17.09.2016 8872 Tests and reviews 0

Long-circulating rumors have taken concrete shape: Canon, without waiting for the opening of Photokina 2016 in Cologne, has announced a new compact flagship camera with interchangeable lenses EOS M5 with an impressive set of features. A mirrorless camera appeared in the assortment not only with a functional set close to a professional one, but also with an appropriate appearance and ergonomics. After all, the Canon EOS M, Canon EOS M2, Canon EOS M3 and even the Canon EOS M10 have not won significant recognition from photographers. But will the situation change dramatically? Let's take a look at what's new.

Traditionally, at the beginning of our review, we compare the technical characteristics of the new M5 with the leaders in this market segment.

	Canon EOS M5	Sony a6300	Panasonic GX8
Start price	$1099 with 15-45mm	$1149 with 16-50mm	$1199 without lens
Sensor resolution	24MP	24MP	20MP
Focusing	"Dual Pixel" with PDAF phase detection	with phase detection PDAF	By contrast
Viewfinder	Electronic, resolution 2.360.000	Electronic, resolution 2.360.000	Electronic, resolution 2.360.000
Continuous shooting speed, frames per second	9 (7 with AF tracking)	11 (8 with AF tracking)	8 (5.5 with AF tracking)
Video	1080/60p	4K/30p 1080/120p	4K/30p 1080/60p
Touch focus in video	Yes	Not	Yes
Number of shots per charge LCD screen/EVF	295/295 (410 in Eco mode)	400/350	330/310

Not a convincing performance, to be honest... Well, now let's take a closer look at the camera. The body of the Canon EOS M5 is finally made to be grippy, with enough conveniently located controls (as many as 4 wheels!). The touch screen, combined with large dials, simplifies camera manipulation and setup. By the way, a 3.2-inch screen with a good resolution of 1.6 million dots will please with its mobility: it can be folded down by 180 ° and raised up by 85 °.

The EOS M5 is based on a 24.2 MP APS-C CMOS sensor from the Canon EOS 80D, and the new proprietary DIGIC 7 graphics processor is responsible for processing the data received from the sensor. The picture promises to be decent. The matrix with the processor can easily work out up to ISO 25600 in hardware (without "overclocked" H1 / H2 modes). The lower threshold is 100 ISO units. The shutter provides shutter speeds from 1/4000 to 30 seconds. There is support for electronic image stabilization in 5 axes, but only when shooting video (not the entire sensor area is involved). Digital stabilization can also be used when taking photos, along with optical stabilization in the lens. Video, unfortunately for many, does not pull on the current fashion trends of 4K recording, the Canon EOS M5 can shoot with a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 60 frames per second.

Canon engineers can rightfully be proud of the new camera's autofocus. This is Dual Pixel AF, the sensors of which cover 50% of the matrix. Thus, the photographer gets the opportunity to instantly focus by simply pressing the camera's touch screen (Touch and Drag technology) at almost any point (even without taking his eyes off the viewfinder - the touch screen works like a "joystick"). Tracking autofocus is also available, and we are promised its effective work during video shooting. In general, the presence of phase autofocus sensors on the matrix made it possible to achieve a significant increase in the camera's rate of fire when shooting with active tracking autofocus - up to 7 frames per second (at 9 per second with autofocus and exposure locked).

The Canon EOS M5 is powered by a standard LP-E17 battery that lasts for about 300 shots. And this is with Bluetooth always on. This solution allows you to instantly connect to your smartphone to transfer photos. For remote control with support for Live View mode, the camera will have to be connected to a smartphone via Wi-Fi. You can do this instantly with the help of NFC technology, which is also present. Of course, you can save photos not only to your smartphone, but also to memory cards. Only one SD card is supported (up to SDXC UHS-I). More advanced UHS-II memory cards, alas, are not supported.

Summary

The Canon EOS M5 is the company's first truly successful mirrorless camera. Powerful processor, high-resolution sensor, support for Bluetooth technology, unprecedented in the line, coupled with Wi-Fi and NFC. Pleases electronic viewfinder, folding selfie display. Video shooting… Full HD at 60 fps - yes, no 4K. Such is the fly in the ointment all these delights. But, nevertheless, the camera this time seems to have succeeded, although compared to competitors, the camera does not look impressive.

