Canon M5 vs Sony A6000 vs Fujifilm X-T20

[lisa_w]

Hi, I'm about to purchase my first Interchangeable Lens Cameras. I'm currently a beginner but hope to eventually grow my skills to a level where I can do professional photography. I'm looking for a camera to learn on... but one that I can grow with to begin my new profession (I understand I may need to upgrade at some point but hopefully I can find a mid-range camera that produces professional quality images at least for the start of my career). Initially I considered a DSLR (Nikon D5600)... but decided to focus on Mirrorless for the lighter weight and smaller size.

My key areas of interest are: Travel/street photography, Event photography and Commercial/Product/Interior photography. These may include indoor/low light photos. Id love to create some nice Depth of Field shots with Bokeh. Landscape may be part of my casual photography but not a professional concern. Fast action/sports is also not a priority, and Video is secondary.

After reading endless reviews and forums, and numerous visits to different camera stores, I'm more confused than ever because of the different pros & cons so I'm hoping for some community feedback. The 3 cameras I've narrowed down to are:

(1) CANON M5

MY Pros: Good grip (the camera just 'feels good' in my hands; Good looks (I like the "mini-DSLR" design); Intuitive user-interface

Cons: Limited lens selection. I'm a beginner so I don't know what lens I'll need but am worried this may limit my growth? (adapter available but using larger EF lenses might defeat the purpose of going mirrorless?)

(2) SONY A6000

Pros: Best value (it costs $300 Cdn less than the Canon), Sony lens/quality reputation for mirrorless.

Cons: 4 years old; Don't like that it looks like a point-and-shoot *These Cons are more of a personal mental block. I'm excited to enter the world of "professional" photography so having a camera that looks like an old point-and-shoot isn't inspiring (even though I know photo results are what matter most)

(3) FUJIFILM X-T20

Pros: Fuji image quality and lens selection

Cons: Highest price camera; Small grip; Intimidating controls (added challenge of learning different controls, on top of learning all the technical aspects of photography); Overall higher lens prices for Fuji (is that true?)

To be honest, my heart wants to get the Canon M5 (primarily based on how it feels and looks)... but the other two seem like they might be more logical choices (??) so I'm torn... Any help would be appreciated! Thanks in advance.

 

[Bob]

I think you splitting hairs and unnecessarily torturing yourself. Just get the one that feels best in your hands and start shooting!

Chances are your camera will end up on ebay in a few years anyway.

 

[OpticsEngineer]

I have a Canon M5 and a Sony A6000.

I like the M5 better. You would do well to get that one.

You are correct the user interface on the M5 is more refined and more pleasant to use.

Lens quality on the affordable Sony E-mount lenses is quite inconsistent. Also the lens mount on A6000 and eariler Sony cameras is a bit loose. On later cameras like A6300 that was improved a lot.

The only drawback on the M5 compared to the A6000 is the autofocus speed is a bit slower on the M5. But you posted that was not a concern. The slower AF on the M5 is more than made up by the fact the the M5 has a touchscreen so you can set the AF point that way. That is so handy. It took me a long time using cameras before I woke up to how useful a feature that was. And apparently Sony too... just the very latest Sony models have added that feature.

Fuji lenses while excellent are pricey as well. If cost is a primary concern I would take a different path than Fuji.

If you do get more interested in heading seriously into photography, you will find it less expensive in the long run to go with Canon over Sony because you will be able to buy older Canon lenses and use an adapter to mount Canon lenses on the M5. I have tried a variety of Canon lenses on Sony cameras using a number of different adaptors and have generally been disappointed with the results. Buggy AF. Things Just not working as advertised.

 

[MarshallG]

If you want to take your photography in a serious direction, I think the most important thing is control. The way you Set Aperture, shutter, ISO and focus impact the way the photograph will look. You need to study that through experience.

I suggest that you take your time evaluating the cameras user interface and dial locations. I’d also suggest two or three prime lenses, because it will give you more awareness of focal length and also Aperture.

If I had to choose, I’d choose Canon, but I’d advise against investing in a platform at this point. Just a basic camera and two primes to learn the basics with. Stay focused on what you’re trying to achieve, which is to learn how to use the camera to create a look, not to simply snap pictures. Forget about ultimate image quality or fast performance; you need “stick and rudder”-like control so that you can learn the art.

