Fujifilm X100F vs Canon M5

The Fujifilm X100F and the Canon EOS M5 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in January 2017 and September 2016. The X100F is a fixed lens compact, while the M5 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. 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

Fujifilm X100F		Canon M5
Fixed lens compact camera		Mirrorless system camera
35mm f/2.0		Canon EF-M mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 200-12,800 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-25,600
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.2" LCD – 1620k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Tilting touchscreen
8 shutter flaps per second		9 shutter flaps per second
390 shots per battery charge		295 shots per battery charge
127 x 75 x 52 mm, 469 g		116 x 89 x 61 mm, 427 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Fujifilm X100F and the Canon EOS M5? 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 X100F and the Canon M5 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 size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The X100F can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the M5 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 M5 is notably larger (8 percent) than the Fujifilm X100F. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the X100F nor the M5 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the X100F has a lens built in, whereas the M5 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup.

Concerning battery life, the X100F gets 390 shots out of its Fujifilm NP-W126S battery, while the M5 can take 295 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E17 power pack. The power pack in the X100F can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along 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.		Fujifilm X100F	127 mm	75 mm	52 mm	469 g	390	n	Jan 2017	1,299	ebay.com
2.		Canon M5	116 mm	89 mm	61 mm	427 g	295	n	Sep 2016	979	ebay.com
3.		Canon 77D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
4.		Canon G1 X Mark III	115 mm	78 mm	51 mm	399 g	200	Y	Oct 2017	1,299	ebay.com
5.		Canon M6	112 mm	68 mm	45 mm	390 g	295	n	Feb 2017	779	ebay.com
6.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
7.		Canon M3	111 mm	68 mm	44 mm	366 g	250	n	Feb 2015	679	ebay.com
8.		Canon M10	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	301 g	255	n	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
9.		Fujifilm X100V	128 mm	75 mm	53 mm	478 g	420	Y	Feb 2020	1,399	ebay.com
10.		Fujifilm X-A5	117 mm	68 mm	40 mm	361 g	450	n	Jan 2018	399	ebay.com
11.		Fujifilm XF10	113 mm	64 mm	41 mm	279 g	330	n	Jul 2018	499	ebay.com
12.		Fujifilm X-T3	133 mm	93 mm	59 mm	539 g	390	Y	Sep 2018	1,499	ebay.com
13.		Fujifilm X-T100	121 mm	83 mm	47 mm	448 g	430	n	May 2018	599	ebay.com
14.		Fujifilm X100T	127 mm	74 mm	52 mm	440 g	330	n	Sep 2014	1,299	ebay.com
15.		Fujifilm X100S	127 mm	74 mm	54 mm	445 g	330	n	Jan 2013	1,299	ebay.com
16.		Fujifilm X100	126 mm	75 mm	54 mm	445 g	300	n	Sep 2010	1,199	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic FZ2500	138 mm	102 mm	135 mm	915 g	350	n	Sep 2016	1,199	amazon.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. 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 imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors 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. 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 M5 is 10 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have format factors, respectively, of 1.5 (X100F) and 1.6. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Even though the X100F has a larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 24 megapixels. This implies that the X100F has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 3.92μm versus 3.72μm for the M5), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. In addition, the X100F is a somewhat more recent model (by 4 months) than the M5, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the X100F has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Fujifilm X100F has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 12800, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS M5 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600 (no boost).

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. The X100F uses Fujifilm's X-Trans layout of photosites, while the M5 employs the more common Bayer array.