Specifications Canon EOS M5

Camera	Canon EOS M5
Matrix	CMOS, 22.3×14.9mm
Permission	24 megapixels (6000×4000)
Viewfinder	Electronic, on organic light-emitting diodes (OLED), 2.36 million points; displays 100% of the frame; with vision adjustment
Screen	LCD touch monitor, TFT, 8 cm (3.2"), 1.62 M dots
GPU	DIGIC 7
Applied optics	EF-M
crop factor	1,6
Image stabilization	Electronic 5-axis; built-in optical lens
Autofocus system	Phase detection pixels on the image sensor (Dual Pixel CMOS AF); 49 zones (9 zones with manual selection)
Focus modes	Automatic single and continuous; manual (there is Focus Peaking, magnification 5x and 10x).
Gate	Focal electronically controlled
Shutter speed range	1/4000-30 s (step 1/3 steps) and B; sync speed 1/200 s
Exposure modes and programs	Software automatic, shutter priority, aperture priority, manual mode; scene auto selector, hybrid auto, scene programs (9), creative filters (8 including HDR)
Shooting speed	up to 9 fps without AF (up to 26 JPEG frames per burst); up to 7 fps with AF
Light sensitivity	Photo: 100-25600 ISO; video: 100-6400 ISO
Flash	Built-in: HF 5 (100 ISO), lens angle from 15 mm; external: E-TTL II support
Video filming	MP4 (video: MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, audio: MPEG-4 AAC-LC); Full HD - 1920x1080 (59.94, 50, 29.97, 25, 23.976 fps); Recording time up to 29 min. 59 s (up to 4 GB)
Nutrition	Li-ion battery LP-E17
Memory	1 slot, SD, SDHC, SDXC (supports UHS-I)
Interfaces and communication	Micro USB, micro HDMI, 3.5 mm mini stereo jack for microphone; Wi-Fi b/g/n, Dynamic NFC, Bluetooth 4.1
Dimensions and weight	115.6 x 89.2 x 60.6mm; 427 g (with battery and memory card)
Other	12 customizable buttons

Canon EOS M5 Camera Review | Photographing in daylight

In daylight Canon EOS M5 takes great pictures, with lots of detail and bright, clean colors. Using nine shooting modes, you can change the color reproduction, but we found that in most cases it is best to shoot in the standard color mode, and do the color correction later. JPEG shots have a narrow dynamic range, and details in the darkest and brightest areas are often lost in darkness and light, making the picture look flat and unattractive.

If you're working with RAW files that your camera can shoot at the same time as JPEGs (if you have enough space on your memory card), it's not uncommon to be able to extract more detail when processing photos in programs like Photoshop. In the photo below, you can see how the camera captured the finest details of the flower and the beetle chewing its way through the petal just below the center.

Canon EOS M5 Camera Review | Photographing in low light

Pictures taken out of direct sunlight look just as attractive, with good color reproduction and detail. However, as the light decreases, the camera raises the ISO level, and the noise reduction becomes more intrusive, blurring fine details in the image with ISO above 1600 units. You can increase the ISO to an impressive 25600 units, but this should not be done without vital necessity due to the loss of detail.

Click on image for full size view

To show how ISO settings affect image quality, we shot a full moon at different ISO settings and then zoomed in to show the amount of noise. In the original image, the diameter of the moon was about 140 pixels, or about 3% of the total area of ​​the photograph.

Canon EOS M5 Camera Review | Video filming

V Canon EOS M5 It offers a good set of features for video recording, which is up to 1080p at 60 frames per second. While shooting video, both the image stabilizer and autofocus work, so handheld videos do not look particularly shaky. One important feature is missing: the ability to shoot in 4K. The EOS M5 can shoot video in Full HD, but not in 4K - unlike many other cameras, for example, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 for $600 (49,990 rubles in Russia).

Canon EOS M5 Camera Review | Video recording in bright light

As with still photography, when recording video in bright light Canon EOS M5 produces a very attractive picture with excellent detail, bright, pure colors and smooth natural movement. This is especially true of the Full HD/60 fps mode - videos shot in it look great on a large TV screen. We had no problems with rolling shutter, a nasty effect in which straight objects are distorted due to the nature of the video signal being recorded.

