Sony A9 vs Canon M5
The Sony Alpha A9 and the Canon EOS M5 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in April 2017 and September 2016. Both the A9 and the M5 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are based on a full frame (A9) and an APS-C (M5) 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.
Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Sony Alpha A9 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 Sony A9 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.
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 smaller (15 percent) than the Sony A9. Moreover, the M5 is substantially lighter (37 percent) than the A9. It is worth mentioning in this context that the A9 is splash and dust resistant, while the M5 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 A9 gets 650 shots out of its Sony NP-FZ100 battery, while the M5 can take 295 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E17 power pack. The power pack in the A9 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.
# | Camera Model |
Camera Width |
Camera Height |
Camera Depth |
Camera Weight |
Battery Life |
Weather Sealing |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Sony A9 | 127 mm | 96 mm | 63 mm | 673 g | 650 | Y | Apr 2017 | 4,499 | 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 M6 | 112 mm | 68 mm | 45 mm | 390 g | 295 | n | Feb 2017 | 779 | ebay.com | |
5. | Canon M100 | 108 mm | 67 mm | 35 mm | 302 g | 295 | n | Aug 2017 | 499 | ebay.com | |
6. | Canon M3 | 111 mm | 68 mm | 44 mm | 366 g | 250 | n | Feb 2015 | 679 | ebay.com | |
7. | Canon M10 | 108 mm | 67 mm | 35 mm | 301 g | 255 | n | Oct 2015 | 499 | ebay.com | |
8. | Nikon Z6 | 134 mm | 101 mm | 67 mm | 675 g | 310 | Y | Aug 2018 | 1,999 | ebay.com | |
9. | Sony A7R V | 131 mm | 97 mm | 82 mm | 723 g | 530 | Y | Oct 2022 | 3,899 | amazon.com | |
10. | Sony A7R IIIA | 127 mm | 96 mm | 74 mm | 650 g | 650 | Y | Apr 2021 | 3,199 | amazon.com | |
11. | Sony A9 II | 129 mm | 96 mm | 76 mm | 678 g | 690 | Y | Oct 2019 | 4,499 | amazon.com | |
12. | Sony A7 III | 127 mm | 96 mm | 74 mm | 650 g | 610 | Y | Feb 2018 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
13. | Sony A7R III | 127 mm | 96 mm | 74 mm | 650 g | 650 | Y | Oct 2017 | 3,199 | ebay.com | |
14. | Sony A7R II | 127 mm | 96 mm | 60 mm | 625 g | 290 | Y | Jun 2015 | 3,199 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony A7S II | 127 mm | 96 mm | 60 mm | 627 g | 370 | Y | Sep 2015 | 2,999 | ebay.com | |
16. | Sony A7 II | 127 mm | 96 mm | 60 mm | 599 g | 350 | Y | Nov 2014 | 1,999 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony A99 | 147 mm | 111 mm | 78 mm | 812 g | 500 | Y | Sep 2012 | 2,799 | ebay.com | |
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders. | |||||||||||
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 M5 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 78 percent) than the A9, 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 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.
Of the two cameras under consideration, the Sony A9 features a full frame sensor and the Canon M5 an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the M5 is 61 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.0 and 1.6. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.
Even though the A9 has a larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 24 megapixels. This implies that the A9 has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 5.94μm versus 3.72μm for the M5), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. In addition, the A9 is a somewhat more recent model (by 7 months) than the M5, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time.
The Sony Alpha A9 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 51200, which can be extended to ISO 50-204800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS M5 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600 (no boost).
In terms of underlying technology, the A9 is build around a Stacked BSI-CMOS sensor, while the M5 uses a CMOS imager. 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 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"). Of the two cameras under review, the A9 provides substantially higher image quality than the M5, with an overall score that is 15 points higher. This advantage is based on 1.5 bits higher color depth, 0.9 EV in additional dynamic range, and 1.5 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.
