Canon's most advanced EOS M body with built-in EVF and Dual Pixel AF.
The Canon EOS M5 was released in October 2016 as the flagship Canon EOS M APS-C mirrorless body, the first EOS M with a built-in electronic viewfinder. Dual Pixel CMOS AF was a significant step forward for EOS M autofocus performance. The M5 was specifically designed for photographers who wanted a compact EVF-equipped mirrorless body with DPAF capability. Video recording is limited to 1080p/60fps — no 4K. The M50 (2018) later added 4K to the EOS M lineup.
The 24.2MP APS-C CMOS sensor incorporates Dual Pixel CMOS AF. Burst shooting runs at 9fps with fixed AF and 7fps with DPAF tracking. 1080p video records at up to 60fps with DPAF continuous tracking — no 4K recording. The built-in EVF provides 2.36M-dot electronic framing. No weather sealing. Battery life approximately 295 shots via EVF using the LP-E17, body weight approximately 427g with battery and card, single SD/SDHC/SDXC slot.
The built-in EVF and DPAF combination was the M5's defining feature set for the EOS M platform: previous EOS M bodies either lacked an EVF or lacked DPAF. For photographers who had been using Canon APS-C DSLRs and wanted to downsize without sacrificing DPAF or optical framing, the M5 provided this combination in a compact EF-M body. The 1080p video limit is the specification shortfall relative to what Fujifilm and Sony offered in 2016.
On the used market the M5 is affordable as an EOS M flagship with EVF and DPAF. Canon has ceased development of new EF-M lenses — the EF-M ecosystem dead-end is the systemic consideration. The M50 Mark II added Eye Detection AF and maintains DPAF tracking. Condition checks: DPAF performance in live view, LP-E17 battery health, built-in EVF condition, and screen for marks. Compatible with all Canon EF-M lenses; EF/EF-S lenses via the EF-EOS M adapter.