In low light, digital noise becomes more noticeable and unpleasant. It appears as flickering in areas of the same color, and looks like a lot of fireflies against a dark sky. An extremely ugly effect, so if you're planning on shooting around a campfire or at dusk, it's best to look at some other camera.

Sound quality Canon EOS M5 not impressive: due to the fact that two miniature microphones are located near the lens, they pick up a quiet buzzing sound of the stabilization and focusing systems. Luckily, the camera has a 3.5mm mic input that you can plug into a higher quality external mic, like the $100 Rode VideoMic Go that mounts right into the camera's hot shoe.

Canon EOS M5 Camera Review | Autofocus and continuous shooting

V Canon EOS M5 a new focusing system called Dual Pixel is used, in which both contrast and phase sensors are built into the image sensor chip. This combination provides more accurate focusing in different lighting conditions (phase focus works better in low light, and contrast focus usually works faster). We liked the result: the stock lens came into focus quickly, and the focus point(s) could be easily adjusted via the touch screen. In the arsenal of the device there is also automatic recognition and tracking of faces.

Click on image for full size view

The camera is capable of shooting bursts at 9fps with single-frame autofocus and 7fps with tracking autofocus. However, in this mode, the device can work for only 2-3 seconds, after which it needs a pause to write images to the memory card, so we recommend that you carefully calculate the time.

Canon EOS M5 Camera Review | Wireless connection

Canon EOS M5 has two wireless adapters: Wi-Fi 802.11b / g / n 2.4 GHz band and Bluetooth Smart. When connected to the Canon Camera Connect mobile app ( android version or iOS version the initial connection is established via Bluetooth Smart and Wi-Fi is used for photo sharing and Live Preview.

This system works better than in most cases. The EOS M5 connects to a smartphone to view images much faster than many other devices.

Canon EOS M5 Camera Review | Battery

Nutrition Canon EOS M5 is powered by a 1040 mAh LP-E17 rechargeable battery that fits in the handle. Canon claims the ability to shoot up to 295 photos in standard or up to 420 photos in economy modes. During testing, we shot for two days until the battery needed recharging. However, it cannot be charged without removing it from the camera: the battery is placed in a special device that is connected to an electrical outlet. Replacement batteries cost approximately $50 for the original and less than $10 for a compatible third-party model.

Canon EOS M5 Camera Review | Standard lens

Stock lens we tested with Canon EOS M5, this is a zoom lens with a focal length of 15 to 45 mm and aperture of f / 3.5-6.3. It delivers acceptable image quality and is a good starting point for the aspiring photographer. We noticed that the edges of the shots become quite blurry at both the wide and long ends of the lens, and at wide open a lot of the details fade into the blue.

The lens has a locking system, thanks to which its height when not in use is only 43 mm. By pressing the lock button and turning the manual zoom ring, you bring it to a state of readiness, and then its height becomes a little less than 63 mm.

The Canon EOS M5 can also be purchased with an 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM lens for $1,300.

Canon EOS M5 Camera Review | Lenses

The Canon EOS M5 uses the Canon EF-M mount, and Canon itself offers 10 different lenses for this relatively new mount today. They include both the $350 wide-angle 11-22mm f/2 model and the $350 telephoto 55-200mm model, plus a few fixed-focus lenses. They all cost less than $500, and most are less than $300, so they're cheaper than most other types of "glass" today. If you have lenses from Canon DSLRs, you can mount them using the EF/EF-S adapter sold separately for $200. Canon EOS M5 capable of full control of EF/EF-S lenses; both autofocus and image stabilizer work just as well as they do on a DSLR.

Canon EOS M5 Camera Review | conclusions

In camera Canon EOS M5 may like a lot. It combines the handling of a DSLR with the small size and weight of a mirrorless camera. It won't dislodge the Sony A6000 from our Editors' Choice pedestal, though, as it's more expensive, heavier, and doesn't shoot as well, especially in low light. With the release of the EOS M5, Canon has taken a few steps towards the perfect mirrorless camera, but it's still far from perfect.

Cameras of the Canon EOS M series belong to a series of so-called system cameras, having, on the one hand, a compact size, and on the other hand, the ability to change lenses, install additional accessories and other features.
On this page, we'll take a look at the 2015-2016 Canon EOS M3, M5, and M10 models, which have similar specifications and various features to enhance shooting convenience.

