Canon EOS M5 review

Canon's tiny mirrorless snapper is good but expensive

Digital Camera World Verdict

The EOS M5 really opens up the SLR-versus-mirrorless debate. Many people like electronic viewfinders because they show the image exactly as the camera will capture it, but others prefer the visual clarity of an optical viewfinder. The M5 is tiny, where similarly powerful EOS SLRs like the 80D are big, but the lens range is restricted.

Pros

  • +

    Very compact for an APS-C camera

  • +

    Dual Pixel CMOS autofocus

  • +

    Effective control layout

Cons

  • -

    Some exposure inconsistencies

  • -

    Expensive compared to rivals

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While camera makers like Sony, Olympus, Fujifilm and Panasonic have been forging ahead with their high-profile mirrorless camera ranges, Canon has been quietly pottering away on a different path. Its M-series models to date have been pretty conservative box-shaped shooters with a modest M-mount lens range – although they can take regular EOS lenses via an adaptor.

The EOS M5 is different. It’s shaped more like a miniature SLR and has a built-in electronic viewfinder. This may not be a big selling point if you’ve just moved up from a smartphone, but for anyone weighing up the pros and cons of a SLR versus a mirrorless camera, the lack of a viewfinder is likely to be a deal-breaker.

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