The new Canon Rebel T7i is the latest Rebel and gives you a lot of exciting features for the money. The Canon EOS M5 is an excellent camera too, but it’s mirrorless so there are some major differences between the two systems. Let’s see how they compare to each other and which one is a better value for the money.
Our comparison table below covers the important specifications of each camera. Below that, we specifically talk about the new improvements and which model is better suited for your needs.
| Canon T7i | Canon M5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Megapixels | 24.2 | 24.2 |
| Sensor Type | CMOS | CMOS |
| Sensor Format | APS-C | APS-C |
| Crop Factor | 1.6x | 1.6x |
| AA Filter | Yes | Yes |
| Image Resolution | 6000 x 4000 | 6000 x 4000 |
| Body Image Stabilization | Yes (Movie only) | Yes (Movie only) |
| Lens Mount | Canon EF/EF-S | Canon EF-M |
| ISO | 100 - 25,600 | 100 - 25,600 |
| Expanded ISO | 51,200 | None |
| AF Points | 45 | 49 Hybrid |
| Cross-type AF Points | 45 | Dual Pixel AF |
| Continuous Mode | 6fps | 7fps |
| LCD | 3.0" - Fully Articulated | 3.2" - Articulating |
| LCD Resolution | 1,040,000 dots | 1,620,000 dots |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Focus Peaking | No | Yes |
| Top LCD Display | No | No |
| Viewfinder Type | Optical | EVF (2.36M) |
| Viewfinder Coverage | 95% | 100% |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.82x | |
| Video Resolution | 1920x1080 (60/30/24p) | 1920x1080 (60/50/30/25/24p) |
| 1280x720 (60/50p) | 1280x720 (60/50p) | |
| Microphone Jack | Yes | Yes |
| Headphone Jack | No | No |
| Memory Card Type | SD | SD |
| Dual Card Slots | No | No |
| SD UHS Support | UHS-I | UHS-I |
| Fastest Shutter Speed | 1/4000 | 1/4000 |
| Slowest Shutter Speed | 30" | 30" |
| Bulb Mode | Yes | Yes |
| JPEG Buffer Size | Unlimited | 27 |
| RAW Buffer Size | 27 | 18 |
| Time Lapse | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Flash | Yes | Yes |
| Max Flash Sync Speed | 1/200 | 1/200 |
| Startup Time | x | 1.2s |
| Built-in Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in GPS | No | No |
| Built- in NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| USB Type | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
| Environmentally Sealed | No | No |
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 600 shots | 295 shots |
| Battery Included | Yes (LP-E17) | Yes (LP-E17) |
| Weight | 18.8 oz (532g) | 15.0 oz (427g) |
| Size | 5.2 x 3.9 x 3.0" | 4.6 x 3.5 x 2.4" |
| Price | Amazon | Amazon |
| Release Date | 2017 | 2016 |
Canon M5 Advantages:
- Bigger LCD Screen – 3.2″ compared to 3.0″ with noticeably higher resolution. This doesn’t affect your photographs/videos, but does allow you to precisely see if your focus is spot on
- Focus Peaking – Every mirrorless camera offers focus peaking. If you’re focusing with a manual lens or have a bad eye sight, the camera highlights what part of your image is in focus. Great for video too!
- 7 vs 6fps – Both cameras are fast enough for sports and wildlife, but the extra 1fps helps if you often shoot wildlife and want more shots to increase your chances of getting a razor sharp photograph
- Viewfinder – 100% viewfinder coverage. Since it’s EVF (electronic) you can see how your shot is going to look like before taking a picture.
- Size & Weight – Being a mirrorless camera, the M5 is 100g lighter and a lot smaller
Both cameras are very similar, but if you’re looking for something small and light, the M5 will be much better. If video is high on your priority list, then the bigger LCD, focus peaking and Full HD at 60fps are big advantages. The light weight makes it good for traveling but don’t forget to get an extra battery.
You can buy it at Amazon or read more reviews.
Canon T7i Advantages:
- Higher Max ISO – The expanded ISO is 1 stop bigger so it’s better suited for extreme low light situations. Don’t forget about the noise though, it’s not pleasant at 51,200 for most situations
- 45 AF System – Both cameras feature Dual Pixel AF technology and are great for video focusing, but the 45 all cross-type AF system of the T7i will be more accurate for photographing fast subjects in difficult conditions
- Bigger buffer – The RAW buffer is almost 10 shots bigger, which is enough to shoot at 7fps for almost 1.5 extra seconds compared to the M5. JPEG is also much better, but most people will hardly go above the 27 limit of the M5 anyways, even when shooting extreme sports.
- Faster start-up time – Not tested yet, but DSLRs for now turn on faster than mirrorless cameras. The M5 is fairly impressive with 1.2s, but the T7i will most likely be twice as fast
- Battery Life – Twice as long battery life. These test are taken by using the built-in flash for 50% of the time so you can expect a lot more shots with both cameras, but the difference is still the same
- Less expensive – Speaking about body prices only, the T7i is around $180 cheaper
- More Lenses – There are over 70 different Canon lenses you can mount on the T7i, not to mention all other lenses from Sigma, Tamron and others. You can use an adapter for the M5 and get similar performance, but there are a lot less native EF-M mount lenses available as of 2017
Yes, the T7i is bigger than the M5, but it’s still a very light DSLR so most of you won’t have to worry about this. Because of its 45 cross-type AF system and a bigger buffer, it’s a better candidate for wildlife and action photography. Not to mention you have many more lenses to choose from, whereas with the M5 you’d have to use an adapter to mount EF and EF-S lenses.
It’s also cheaper and lasts twice as long!
You can buy it at Amazon or read more reviews.
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