Model Benefits

The undoubted advantage of the models considered here is the use in them of a relatively large CMOS matrix with a size of 22.3x14.9 mm (which is a tradition in the pioneers of the series - the EOS M and EOS M2 models).
With the devices you can use both specially designed EF-M lenses for them, and through a special adapter, lenses designed for Canon SLR cameras.
Note that the issue of image stabilization is "assigned" to the lens you choose.

A fast Hybrid CMOS AF system with up to 49 "aiming points" positions these models for shooting both static and fast-moving subjects.
Support for shooting in RAW format opens up opportunities for subsequent in-depth editing of the photos taken.

All models have a swivel touch screen that allows you to shoot from different angles.

Support for Wi-Fi and NFC systems allows you to "connect" cameras with phones, tablets and printers, it is also possible to remotely control the devices themselves from smartphones.

Compact Canon EOS M10

The Canon EOS M10 has the most compact dimensions and "democratic" weight, which allows it to be called a "travel camera".

Indeed, the model is very convenient for everyday use, allowing, thanks to the swivel screen, to take selfies. Support for shooting video in Full HD format allows you to shoot high-quality videos, including those with stereo sound.

Optional accessories in the Canon EOS M3

The Canon EOS M3 is larger than the model discussed above. This solution allows you to "introduce" additional mode switches into the model, as well as add a hot shoe that allows you to install additional flashes and lighting devices.

We also note the increased resolution of the matrix - from 18 to 24 megapixels compared to the EOS M10.

EOS M5 Line Leader

The Canon EOS M5, the leader of the line of mirrorless cameras, differs not only in its large dimensions. The model uses a more advanced Digic 7 processor, which made it possible to increase the burst shooting speed to 9 fps, as well as to "achieve" Full HD video shooting at up to 60 frames per second.
We also note the presence of an innovative autofocus system Dual Pixel CMOS AF.

The hot shoe allows you to connect additional devices to the model, and the built-in 0.39-inch viewfinder with a resolution of 236 thousand
points - confidently shoot in sunny weather.

In addition to supporting Wi-Fi and NFC, which is typical for all these models, the Canon EOS M5 also supports communication with a smartphone via Bluetooth, which allows you to save energy and always keep your smartphone "connected".

Sample photos

Canon EOS M3, EF M 11-22mm lens F4-5.6 IS STM, shutter speed 3.2 s, aperture F 11.0, ISO 100	Canon EOS M10, lens EF M 15-45mm F3.5-6.3 IS STM, shutter speed 1/20 s, aperture F 7.1, ISO 200	canon eos m5, EF M 11-22mm lens F4-5.6 IS STM, shutter speed 1 s, aperture F 8.0, ISO 100

The source of sample photos is the official website of the manufacturer.

Camera differences

We will show some fundamental differences between the Canon EOS M3, M5 and M10 cameras in the form of a table

	Canon EOS M10	Canon EOS M3	Canon EOS M5
Resolution, Mp	18	24,2	24,2
Autofocus system	Hybrid CMOSAF II	Hybrid CMOS AF III	dual pixel CMOS AF
CPU	Digital 6	Digital 6	Digital 7
Continuous shooting, fps	4,6	4,2	9
Video recording	1920x1080, 30 fps	1920x1080, 30 fps	1920x1080, 60 fps
hot shoe	-	There is	There is
Built-in viewfinder	-	-	There is
Number of frames	255	250	295
External microphone input	-	There is	There is
LCD display	3 inches 1.04M points	3 inches 1.04M points	3.2 inches 1.62M points
Wireless Features	WiFi NFC	WiFi NFC	WiFi NFC Bluetooth
Dimensions, weight with battery pack	108x66.6x35mm, 301 g	110.9x68x44.4mm, 366 g	115.6x89.2x60.6mm, 427 g

Every person in love with photography dreams of having a camera that can shoot whatever they want, and even with perfect quality. But not everyone is ready for the camera to be heavy and bulky. Someone began to dream of a small and powerful camera, disappointed in the photo capabilities of a smartphone. Someone, having rashly bought a SLR camera “like from a friend”, increasingly leaves it at home, considering walking with it tiring. Yes, and many professionals who are forced to carry multi-kilogram sets of photographic equipment to commercial shootings dream of shooting on vacation with something less burdensome, but comparable in quality and capabilities.

background

Approximately 10 years ago, photographic equipment manufacturers noticed a growing need for small, but high-quality cameras, and soon "mirrorless" cameras - compact cameras with interchangeable lenses - began to appear on the market one after another. Almost equal to DSLRs in terms of image quality and capabilities, this new class of cameras has managed to return serious photography to the mainstream of pleasant pastime and creativity on vacation.

