Canon EOS M vs Canon 7D Mark II

Cameras
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Canon EOS M vs Canon 7D Mark II

APS-C 332.3mm²
18.0 megapixels
ISO 100 - 12,800

Go in depth with our full Canon EOS M Review.
How does it shoot? Canon EOS M in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the EOS M.
Compare Canon EOS M image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Canon EOS M conclusion.

APS-C 337.5mm²
20.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 16,000

Go in depth with our full Canon 7D Mark II Review.
How does it shoot? Canon 7D Mark II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the 7D Mark II.
Compare Canon 7D Mark II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Canon 7D Mark II conclusion.

Succeeded by the Canon EOS M3
Compare EOS M vs EOS M3
Compare Canon EOS M3 vs Canon 7D Mark II

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Differences

Canon EOS M advantages over Canon 7D Mark II

Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Thinner
32 mm vs 78 mm
Thinner
Lighter weight
503g vs 1388g
Lighter weight

Canon 7D Mark II advantages over Canon EOS M

Lens selection
Excellent vs Limited
Better lens selection gives you more options
Eye-level viewfinder
Eye-level vs Rear display only
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
Fast startup
~0.50 vs 2.7 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Higher effective ISO

Higher effective ISO

Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

You can learn more at our glossary entry.

Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
7D Mark II test data on DxO Mark EOS M test data on DxO Mark

1,082 vs 827 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
Built-in GPS
GPS vs None
Geotag your photos
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

670 vs 230 shots
Capture more photos
More telephoto lens reach
216 mm vs 88 mm
Capture objects farther away with the kit lens
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Less shutter lag
0.25 vs 0.74 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
Dual card slots
Yes vs No
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Faster JPEG shooting
9.5 fps vs 4.2 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
103 vs 13 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
9.5 fps vs 4.4 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
26 vs 6 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light
Higher extended ISO
51200 vs 25600 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

On-sensor phase detect
Both provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
External Mic Jack
Both provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Focus peaking
Neither provide
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Neither provide
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Tiltable Screen
Neither provide
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
Built-in Wi-Fi
Neither provide
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Neither provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

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Read EOS M User Reviews

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Buy the Canon 7D Mark II

Body Only

Body Only
Body with W-E1 Wi-Fi Adapter
Kit with 18-135mm Lens
Kit with 18-135mm Lens and Wi-Fi Adapter

All 7D Mark II Deals

Review Excerpt

Excellent image quality similar to Rebel T4i, T5i and SL1 DSLRs, with 18-megapixel APS-C-type sensor delivering considerable resolution for a mirrorless camera; Solid build and sleek design; Bright, high-resolution 3-inch LCD touchscreen monitor; Full 1080p HD video recording that's virtually silent with an STM lens.
Barely acceptable autofocus speed still lags far behind most mirrorless cameras despite firmware update fix; Limited physical controls and buttons, including no Program, Priority, or Manual on Mode dial; Lacks built-in flash or electronic viewfinder option; Only two compact EF-M mount lenses currently available.
Read our Canon EOS M Review

Excellent image quality; High ISO performance improved over predecessor; Excellent burst speeds (up to 10fps); Significantly improved buffer depths; 65-pt AF system; Dual Pixel CMOS AF; Can focus down to f/8 (great for teleconverters); 1080/60p video; Headphone and mic jacks; Rugged build quality.
Autofocus speed (AF shutter lag) slower than 7D and 70D; Mediocre battery life for a pro DSLR; Dynamic range at low to moderate ISOs not as good as competitors; Phase-detect AF did not perform as well as expected in our low-light AF tests; No built-in Wi-Fi; No autofocus for 1080/60p video.
Read our Canon 7D Mark II Review

The Competition

Compared to Canon 7D

Canon EOS M

Canon 7D

$600
APS-C

Touchscreen
On-sensor phase detect

$1499
APS-C

Lens selection
Eye-level viewfinder

Compare Canon EOS M vs Canon 7D

Canon 7D Mark II

Canon 7D

$1647
APS-C

Higher effective ISO
Built-in GPS

$1499
APS-C

Less expensive
Less shutter lag

Compare Canon 7D Mark II vs Canon 7D

Compared to Canon 6D

Canon EOS M

Canon 6D

$600
APS-C

Touchscreen
On-sensor phase detect

$1699
35mm

Lens selection
Larger sensor

Compare Canon EOS M vs Canon 6D

Canon 7D Mark II

Canon 6D

$1647
APS-C

On-sensor phase detect
More telephoto lens reach

$1699
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Canon 7D Mark II vs Canon 6D

Compared to Sony NEX-C3

Canon EOS M

Sony NEX-C3

$600
APS-C

Touchscreen
On-sensor phase detect

$559
APS-C

Lens selection
In-camera panoramas

Compare Canon EOS M vs Sony NEX-C3

Canon 7D Mark II

Sony NEX-C3

$1647
APS-C

Lens selection
Eye-level viewfinder

$559
APS-C

Bigger pixels
In-camera panoramas

Compare Canon 7D Mark II vs Sony NEX-C3

Compared to Sony NEX-5N

Canon EOS M

Sony NEX-5N

$600
APS-C

Less expensive
Touchscreen

$700
APS-C

Lens selection
Larger sensor

Compare Canon EOS M vs Sony NEX-5N

Canon 7D Mark II

Sony NEX-5N

$1647
APS-C

Lens selection
Eye-level viewfinder

$700
APS-C

Bigger pixels
In-camera panoramas

Compare Canon 7D Mark II vs Sony NEX-5N

Compared to Sony NEX-5R

Canon EOS M

Sony NEX-5R

$600
APS-C

Less expensive
External Mic Jack

$499
APS-C

Lens selection
Focus peaking

Compare Canon EOS M vs Sony NEX-5R

Canon 7D Mark II

Sony NEX-5R

$1647
APS-C

Lens selection
Eye-level viewfinder

$499
APS-C

Focus peaking
Bigger pixels

Compare Canon 7D Mark II vs Sony NEX-5R

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