Canon 70D vs M5

[andrei1989]

I currently have a 70D but i am almost set to get the M5 in the very near future. I know the upgrade is not significant and i'll actually lose a somewhat useful feature: setting the max shutter speed for auto ISO, but reducing the weight of my kit from the 70D+15-85 to an M5+15-45 is, IMO, a huge advantage (other lenses would remain the same, like the 55-250 STM+adapter of course) for hiking and generally being able to have the camera anywhere with me.

Although i haven't seen a good comparison between the 2 cameras (it's only compared with the 80D) i have seen a side by side feature list with advantages and disadvantages of each system and one advantage of the 70D over the M5 was weather sealing.

Now...my first DSLR was a Canon 1000D (rebel XS) which was absolutely not marketed as being weather sealed. I was once caught in a pouring rain with the camera in a basic shoulder bag and when i took it out it was wet...not swimming in water in the bag but very much wet that i used a few paper towels to get the camera dry again...had no problem whatsoever and continued using it.

The 70D has never been in such a situation but i got caught with it in the occasional rain..nothing serious though...

My main question here: would an M5 have problems in situations like described above? My belief is that it would be completely fine with a few water drops now and then..

Also another point is that i can still get a good value for my 70D+18-55 (i'm not parting with the 15-85!) so i could end up not spending that much for the M5..

Any other opinions on the 2 cameras? please share

 

[jolyonralph]

The EF-M 15-45 is a poor lens, worse than the EF-S 18-55, and not a patch on the EF-S 15-85.

If you can still get it, get the EF-M 18-55 instead, the older lens isn't as wide at the short end, but it's much better quality than the 15-45.

Alternatively, consider ditching the 55-250 and just settling for the EF-M 18-150 lens, which I have been very pleasantly surprised with.

 

[bholliman]

I have no 70D experience, so can't answer the OP's question about comparing the two.

The EF-M 15-45 is a poor lens, worse than the EF-S 18-55, and not a patch on the EF-S 15-85.
If you can still get it, get the EF-M 18-55 instead, the older lens isn't as wide at the short end, but it's much better quality than the 15-45.
Alternatively, consider ditching the 55-250 and just settling for the EF-M 18-150 lens, which I have been very pleasantly surprised with.

I owned and sold an EF-M 15-45, 18-55 and 55-200 now am using the excellent EF-18-150 as my standard/tele zoom. If you get an M5, definitely get a 22 f/2 as well, a brilliant lens and very compact.

 

[Woody]

Any other opinions on the 2 cameras? please share

All 'lightweight' Canon cameras are not weather sealed.

I have both 77D and M5. For shooting thru' the viewfinder, the AF accuracy of the M5 is hard to beat. But the battery life of 77D is much better if shooting thru' the viewfinder is your cup of tea.

Since you already own a number of EF-S lenses, you may also want to consider the SL2 and 77D if weight reduction is your goal.

 

[KevinP]

I'm interested in the notes you get. I'm looking at whether to buy a used 70D from a friend, or if I should get one of the recent release models. The M5, SL2, and T7i fit my grip much easier than the 70D. I like the SL2 or T7i sizes better, but I want to shoot more with wide aperatures, and AFMA starts at the 70D. My friend indicates that two of his three lenses were much improved by AFMA (all mid-grade Canon glass). Going straight to the M5 seems like one reasonable strategy - to make AFMA unnecessary.

The other strategy I'm thinking about is pairing an SL2 or T7i with Sigma lenses, and using the dock to do AFMA outside the camera. I'd miss out on the range of the Canon 18-135, but the Sigma 24-105 f4 could be a nice substitute. Is there a major downside to this approach?

I like the SL2 physical size best (we have an SL1), but the nicer viewfinder auto focus might drive me up one size. By the specs, it looks like the M5 viewfinder should match or beat the SL1 viewfinder focus system if I opt that way instead.

 

[jeanluc]

I have an M5 and have used it in light rain with no issues. Not sure how often I'd recommend rolling that dice, though.

It is a very good camera. I use it with the 18-55 and the 11-22. Both give great results. The M5 sensor gives very good IQ, with very little shadow noise and no banding.

To me, the main "advantage " of mirrorless is size. The M5 stacks up very well with any aps-c dslr with the exception of speed, so I use it when size and portability matter. 5d4 otherwise. But most of the time, either would do just fine.

You will love a M5 and not regret it at all IMHO.

 

[andrei1989]

The EF-M 15-45 is a poor lens, worse than the EF-S 18-55, and not a patch on the EF-S 15-85.

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=1114&Camera=812&Sample=0&FLI=0&API=0&LensComp=675&CameraComp=0&FLIComp=0&APIComp=0

not from this comparison...

