Fujifilm X-A5 vs Canon M

The Fujifilm X-A5 and the Canon EOS M are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in January 2018 and July 2012. Both the X-A5 and the Canon M are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Fujifilm has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Canon provides 17.9 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Fujifilm X-A5		Canon M
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Fujifilm X mount lenses		Canon EF-M mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		17.9 MP – APS-C sensor
4K/15p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 200-12,800 (200 - 51,200)		ISO 100-12,800 (100 - 25,600)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Fixed touchscreen
6 shutter flaps per second		4.3 shutter flaps per second
450 shots per battery charge		230 shots per battery charge
117 x 68 x 40 mm, 361 g		109 x 66 x 32 mm, 298 g

Check X-A5 offers at
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Check Canon M offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Fujifilm X-A5 and the Canon EOS M? 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 Fujifilm X-A5 and the Canon M are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The X-A5 can be obtained in three different colors (silver, brown, pink), while the Canon M is available in two color-versions (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 is notably smaller (10 percent) than the Fujifilm X-A5. Moreover, the Canon M is markedly lighter (17 percent) than the X-A5. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the X-A5 nor the Canon M 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 X-A5 gets 450 shots out of its Fujifilm NP-W126S battery, while the Canon M can take 230 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E12 power pack. The power pack in the X-A5 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

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, 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.		Fujifilm X-A5	117 mm	68 mm	40 mm	361 g	450	n	Jan 2018	399	ebay.com
2.		Canon M	109 mm	66 mm	32 mm	298 g	230	n	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
3.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
4.		Canon M10	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	301 g	255	n	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
5.		Canon SL1	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
6.		Canon T5i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
7.		Canon T3i	133 mm	100 mm	80 mm	570 g	440	n	Feb 2011	599	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm X-T200	121 mm	84 mm	55 mm	370 g	270	n	Jan 2020	699	ebay.com
9.		Fujifilm X-T30	118 mm	83 mm	47 mm	383 g	380	n	Feb 2019	899	ebay.com
10.		Fujifilm X-A7	119 mm	68 mm	41 mm	320 g	440	n	Sep 2019	499	ebay.com
11.		Fujifilm X-T100	121 mm	83 mm	47 mm	448 g	430	n	May 2018	599	ebay.com
12.		Fujifilm X-E3	121 mm	74 mm	43 mm	337 g	350	n	Sep 2017	899	ebay.com
13.		Fujifilm X-T20	118 mm	83 mm	41 mm	383 g	350	n	Jan 2017	899	ebay.com
14.		Fujifilm X-A3	117 mm	67 mm	40 mm	339 g	410	n	Aug 2016	399	ebay.com
15.		Fujifilm X-A10	117 mm	67 mm	40 mm	331 g	410	n	Dec 2016	399	ebay.com
16.		Fujifilm X-A2	117 mm	67 mm	40 mm	350 g	410	n	Jan 2015	399	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D3500	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	415 g	1550	n	Aug 2018	429	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 X-A5 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 33 percent) than the Canon M, 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

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. 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, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the Canon M is 10 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have format factors, respectively, of 1.5 (X-A5) and 1.6. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 24MP, the X-A5 offers a higher resolution than the Canon M (17.9MP), but the X-A5 has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.92μm versus 4.31μm for the Canon M). However, the X-A5 is a much more recent model (by 5 years and 6 months) than the Canon M, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels.

The resolution advantage of the Fujifilm X-A5 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the X-A5 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 Fujifilm X-A5 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 12800, which can be extended to ISO 200-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS M are ISO 100 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

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 adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