# | Camera Model |
Sensor Class |
Resolution (MP) |
Horiz. Pixels |
Vert. Pixels |
Video Format |
DXO Portrait |
DXO Landscape |
DXO Sports |
DXO Overall |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Sony A9 | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 24.9 | 13.3 | 3517 | 92 | |
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 M6 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 23.4 | 12.6 | 1317 | 78 | |
5. | Canon M100 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 23.5 | 12.9 | 1272 | 78 | |
6. | Canon M3 | APS-C | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/30p | 22.8 | 11.8 | 1169 | 72 | |
7. | Canon M10 | APS-C | 17.9 | 5184 | 3456 | 1080/30p | 22.2 | 11.4 | 753 | 65 | |
8. | Nikon Z6 | Full Frame | 24.3 | 6048 | 4024 | 4K/30p | 25.3 | 14.3 | 3299 | 95 | |
9. | Sony A7R V | Full Frame | 60.2 | 9504 | 6336 | 8k/24p | 26.5 | 14.8 | 3187 | 100 | |
10. | Sony A7R IIIA | Full Frame | 42.2 | 7952 | 5304 | 4K/30p | 26.0 | 14.7 | 3523 | 100 | |
11. | Sony A9 II | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 25.0 | 14.0 | 3434 | 93 | |
12. | Sony A7 III | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 4K/30p | 25.0 | 14.7 | 3730 | 96 | |
13. | Sony A7R III | Full Frame | 42.2 | 7952 | 5304 | 4K/30p | 26.0 | 14.7 | 3523 | 100 | |
14. | Sony A7R II | Full Frame | 42.2 | 7952 | 5304 | 4K/30p | 26.0 | 13.9 | 3434 | 98 | |
15. | Sony A7S II | Full Frame | 12.0 | 4240 | 2832 | 4K/30p | 23.6 | 13.3 | 2993 | 85 | |
16. | Sony A7 II | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 24.9 | 13.6 | 2449 | 90 | |
17. | Sony A99 | Full Frame | 24.0 | 6000 | 4000 | 1080/60p | 25.0 | 14.0 | 1555 | 89 |
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 A9 provides a higher video resolution than the M5. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the Canon is limited to 1080/60p.
Feature comparison
Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the A9 offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the M5 (3686k vs 2360k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Sony A9 and Canon M5 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.
# | 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. | Sony A9 | 3686 | n | 3.0 / 1440 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 20.0/s | n | Y | |
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 M6 | optional | n | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 9.0/s | Y | n | |
5. | Canon M100 | none | n | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 6.1/s | Y | n | |
6. | Canon M3 | optional | n | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 4.2/s | Y | n | |
7. | Canon M10 | none | n | 3.0 / 1040 | tilting | Y | 1/4000s | 4.6/s | Y | n | |
8. | Nikon Z6 | 3690 | Y | 3.2 / 2100 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 12.0/s | n | Y | |
9. | Sony A7R V | 9440 | n | 3.2 / 2100 | full-flex | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
10. | Sony A7R IIIA | 3686 | n | 3.0 / 2340 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
11. | Sony A9 II | 3686 | n | 3.0 / 1440 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 20.0/s | n | Y | |
12. | Sony A7 III | 2359 | n | 3.0 / 922 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
13. | Sony A7R III | 3686 | n | 3.0 / 1440 | tilting | Y | 1/8000s | 10.0/s | n | Y | |
14. | Sony A7R II | 2400 | n | 3.0 / 1229 | tilting | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | n | Y | |
15. | Sony A7S II | 2400 | n | 3.0 / 1229 | tilting | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | n | Y | |
16. | Sony A7 II | 2400 | n | 3.0 / 1230 | tilting | n | 1/8000s | 5.0/s | n | Y | |
17. | Sony A99 | 2359 | Y | 3.0 / 1229 | full-flex | n | 1/8000s | 6.0/s | n | Y | |
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one. |
One feature that differentiates the A9 and the M5 is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The A9 reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while the M5 offers no blur reduction with lenses that themselves do not provide optical image stabilization.
The M5 has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies. In contrast, the A9 does not have a selfie-screen.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 A9 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 A9 writes its imaging data to SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards, while the M5 uses SDXC cards. The A9 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the M5 only has one slot. The A9 supports UHS-II cards (on its first slot), while the M5 can use UHS-I cards.
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 Sony Alpha A9 and Canon EOS M5 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.