Canon has been releasing mirrorless cameras in the EOS M family since 2012, and recently the EOS M5, which we will cover in this review, became its flagship. Let's try to figure out how close the "five" approached the ideal of a photographer.

Camera in hand

In terms of design, layout and control layout, the Canon EOS M5 is similar to a regular DSLR, only slightly scaled down.

At first, for owners of large hands, it may even seem too small. But the fingers quickly get used to the comfortable non-slip grip on the front and the thumb rest on the back, after which the discomfort disappears, and the index finger rests exactly on the shutter button.

It is also convenient for them to turn the control wheel located around it. The index finger can easily be moved to both the function button on the right and the flash release button on the left.

All the buttons on the rear panel are also in the zone of action of the thumb, however, at the same time, the camera already needs to be lightly held with the left hand.

It also serves to switch the camera mode using the selector dial located to the left of the viewfinder.

With the left hand, it is also more convenient to turn on the camera with the lever located under the selector dial.

It’s worth adding that the disk just won’t be accidentally knocked down, for example, when you take the cameras out of the bag - the developers have provided a locking button, without which you can’t turn the disk without pressing it.

The programmable button to the right of the lens is convenient to press with your ring finger. The Wi-Fi connection activation button is located on the right side of the case, under the compartment with an HDMI connector (it is needed to output images from the camera to external devices).

You get used to all the controls pretty quickly, gradually starting to understand how carefully everything is thought out. The previously mentioned control wheels in manual and creative modes allow you to quickly and easily change basic shooting parameters, navigate through menus and select settings.

One of the screens of the control function selection menu. Many buttons can be programmed to quickly access the functions and settings you need.

Camera in action

The camera is ready for use in about 1 - 1.5 seconds after being turned on. However, if you are using a standard folding zoom lens, you will still need to move it to the working position. With any other lens, just turn the power lever. Will something else prevent the photographer from capturing an interesting moment that quickly arose? Under adequate lighting conditions - almost nothing.

Thanks to Dual Pixel CMOS AF autofocus technology, the camera focuses very quickly. Recall that this system is used in Canon's top professional DSLRs and uses pixels with two separate photodiodes on the matrix. Such autofocus is very effective in most scenes, except for very poorly lit ones. In addition, the desired AF area can be instantly selected by touching the LCD touch screen with your finger.

If there is not enough light in the shooting scene for autofocus, you can switch to manual focusing, where the “focus peaking” function, which highlights the contours of objects in focus, will help to accurately focus.

You can view shooting in the Canon EOS M5 either through the high-resolution EVF (2.36 million dots) with 100% frame coverage, or on the flip-out 1.62 million-dot LCD touch screen with a diagonal of 3.2 inches.

The option with a viewfinder will appeal to owners of DSLRs, photographers with imperfect vision (there is diopter adjustment), as well as for shooting on bright sunny days. The infrared sensor built into the EVI reacts to the approach of a person to the camera and automatically switches the image output from the display to the viewfinder and vice versa.

Framing on the screen will be more familiar to those who started taking pictures with a smartphone or digital “soap box”. In addition, the folding screen is very convenient when shooting from high and low positions.

The LCD screen is indispensable for selfies, for which it leans back and translates into a vertical position with a rotation of 180 °. And the combination of a small, unattractive camera and a horizontally rotated screen will allow you to covertly shoot interesting genre scenes.

Let us remind you once again that the screen of the camera is touch-sensitive, thanks to which you can instantly change the position of the focus point by touching the desired place in the frame, as well as take pictures with one touch without attracting attention to yourself.

The camera is more than suitable for reporting and dynamic scenes, the burst shooting speed is at the level of SLR cameras: 7 frames per second with tracking autofocus and 9 fps with focusing on the first frame.

Shooting quality

The Canon EOS M5 features a state-of-the-art 24MP CMOS sensor and the latest generation DIGIC 7 processor.

