Canon EOS M vs Leica T — Which Is Better?

The Canon EOS M and the Leica T are both mirrorless cameras built around APS-C CMOS sensors, so each gives you the same APS-C crop framing. The EOS M arrived in 2012 and the Leica T in 2014, and each uses its own lens mount, Canon EF-M and Leica T, which shapes your lens options.

The EOS M is the smaller and lighter body, measuring 109 x 66 x 32 mm and weighing 298 g against the Leica T's 134 x 69 x 33 mm and 384 g. If a compact camera for a jacket pocket or a small travel bag matters, that 86 g gap favours the Canon.

The EOS M is the stronger choice for focus coverage: it has 31 autofocus points while the Leica T has 1, so you can place the focus point on an off-centre subject without recomposing first. That coverage helps with candid portraits, children and pets moving around the frame.

Resolution also favours the EOS M, 18 MP against 16, giving slightly more room to crop a distant subject or make larger prints. The Leica T shoots a little faster at 5 fps versus 4.3 fps. Otherwise these optics specifications match: both start at 100 ISO, both top out at 1/4000 second, and neither has in-body stabilisation or a viewfinder.

Either camera covers family clips and casual video the same way: both record Full HD at up to 30 fps. Neither offers a built-in timelapse mode, so interval work needs external triggering on both.

The recorded file format is the difference: the EOS M writes MPEG-4 and the Leica T writes MP4.

The Leica T is the better-equipped camera for everyday convenience. It has a built-in flash for dim interiors, Wi-Fi for wireless transfer, and a larger 3.7-inch, 1,300,000-dot screen against the EOS M's 3-inch, 1,040,000-dot display, which makes reviewing focus and detail easier.

The touchscreens, external flash support and live view are shared, so both let you tap to set focus and add a flash. Neither has GPS, weather sealing or a tilting screen, so neither tags photo locations or suits awkward-angle shooting.

The Leica T is the better pick for a long day out: its battery is rated for 400 shots against 230 for the EOS M, a 170-shot difference in the rated figures. Neither camera charges over USB, so both need a mains or dedicated charger.

Storage is a match for practical purposes: both write to SD, SDHC and SDXC cards in a single slot, so your cards work in either camera. The batteries differ, LP-E12 for the Canon and BP-DC13 for the Leica.