#		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Fujifilm X-A5	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.3	1800	82
2.		Canon M	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.2	827	65
3.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
4.		Canon M10	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.4	753	65
5.		Canon SL1	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
6.		Canon T5i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	681	61
7.		Canon T3i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	793	65
8.		Fujifilm X-T200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.6	1991	84
9.		Fujifilm X-T30	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.1	13.5	1895	83
10.		Fujifilm X-A7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.6	1955	84
11.		Fujifilm X-T100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.4	1829	83
12.		Fujifilm X-E3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	23.9	13.3	1764	82
13.		Fujifilm X-T20	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	23.9	13.2	1704	81
14.		Fujifilm X-A3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	13.1	1664	81
15.		Fujifilm X-A10	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/30p	23.9	13.2	1691	81
16.		Fujifilm X-A2	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/30p	23.6	12.8	1515	79
17.		Nikon D3500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.4	1851	83
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the X-A5 provides a higher video resolution than the Canon M. It can shoot video footage at 4K/15p, while the Canon is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The X-A5 and the Canon M 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 table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Fujifilm X-A5 and Canon M 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.		Fujifilm X-A5	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
2.		Canon M	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.3/s	n	n
3.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
4.		Canon M10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.6/s	Y	n
5.		Canon SL1	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9/s	Y	n
6.		Canon T5i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon T3i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
8.		Fujifilm X-T200	2360	n	3.5 / 2780	swivel	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
9.		Fujifilm X-T30	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
10.		Fujifilm X-A7	none	n	3.5 / 2760	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
11.		Fujifilm X-T100	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
12.		Fujifilm X-E3	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	n
13.		Fujifilm X-T20	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
14.		Fujifilm X-A3	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
15.		Fujifilm X-A10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
16.		Fujifilm X-A2	none	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.6/s	Y	n
17.		Nikon D3500	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/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 X-A5 has one, while the Canon M does not. While the built-in flash of the X-A5 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

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 X-A5 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 Fujifilm X-A5 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the X-A5 and the Canon M 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 Fujifilm X-A5 and Canon EOS M 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.		Fujifilm X-A5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Canon M	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon M10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon SL1	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon T5i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon T3i	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Fujifilm X-T200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
9.		Fujifilm X-T30	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
10.		Fujifilm X-A7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
11.		Fujifilm X-T100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
12.		Fujifilm X-E3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Fujifilm X-T20	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Fujifilm X-A3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Fujifilm X-A10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
16.		Fujifilm X-A2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
17.		Nikon D3500	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	Y

It is notable that the X-A5 offers wifi support, while the Canon M does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Both the X-A5 and the Canon M have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The Canon M was replaced by the Canon EOS M3, while the X-A5 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the X-A5 and Canon M can be found, respectively, in the Fujifilm X-A5 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon M Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Fujifilm X-A5 or the Canon M – 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.

Reasons to prefer the Fujifilm X-A5:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (24 vs 17.9MP) with a 16% higher linear resolution.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/15p 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 vs 4.3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (450 versus 230) on a single battery charge.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• 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 affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (33 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 5 years and 6 months of technical progress since the Canon M launch.

Advantages of the Canon EOS M:

• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 63g or 17 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in July 2012).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the X-A5 is the clear winner of the match-up (14 : 2 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 wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports 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 Fujifilm X-A5 and the Canon M 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 X-A5 or the Canon M perform in practice. 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 where reviews by experts come in. 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.

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.		Fujifilm X-A5	..	+	4.1/5	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2018	399	ebay.com
2.		Canon M	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
3.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
4.		Canon M10	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
5.		Canon SL1	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
6.		Canon T5i	..	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
7.		Canon T3i	3/5	o	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	599	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm X-T200	3.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2020	699	ebay.com
9.		Fujifilm X-T30	5/5	+ +	5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2019	899	ebay.com
10.		Fujifilm X-A7	3/5	..	3.5/5	81/100	4/5	3.5/5	Sep 2019	499	ebay.com
11.		Fujifilm X-T100	4/5	+	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2018	599	ebay.com
12.		Fujifilm X-E3	4.5/5	+	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2017	899	ebay.com
13.		Fujifilm X-T20	5/5	+ +	5/5	82/100	5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	899	ebay.com
14.		Fujifilm X-A3	..	..	..	74/100	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2016	399	ebay.com
15.		Fujifilm X-A10	..	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Dec 2016	399	ebay.com
16.		Fujifilm X-A2	4/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2015	399	ebay.com
17.		Nikon D3500	4/5	..	4/5	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	429	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, 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.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, 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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