18mm for landscape doesn't appeal to me anymore since i tried 15mm, also i will not be selling the 15-85, i willjust use an adapter

i know there is the 11-22 which i might consider at some point..but for general use when size is of importance the 15-45 i think will do just fine

 

[NorbR]

Regarding weather sealing, I can only give you impressions, since there is no hard data on this. And frankly, everytime you take a camera, any camera, in the rain, you're rolling a dice. Some cameras give you better odds than others, but imho it's always a risk. Still, my current number of failures with the M5 is N=0, knock on wood

Anyway, when it comes to weather sealing my opinion is that, even in light rain, I'd trust a 70D over an M5 any day. As much as I love my M5 (and I really do!), I have to say that the overall build is rather mediocre, and I do not believe that it would endure much in terms of harsh conditions.

To be clear, that doesn't mean that I would freak out and put mine away at the first sight of a rain drop. But if that's something that you would face on a regular basis, and if you need peace of mind, I'd keep a 70D (and I'm talking just from a weather sealing point of view here, imho the M5 trumps the 70D in many other aspects).

The EF-M 15-45 is a poor lens, worse than the EF-S 18-55, and not a patch on the EF-S 15-85.

Sorry but I disagree with this, or at least I think it is too simplistic.
My copy of the EF-M 15-45, although indeed less sharp overall than the other EF-M lenses, is still quite good, and (at least for my copy) particularly at the wide end. Not only does it go to 15mm, but it is better there than the 18-55 at 18mm. It really feels optimized for the wide end. The long end is weaker, indeed, and darker of course.

Personally I still use the 15-45 when I want the light weight and I feel that the wide end is going to matter most (landscapes, basically). If I feel that I need something better and brighter at longer focal lengths (usually when people are around) I'll choose the 18-55.

These are just my choices, of course, and maybe based on my own copies of the lens. YMMV in any case. But discarding the 15-45 outright as a poor lens is, imho, a mistake.

Of course eventually you'd have to get the 11-22. Nothing but praises for that lens 8)

 

[Ian_of_glos]

Regarding weather sealing, I can only give you impressions, since there is no hard data on this. And frankly, everytime you take a camera, any camera, in the rain, you're rolling a dice. Some cameras give you better odds than others, but imho it's always a risk. Still, my current number of failures with the M5 is N=0, knock on wood

Anyway, when it comes to weather sealing my opinion is that, even in light rain, I'd trust a 70D over an M5 any day. As much as I love my M5 (and I really do!), I have to say that the overall build is rather mediocre, and I do not believe that it would endure much in terms of harsh conditions.

To be clear, that doesn't mean that I would freak out and put mine away at the first sight of a rain drop. But if that's something that you would face on a regular basis, and if you need peace of mind, I'd keep a 70D (and I'm talking just from a weather sealing point of view here, imho the M5 trumps the 70D in many other aspects).

The EF-M 15-45 is a poor lens, worse than the EF-S 18-55, and not a patch on the EF-S 15-85.

Sorry but I disagree with this, or at least I think it is too simplistic.
My copy of the EF-M 15-45, although indeed less sharp overall than the other EF-M lenses, is still quite good, and (at least for my copy) particularly at the wide end. Not only does it go to 15mm, but it is better there than the 18-55 at 18mm. It really feels optimized for the wide end. The long end is weaker, indeed, and darker of course.

Personally I still use the 15-45 when I want the light weight and I feel that the wide end is going to matter most (landscapes, basically). If I feel that I need something better and brighter at longer focal lengths (usually when people are around) I'll choose the 18-55.

These are just my choices, of course, and maybe based on my own copies of the lens. YMMV in any case. But discarding the 15-45 outright as a poor lens is, imho, a mistake.

Of course eventually you'd have to get the 11-22. Nothing but praises for that lens 8)

F6.3 at a focal length of only 45mm is slow even for a kit lens. The size of the lens seems to be its only selling point.

 

[andrei1989]

another question

how's the focus peaking feature with large aperture manual lenses like the samyang 85 and 35 1.4? (which i own)

 

[andrei1989]

soo i just got the m5 today plus a small bonus in the form of the sigma 150-600 C ))

unfortunately they didn't have the ef-efm adapter in stock in my city and also amazon says it will be in stock on the 19th so i will keep searching these days for it or order from amazon next week..plus an extra battery..

the weight difference is huge: 565g for the m5 with the 15-45 VS 1380g for the 70D with the 15-85 (not a really fair comparison..i know)

 

[dak723]

soo i just got the m5 today plus a small bonus in the form of the sigma 150-600 C ))

unfortunately they didn't have the ef-efm adapter in stock in my city and also amazon says it will be in stock on the 19th so i will keep searching these days for it or order from amazon next week..plus an extra battery..

the weight difference is huge: 565g for the m5 with the 15-45 VS 1380g for the 70D with the 15-85 (not a really fair comparison..i know)

Don't know if buying on Ebay is an option, but I just bought one for about $80 a couple days ago. I would check there to see if any authentic Canon adapters are available for a better price.