We sat down with Richard Trestain from Canon Europe to discuss the new Canon EOS M5 compact system camera that has just been unveiled at Photokina.

The EOS M5 is the new flagship mirrorless camera in Canon’s range, joining the entry-level EOS M10 and the mid-range EOS-M3, giving Canon a well-balanced line-up. Canon are 100% behind mirrorless and fully are committed to doing more in the future.

The EOS M5 features the Digic 7 processor, which makes the camera slightly faster than the EOS 80D DSLR and slightly better in terms of image quality too. It also has Dual Pixel CMOS AF, exactly the same system as used in the equally new EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR.

Battery life is a claimed 50 shots longer than the EOS M3, while the built-in electronic viewfinder (the first on a Canon mirrorless camera) runs at 120fps and is virtually indistinguishable from a traditional optical viewfinder.

Canon see the EOS M5 as a second camera for existing Canon DSLR owners , as it’s 45% smaller than the EOS 80D DSLR whilst delivering better image quality. It may also replace the G-series as the traditional go-to second camera for Canon’s more loyal customers.

The Canon M5 has a dedicated exposure compensation dial on top of the body, alongside a G-series like mode dial that can be customised by the end user.

The M5 is the first ever Canon camera to feature built-in Bluetooth. Always -on Bluetooth connectivity is used to offload files to a smartphone for sharing, and to drive the remote live view feature.

To encourage take-up of the EOS M5, the Canon EF-EOS M Adapter will be included in the box for the first few months of sales. This allows Canon’s extensive EF range of lenses to be fitted onto the EOS M-series cameras (EF-M is the native lens mount).

Joining the EOS-M5 is the EF-M 18-150mm everyday super-zoom lens, making 6 EF-M lenses in total.

No battery grip is planned for the EOS M5, and it doesn’t feature the innovative Dual Pixel Raw technology that made its debut on the EOS 5D Mark IV.

In summary, Canon now feel that they have a well-balanced overall range of expert compacts, mirrorless models, and DSLRs.

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