In the daytime, in good light, photographs are obtained with rich, natural color reproduction and high detail.

The camera conveys all the halftones of not too contrasting scenes very confidently and accurately, without the intervention of the photographer.

During the day in conditions of insufficient lighting, for example, in a forest with dense vegetation, the situation with image quality hardly changes.

Canon continues to reluctantly develop the mirrorless segment. Such passivity is easy to understand, because the manufacturer has to create mirrorless cameras that will not interfere with the sales of their own DSLRs ... but the manufacturer cannot afford to release a weak product now.

Canon has long ignored the mirrorless segment. Moreover, the first persons of the company have repeatedly stated that this type of camera will not be widely used. It turned out they were wrong. As a result, the manufacturer was one of the last to roll out its EOS M mirrorless camera to the public. To say that it disappointed is to say nothing. A simple design in the style of film "soap dishes", problems with the firmware, slow and inaccurate autofocus, slow continuous shooting, a modest fleet of optics. In essence, it was a failure. But even further, Canon did not develop this type of camera very cheerfully. New items appeared extremely rarely, and as such, Canon still did not have a flagship capable of competing with advanced models of competitors.

The novelty, Canon EOS M5, is referred to in the company's press releases as the flagship. And in principle, there are good reasons for this: an SLR-style design, a lot of controls, Dual Pixel CMOS AF autofocus system and a DIGIC 7 processor, a large tilting touch screen, a high-resolution OLED viewfinder, continuous shooting at up to 9 frames per second, Wi-Fi, NFC and Bluetooth 4.1 BLE. In general, a complete set. In addition, the manufacturer is trying to present the tested camera as a mirrorless version of the Canon EOS 80D. Let's see if this is actually the case.

Specifications

Camera type	Mirrorless camera with interchangeable lenses
Matrix	CMOS, 22.3 x 14.9 mm
Effective pixels	24.2 MP
Total pixels	25.8 MP
Low pass filter	built-in
lens mount	EF-M
CPU	Canon DIGIC 7
Photo frame dimensions	3:2: 6000×4000, 3984×2656, 2976×1984, 2400×1600; 4:3: 5328x>4000, 3552x2664, 2656x1992, 2112x1600; 16:9: 6000x3368, 3984x2240, 2976x1680, 2400x1344; 1:1: 4000x4000, 2656x2656, 1984x1984, 1600x1600
Photo format	JPEG (Exif 2.30) RAW (14-bit, original Canon RAW 2nd version) Compliant with Digital Print Order Format Version 1.1
Video frame size	1920×1080 (59.94; 50; 29.97; 25; 23.976 fps); 1280×720 (59.94, 50 fps) 640x480 (29.97, 25 fps)
Video file format	MP4 (Video: MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, Audio: MPEG-4 AAC-LC (stereo)
Sensitivity	ISO 100-25600 (6400 in movie mode) in 1/3 EV increments
Shutter speed range	30-1/4000 s (in 1/3-stop increments), Bulb
Metering modes	Evaluative metering, partial center metering, center-weighted average metering, spot metering
Exposure compensation	-3…+3 EV in steps of 1/3 EV
Flash	Yes, guide number 5 at ISO 100
Viewfinder	OLED, 0.39″, 2,360,000
Display	8.0 cm (3.2″) ClearView II (TFT) LCD touchscreen, 1,620,000 dots
Data carrier	SD, SDHC, SDXC (UHS-I compliant)
Connectors	HDMI (type D), external microphone (mini-jack 3.5 mm), microUSB, external remote control connector (micro-jack 2.5 mm)
Additionally	Wi-Fi (IEEE802.11b/g/n, 2.4GHz, 1-11 channels), NFC, Bluetooth 4.1 BLE
Nutrition	Lithium-ion battery LP-E17 7.5 Wh (7.2 Volts, 1040 mAh)
Dimensions, mm	115.6x89.2x60.6
Weight, g	427 (including battery and memory card)

Appearance

There are no comments for convenience. Thanks to a comfortable grip on the front side and a ledge under the thumb from the back of the body, as well as rubber pads of a large area, the camera fits perfectly in a medium-sized hand, and most importantly, all controls are easily accessible, and the camera itself does not strive to slip out of hands. Most of the keys are programmable, which allows you to customize the camera to your own needs.

