Canon EOS M vs Nikon D70s

This is a full comparison between the cameras Canon EOS M and Nikon D70s. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Canon EOS M is manufacturered by Canon but Nikon D70s is from Nikon. Both Canon and Nikon are well known brands though.

Type of camera

Canon EOS M is a Mirrorless camera while Nikon D70s 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 D70s has a "Nikon DX"-sensor, and their difference in sensors will also affect the crop factor and experience focal length. See the table below.

** 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 D70s has 6 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Canon EOS M has a 198 % larger resolution than Nikon D70s. 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 D70s. Canon EOS M has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 12800 while Nikon D70s has 200 to 1600.

Autofocus and lens compatibility

Both of these cameras have a built-in autofocus motor. Some lenses, that support autofocus, do not have an autofocus motor of their own but this won't cause any problems with these two cameras.

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 D70s

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 D70s can shoot up to 3 pictures per seconds.

Ability to record movies

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

When comparing these two cameras there is only one of them that can shoot movies and that is Canon EOS M. Unfortunately Nikon D70s does not support recording movies and movie clips.

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 D70s weighs 679 gr (equal to 1.5 lb) which is 128% heavier than Canon EOS M and its 298 gr (or 0.66 lb).

Canon EOS M vs Nikon D70s Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Canon EOS M and Nikon D70s, next to each other. Each category of data is a link to an article covering the subject, giving you a deeper understanding so you can better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the two camera models.

Product	Canon EOS M	Nikon D70s
Name	Canon EOS M	Nikon D70s
Manufacturer	Canon	Nikon
Release Date and Price	Canon EOS M	Nikon D70s
Release Year	2012	2005
Release Date	2012-07-23	2005-04-20
MSRP	799 USD	749 USD
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Camera Type	Canon EOS M	Nikon D70s
Camera Type	Mirrorless	DSLR
Sensor	Canon EOS M	Nikon D70s
Sensor Size	APS-C (approx 22.3 x 14.9 mm)	APS-C (approx 23.7 x 15.5 mm) Also known as "DX"
Sensor Type	CMOS	CCD
Resolution	5184 x 3456 pixels	3008 x 2000 pixels
Megapixels	18 MP	6 MP
Image Processor	DIGIC 5	Nikon LSI (Large Scale Integration)
Image	Canon EOS M	Nikon D70s
ISO Range	100 - 12800	200 - 1600
White Balance Presets	6	6
Custom White Balance	Yes	Yes
Image Stabilization	No	No
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating	0 stops	0 stops
Uncompressed format	RAW	RAW
Optics & Focus	Canon EOS M	Nikon D70s
Autofocus Motor	Yes	Yes
Autofocus	Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView	Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous
Focus Points	31	5
Lens Mount	Canon EF-M See Compatible Lenses	Nikon F See Compatible Lenses
Focal Length Multiplier	APS-C Sensor 1.6x multiplier Example: 24 mm becomes 38 mm 50 mm becomes 80 mm 100 mm becomes 160 mm 200 mm becomes 320 mm	DX / APS-C (1.5x) 1.5x multiplier Example: 24 mm becomes 36 mm 50 mm becomes 75 mm 100 mm becomes 150 mm 200 mm becomes 300 mm
Screen & Viewfinder	Canon EOS M	Nikon D70s
Articulated LCD	Fixed	Fixed
Screen size	3”	2”
Screen dots	1040000	130000
Touch screen	Yes	No
Screen type	Clear View II TFT LCD	N/A
Live view	Yes	No
Viewfinder Type	No Viewfinder	Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage		95%
Viewfinder Magnification		0.75× (0.5× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder Resolution	0	N/A
Photography features	Canon EOS M	Nikon D70s
Frames per second	4,3 fps	3 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed	60 seconds	30 seconds
Maximum Shutter Speed	1/4000 seconds	1/8000 seconds
Built-in Flash	No	Yes
Built-in Flash Range	N/A	11 meters
External Flash	Yes	Yes
Self-Timer	Yes	Yes
Time-lapse	No	No
Metering modes	Multi Center Weighted Spot Partial	Multi Center Weighted Spot
Exposure Compensation	+/- 3 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)	+/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
Videography features	Canon EOS M	Nikon D70s
Video recording	Yes	No
Video format	MPEG4 H.264	N/A
Video resolution	1280 x 720 1920 x 1080	N/A
Built-in Microphone	Yes	No
Built-in Speakers	Yes	No
Storage	Canon EOS M	Nikon D70s
Memory Card	SD/SDHC	Compact Flash
Connectivity	Canon EOS M	Nikon D70s
HDMI Output	Yes	No
Microphone Port	No	No
Headphone Port	No	No
Wireless	Yes Eye-Fi Connected	No
Remote Control	No	Yes (Optional (ML-L3 or MC-DC1))
GPS	Yes Optional via GP-E2	No
Body & Dimensions	Canon EOS M	Nikon D70s
Enviromentally sealed	No	No
Battery	Battery Pack	Battery Pack
Battery Details	Lithium-Ion LP-E12 rechargeable battery & charger	Nikon EN-EL3a Lithium-Ion & charger included
Battery Life (CIPA)	230 shots	400 shots
Width	109 mm	140 mm
Height	66 mm	111 mm
Depth	32 mm	78 mm
Weight	298 gram	679 gram