Canon M vs Nikon 1 J5

The Canon EOS M and the Nikon 1 J5 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in July 2012 and April 2015. Both the Canon M and the J5 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are based on an APS-C (Canon M) and an one-inch (J5) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 17.9 megapixels, whereas the Nikon provides 20.7 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon M		Nikon 1 J5
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Canon EF-M mount lenses		Nikon 1 mount lenses
17.9 MP – APS-C sensor		20.7 MP – 1" sensor
1080/30p Video		4K/15p Video
ISO 100-12,800 (100 - 25,600)		ISO 160-12,800
No viewfinder, LCD framing		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1037k dots
Fixed touchscreen		Tilting touchscreen
4.3 shutter flaps per second		60 shutter flaps per second
230 shots per battery charge		250 shots per battery charge
109 x 66 x 32 mm, 298 g		98 x 60 x 32 mm, 231 g

Check Canon M offers at
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Check J5 offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS M and the Nikon 1 J5? 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

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon M and the Nikon 1 J5 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The Canon M can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the J5 is available in three color-versions (black, silver, white).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Nikon 1 J5 is notably smaller (18 percent) than the Canon M. Moreover, the J5 is markedly lighter (22 percent) than the Canon M. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the Canon M nor the J5 are weather-sealed.

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.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon M	109 mm	66 mm	32 mm	298 g	230	n	Jul 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
2.		Nikon 1 J5	98 mm	60 mm	32 mm	231 g	250	n	Apr 2015	US$ 399	ebay.com
3.		Canon G7 X	103 mm	60 mm	40 mm	304 g	210	n	Sep 2014	US$ 699	ebay.com
4.		Canon G9 X	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	209 g	220	n	Oct 2015	US$ 529	ebay.com
5.		Canon G16	109 mm	76 mm	40 mm	356 g	360	n	Aug 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
6.		Canon M10	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	301 g	255	n	Oct 2015	US$ 499	ebay.com
7.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	US$ 499	ebay.com
8.		Canon SL1	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
9.		Canon T3i	133 mm	100 mm	80 mm	570 g	440	n	Feb 2011	US$ 599	ebay.com
10.		Canon T5i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	US$ 649	ebay.com
11.		Nikon 1 J4	100 mm	60 mm	29 mm	232 g	300	n	Apr 2014	US$ 549	ebay.com
12.		Nikon 1 V3	111 mm	65 mm	33 mm	381 g	310	n	Mar 2014	US$ 799	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic G3	115 mm	84 mm	47 mm	336 g	270	n	May 2011	US$ 599	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic GF6	111 mm	65 mm	38 mm	323 g	340	n	Apr 2013	US$ 499	ebay.com
15.		Sony A5000	110 mm	63 mm	36 mm	269 g	420	n	Jan 2014	US$ 449	ebay.com
16.		Sony NEX-3N	110 mm	62 mm	35 mm	269 g	480	n	Feb 2013	US$ 499	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 IV	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	298 g	280	n	Jun 2015	US$ 999	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The J5 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 33 percent) than the Canon M, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. 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 size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon M features an APS-C sensor and the Nikon 1 J5 an one-inch sensor. The sensor area in the J5 is 65 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 2.7. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the J5 offers a higher resolution of 20.7 megapixels, compared with 17.9 MP of the Canon M. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 2.37μm versus 4.31μm for the Canon M). However, it should be noted that the J5 is much more recent (by 2 years and 8 months) than the Canon M, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the J5 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Nikon 1 J5 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the J5 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 27.8 x 18.6 inches or 70.7 x 47.1 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 22.3 x 14.8 inches or 56.6 x 37.7 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 18.6 x 12.4 inches or 47.1 x 31.4 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon M are 25.9 x 17.3 inches or 65.8 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 20.7 x 13.8 inches or 52.7 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 17.3 x 11.5 inches or 43.9 x 29.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS M has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 12800, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Nikon 1 J5 are ISO 160 to ISO 12800 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the Canon M is build around a CMOS sensor, while the J5 uses a BSI-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 assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon M	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.2	827	65
2.		Nikon 1 J5	1-inch	20.7	5568	3712	4K/15p	21.1	12.0	479	65
3.		Canon G7 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	23.0	12.7	556	71
4.		Canon G9 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.5	12.3	495	63
5.		Canon G16	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	21.0	11.7	230	54
6.		Canon M10	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.4	753	65
7.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
8.		Canon SL1	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
9.		Canon T3i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	793	65
10.		Canon T5i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	681	61
11.		Nikon 1 J4	1-inch	18.2	5232	3488	1080/60p	20.8	10.7	426	53
12.		Nikon 1 V3	1-inch	18.2	5232	3488	1080/60p	20.8	10.7	384	52
13.		Panasonic G3	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60i	21.0	10.6	667	56
14.		Panasonic GF6	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60i	20.7	10.6	622	54
15.		Sony A5000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.8	13.0	1089	79
16.		Sony NEX-3N	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	22.8	12.5	1067	74
17.		Sony RX100 IV	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.6	591	70