 

[KCook]

I like what OpticsEngineer said. A lot. One other thing, flash. Pros often need flash indoors and there is more Canon compatible flash gear than any other camera brand (except Nikon).

Self-employed, you can indulge in any camera size, type you want. If you are looking to work within an established photo department, that almost always means Canon or Nikon DSLR.

Kelly Cook

 

[david01234]

Why not add the Canon EOS-M50 to your options? You may find discounted prices for this entry-level MILC.

 

[Goggs]

Is there a specific reason for you apparently ruling out SLR's, other than size? Even size isn't much of an issue with the D5600 as it's not a big camera. If I was encouraging anyone to learn photography I'd be starting with a good quality SLR body. It doesn't have to be crazy expensive either. A D5600 will teach you all you need to know about handling a camera. A D7200 would be even better. My logic for choosing an SLR is that it's far easier to handle a camera when you have a separate button for each function as opposed to memorizing menus or custom button functions. Just sayin'.

 

[PieterB]

The Fuji is by far the best of these cameras. It is also by far the most expensive camera.

The lens selection of the Fuji is also by far the best glass but also the most expensive.

The Sony has enough aps-c glass to go around, more than the Canon. The Sony's aps-c zooms aren't the best but Canon's mirrorless lenses are all duds.

And of course there is heaps of ff emount glass (which is expensive).

So, if the money isn't the problem, go Fuji. Otherwise go Sony.

 

[rurikw]

Canon's mirrorless lenses are all duds.

A surprising statement with which I think Optical limits disagrees.

Loading…

www.opticallimits.com

 

[lisa_w]

I have a Canon M5 and a Sony A6000.

I like the M5 better. You would do well to get that one.

You are correct the user interface on the M5 is more refined and more pleasant to use.

It's nice to hear that confirmed by someone who uses both these cameras.

Lens quality on the affordable Sony E-mount lenses is quite inconsistent. Also the lens mount on A6000 and eariler Sony cameras is a bit loose. On later cameras like A6300 that was improved a lot.

The only drawback on the M5 compared to the A6000 is the autofocus speed is a bit slower on the M5. But you posted that was not a concern. The slower AF on the M5 is more than made up by the fact the the M5 has a touchscreen so you can set the AF point that way. That is so handy. It took me a long time using cameras before I woke up to how useful a feature that was. And apparently Sony too... just the very latest Sony models have added that feature.

Is the slower autofocus speed noticeable for capturing spontaneous moments (I'd like to be able to do some event photography where I'll want to "capture the moment"? Or would I really only notice it for fast action and sports.

Fuji lenses while excellent are pricey as well. If cost is a primary concern I would take a different path than Fuji.

If you do get more interested in heading seriously into photography, you will find it less expensive in the long run to go with Canon over Sony because you will be able to buy older Canon lenses and use an adapter to mount Canon lenses on the M5. I have tried a variety of Canon lenses on Sony cameras using a number of different adaptors and have generally been disappointed with the results. Buggy AF. Things Just not working as advertised.

Do you find the lens selection limiting? What kind of photography do you do with your M5? Canon is currently offering the adapter as a free bonus so that widens the lens options (although the larger lens add size/weigh, which takes away from a key benefit of mirrorless). Are you happy with the adapter + EF lens image quality and 'feel'?

 

[lisa_w]

Is there a specific reason for you apparently ruling out SLR's, other than size? Even size isn't much of an issue with the D5600 as it's not a big camera.

I really do prefer to minimize the size/weight as much as possible. The Nikon D5600 isn't significantly larger/heavier so it would be my pick if I was going with a DSLR... but I keep holding the D5600 next to the Canon M5 and the noticeable size difference does sway me towards Canon. The limited Canon M lenses is the only thing making me hesitate.

If I was encouraging anyone to learn photography I'd be starting with a good quality SLR body. It doesn't have to be crazy expensive either. A D5600 will teach you all you need to know about handling a camera. A D7200 would be even better. My logic for choosing an SLR is that it's far easier to handle a camera when you have a separate button for each function as opposed to memorizing menus or custom button functions. Just sayin'.

