If you are searching for your next (or first) camera and are considering purchasing a Canon mirrorless camera, you’ve come to the right place. One important thing to note is that this article focuses on Canon EOS M cameras with APS-C imaging sensors. If you want a mirrorless camera with a full-frame sensor, you’ll want a Canon EOS R camera instead.
In this Canon camera guide, we compare three popular EOS M cameras. We’ll look at each one’s photo/video capabilities, key specs/features, and tell you who each one suits best. Furthermore, thanks to innovative online platforms like MPB, buying a pre-owned mirrorless camera has never been cheaper and easier than it is today.
MPB is a trustworthy and reliable online platform selling pre-owned photo and video gear at unbeatable prices. All their cameras and lenses are dutifully hand-inspected by expert product specialists and backed by six-month warranties, allowing you to make your purchases confidently and worry-free.
We’ve been using MPBs online marketplace to buy, sell, and trade in camera equipment for years, and we have nothing but the best to say about our experiences. That’s why we are thrilled to recommend their products and services today. Now, without further ado, let’s dive in and discover which Canon EOS M camera is best for you in 2023!
Table of Contents
- A Good Canon EOS M Camera
- A Better Canon EOS M Camera
- The Best Canon EOS M Camera
- Recommended Canon EOS M Lenses
- Final Thoughts on Canon EOS M Series Cameras
A Good Canon EOS M Camera
The first camera we will examine is the Canon EOS M5. It’s an entry-level camera with a 24.2-megapixel sensor that launched in 2016. The compact and easy-to-use design makes it an ideal first camera for children and beginner photographers looking to switch from shooting with their mobile phones.
The M5 has multiple user-friendly automatic photo modes, two semi-automatic modes (aperture and shutter speed priority), manual shooting, and a movie mode. Additionally, an extra control dial on top of the camera lets you quickly and easily adjust exposure compensation. These tools make it perfect for learning the basics of photography and improving your pictures.
While, unfortunately, there’s no 4K video, the 1080p Full HD video quality is solid. Also, the M5 has electronic video stabilization, which reduces camera shake, especially when recording handheld clips. Two other notable features of the M5 are a tilting touchscreen LCD and built-in Wi-Fi.
Now, here’s an in-depth look at the key features and specs of this Canon EOS M camera:
- Camera Type: Mirrorless
- Sensor: 24.2MP APS-C CMOS Sensor
- ISO: 100 – 25,600
- Lens Mount: Canon EF-M Mount
- Speed: 9.0 fps
- Autofocus: 49 focus points
- Video: 1080p/60p, 1080p/30p & 1080p/24p
- Size/Weight: 116 x 89 x 61 mm / 427 grams
- Battery Life: 295 shots
- Stabilization: No
- Touchscreen: Yes
- Pre-Owned Canon EOS M5 Price: $314 – $394
Keep Reading: Best Canon Camera for Beginners
A Better Canon EOS M Camera
For YouTubers, vloggers, and social media influencers, the best Canon EOS M camera is the Canon EOS M50 II. It was released in 2016 and replaced the original Canon EOS M50 as the company’s top entry-level video camera. Internally, it has a 24.1-megapixel sensor and an upgraded Digic 8 image processor, making it significantly faster than its predecessor.
The standout video feature of the M50 II is its 4K video. 4K is almost unheard of for a camera with such a low price tag, which is a leading reason why it’s such a sought-after camera. Other impressive video features include two built-in microphones, a fully-articulating touchscreen LCD, vertical video, and live streaming capabilities.
Since the M50 is a hybrid digital camera, it also shoots photos. The high-resolution 2.26M-dot electronic viewfinder (EVF) makes composing and capturing beautiful images easy. Moreover, the Dual Pixel autofocus system is accurate, responsive, and boasts face/eye-detection technology. So, images remain sharp even when working with moving subjects.
Now, here’s an in-depth look at the key features and specs of this Canon EOS M camera:
- Camera Type: Mirrorless
- Sensor: 24.1MP APS-C CMOS Sensor
- ISO: 100 – 25,600 (expandable to 100 – 51,200)
- Lens Mount: Canon EF-M Mount
- Speed: 10.0 fps
- Autofocus: 143 focus points
- Video: 4K/24p, 1080p/60p & 720p/120p
- Size/Weight: 116 x 88 x 59 mm / 387 grams
- Battery Life: 305 shots
- Stabilization: No
- Touchscreen: Yes
- Pre-Owned Canon EOS M50 II Price: $479
The Best Canon EOS M Camera
And we’ve got a winner! Without a doubt, the best Canon EOS M camera in 2023 is the Canon EOS M6 II. It hit stores in 2019 and is Canon’s flagship EOS M camera, taking over for the original Canon EOS M6. Thanks to its 32.5-megapixel sensor and new Digic 8 processor, it’s far and away the most advanced and powerful camera in the Canon EOS M series.
Photographers love the high-resolution sensor and the sharp, detailed images it produces. Whether you shoot JPEG or RAW files, the colors from the M6 II are gorgeous and natural-looking. Also, the camera’s fast continuous shooting (30 fps RAW burst mode) is great for wildlife, sports, adventure, and action photography.
On the other hand, videographers will be impressed by the quality of the camera’s 4K video and the lack of rolling shutter issues. You can apply digital stabilization to video footage, but we typically try to avoid it since it adds extra noise. Another thing to know about the M6 II is that the removable EVF is optional and sold separately.
Now, here’s an in-depth look at the key features and specs of this Canon EOS M camera:
- Camera Type: Mirrorless
- Sensor: 32.5MP APS-C CMOS Sensor
- ISO: 100 – 25,600 (expandable to 100 – 51,200)
- Lens Mount: Canon EF-M Mount
- Speed: 14.0 fps
- Autofocus: 143 focus points
- Video: 4K/30p & 1080p/120p
- Size/Weight: 120 x 70 x 49 mm / 408 grams
- Battery Life: 305 shots
- Stabilization: No
- Touchscreen: Yes
- Pre-Owned Canon EOS M6 II Price: $724 – $779
Keep Reading: Best 35mm Film Camera: Top 10 Picks from a Professional Landscape Photographer
Recommended Canon EOS M Lenses
Here’s a quick list of the best Canon EF-M lenses for photo and video to pair with Canon EOS M series cameras. They are listed by price in descending order.
- Canon EF-M 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM
- Canon EF-M 32mm f/1.4 STM
- Canon EF-M 11-22mm f/4-5.6 IS STM
- Canon EF-M 28mm f/3.5 Macro IS STM
- Canon EF-M 15-45mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM
Check out the video above by Christopher Frost for a complete guide to Canon EF-M camera lenses.
Final Thoughts on the Best Canon EOS M Cameras
As you can see, some excellent Canon EOS M mirrorless cameras are currently on the market. And while the three cameras reviewed in this article are our favorites, they aren’t the only ones. Here’s a list of a few other in-demand EOS M cameras currently available at MPB:
- Canon EOS M50
- Canon EOS M200
- Canon EOS M6
- Canon EOS M100
- Canon EOS M
Overall, we highly recommend Canon EOS M cameras for beginner, enthusiast-level, and budget-conscious content creators. If you are looking for a more advanced mirrorless camera, check out the Canon EOS R cameras below:
- Canon EOS RP
- Canon EOS R10
- Canon EOS R
- Canon EOS R7
- Canon EOS R6
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