Sony NEX-5N vs Canon EOS M

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony NEX-5N and Canon EOS M. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Sony NEX-5N is manufacturered by Sony but Canon EOS M is from Canon. Both Sony and Canon are well known brands though.

Type of camera

Both these cameras are Mirrorless cameras. No difference there.

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Sony NEX-5N 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.

** 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 NEX-5N has a 16 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:

Canon EOS M has a 12 % larger resolution than Sony NEX-5N. 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

Sony NEX-5N has a larger ISO-range than Canon EOS M. Sony NEX-5N 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 Sony NEX-5N
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 NEX-5N can shoot up to 10 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS M can shoot up to 4,3 pictures per seconds.

Ability to record movies

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

In this case, both Sony NEX-5N 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.

Canon EOS M weighs 298 gr (equal to 0.66 lb) which is 11% heavier than Sony NEX-5N and its 269 gr (or 0.59 lb).

Sony NEX-5N vs Canon EOS M Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony NEX-5N 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 NEX-5N	Canon EOS M
Name	Sony NEX-5N	Canon EOS M
Manufacturer	Sony	Canon
Release Date and Price	Sony NEX-5N	Canon EOS M
Release Year	2011	2012
Release Date	2011-08-24	2012-07-23
MSRP	599 USD	799 USD
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Camera Type	Sony NEX-5N	Canon EOS M
Camera Type	Mirrorless	Mirrorless
Sensor	Sony NEX-5N	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	4912 x 3264 pixels	5184 x 3456 pixels
Megapixels	16 MP	18 MP
Image Processor	Bionz	DIGIC 5
Image	Sony NEX-5N	Canon EOS M
ISO Range	100 - 25600	100 - 12800
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	Sony NEX-5N	Canon EOS M
Autofocus Motor	Yes	Yes
Autofocus	Contract Detect (sensor) Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous LiveView	Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Selective Single Point Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView
Focus Points	25	31
Lens Mount	Sony E 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 NEX-5N	Canon EOS M
Articulated LCD	Tilting	Fixed
Screen size	3”	3”
Screen dots	920000	1040000
Touch screen	Yes	Yes
Screen type	Tilt Up 80°, Down 45° TFT LCD	Clear View II TFT LCD
Live view	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder Type	Electronic (optional)	No Viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage
Viewfinder Magnification
Viewfinder Resolution	0	0
Photography features	Sony NEX-5N	Canon EOS M
Frames per second	10 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	+/- 3 (at 1/3 EV steps)	+/- 3 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
Videography features	Sony NEX-5N	Canon EOS M
Video recording	Yes	Yes
Video format	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	Yes	Yes
Storage	Sony NEX-5N	Canon EOS M
Memory Card	Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC	SD/SDHC
Connectivity	Sony NEX-5N	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 RMT-DSLR1)	No
GPS	No	Yes Optional via GP-E2
Body & Dimensions	Sony NEX-5N	Canon EOS M
Enviromentally sealed	No	No
Battery	Battery Pack	Battery Pack
Battery Details	ithium-Ion NPFW50 rechargeable battery & charger	Lithium-Ion LP-E12 rechargeable battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	460 shots	230 shots
Width	111 mm	109 mm
Height	59 mm	66 mm
Depth	38 mm	32 mm
Weight	269 gram	298 gram