# | Camera Model |
Hotshoe Port |
Internal Mic / Speaker |
Microphone Port |
Headphone Port |
HDMI Port |
USB Port |
WiFi Support |
NFC Support |
Bluetooth Support |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Sony A9 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | 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 M6 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
5. | Canon M100 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | Y | |
6. | Canon M3 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
7. | Canon M10 | - | stereo / mono | - | - | mini | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
8. | Nikon Z6 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.1 | Y | - | Y | |
9. | Sony A7R V | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | full | 3.2 | Y | - | Y | |
10. | Sony A7R IIIA | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.2 | Y | Y | Y | |
11. | Sony A9 II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.1 | Y | Y | Y | |
12. | Sony A7 III | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.1 | Y | Y | Y | |
13. | Sony A7R III | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 3.1 | Y | Y | Y | |
14. | Sony A7R II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
15. | Sony A7S II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
16. | Sony A7 II | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | micro | 2.0 | Y | Y | - | |
17. | Sony A99 | Y | stereo / mono | Y | Y | mini | 2.0 | - | - | - |
It is notable that the A9 has a headphone jack, which is not present on the M5 This port makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process.
Studio photographers will appreciate that the Sony A9 (unlike the M5) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.
Both the A9 and the M5 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The A9 was replaced by the Sony A9 II, while the M5 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the A9 and M5 can be found, respectively, in the Sony A9 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon M5 Manual.
Review summary
So how do things add up? Is the Sony A9 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 Sony Alpha A9:
- Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (15 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
- Richer colors: Generates images with noticeably better colors (1.5 bits more color depth).
- More dynamic range: Captures a larger spectrum of light and dark details (0.9 EV of extra DR).
- Better low-light sensitivity: Requires less light for good images (1.5 stops ISO advantage).
- Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
- Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
- More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (3686k vs 2360k dots).
- Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
- Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (20 vs 9 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
- Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
- Longer lasting: Can take more shots (650 versus 295) on a single battery charge.
- Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
- Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
- Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
- Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
- Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
- Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
- More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 7 months after the M5).
Advantages of the Canon EOS M5:
- 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 1440k dots).
- More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
- More compact: Is smaller (116x89mm vs 127x96mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
- Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 246g or 37 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
- Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
- More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (78 percent cheaper at launch).
- 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 A9 is the clear winner of the match-up (18 : 8 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 Sony A9 and the Canon M5 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 A9 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.
# | Camera Model |
AP score |
CL score |
DCW score |
DPR score |
EPZ score |
PB score |
Camera Launch |
Launch Price (USD) |
Street Price |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Sony A9 | 5/5 | + + | 4.8/5 | 89/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Apr 2017 | 4,499 | 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 M6 | .. | .. | .. | 80/100 | 4/5 | 4/5 | Feb 2017 | 779 | ebay.com | |
5. | Canon M100 | 3/5 | + | .. | .. | 4/5 | 3.5/5 | Aug 2017 | 499 | ebay.com | |
6. | Canon M3 | 4/5 | o | .. | 75/100 | 4.5/5 | 4/5 | Feb 2015 | 679 | ebay.com | |
7. | Canon M10 | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 4/5 | Oct 2015 | 499 | ebay.com | |
8. | Nikon Z6 | 5/5 | .. | 5/5 | 89/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Aug 2018 | 1,999 | ebay.com | |
9. | Sony A7R V | 5/5 | + + | 4.5/5 | 92/100 | .. | .. | Oct 2022 | 3,899 | amazon.com | |
10. | Sony A7R IIIA | .. | + + | 4/5 | 90/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Apr 2021 | 3,199 | amazon.com | |
11. | Sony A9 II | .. | .. | 5/5 | 90/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Oct 2019 | 4,499 | amazon.com | |
12. | Sony A7 III | .. | + + | 4.5/5 | 89/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Feb 2018 | 1,999 | amazon.com | |
13. | Sony A7R III | .. | + + | 4/5 | 90/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Oct 2017 | 3,199 | ebay.com | |
14. | Sony A7R II | 5/5 | + + | 5/5 | 90/100 | 5/5 | 5/5 | Jun 2015 | 3,199 | ebay.com | |
15. | Sony A7S II | 5/5 | + | .. | .. | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Sep 2015 | 2,999 | ebay.com | |
16. | Sony A7 II | 5/5 | + | 4/5 | 82/100 | 4.5/5 | 5/5 | Nov 2014 | 1,999 | ebay.com | |
17. | Sony A99 | 5/5 | .. | .. | 84/100 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 | Sep 2012 | 2,799 | 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.
