Canon EOS M vs Nikon D800

This is a full comparison between the cameras Canon EOS M and Nikon D800. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Canon EOS M is manufacturered by Canon but Nikon D800 is from Nikon. Both Canon and Nikon are well known brands though.

Type of camera

Canon EOS M is a Mirrorless camera while Nikon D800 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 D800 has a "Nikon FX"-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 D800 has 36,3 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Nikon D800 has a 102 % larger resolution than Canon EOS M. 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

Nikon D800 has a larger ISO-range than Canon EOS M. Nikon D800 has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 25600 while Canon EOS M has 100 to 12800.

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 D800

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 D800 can shoot up to 6 pictures per seconds.

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 D800 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 D800 weighs 900 gr (equal to 1.98 lb) which is 202% heavier than Canon EOS M and its 298 gr (or 0.66 lb).

Canon EOS M vs Nikon D800 Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Canon EOS M and Nikon D800, 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 D800
Name	Canon EOS M	Nikon D800
Manufacturer	Canon	Nikon
Release Date and Price	Canon EOS M	Nikon D800
Release Year	2012	2012
Release Date	2012-07-23	2012-02-07
MSRP	799 USD	2999 USD
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Camera Type	Canon EOS M	Nikon D800
Camera Type	Mirrorless	DSLR
Sensor	Canon EOS M	Nikon D800
Sensor Size	APS-C (approx 22.3 x 14.9 mm)	Full Frame (approx 36 x 23.9 mm) Also known as "FX"
Sensor Type	CMOS	CMOS
Resolution	5184 x 3456 pixels	7360 x 4912 pixels
Megapixels	18 MP	36,3 MP
Image Processor	DIGIC 5	EXPEED 3
Image	Canon EOS M	Nikon D800
ISO Range	100 - 12800	100 - 25600
White Balance Presets	6	12
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 D800
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 Tracking Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView
Focus Points	31	51
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	FX (Full frame) No multiplier Example: 24 mm remains 24 mm 50 mm remains 50 mm 100 mm remains 100 mm 200 mm remains 200 mm
Screen & Viewfinder	Canon EOS M	Nikon D800
Articulated LCD	Fixed	Fixed
Screen size	3”	3,2”
Screen dots	1040000	921000
Touch screen	Yes	No
Screen type	Clear View II TFT LCD	TFT Color LCD with 170 degrees wide-viewing angle
Live view	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder Type	No Viewfinder	Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage		100%
Viewfinder Magnification		0.7×
Viewfinder Resolution	0	N/A
Photography features	Canon EOS M	Nikon D800
Frames per second	4,3 fps	6 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	12 meters
External Flash	Yes	Yes
Self-Timer	Yes	Yes
Time-lapse	No	Yes
Metering modes	Multi Center Weighted Spot Partial	Multi Center Weighted Spot Average
Exposure Compensation	+/- 3 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)	+/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 1 EV steps)
Videography features	Canon EOS M	Nikon D800
Video recording	Yes	Yes
Video format	MPEG4 H.264	MPEG4 H.264
Video resolution	1280 x 720 1920 x 1080	1280 x 720 1920 x 1080
Built-in Microphone	Yes	Yes
Built-in Speakers	Yes	Yes
Storage	Canon EOS M	Nikon D800
Memory Card	SD/SDHC	Compact Flash
Connectivity	Canon EOS M	Nikon D800
HDMI Output	Yes	Yes
Microphone Port	No	Yes
Headphone Port	No	Yes
Wireless	Yes Eye-Fi Connected	Yes Optional with Nikon Wireless Transmitter for D800 (WT-4A)
Remote Control	No	Yes (Optional, wired or wireless)
GPS	Yes Optional via GP-E2	Yes Optional with GP-1
Body & Dimensions	Canon EOS M	Nikon D800
Enviromentally sealed	No	Yes
Battery	Battery Pack	Battery Pack
Battery Details	Lithium-Ion LP-E12 rechargeable battery & charger	Lithium-Ion EN-EL15 rechargeable battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	230 shots	900 shots
Width	109 mm	146 mm
Height	66 mm	123 mm
Depth	32 mm	82 mm
Weight	298 gram	900 gram