Pentax K-5 II vs Canon EOS M6

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Pentax K-5 II vs Canon EOS M6

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APS-C 369.7mm²
16.3 megapixels
ISO 100 - 12,800

Go in depth with our full Pentax K-5 II Review.
See real-world photos taken with the K-5 II.

APS-C 332.3mm²
24.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Canon EOS M6 Review.
How does it shoot? Canon EOS M6 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the EOS M6.
Compare Canon EOS M6 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Canon EOS M6 conclusion.

Succeeded by the Canon EOS M6 Mark II
Compare EOS M6 vs EOS M6 Mark II
Compare Pentax K-5 II vs Canon EOS M6 Mark II

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Differences

Pentax K-5 II advantages over Canon EOS M6

Lens selection
Excellent vs Limited
Better lens selection gives you more options
Larger sensor
APS-C vs APS-C
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Eye-level viewfinder
Eye-level vs Rear display only
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Bigger pixels
~ 4.81 vs 3.72 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Fast startup
~0.60 vs 1.2 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

740 vs 295 shots
Capture more photos
More telephoto lens reach
203 mm vs 72 mm
Capture objects farther away with the kit lens
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Faster shutter
1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light
Higher extended ISO
51200 vs 25600 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Canon EOS M6 advantages over Pentax K-5 II

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Tiltable Screen
Tiltable vs Fixed
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Built-in Bluetooth
Yes vs No
Always-on wireless connectivity
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Thinner
44 mm vs 73 mm
Thinner
Newer
8 years vs 12 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
Shoots 24p video
Yes vs No
Gives your movies a big-screen feel
Lighter weight
520g vs 1200g
Lighter weight
Less shutter lag
0.13 vs 0.23 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
More pixels
24.2 vs 16.3 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Shoots 60p video
Yes vs No
A faster framerate can give you more editing options
Wider angle kit lens
24 mm vs 27 mm
Capture more of the scene with the included lens
Faster JPEG shooting
9.2 fps vs 6.7 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
9.3 fps vs 6.7 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode

Similarities

Common Strengths

Internal flash
Both provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
External Mic Jack
Both provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Neither provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

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Adorama
Read K-5 II User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read EOS M6 User Reviews

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Body Only (Black)

Body Only (Black)
Body Only (Silver)
Kit with 15-45mm lens (Black)
Kit with 15-45mm lens (Silver)
Kit with 18-150mm lens (Black)
Kit with 18-150mm lens (Silver)

All EOS M6 Deals

Review Excerpt

Compact yet control-rich body packs in the features; Updated autofocus system focuses in near-darkness; Fully weather-sealed; Sharp, detailed images with very good dynamic range; In-body image stabilization; Dual-axis level with horizon correction.
Can seem intimidating at first; Fewer autofocus points than competitors; Doesn't take advantage of high-speed UHS-I flash cards; Movie feature set is very dated and file sizes huge.
Read our Pentax K-5 II Review

Enthusiast-oriented compact camera body; Good image quality in most situations; Impressive Dual Pixel CMOS AF; Very good overall performance.
Dynamic range and high ISO image quality aren't quite up to par with some of its competition; No 4K video recording; Video features in general are underwhelming; Native EF-M lens selection is limited.
Read our Canon EOS M6 Review

The Competition

Compared to Nikon D7000

Pentax K-5 II

Nikon D7000

$699
APS-C

In-Camera Image Stabilization
More telephoto lens reach

$699
APS-C

Fast startup
Longer stills battery life

Compare Pentax K-5 II vs Nikon D7000

Canon EOS M6

Nikon D7000

$399
APS-C

Focus peaking
Touchscreen

$699
APS-C

Lens selection
Larger sensor

Compare Canon EOS M6 vs Nikon D7000

Compared to Pentax K-30

Pentax K-5 II

Pentax K-30

$699
APS-C

Fast startup
Longer stills battery life

$599
APS-C

Less expensive
Focus peaking

Compare Pentax K-5 II vs Pentax K-30

Canon EOS M6

Pentax K-30

$399
APS-C

Touchscreen
Tiltable Screen

$599
APS-C

Lens selection
Larger sensor

Compare Canon EOS M6 vs Pentax K-30

Compared to Canon T4i

Pentax K-5 II

Canon T4i

$699
APS-C

Larger sensor
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$579
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Touchscreen

Compare Pentax K-5 II vs Canon T4i

Canon EOS M6

Canon T4i

$399
APS-C

Focus peaking
Built-in Wi-Fi

$579
APS-C

Lens selection
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Canon EOS M6 vs Canon T4i

Compared to Fujifilm X-A3

Pentax K-5 II

Fujifilm X-A3

$699
APS-C

Lens selection
Eye-level viewfinder

$549
APS-C

Focus peaking
Touchscreen

Compare Pentax K-5 II vs Fujifilm X-A3

Canon EOS M6

Fujifilm X-A3

$399
APS-C

Fast startup
NFC

$549
APS-C

Lens selection
Larger sensor

Compare Canon EOS M6 vs Fujifilm X-A3

Compared to Fujifilm X-A5

Pentax K-5 II

Fujifilm X-A5

$699
APS-C

Lens selection
Eye-level viewfinder

$499
APS-C

Focus peaking
Shoot 4K video

Compare Pentax K-5 II vs Fujifilm X-A5

Canon EOS M6

Fujifilm X-A5

$399
APS-C

Fast startup
NFC

$499
APS-C

Lens selection
Larger sensor

Compare Canon EOS M6 vs Fujifilm X-A5

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