Canon EOS M5 vs Fujifilm X-E3 — Which Is Better?

The Fujifilm X-E3 is the lighter, slimmer carry of these two APS-C mirrorless cameras, weighing 337 g against 427 g for the Canon EOS M5. Announced a year later, in 2017 versus 2016, it also measures 43 mm deep against the Canon's 61 mm, which suits a coat pocket or a small bag. The M5 is narrower at 116 mm against 121 mm, but the depth and weight differences are the ones that change how each camera packs.

Their native lens systems differ, so lenses do not transfer between bodies: the M5 uses the Canon EF-M mount and the X-E3 uses the Fujifilm X mount. Anyone already owning lenses in one system has a strong practical anchor for that body. Both cameras use the same sensor format and type, APS-C CMOS, so a lens of a given focal length frames similarly on either body.

The X-E3 gives you far more autofocus points for tracking erratic subjects, with 325 against 49 on the M5. For a child running around a playground or birds crossing a frame, that denser point selection gives you more off-centre placements to choose from before you shoot. Burst rates are close, at 9 fps for the M5 and 8 fps for the X-E3, so both cover short action bursts in stills.

Resolution is a near match at 24.2 MP for the M5 and 24 MP for the X-E3, so neither has a meaningful cropping or large-print advantage. Both share a 1/4000 second maximum shutter for freezing daylight action, and neither offers in-body stabilisation, so steady handheld shots in low light depend on the lens or a faster shutter speed. Each provides the same 2,360,000-dot electronic viewfinder for eye-level framing.

The X-E3 is the camera to buy if you want 4K footage, because the M5 tops out at Full HD. That higher maximum resolution gives you sharper output for large screens and more latitude to crop or stabilise in editing. Both cameras share the same 60 fps maximum video frame rate, so ordinary-pace footage records the same way on either body.

The M5 offers a built-in interval timer for timelapse work, which the X-E3 does not, so anyone shooting day-to-night sequences without external gear saves a step on the Canon. The M5 records MP4 files, while the X-E3 writes MPEG-4 or MOV files, so a workflow that prefers MOV has an option only on the Fujifilm.

The M5 has the more versatile rear screen for stills work: it flips out for waist-level and overhead angles, it is slightly larger at 3.2 inches against 3 inches, and it shows noticeably more detail at 1,620,000 dots against 1,040,000. The X-E3's fixed screen keeps those awkward-angle shots to the viewfinder or a guess. Both screens are touch-sensitive, so touch focus and swipe-through menus work on either body.

The M5 also carries a built-in flash for fill light when you travel light, while the X-E3 relies on an external unit, which both cameras support. The X-E3 adds Bluetooth for a persistent low-power phone link alongside the Wi-Fi both cameras share. Neither has GPS or weather sealing, so location tagging and rough-weather shooting need the same workarounds on both.

The X-E3 rates 350 shots per charge against 295 for the M5, a modest margin for a longer morning of shooting between charges. Each camera takes a single SD, SDHC or SDXC card, and the X-E3 supports UHS-I speeds, so fast cards are not held to basic transfer rates in that body. Neither offers a second card slot for backup or overflow, and neither charges over USB.