Sony NEX-6 vs Canon EOS M5

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony NEX-6 and Canon EOS M5. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Sony NEX-6 is manufacturered by Sony but Canon EOS M5 is from Canon. Both Sony and Canon are well known brands though.

Sony NEX-6 were released 2012 and Canon EOS M5 was released 2016. That is a 4 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.

Camera Released
Sony NEX-6 2012
Canon EOS M5 2016

Type of camera

Both these cameras are Mirrorless cameras. No difference there.

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Sony NEX-6 has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor while Canon EOS M5 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 NEX-6 75 mm
Sony APS-C sensor
Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5
Canon EOS M5 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 NEX-6 has a 16 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Canon EOS M5 has 24 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Camera Megapixels
Sony NEX-6 16 MP
16032768 pixels
4912 x 3264
Canon EOS M5 24 MP
24000000 pixels
6000 x 4000

Canon EOS M5 has a 50 % larger resolution than Sony NEX-6. 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 25600.

Camera ISO Range
Sony NEX-6 100-25600
Canon EOS M5 100-25600

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 M5 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-6
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS M5

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony NEX-6 can shoot up to 10 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS M5 can shoot up to 9 pictures per seconds.

Camera FPS (Frames per second)
Sony NEX-6 10
Canon EOS M5 9

Ability to record movies

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

In this case, both Sony NEX-6 and Canon EOS M5 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 M5 weighs 427 gr (equal to 0.94 lb) which is 24% heavier than Sony NEX-6 and its 345 gr (or 0.76 lb).

Camera Weight
Sony NEX-6 345 gr
0.76 lb
Canon EOS M5 427 gr
0.94 lb

Sony NEX-6 vs Canon EOS M5 Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony NEX-6 and Canon EOS M5, 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-6
Canon EOS M5
Name Sony NEX-6 Canon EOS M5
Manufacturer Sony Canon
Release Date and Price
Sony NEX-6
Canon EOS M5
Release Year 2012 2016
Release Date 2012-09-12 2016-09-15
MSRP 749 USD 979 USD
Buy it today
Camera Type
Sony NEX-6
Canon EOS M5
Camera Type Mirrorless Mirrorless
Sensor
Sony NEX-6
Canon EOS M5
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 6000 x 4000 pixels
Megapixels 16 MP 24 MP
Image Processor Bionz DIGIC 7
Image
Sony NEX-6
Canon EOS M5
ISO Range 100 - 25600 100 - 25600
White Balance Presets 6 6
Custom White Balance Yes Yes
Image Stabilization No No
(5-axis for video only)
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating 0 stops 0 stops
Uncompressed format RAW RAW
Optics & Focus
Sony NEX-6
Canon EOS M5
Autofocus Motor Yes Yes
Autofocus Contract Detect (sensor)
Phase Detect
Multi Area
Selective Single Point
Single
Continuous
Face Detection
LiveView
Contract Detect (sensor)
Phase Detect
Multi Area
Center
Selective Single Point
Tracking
Single
Continuous
Touch
Face Detection
LiveView
Focus Points 99 49
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-6
Canon EOS M5
Articulated LCD Tilting Tilting
Screen size 3” 3.2”
Screen dots 921000 1620000
Touch screen No Yes
Screen type Xtra Fine LCD with Tilt Up 90° and Down 45° TFT LCD
Live view Yes Yes
Viewfinder Type Electronic Electronic
Viewfinder Coverage 100% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 1.09× (0.73× 35mm equiv.) 0.62x
Viewfinder Resolution N/A 2360000
Photography features
Sony NEX-6
Canon EOS M5
Frames per second 10 fps 9 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed 30 seconds 30 seconds
Maximum Shutter Speed 1/4000 seconds 1/4000 seconds
Built-in Flash Yes Yes
Built-in Flash Range 6 meters 5 meters
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 +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV steps) +/- 3 (at 1/3 EV steps)
Videography features
Sony NEX-6
Canon EOS M5
Video recording Yes Yes
Video format MPEG4
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-6
Canon EOS M5
Memory Card Memory Stick Pro Duo
SD/SDHC
SD/SDHC
Connectivity
Sony NEX-6
Canon EOS M5
HDMI Output Yes Yes
Microphone Port No Yes
Headphone Port No No
Wireless Yes
Built-in
Yes
Built-in (802.11/b/g/n with Bluetooth and NFC)
Remote Control Yes (InfraRed (optional)) Yes (Wired, wireless, or smartphone)
GPS No No
Body & Dimensions
Sony NEX-6
Canon EOS M5
Enviromentally sealed No No
Battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery Details Lithium-Ion NP-FW50 rechargeable battery & charger
LP-E17 lithium-ion battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA) 360 shots 295 shots
Width 120 mm 116 mm
Height 67 mm 89 mm
Depth 43 mm 61 mm
Weight 345 gram 427 gram