Sony RX100 III vs Canon EOS M5

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Sony RX100 III vs Canon EOS M5

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1 inch 116.2mm²
20.2 megapixels
24.00mm - 70.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Sony RX100 III Review.
How does it shoot? Sony RX100 III in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the RX100 III.
Compare Sony RX100 III image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony RX100 III conclusion.

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

Go in depth with our full Canon EOS M5 Review.
How does it shoot? Canon EOS M5 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the EOS M5.
Compare Canon EOS M5 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Canon EOS M5 conclusion.

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Differences

Sony RX100 III advantages over Canon EOS M5

Less expensive
$748* vs $899
Save money for lenses or accessories
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Integrated ND filter
Yes vs No
Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter
Thinner
41 mm vs 60 mm
Thinner
Higher max flash sync
1/2000 vs 1/200 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
Bigger JPEG buffer
48 vs 27 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Bigger RAW buffer
26 vs 18 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos

Canon EOS M5 advantages over Sony RX100 III

Larger sensor
APS-C vs 1 inch
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 3.72 vs 2.41 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Fast startup
~1.20 vs 2.0 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Built-in Bluetooth
Yes vs No
Always-on wireless connectivity
Higher effective ISO

Higher effective ISO

Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

You can learn more at our glossary entry.

Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
EOS M5 test data on DxO Mark RX100 III test data on DxO Mark

1,262 vs 495 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
External Mic Jack
Jack vs No jack
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
Higher-res screen
540k vs 307k pixels
More detail on the screen lets you judge focus and composition
Hot shoe
Hot shoe vs None
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
More pixels
24.2 vs 20.2 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Faster RAW shooting
9.3 fps vs 6.7 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Faster shutter
1/4000 vs 1/2000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Similarities

Common Strengths

Rear display
Both provide
Review photos on the back of the camera
Focus peaking
Both provide
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
Tiltable Screen
Both provide
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
RAW file ability
Both provide
Gives you more flexibility to develop your photos later
Built-in Wi-Fi
Both provide
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Both provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Internal flash
Both provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Manual focus
Both provide
AF is for the weak. Real photographers focus manually.
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
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
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
Top deck display
Neither provide
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Neither provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video

User reviews

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Adorama
Read EOS M5 User Reviews

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Sony RX100 Mark III

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Buy the Canon EOS M5

Body Only (Black)

Body Only (Black)
Kit with 15-45mm f/3.5-6.3 Lens (Black)
Kit with 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 Lens (Black)

All EOS M5 Deals

Review Excerpt

Pocket-friendly design; Popup electronic viewfinder; Bright lens across the zoom range; Great performance with very fast autofocus; Very high resolution gives lots of detail in good light; High ISO noise levels much better than most pocket camera rivals; Wi-Fi wireless networking
Feels a little unbalanced without an accessory grip; Not as much telephoto reach as its siblings; Noise processing is heavier-handed than in earlier models; Quite pricey for a fixed-lens camera
Read our Sony RX100 III Review

Enthusiast-oriented compact camera body; Good image quality in most situations; Built-in electronic viewfinder; Impressive Dual Pixel CMOS AF; Very good overall performance.
High ISO image quality and dynamic range aren't quite up to par with some of its competition; No 4K video recording; Native EF-M lens selection is still limited; Below average battery life.
Read our Canon EOS M5 Review

The Competition

Compared to Sony RX100

Sony RX100 III

Sony RX100

$748
1 inch

Eye-level viewfinder
Tiltable Screen

$1074
1 inch

More telephoto lens reach
Faster RAW shooting

Compare Sony RX100 III vs Sony RX100

Canon EOS M5

Sony RX100

$787
APS-C

Larger sensor
Eye-level viewfinder

$1074
1 inch

In-Camera Image Stabilization
In-camera panoramas

Compare Canon EOS M5 vs Sony RX100

Compared to Sony RX100 II

Sony RX100 III

Sony RX100 II

$748
1 inch

Eye-level viewfinder
Fast startup

$598
1 inch

Less expensive
More telephoto lens reach

Compare Sony RX100 III vs Sony RX100 II

Canon EOS M5

Sony RX100 II

$787
APS-C

Larger sensor
Eye-level viewfinder

$598
1 inch

Less expensive
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Canon EOS M5 vs Sony RX100 II

Compared to Canon G7X

Sony RX100 III

Canon G7X

$748
1 inch

Eye-level viewfinder
In-camera panoramas

$1239
1 inch

Touchscreen
More telephoto lens reach

Compare Sony RX100 III vs Canon G7X

Canon EOS M5

Canon G7X

$787
APS-C

Larger sensor
Eye-level viewfinder

$1239
1 inch

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Integrated ND filter

Compare Canon EOS M5 vs Canon G7X

Compared to Panasonic LX100

Sony RX100 III

Panasonic LX100

$748
1 inch

Tiltable Screen
Internal flash

$598
4/3

Less expensive
Larger sensor

Compare Sony RX100 III vs Panasonic LX100

Canon EOS M5

Panasonic LX100

$787
APS-C

Larger sensor
Touchscreen

$598
4/3

Less expensive
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Canon EOS M5 vs Panasonic LX100

Compared to Sony RX100 IV

Sony RX100 III

Sony RX100 IV

$748
1 inch

$898
1 inch

Slower slow-motion
Shoot 4K video

Compare Sony RX100 III vs Sony RX100 IV

Canon EOS M5

Sony RX100 IV

$787
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$898
1 inch

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Shoot 4K video

Compare Canon EOS M5 vs Sony RX100 IV

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