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.
Specifications: Sony A9 vs Canon M5
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 Model | Sony A9 | Canon M5 |
---|---|---|
Camera Type | Mirrorless system camera | Mirrorless system camera |
Camera Lens | Sony E mount lenses | Canon EF-M mount lenses |
Launch Date | April 2017 | September 2016 |
Launch Price | USD 4,499 | USD 979 |
Sensor Specs | Sony A9 | Canon M5 |
Sensor Technology | Stacked BSI-CMOS | CMOS |
Sensor Format | Full Frame Sensor | APS-C Sensor |
Sensor Size | 35.6 x 23.8 mm | 22.3 x 14.9 mm |
Sensor Area | 847.28 mm2 | 332.27 mm2 |
Sensor Diagonal | 42.8 mm | 26.8 mm |
Crop Factor | 1.0x | 1.6x |
Sensor Resolution | 24 Megapixels | 24 Megapixels |
Image Resolution | 6000 x 4000 pixels | 6000 x 4000 pixels |
Pixel Pitch | 5.94 μm | 3.72 μm |
Pixel Density | 2.83 MP/cm2 | 7.22 MP/cm2 |
Moiré control | Anti-Alias filter | Anti-Alias filter |
Movie Capability | 4K/30p Video | 1080/60p Video |
ISO Setting | 100 - 51,200 ISO | 100 - 25,600 ISO |
ISO Boost | 50 - 204,800 ISO | no Enhancement |
Image Processor | BIONZ X | DIGIC 7 |
DXO Sensor Quality (score) | 92 | 77 |
DXO Color Depth (bits) | 24.9 | 23.4 |
DXO Dynamic Range (EV) | 13.3 | 12.4 |
DXO Low Light (ISO) | 3517 | 1262 |
Screen Specs | Sony A9 | Canon M5 |
Viewfinder Type | Electronic viewfinder | Electronic viewfinder |
Viewfinder Field of View | 100% | 100% |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.78x | .. x |
Viewfinder Resolution | 3686k dots | 2360k dots |
LCD Framing | Live View | Live View |
Rear LCD Size | 3.0inch | 3.2inch |
LCD Resolution | 1440k dots | 1620k dots |
LCD Attachment | Tilting screen | Tilting screen |
Touch Input | Touchscreen | Touchscreen |
Shooting Specs | Sony A9 | Canon M5 |
Focus System | On-Sensor Phase-detect | On-Sensor Phase-detect |
Manual Focusing Aid | Focus Peaking | Focus Peaking |
Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) | 1/8000s | 1/4000s |
Continuous Shooting | 20 shutter flaps/s | 9 shutter flaps/s |
Shutter Life Expectancy | 500 000 actuations | 100 000 actuations |
Electronic Shutter | up to 1/32000s | no E-Shutter |
Image Stabilization | In-body stabilization | Lens stabilization only |
Fill Flash | no On-Board Flash | Built-in Flash |
Storage Medium | MS or SDXC cards | SDXC cards |
Single or Dual Card Slots | Dual card slots | Single card slot |
UHS card support | Single UHS-II | UHS-I |
Connectivity Specs | Sony A9 | Canon M5 |
External Flash | Hotshoe | Hotshoe |
Studio Flash | PC Sync socket | no PC Sync |
USB Connector | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
HDMI Port | micro HDMI | mini HDMI |
Microphone Port | External MIC port | External MIC port |
Headphone Socket | Headphone port | no Headphone port |
Wifi Support | Wifi built-in | Wifi built-in |
Near-Field Communication | NFC built-in | NFC built-in |
Bluetooth Support | Bluetooth built-in | Bluetooth built-in |
Body Specs | Sony A9 | Canon M5 |
Environmental Sealing | Weathersealed body | not weather sealed |
Battery Type | Sony NP-FZ100 | Canon LP-E17 |
Battery Life (CIPA) | 650 shots per charge | 295 shots per charge |
In-Camera Charging | USB charging | no USB charging |
Body Dimensions |
127 x 96 x 63 mm (5.0 x 3.8 x 2.5 in) |
116 x 89 x 61 mm (4.6 x 3.5 x 2.4 in) |
Camera Weight | 673 g (23.7 oz) | 427 g (15.1 oz) |
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