On the front is a lens mount, a programmable key, a pair of microphones, and an IR remote control signal receiver window.

It is worth noting that the IR receiver works without problems not only with native remote controls, but also with Chinese ones that cost less than a dollar. Of course, the IR receiver is easy to make friends with a smartphone if the latter has an IR port.

Autofocus settings are quite familiar to users of Canon DSLRs. Three methods of autofocus are available - 1 point, zonal and face detection + tracking. In all three cases, you can select the focus object simply by clicking on it on the display. Of particular interest is always the tracking mode, to which the face detection mode is loaded. Surprisingly, this mode works great even with a low-contrast background of the subject. Moreover, automation is able to hold even fast and randomly moving objects. Moreover, the camera is able to automatically re-pick up an object if it briefly leaves the frame area. All in all, a feature that is often seen as a one-time toy can be used on a regular basis in the case of the EOS M5.
In manual focus mode, there are two options for assistance. The first standard and familiar one is an increase in the focus area by 5 and 10 times. In zoom mode, moving the focus area is possible using the multi-position key, but it is much more convenient to drag the focus area with your finger across the screen. The second assistant is the highlighting of sharpness edges, which is available in Canon SLR cameras only when installing alternative firmware. There are two options for the activity of the function, as well as three colors for highlighting the edges of sharpness (red, yellow and blue).
The camera supports all exposure modes. Metering modes, traditionally for a Canon camera, 4 (evaluative, partial, spot and center-weighted). The shutter speed range is from 1/4000 to 30 seconds, while the D80, with which many are so persistently trying to compare the tested camera, has a minimum shutter speed of 1/8000 second. However, if it is necessary to use ultra-fast lenses (and there are simply no such lenses for the EF-M mount, so these are only lenses installed through an adapter), in bright light it is quite possible to save the day with a neutral gray filter.
The amount of exposure compensation has been a victim of design. For this function, a separate disk is allocated, on which a range of values ​​​​more than -3 ... + 3 EV would simply be inconvenient. However, this is not the only remark. For example, it is impossible to notice the central position of the disc by touch, so when the correction is turned off, you have to visually control the position of the disc. In addition, the movement of the disc is quite stiff, and the notches on the side surface are small, so even a slightly wet finger slides. With exposure bracketing, too, not everything goes smoothly, because only three frames are provided for shooting in increments of 1/3 to 2 steps. Traditionally, there are automatic brightness correction functions (three levels of activity) and a light tone priority mode that do not work together. In terms of the accuracy of the exposure metering, the camera was pleasantly pleased throughout the entire test, both in artificial and in difficult natural light. In laboratory conditions, when using fluorescent lamps, the metering error reached a value of -0.03 EV, which is negligible. When using incandescent lamps, the error was also small - only -0.14 EV.

In the white balance settings, you can select one of 6 presets, manually set the color temperature (2500 ... 10000 K in 100K increments over the entire range), as well as automatic and manual modes. For the latter, there is only one container, while many competitors have four. There is fine tuning on the ab / gm scale, but there is no white balance bracketing, while competitors, and even the Canon EOS 80D, have this function. Automation works quite accurately in any, even very complex meeting. When illuminated with fluorescent lamps, the error is negligible and imperceptible without comparison with the standard. When illuminated with incandescent lamps, the error is quite large, but no more than that of competitors.

