Sony a560 vs Canon EOS M

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a560 and Canon EOS M. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Sony a560 is manufacturered by Sony but Canon EOS M is from Canon. Both Sony and Canon are well known brands though.

Sony a560 were released 2010 and Canon EOS M was released 2012. That is a 2 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.

Camera Released
Sony a560 2010
Canon EOS M 2012

Type of camera

Sony a560 is a DSLR camera while Canon EOS M is a Mirrorless camera. More information about their differences will come soon.

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Sony a560 has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor while Canon EOS M has a "Canon APS-C"-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 **
Sony a560 75 mm
Sony APS-C sensor
Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5
Canon EOS M 80 mm
Canon APS-C sensor
Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.6

** 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 (Sony)
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Canon)

Resolution

Sony a560 has a 14 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Canon EOS M has 18 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Camera Megapixels
Sony a560 14 MP
14033152 pixels
4592 x 3056
Canon EOS M 18 MP
17915904 pixels
5184 x 3456

Canon EOS M has a 28 % larger resolution than Sony a560. 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

Both of these cameras offer the exact same ISO range. They both have 100 to 12800.

Camera ISO Range
Sony a560 100-12800
Canon EOS M 100-12800

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 Sony a560
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS M

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a560 can shoot up to 5 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS M can shoot up to 4,3 pictures per seconds.

Camera FPS (Frames per second)
Sony a560 5
Canon EOS M 4,3

Ability to record movies

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

In this case, both Sony a560 and Canon EOS M 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.

Sony a560 weighs 599 gr (equal to 1.32 lb) which is 101% heavier than Canon EOS M and its 298 gr (or 0.66 lb).

Camera Weight
Sony a560 599 gr
1.32 lb
Canon EOS M 298 gr
0.66 lb

Sony a560 vs Canon EOS M Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a560 and Canon EOS M, 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
Sony a560
Canon EOS M
Name Sony a560 Canon EOS M
Manufacturer Sony Canon
Release Date and Price
Sony a560
Canon EOS M
Release Year 2010 2012
Release Date 2010-08-24 2012-07-23
MSRP 649 USD 799 USD
Buy it today
Camera Type
Sony a560
Canon EOS M
Camera Type DSLR Mirrorless
Sensor
Sony a560
Canon EOS M
Sensor Size APS-C (approx 23.5 x 15.6 mm) APS-C (approx 22.3 x 14.9 mm)
Sensor Type CMOS CMOS
Resolution 4592 x 3056 pixels 5184 x 3456 pixels
Megapixels 14 MP 18 MP
Image Processor Bionz DIGIC 5
Image
Sony a560
Canon EOS M
ISO Range 100 - 12800 100 - 12800
White Balance Presets 6 6
Custom White Balance Yes Yes
Image Stabilization Yes
(Sensor-Shift)
No
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating 0 stops 0 stops
Uncompressed format RAW RAW
Optics & Focus
Sony a560
Canon EOS M
Autofocus Motor Yes Yes
Autofocus Phase Detect
Multi Area
Selective Single Point
Single
Continuous
Face Detection
LiveView
Contract Detect (sensor)
Phase Detect
Multi Area
Selective Single Point
Single
Continuous
Face Detection
LiveView
Focus Points 15 31
Lens Mount Sony A

See Compatible Lenses
Canon EF-M

See Compatible Lenses
Focal Length Multiplier APS-C Sensor (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
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
Screen & Viewfinder
Sony a560
Canon EOS M
Articulated LCD Tilting Fixed
Screen size 3” 3”
Screen dots 921600 1040000
Touch screen No Yes
Screen type N/A Clear View II TFT LCD
Live view Yes Yes
Viewfinder Type Optical (pentamirror) No Viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage 95%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.8× (0.53× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder Resolution N/A 0
Photography features
Sony a560
Canon EOS M
Frames per second 5 fps 4,3 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed 30 seconds 60 seconds
Maximum Shutter Speed 1/4000 seconds 1/4000 seconds
Built-in Flash Yes No
Built-in Flash Range 12 meters N/A
External Flash Yes Yes
Self-Timer Yes Yes
Time-lapse No No
Metering modes Multi
Center Weighted
Spot
Multi
Center Weighted
Spot
Partial
Exposure Compensation +/- 2 (at 1/3 EV steps) +/- 3 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
Videography features
Sony a560
Canon EOS M
Video recording Yes Yes
Video format MPEG4
H.264
AVCHD
MPEG4
H.264
Video resolution 1440 x 1080
1920 x 1080
1280 x 720
1920 x 1080
Built-in Microphone Yes Yes
Built-in Speakers No Yes
Storage
Sony a560
Canon EOS M
Memory Card Memory Stick Pro Duo
SD/SDHC
SD/SDHC
Connectivity
Sony a560
Canon EOS M
HDMI Output Yes Yes
Microphone Port No No
Headphone Port No No
Wireless Yes
Eye-Fi Connected
Yes
Eye-Fi Connected
Remote Control Yes (Optional) No
GPS No Yes
Optional via GP-E2
Body & Dimensions
Sony a560
Canon EOS M
Enviromentally sealed No No
Battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery Details Rechargeable NP-FM500H battery & charger
Lithium-Ion LP-E12 rechargeable battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA) 1050 shots 230 shots
Width 137 mm 109 mm
Height 104 mm 66 mm
Depth 84 mm 32 mm
Weight 599 gram 298 gram