Pentax K-5 IIs vs Canon EOS M6

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Pentax K-5 IIs 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 IIs Review.
See real-world photos taken with the K-5 IIs.

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 IIs vs Canon EOS M6 Mark II

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Differences

Pentax K-5 IIs 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
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Lacks anti-aliasing filter
No Filter vs Filter
Enjoy sharper photos
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 IIs

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
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
Has anti-aliasing filter
Filter vs No Filter
Reduces unsightly moiré in photos
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 IIs User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read EOS M6 User Reviews

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Buy the Canon EOS M6

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

Noticeably better sharpness than standard K-5 II; Compact yet control-rich body packs in the features; Updated autofocus system focuses in near-darkness; Fully weather-sealed; Very good dynamic range; In-body image stabilization; Dual-axis level with horizon correction.
Prone to moire, aliasing, and false color artifacts; 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 IIs 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 Sony A35

Pentax K-5 IIs

Sony A35

$497
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

$567
APS-C

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-5 IIs vs Sony A35

Canon EOS M6

Sony A35

$399
APS-C

Focus peaking
Touchscreen

$567
APS-C

Lens selection
Eye-level viewfinder

Compare Canon EOS M6 vs Sony A35

Compared to Sony A57

Pentax K-5 IIs

Sony A57

$497
APS-C

Lens selection
Higher effective ISO

$800
APS-C

Less expensive
Focus peaking

Compare Pentax K-5 IIs vs Sony A57

Canon EOS M6

Sony A57

$399
APS-C

Touchscreen
Built-in Wi-Fi

$800
APS-C

Lens selection
Larger sensor

Compare Canon EOS M6 vs Sony A57

Compared to Sony A37

Pentax K-5 IIs

Sony A37

$497
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

$600
APS-C

Less expensive
Focus peaking

Compare Pentax K-5 IIs vs Sony A37

Canon EOS M6

Sony A37

$399
APS-C

Touchscreen
Built-in Wi-Fi

$600
APS-C

Lens selection
Larger sensor

Compare Canon EOS M6 vs Sony A37

Compared to Fujifilm X-A3

Pentax K-5 IIs

Fujifilm X-A3

$497
APS-C

Lens selection
Eye-level viewfinder

$549
APS-C

Focus peaking
Touchscreen

Compare Pentax K-5 IIs 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 IIs

Fujifilm X-A5

$497
APS-C

Lens selection
Eye-level viewfinder

$499
APS-C

Focus peaking
Shoot 4K video

Compare Pentax K-5 IIs 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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