Canon EOS M vs Nikon D5000

This is a full comparison between the cameras Canon EOS M and Nikon D5000. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Canon EOS M

Nikon D5000

Manufacturing

Canon EOS M is manufacturered by Canon but Nikon D5000 is from Nikon. Both Canon and Nikon are well known brands though.

Canon EOS M were released 2012 and Nikon D5000 was released 2009. That is a 3 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.

Camera	Released
Canon EOS M	2012
Nikon D5000	2009

Type of camera

Canon EOS M is a Mirrorless camera while Nikon D5000 is a DSLR camera. More information about their differences will come soon.

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Canon EOS M has a "Canon APS-C"-sensor while Nikon D5000 has a "Nikon DX"-sensor, and their difference in sensors will also affect the crop factor and experience focal length. See the table below.

Camera	Focal length, 50mm f/1.8 **
Canon EOS M	80 mm Canon APS-C sensor Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.6
Nikon D5000	75 mm Nikon DX sensor Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5

** Experienced focal length when using a lens such as a common "50mm f/1.8"

Learn more about crop factor and focal length multiplier here:
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Canon)
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Nikon)

Resolution

Canon EOS M has a 18 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Nikon D5000 has 12,3 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Camera	Megapixels
Canon EOS M	18 MP 17915904 pixels 5184 x 3456
Nikon D5000	12,3 MP 12212224 pixels 4288 x 2848

Canon EOS M has a 47 % larger resolution than Nikon D5000. This could give you more details in the picture but also a possibility to crop more in the pictures, afterward while editing the pictures, if needed that is.

ISO range

Canon EOS M has a larger ISO-range than Nikon D5000. Canon EOS M has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 12800 while Nikon D5000 has 200 to 6400.

Camera	ISO Range
Canon EOS M	100-12800
Nikon D5000	200-6400

Autofocus and lens compatibility

There is a big difference between these two cameras. Canon EOS M has a built-in autofocus motor but Nikon D5000 does not. If you want to be able to use autofocus on Nikon D5000 there is a need for having an autofocus motor inside the lens. We really encourage you to look closely at our lens compatibility charts at the links below.

Worth mentioning is that Canon EOS M belongs to the Canon EOS M-system and needs an adapter to work with Canons EF, EF-S, MP-E, and TS-E lenses. You can read more about this adapter here:
Canon Lens Mount Adapter EF-EOS M

Here is a complete overview of which lenses work with each camera:
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS M
Lens compatibility chart for Nikon D5000

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Canon EOS M can shoot up to 4,3 pictures per seconds and Nikon D5000 can shoot up to 4 pictures per seconds.

Camera	FPS (Frames per second)
Canon EOS M	4,3
Nikon D5000	4

Ability to record movies

It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.

In this case, both Canon EOS M and Nikon D5000 can shoot movies.

Weight

The weight of the camera can be an extremely important factor, especially if the camera is about to be used, or carried around, for several hours at a time.

Nikon D5000 weighs 590 gr (equal to 1.3 lb) which is 98% heavier than Canon EOS M and its 298 gr (or 0.66 lb).

Camera	Weight
Canon EOS M	298 gr 0.66 lb
Nikon D5000	590 gr 1.3 lb