Canon APS-C mirrorless cameras

Today in this article, I will go over the most recent APS-C mirrorless cameras from Canon. Mirrorless cameras are the fastest growing ones lately. Non-existent a few years ago, these cameras have many advantages such as their compact size, an image quality equivalent to DSLRs, and a growing number of lenses. For some time now, the market has been focusing on bigger cameras, with even more features and necessarily more expensive. But not everyone is a professional photographer, so for beginners who want to start, or enthusiasts wishing to improve their skills, I will describe here the different APS-C mirrorless from Canon, which we will call entry and mid-range cameras. However, you should know that, in June 2022, Canon announced the release of the first Canon RF APS-C cameras, ending most probably the EF-M mount. Don’t hesitate to check out the detailed specifications of these cameras.

For those who are looking for better performances and who have a bigger budget, please check our article dedicated to Canon full frame mirrorless cameras.

Let’s now take a closer look at the main technical features of these cameras. At the end of this article, I’ll try to guide you towards one of them according to your photographic and video needs, but also to your budget, as usual.

Before starting to describe these cameras, remember that having a camera is good, but it’s even better with a good lens! All the mirrorless I will mention below are compatible with EF-M mount lenses. However, by attaching an adapter ring, you can add EF/EF-S mount DSLR lenses. To select the right lenses, I suggest you check our page summarizing all the Canon EF-M lenses.

If you are looking for a specific camera, I invite you to look at our detailed guide on how to choose a camera and on what basis.

The Canon EOS M200 is a nice and compact interchangeable lens camera. It features a 24MP sensor, excellent Dual Pixel autofocus, Digic 8 image processor, 6fps burst shooting, 3-inch tilting touchscreen, 4K/24p video capture, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. Worth noting that this particular camera does not have an EVF (electronic viewfinder).

This is the successor to Canon’s M100, but at first glance, there’s not much change. An updated processor provides most of the new features. The first of them is the eye-tracking autofocus: it works very well and is efficient. On the other hand, the autofocus tracking would lack a little responsiveness. This is a very useful function, both for portraits and selfies. The new processor also brings 4K video (although it is heavily cropped, 1.7X) but at a maximum rate of only 24 fps, enough for still shots or with little movement. For more fluidity (60 fps), it will be necessary to switch the definition to Full HD.

The management of electronic noise and the 24.2 Mpx sensor is rather good. The image is very good from ISO 100 to 800, but the ISO 1600 value is a first step. Beyond that, the image is too degraded in JPEG.

Located in the entry level of Canon’s mirrorless cameras, the EOS M200 remains, overall, a good camera. As for the success of its predecessor, it is an easy-to-carry camera, which takes very good pictures, whether you are on vacation with your children or during a family meal.

After an EOS M50 presented as its best-seller, Canon doesn’t take too many risks by proposing a quasi-clone of its first successful camera. We find in the EOS M50 Mark II this mini-DSLR design, a compact and easy-to-use mirrorless camera. Its main features: a 24MP sensor, Digic 8 image processor, Dual pixel autofocus with eye tracking, 10 fps burst, fully articulated touch screen LCD, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, as well as a wireless live streaming function on YouTube.

Image quality is relatively the same as its predecessor. You get JPEGs with vivid colors and nice contrast. Its sensitivity can be adjusted over a range of ISO 100 to 25,600. One of the major improvements in the EOS M50 Mark II is its autofocus capability. It offers face and eye tracking for stills and videos, which is really responsive during the day and satisfying at night.

The camera can now shoot vertical videos and you can even use it to livestream on YouTube. This Canon EOS M50 Mark II offers the ability to shoot in 4K UHD at up to 24 fps, but with a hefty 1.5x crop compared to recording in Full HD. While Canon touts its camera for vlogging with its swivel screen, this crop takes away quite a bit of flexibility for users.

Compact, responsive, and easy-to-learn, the M50 II is the ideal camera for those wanting to get into easy photography and video capture. But if you don’t find the eye recognition essential, then the EOS M50 offers better value for money.

With its 32.5MP on an APS-C sensor, the Canon EOS M6 Mark II mirrorless plays with the big boys! A closer look shows a more compact camera variant of the EOS 90D DSLR that was announced simultaneously. These two cameras share many features, starting with their 32.5MP APS-C Cmos sensors and Digic 8 processors. They enjoy 4K video at 30fps, in this case without cropping, and autofocus eye recognition and tracking.

Esthetically, it looks a lot like the original M6, but it brings many improvements in terms of speed and features. These include a higher resolution sensor, its burst rate improves (from 7 fps to 14 fps), the Dual Pixel autofocus benefits from greater accuracy, and the ISO sensitivity gets an extended range to ISO 51,200. The M6 II’s sensor is very good, producing high levels of detail, with noise well controlled up to ISO 1600. JPEGs look good, with good color rendition.

In video, the EOS M6 Mark II can shoot in 4K across its sensor width. In Full HD, the quality goes up since we can now shoot at 120 fps to create slow motion.

The Canon EOS M6 II targets more openly photographers than its predecessor. It’s not the best compared to the competition, but it’s good everywhere. And above all, it remains pleasant and easy to use.

In 2016, Canon unveiled its expert mirrorless, the EOS M5, a great successor to its first APS-C sensor mirrorless, the EOS M. This EOS M5 is a big step forward for Canon, it’s a beautiful object enjoying Dual Pixel autofocus, the 24MP CMOS sensor from the Canon 80D, the latest generation Digic 7 processor, a swivel and touch screen, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth, Full HD video recording at 60fps, plenty of accessible external controls, and a built-in viewfinder.

The Digic 7 processor allows the M5 to extend its ISO range from ISO 100 to ISO 25,600, compared to ISO 100 to ISO 12,800 for the M3. Noise is really noticeable from ISO 3200. Quality of the JPEGs is also great, with a very nice color rendering. On the other hand, the burst rate of 7 fps can be a bit frustrating when shooting motion.

As for video, you can shoot in Full HD 1920 x 1080 at 50 fps, against 25 fps for the M3. But still no 4K…

The M5 is a classic camera, solid and very easy-to-use and approach, both for novices and more experienced photographers. Despite some imperfections, it is still a good amateur mirrorless camera.

Here is a summary table of the main features of these cameras:

For first time photographers, or if you are looking for a small, casual camera that you can take anywhere with you, then the EOS M200 is a good choice. It’s a small, affordable, high-performance camera that takes great photos of everyday life without much effort. But because of the burst speeds and a somewhat slow autofocus, it won’t be very good at capturing fast or unpredictable subjects.

In the same category, for a compact, responsive, and easy-to-use camera that’s a bit more versatile and powerful than the M200, then your choice will be the EOS M50 Mark II. It’s a nice camera for those who want to get started in photography and video without any difficulties, ideal to start vlogging (by adding a short focal length lens).

For those who already have a little experience in photography and who want a solid, versatile, and fast camera with good image quality, you will have to turn to the EOS M5 or the EOS M6 Mark II. The M5, although aging, shouldn’t disappoint anyone, either for photography or for shooting smooth, well-centered video, with the added bonus of an electronic viewfinder. But for more speed, definition and 4K video, then the M6 Mark II is for you!

We are coming to the end of this article about APS-C mirrorless cameras from Canon. As you have read throughout this article, whether you are a beginner, an experienced amateur or a professional looking for a camera without any headache, there is always a Canon mirrorless made for you! Still hesitating between mirrorless and DSLR? Check out our article on Canon’s APS-C DSLR cameras.

See you soon,

Sylvain