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the J5 provides a better video resolution than the Canon M. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/15p, while the Canon is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The Canon M and the J5 are similar in the sense that neither of the two has a viewfinder. The images are, thus, framed using live view on the rear LCD. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon M and Nikon 1 J5 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		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.		Canon M	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.3/s	n	n
2.		Nikon 1 J5	none	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	60.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon G7 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	6.5/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon G9 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon G16	optical	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.2/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon M10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.6/s	Y	n
7.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
8.		Canon SL1	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9/s	Y	n
9.		Canon T3i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
10.		Canon T5i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
11.		Nikon 1 J4	none	n	3.0 / 1037	Fixed	Y	1/4000s	60.0/s	Y	n
12.		Nikon 1 V3	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	60.0/s	Y	n
13.		Panasonic G3	1440	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	Y	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
14.		Panasonic GF6	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
15.		Sony A5000	none	n	3.0 / 461	tilting	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
16.		Sony NEX-3N	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
17.		Sony RX100 IV	2359	n	3.0 / 1228	tilting	n	1/2000s	16.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The J5 has one, while the Canon M does not. While the built-in flash of the J5 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

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 J5 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 Nikon 1 J5 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the Canon M and the J5 write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

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 Canon EOS M and Nikon 1 J5 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon M	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Nikon 1 J5	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon G7 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon G9 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon G16	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Canon M10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Canon SL1	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon T3i	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Canon T5i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Nikon 1 J4	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Nikon 1 V3	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Panasonic G3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Panasonic GF6	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony A5000	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony NEX-3N	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Sony RX100 IV	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the Canon M has a hotshoe, while the J5 does not. This socket makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun.

Both the Canon M and the J5 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The Canon M was replaced by the Canon EOS M3, while the J5 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the Canon M and J5 can be found, respectively, in the Canon M Manual (free pdf) or the online Nikon 1 J5 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Canon M better than the Nikon 1 J5 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS M:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Requires less light for good images (0.8 stops ISO advantage).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in July 2012).

Advantages of the Nikon 1 J5:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (20.7 vs 17.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 7%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (0.8 EV of extra DR).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/15p vs 1080/30p).
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (60 vs 4.3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (98x60mm vs 109x66mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 67g or 22 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (33 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 8 months of technical progress since the Canon M launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the J5 is the clear winner of the contest (16 : 5 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 Canon M and the Nikon 1 J5 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 specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the Canon M and the J5 in practical situations. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera 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.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon M	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
2.		Nikon 1 J5	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2015	US$ 399	ebay.com
3.		Canon G7 X	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 699	ebay.com
4.		Canon G9 X	3.5/5	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	US$ 529	ebay.com
5.		Canon G16	4/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
6.		Canon M10	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Oct 2015	US$ 499	ebay.com
7.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	US$ 499	ebay.com
8.		Canon SL1	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
9.		Canon T3i	3/5	o	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	US$ 599	ebay.com
10.		Canon T5i	..	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	US$ 649	ebay.com
11.		Nikon 1 J4	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Apr 2014	US$ 549	ebay.com
12.		Nikon 1 V3	3/5	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4/5	Mar 2014	US$ 799	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic G3	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2011	US$ 599	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic GF6	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	US$ 499	ebay.com
15.		Sony A5000	3/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2014	US$ 449	ebay.com
16.		Sony NEX-3N	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	US$ 499	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 IV	4.5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	US$ 999	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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