X-T10 has been discontinued (but it can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the X-T10 was succeeded by the Fujifilm X-T20.

Summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon M6 and the Canon M6? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS M6:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (24 vs 16MP) with a 23% higher linear resolution.
• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 920k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (9 vs 8 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (112x68mm vs 118x83mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year and 9 months after the X-T10).

Reasons to prefer the Fujifilm X-T10:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image framing and settings control.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (350 versus 295) out of a single battery charge.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in May 2015).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the M6 emerges as the winner of the contest (7 : 4 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.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the handling experience and imaging performance when actually working with the M6 or the X-T10. 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. This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall rankings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites. The detailed reviews can be accessed, respectively, on the websites of cameralabs.com, dpreview.com, ephotozine.com, imaging-resource.com, and photographyblog.com.

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. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

Other comparisons

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. If you cannot find the camera you are interested in, kindly get in touch, and I will try to add information on that model to the database.