Canon M vs OM System OM-5

The Canon EOS M and the OM System OM-5 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in July 2012 and October 2022. Both the Canon M and the OM-5 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are based on an APS-C (Canon M) and a Four Thirds (OM-5) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 17.9 megapixels, whereas the OM System provides 20.2 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon M		OM System OM-5
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Canon EF-M mount lenses		Micro Four Thirds lenses
17.9 MP – APS-C sensor		20.2 MP – Four Thirds sensor
1080/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-12,800 (100 - 25,600)		ISO 200-25,600
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
4.3 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
230 shots per battery charge		310 shots per battery charge
109 x 66 x 32 mm, 298 g		125 x 85 x 50 mm, 414 g

Check Canon M offers at
ebay.com
Check OM-5 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS M and the OM System OM-5? 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 OM System OM-5 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 width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The Canon M can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the OM-5 is also available in two color-versions, but different ones (black, silver).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the OM System OM-5 is considerably larger (48 percent) than the Canon M. Moreover, the OM-5 is substantially heavier (39 percent) than the Canon M. It is noteworthy in this context that the OM-5 is splash and dust-proof, while the Canon M does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

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.

Concerning battery life, the Canon M gets 230 shots out of its Canon LP-E12 battery, while the OM-5 can take 310 images on a single charge of its OM System BLS-50 power pack. The power pack in the OM-5 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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.		OM System OM-5	125 mm	85 mm	50 mm	414 g	310	Y	Oct 2022	US$ 1 199	amazon.com
3.		Canon G7 X	103 mm	60 mm	40 mm	304 g	210	n	Sep 2014	US$ 699	ebay.com
4.		Canon G16	109 mm	76 mm	40 mm	356 g	360	n	Aug 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
5.		Canon M10	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	301 g	255	n	Oct 2015	US$ 499	ebay.com
6.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	US$ 499	ebay.com
7.		Canon SL1	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
8.		Canon T3i	133 mm	100 mm	80 mm	570 g	440	n	Feb 2011	US$ 599	ebay.com
9.		Canon T5i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	US$ 649	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-M1	130 mm	94 mm	63 mm	497 g	350	Y	Sep 2013	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-M5 II	124 mm	85 mm	45 mm	469 g	310	Y	Feb 2015	US$ 1 099	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-M5 III	125 mm	85 mm	50 mm	414 g	310	Y	Oct 2019	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
13.		OM System OM-1	135 mm	92 mm	73 mm	599 g	520	Y	Feb 2022	US$ 2 199	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic G3	115 mm	84 mm	47 mm	336 g	270	n	May 2011	US$ 599	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic GF6	111 mm	65 mm	38 mm	323 g	340	n	Apr 2013	US$ 499	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic GX8	133 mm	78 mm	63 mm	487 g	330	Y	Jul 2015	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
17.		Sony NEX-3N	110 mm	62 mm	35 mm	269 g	480	n	Feb 2013	US$ 499	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 naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Canon M was launched at a markedly lower price (by 50 percent) than the OM-5, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have 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 tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon M features an APS-C sensor and the OM System OM-5 a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the OM-5 is 32 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 2.0. The sensor in the Canon M has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the OM-5 offers a 4:3 aspect.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the OM-5 offers a higher resolution of 20.2 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 3.34μm versus 4.31μm for the Canon M). However, it should be noted that the OM-5 is much more recent (by 10 years and 3 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 OM-5 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

Unlike the Canon M, the OM-5 has the capacity to capture high quality composite images (80MP) by combining multiple shots after shifting its sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).

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 OM System OM-5 are ISO 200 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 64-25600.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. 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 determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-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.		OM System OM-5	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.4	13.4	1622	78
3.		Canon G7 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	23.0	12.7	556	71
4.		Canon G16	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	21.0	11.7	230	54
5.		Canon M10	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.4	753	65
6.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
7.		Canon SL1	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
8.		Canon T3i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	793	65
9.		Canon T5i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	681	61
10.		Olympus E-M1	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	23.0	12.7	757	73
11.		Olympus E-M5 II	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	23.0	12.5	842	73
12.		Olympus E-M5 III	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.3	13.1	1324	76
13.		OM System OM-1	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/60p	23.4	13.4	1553	77
14.		Panasonic G3	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60i	21.0	10.6	667	56
15.		Panasonic GF6	Four Thirds	15.8	4592	3448	1080/60i	20.7	10.6	622	54
16.		Panasonic GX8	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.5	12.6	806	75
17.		Sony NEX-3N	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	22.8	12.5	1067	74
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the OM-5 provides a better video resolution than the Canon M. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, 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. For example, the OM-5 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the Canon M relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon M and OM System OM-5 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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.		OM System OM-5	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
3.		Canon G7 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	6.5/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon G16	optical	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.2/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon M10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.6/s	Y	n
6.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
7.		Canon SL1	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9/s	Y	n
8.		Canon T3i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
9.		Canon T5i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Olympus E-M1	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
11.		Olympus E-M5 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
12.		Olympus E-M5 III	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
13.		OM System OM-1	5760	n	3.0 / 1640	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
14.		Panasonic G3	1440	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	Y	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
15.		Panasonic GF6	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
16.		Panasonic GX8	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
17.		Sony NEX-3N	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that differentiates the OM-5 and the Canon M is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The OM-5 reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while the Canon M offers no blur reduction with lenses that themselves do not provide optical image stabilization.

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 OM-5 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 OM System OM-5 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 OM-5 write their files to SDXC cards. The OM-5 supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the Canon M can use UHS-I cards (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 OM System OM-5 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.		OM System OM-5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon G7 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon G16	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
5.		Canon M10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
7.		Canon SL1	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon T3i	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon T5i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Olympus E-M1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Olympus E-M5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Olympus E-M5 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		OM System OM-1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.0	Y	-	Y
14.		Panasonic G3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Panasonic GF6	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Panasonic GX8	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony NEX-3N	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the OM-5 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the Canon M does not provide wifi capability.

The OM-5 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of OM System. In contrast, the Canon M has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the Canon M was succeeded by the Canon EOS M3. Further information on the features and operation of the Canon M and OM-5 can be found, respectively, in the Canon M Manual (free pdf) or the online OM System OM-5 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Canon M better than the OM System OM-5 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Canon EOS M:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• More compact: Is smaller (109x66mm vs 125x85mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 116g or 28 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (50 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in July 2012).

Arguments in favor of the OM System OM-5:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/30p).
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 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.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (310 versus 230) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More modern: Reflects 10 years and 3 months of technical progress since the Canon M launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the OM-5 is the clear winner of the contest (18 : 5 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro 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 OM System OM-5 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 comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the Canon M or the OM-5 perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major 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.		OM System OM-5	5/5	..	4.5/5	83/100	5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2022	US$ 1 199	amazon.com
3.		Canon G7 X	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 699	ebay.com
4.		Canon G16	4/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
5.		Canon M10	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Oct 2015	US$ 499	ebay.com
6.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	US$ 499	ebay.com
7.		Canon SL1	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
8.		Canon T3i	3/5	o	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	US$ 599	ebay.com
9.		Canon T5i	..	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	US$ 649	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-M1	5/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2013	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-M5 II	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	81/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2015	US$ 1 099	ebay.com
12.		Olympus E-M5 III	5/5	+	5/5	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2019	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
13.		OM System OM-1	5/5	..	..	87/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2022	US$ 2 199	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic G3	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2011	US$ 599	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic GF6	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	US$ 499	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic GX8	5/5	+	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2015	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
17.		Sony NEX-3N	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	US$ 499	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Check Canon M offers at
ebay.com
Check OM-5 price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu 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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