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 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.		Fujifilm X100F	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.9	13.2	1704	81
2.		Canon M5	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.4	1262	77
3.		Canon 77D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.3	971	78
4.		Canon G1 X Mark III	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	13.2	1649	81
5.		Canon M6	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.6	1317	78
6.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
7.		Canon M3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.8	11.8	1169	72
8.		Canon M10	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.4	753	65
9.		Fujifilm X100V	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.2	13.6	1996	84
10.		Fujifilm X-A5	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.3	1800	82
11.		Fujifilm XF10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.4	1844	83
12.		Fujifilm X-T3	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/60p	24.0	13.4	1853	83
13.		Fujifilm X-T100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.4	1829	83
14.		Fujifilm X100T	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.6	12.8	1483	78
15.		Fujifilm X100S	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.3	12.5	1329	75
16.		Fujifilm X100	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/30p	22.9	12.4	1001	73
17.		Panasonic FZ2500	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	23.0	12.6	538	70
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, and both provide the same movie specifications (1080/60p).

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The X100F and the M5 are similar in the sense that both feature an electronic viewfinder, which is helpful when framing images in bright sunlight. Moreover, their viewfinders offer an identical resolution of 2360k dots. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Fujifilm X100F and Canon M5 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 X100F	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
2.		Canon M5	2360	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 77D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon G1 X Mark III	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon M6	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
7.		Canon M3	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
8.		Canon M10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.6/s	Y	n
9.		Fujifilm X100V	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	n
10.		Fujifilm X-A5	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
11.		Fujifilm XF10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
12.		Fujifilm X-T3	3690	n	3.0 / 1040	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
13.		Fujifilm X-T100	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
14.		Fujifilm X100T	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
15.		Fujifilm X100S	2360	n	2.8 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
16.		Fujifilm X100	1440	n	2.8 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
17.		Panasonic FZ2500	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The M5 has a touchscreen, while the X100F has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

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 X100F 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 X100F 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 X100F and the M5 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 X100F and Canon EOS M5 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 X100F	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
2.		Canon M5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
3.		Canon 77D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon G1 X Mark III	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon M6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
7.		Canon M3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon M10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Fujifilm X100V	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
10.		Fujifilm X-A5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
11.		Fujifilm XF10	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
12.		Fujifilm X-T3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
13.		Fujifilm X-T100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
14.		Fujifilm X100T	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Fujifilm X100S	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Fujifilm X100	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Panasonic FZ2500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	-

Both the X100F and the M5 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The X100F was replaced by the Fujifilm X100V, while the M5 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the X100F and M5 can be found, respectively, in the Fujifilm X100F Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon M5 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Fujifilm X100F better than the Canon M5 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Fujifilm X100F:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Ready to shoot: Has a lens built-in, whereas the M5 requires a separate lens.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (390 versus 295) on a single battery charge.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 4 months after the M5).

Advantages of the Canon EOS M5:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• 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 1040k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (9 vs 8 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More flexible: Takes interchangeable lenses and can thus be used with specialty optics.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in September 2016).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the M5 is the clear winner of the contest (11 : 7 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 Fujifilm X100F and the Canon M5 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Prime Lens Compact Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings 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 X100F or the M5 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.		Fujifilm X100F	5/5	+	3.9/5	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	1,299	ebay.com
2.		Canon M5	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2016	979	ebay.com
3.		Canon 77D	4.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
4.		Canon G1 X Mark III	5/5	+	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2017	1,299	ebay.com
5.		Canon M6	..	..	..	80/100	4/5	4/5	Feb 2017	779	ebay.com
6.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
7.		Canon M3	4/5	o	..	75/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	679	ebay.com
8.		Canon M10	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
9.		Fujifilm X100V	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2020	1,399	ebay.com
10.		Fujifilm X-A5	..	+	4.1/5	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2018	399	ebay.com
11.		Fujifilm XF10	..	..	4/5	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2018	499	ebay.com
12.		Fujifilm X-T3	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	5/5	5/5	Sep 2018	1,499	ebay.com
13.		Fujifilm X-T100	4/5	+	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2018	599	ebay.com
14.		Fujifilm X100T	5/5	+	..	81/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2014	1,299	ebay.com
15.		Fujifilm X100S	5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2013	1,299	ebay.com
16.		Fujifilm X100	3/5	..	..	75/100	4/5	5/5	Sep 2010	1,199	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic FZ2500	..	+	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2016	1,199	amazon.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.

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Other camera comparisons

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