I agree, learning to handle my camera is a critical first step. I thought the control/functionality/buttons of a mirrorless was essentially the same as a DSLR. Are they not? The Canon M5's friendly/intuitive user interface was another reason I prefer it over the Fuji/Sony. As I'm learning, I'll likely have lots of questions so I figured more people (real life and online) would be familiar with Canon, even if they're DSLR users.

If I go DSLR, I'd likely pick the Nikon D5600. If I go Mirrorless, I'm leaning towards the Canon M5.

 

[CMCM]

I recently bought a new DSLR and lenses. I looked at all the APS-C and also mirrorless choices out there, and I also looked at the available lenses and costs, and as I whittled my initial camera + lens list down, I realized some systems just didn't have the lens choices I wanted and/or could afford. Some systems were just way more $$ than I wanted to spend, and some had a limited choice of lenses. After I pared my list down to about 4 or 5 possibilities, I went out and made sure I handled them, and handled them with my choice of lenses on board, and played around with them in the store to see how I might like shooting with them, how I liked the menus and external controls. This told me a lot about how intuitive each camera was to use.

I originally thought I'd probably get the Fujifilm XT20 (I didn't really want to spend so much on the XT2 although I really liked it) because I have a Fuji X30 compact that I like a lot, but in the end I ruled out the Fuji XT20 for a number of reasons. The buttons/controls were a little smaller than I wanted, it actually seemed too small and I didn't especially like holding it, and the lenses were limited, expensive, and didn't really include the ranges I wanted. I keep my cameras for a long time, so I also ruled out those that were more than a few years old. Not that older cameras aren't good, but camera technology seems to be changing a lot recently and I wanted as new as possible going into a new system.

The camera I finally bought was the one that handled the best FOR ME and which had the most features that I'd decided I would like, and which had the best universe of affordable lenses in the ranges I wanted. Through checking out all the various cameras and taking the time to learn about all the possible features available, that process helped me learn about all the features I would like and those I didn't care about.

Also very helpful was that I downloaded the manuals for the two or three finalists and read through them carefully to get a feel for how to shoot with those cameras and to see how well laid out the menus etc. were. I found I really learned a lot from studying the camera manuals because you find out what all the camera can actually do. As an example, I wanted a panorama mode if possible, but not all cameras have it. I wanted Scene modes available, and not all have that. And I didn't care at all about 4K video, so I didn't have to worry about that.

So figure out the best you can what kind of shooting you want to do (i.e. landscapes, portraits, bird and wildlife shooting, etc), and that will help you know which lenses you will probably want, and then go from there. And handle the cameras!!!

 

[lisa_w]

Why not add the Canon EOS-M50 to your options? You may find discounted prices for this entry-level MILC.

Thank you, I did consider the M50. It's very similar to the M5 but is geared more towards a vlogger with its upgrade to 4K video. Since video is a lower priority for me, I chose the M5's better quality metal body, higher-resolution screen and better battery life. Plus in Canada, where I live, both are currently on sale with only $100 price difference, but the M5 comes with a free bonus lens adapter (regular $200) that tipped my choice that way.

 

[KCook]

I have a Canon M5 and a Sony A6000.

I like the M5 better. You would do well to get that one.

You are correct the user interface on the M5 is more refined and more pleasant to use.

It's nice to hear that confirmed by someone who uses both these cameras.

Lens quality on the affordable Sony E-mount lenses is quite inconsistent. Also the lens mount on A6000 and eariler Sony cameras is a bit loose. On later cameras like A6300 that was improved a lot.

The only drawback on the M5 compared to the A6000 is the autofocus speed is a bit slower on the M5. But you posted that was not a concern. The slower AF on the M5 is more than made up by the fact the the M5 has a touchscreen so you can set the AF point that way. That is so handy. It took me a long time using cameras before I woke up to how useful a feature that was. And apparently Sony too... just the very latest Sony models have added that feature.

Is the slower autofocus speed noticeable for capturing spontaneous moments (I'd like to be able to do some event photography where I'll want to "capture the moment"? Or would I really only notice it for fast action and sports.