Noises

Stabilization The camera does not have built-in optical stabilization, and the electronic 5-axis stabilizer is available only in video mode. But on the other hand, 6 out of 7 lenses available for the EF-M mount, including the kit lens 15-45mm f / 3.5-6.3 IS STM, are equipped with a built-in stabilizer. Declared effectiveness of the stabilizer of the complete lens is 3.5 EV. Flash The camera has a built-in flash with a modest guide number of 5 at ISO 100, the lowest in the class. The settings provide a choice of operation in E-TTL II mode or manual. In the first case, everything is standard - you can select flash compensation within -2 ... + 2 EV in increments of a third of the step, as well as select the operating mode (estimated or weighted average). In the case of manual tuning, you subconsciously expect the presence of a familiar power divider. But it was not there. Only three levels are available - minimum, maximum and average. However, a denser gradation is not needed for such a low-power flash. When running a one-minute sequential flash test, the camera was able to shoot 20 frames in 41 seconds, which is a good indicator. But after shooting 20 frames, the flash charge delays increased dramatically to 12 seconds. With external flashes, including Chinese E-TTL solutions, the camera works without problems. Auto reflector zoom, first and second curtain sync, and high-speed sync are supported. When working with E-TTL radio synchronizers of the same Chinese manufacturers, the camera flatly refused to work with connected flashes in E-TTL mode, while this set works without problems with Canon DSLRs. However, the manufacturer in the instructions several times focuses on the fact that third-party equipment may not work correctly or not work at all. So it's all fair. Photo examples Video recording operation This is where the tested camera is inferior to most direct competitors, because many of them, with the exception of the Olympus OM-D E-M5 II, support 4K video recording, while the Canon EOS M5 is limited to 1080/60p mode. Directly during recording, it is possible to change the exposure time, aperture opening and sensitivity level. It is noteworthy that you can control these parameters not only with control dials, but also with the help of virtual touch keys, which is very convenient. Autofocus deserves special attention. It is able to work in zone mode, one point at a time, as well as in face detection and object tracking mode, that is, in the same modes as when taking photographs. But more importantly, autofocus works very smoothly and correctly even with a sharp change in shooting distance. Of course, the merit here is not only the new autofocus module, but also the STM lens (with a stepper motor). There is no optical image stabilizer built into the camera, but there is a fairly effective electronic image stabilizer that only works in video mode. Suppression of jerks and judder is carried out by cropping the video, which allows a large resolution of the sensor, so the resulting viewing angle is slightly reduced. There are two levels of stabilization activity, and in a more aggressive mode, the viewing angle is even smaller. However, it wasn’t completely without optical stabilization, because 6 out of 7 lenses for the EF-M mount are equipped with an optical stabilizer, which also works in video mode. The tested camera provides for an external microphone connection, but there is no possibility to connect headphones. However, all direct competitors have a similar situation. The sound level can be adjusted both automatically and manually. Level control is possible in the sound settings menu or in the tool window, but you cannot display the level on the main screen. Also in the settings there is a wind noise suppression filter and an attenuator. In general, everything is quite standard for Canon. Video example stabilization work When tested according to the CIPA standard, the camera is able to capture only 295 frames, which is the worst result among competitors. But still, most of them are only slightly ahead of the Canon EOS M5. Only the Sony Alpha a6300 stands out here, which is capable of capturing 400 frames. But here it is worth noting that the manufacturer has provided an ECO mode in which shooting 420 frames is possible. In this mode, the screen darkens already 2 seconds after the activity stops, after 10 seconds it turns off completely, and after 3 minutes the camera goes into sleep mode. In practice, with the ECO mode turned off, we managed to shoot 489 frames without a flash, which is a good indicator by the standards of mirrorless cameras. Conclusion For Canon, the production of mirrorless cameras is rather a necessary measure, because now it is impossible to do without them. Here the developers sit down on a deep twine. On the one hand, you can't harm sales of your own reflex cameras, but on the other hand, you can't be worse than your competitors and miss your piece of the pie in the established segment. Nikon acted more cunning initially, and already at the stage of formation of the Nikon 1 line, they stopped the possibility of cannibalism within their own lineup at the root, using sensors of different sizes. Canon no longer has such an opportunity, so you have to somehow get out. Compared to the donor Canon EOS 80D, the EOS M5 has a minimum shutter speed twice as long, modest exposure bracketing settings, and no white balance bracketing at all, simpler flash settings, no ALL Intra codec support in video mode, and battery life is shorter. But in some ways, the test subject is even better than the donor. For example, display. Here the tested camera also surpasses all competitors. Now let's briefly go over the advantages and disadvantages. Flaws: – too long preparation for work at power-up; – lack of support for 4K video; – video mode is not supported when remotely controlled using a smartphone; - a modest line of lenses for the EF-M mount. Advantages: - huge possibilities for customizing the interface and management; – excellent touch screen display; – high-quality OLED-viewfinder; – fast continuous shooting; – correct and fast autofocus in photo and video modes; – Extremely accurate automatic exposure setting; – correct operation of automatic white balance setting; – a complete set of wireless interfaces; - a huge fleet of EF / EF-S optics (via an adapter).