Fuji lenses while excellent are pricey as well. If cost is a primary concern I would take a different path than Fuji.

If you do get more interested in heading seriously into photography, you will find it less expensive in the long run to go with Canon over Sony because you will be able to buy older Canon lenses and use an adapter to mount Canon lenses on the M5. I have tried a variety of Canon lenses on Sony cameras using a number of different adaptors and have generally been disappointed with the results. Buggy AF. Things Just not working as advertised.

Do you find the lens selection limiting? What kind of photography do you do with your M5? Canon is currently offering the adapter as a free bonus so that widens the lens options (although the larger lens add size/weigh, which takes away from a key benefit of mirrorless). Are you happy with the adapter + EF lens image quality and 'feel'?

You're asking good questions, so I think you are on the right track. Size is always a big thing, DSLR vs mirrorless. Plus OVF vs EVF. But loudness is often overlooked. If you can find a store with the M5, fire it's shutter and do the same with the D5600. The more I shoot in public the more I value a quiet shutter.

Kelly

 

[ankit3302]

well, all the options that you have mentioned are great. But, I think Canon M5 will have an edge over others being nice lens quality and other camera features.

 

[MarshallG]

Canon is currently offering the adapter as a free bonus so that widens the lens options (although the larger lens add size/weigh, which takes away from a key benefit of mirrorless). Are you happy with the adapter + EF lens image quality and 'feel'?

I suggest this approach: Buy one or two EF-M lenses for 90% of your photography -- maybe the 18-55mm and the 28mm -- and then later, you can use ordinary EF-S or EF lenses for special purposes if your needs grow. This is better protection for those more expensive lenses.

This is the same case with Canon's EF-S lenses, which are for the crop-sensor DSLR cameras. The most expensive one is $800. After that, you get into the full-frame EF lenses, because it gives you more flexibility if you move to a full-frame camera.

 

[tedolf]

None of these are professional caliber camera systems. The Canon M series has very limited lenses and could never do, for example wedding photography. The Sony "E" mount also has a limited lens line up and Sony is moving ahead with the full frame "FE" mount lenses at the expense of the "E" mount lenses. Many of the "E" mount consumer grade lenses are of poor optical quality-hardly pro quality.

Fuji has a decent line up and possibly could be used professionally except for video.

If you are serious about being a professional photographer, at this point I would look to a mid range DSLR, or full frame like Pentax.

TEdolph

 

[OpticsEngineer]

"Do you find the lens selection limiting? What kind of photography do you do with your M5?"

There aren't a lot of native M5 lenses. But there are enough for me. Canon has covered the most commonly used ones. And since Canon is such a dominant player, third party manufacturers are also making lenses for the M mount. They can be sure enough people will have M mount cameras to make it worth doing.

I am really just a family/vacation/event kind of photographer. My only audience is my family. The things I do not use my M5 for are my daughters sports (track/basketball) and road runners around the neighborhood. (There really is a bird that is the road runner and they are so gosh darn fast.... they are always in motion.) For everything else the M5 is fine. And generally its small size is a real advantage. With the Canon 18-150 lens mounted it still fits fine in my ski jacket pocket so that is what I take on ski trips.

As far as heading in a professional direction. My German uncle-in-law is a professional photographer. When we travel on vacation together he takes photos with a basic little point and shoot camera that make my photos look dull. It is because he understands lighting and composition. And he take a lot fewer pictures than I do. (if the light is not good he says, "bah, don't bother") But as a family/vacation photographer it is more about taking photos we can all gather around the computer later and enjoy discussing.

 

[PieterB]

None of these are professional caliber camera systems. The Canon M series has very limited lenses and could never do, for example wedding photography. The Sony "E" mount also has a limited lens line up and Sony is moving ahead with the full frame "FE" mount lenses at the expense of the "E" mount lenses. Many of the "E" mount consumer grade lenses are of poor optical quality-hardly pro quality.

Fuji has a decent line up and possibly could be used professionally except for video.

If you are serious about being a professional photographer, at this point I would look to a mid range DSLR, or full frame like Pentax.

TEdolph

Not everybody needs pro equipment

 

[KCook]

Not everybody needs pro equipment