Canon EOS M5 vs Sony Alpha DSLR-A380

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      Overview

      In this comparison, we will evaluate the Canon EOS M5 and the Sony Alpha DSLR-A380, highlighting the advantages of each over the other, discussing their pros and cons, shared strengths and weaknesses, and providing a rating based on their available features and specifications to assist you in choosing the one that best suits your needs.

      Canon EOS M5 was introduced in September 2016 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A380 was introduced in August 2009. Let us first list highlights of the models.

      Canon EOS M5 Highlights

      • 24.2 MP APS-C CMOS Sensor
      • 100 - 25,600 Native ISO
      • 49 Focus Points
      • 3.2" 1,620k dot Tilting Screen
      • 2,360k dot Electronic Viewfinder
      • 9.0 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 1920 x 1080 Video Shooting
      • 30 min Video Recording Limit
      • Built-in Flash
      • Built-In Wi-Fi

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A380 Highlights

      • 14.2 MP APS-C CCD Sensor
      • 100 - 3,200 Native ISO
      • 9 Focus Points
      • Image Stabilization
      • 2.7" 230k dot Tilting Screen
      • Optical (pentamirror) Viewfinder
      • 2.5 fps Continuous Shooting
      • Built-in Flash

      Now that we've looked at the most essential specifications and gained a basic understanding of these cameras, we can delve into more details and see the differences between them.

      Pros and Cons

      In this section we present pros and cons of Canon EOS M5 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A380.

      PROS

      Canon EOS M5

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A380

      •   Cheap
      •   Video Capture
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Digital Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Large Screen - 3.2"
      •   Built-in Flash
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   Built-In Bluetooth
      •   Light - 427 g (0.94 lb / 15.06 oz)
      •   Orientation Sensor
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Built-in Flash
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Orientation Sensor

      CONS

      Canon EOS M5

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A380

      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Low Video Recording Limit
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 295 shots
      •   No Video Capture
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 14.2 Megapixel
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 2.5 fps
      •   No Built-in Microphone
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 500 shots


      And here are some specifications which fall into average criteria and are neither in PROs nor in CONs category:

      AVERAGE

      Canon EOS M5

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A380

      •   Sensor Resolution - 24.2 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   25,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   -1 EV Min AF Detection
      •   49 Focus Points
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,620k dot
      •   Viewfinder Resolution - 2,360k dot
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 9.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/200 sec
      •   DxO Overall Score - 77
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Screen Size - 2.7"
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/160 sec
      •   DxO Overall Score - 67
      •   Weight - 519 g (1.14 lb / 18.31 oz)

      Advantage of Canon EOS M5

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Canon EOS M5 over Sony Alpha DSLR-A380.

      Canon EOS M5 vs Sony Alpha DSLR-A380
      Video Capture vs
      Higher Sensor Resolution 24.2 Megapixel vs 14.2 Megapixel
      Higher Native ISO 25,600 vs 3,200
      Max Image Resolution 6000 x 4000 vs 4592 x 3056
      Timelapse Recording vs
      More Focus Points 49 vs 9
      Touch-to-Focus vs
      Center Autofocus vs
      Tracking Autofocus vs
      Contrast Detection for Autofocus vs
      Digital Image Stabilization vs
      Touch Screen vs
      Larger Screen 3.2" vs 2.7"
      Higher Resolution Screen 1,620k dot vs 230k dot
      Higher Viewfinder Coverage 100% vs 95%
      Higher Max Continuous Shooting 9.0 fps vs 2.5 fps
      Higher Flash Sync Speed 1/200 sec vs 1/160 sec
      Partial Metering vs
      Higher DxO Low Light ISO 1262 vs 614
      Higher DxO Color Depth 23.4 vs 22.6
      Higher DxO Dynamic Range 12.4 vs 11.8
      Higher DxO Overall Score 77 vs 67
      Built-in Microphone Stereo vs
      Microphone Input vs
      Built-In Wi-Fi vs
      Built-In Bluetooth vs
      Lighter 427 g (0.94 lb / 15.06 oz) vs 519 g (1.14 lb / 18.31 oz)

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Canon EOS M5.

      Advantage of Sony Alpha DSLR-A380

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Sony Alpha DSLR-A380 over Canon EOS M5.

      Canon EOS M5 vs Sony Alpha DSLR-A380
      Image Stabilization vs Sensor Shift
      Longer Battery Life 295 shots vs 500 shots

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Sony Alpha DSLR-A380.

      Common Strengths and Weaknesses

      We already listed pros and cons of each model. However, you may also find useful to look at their common strengths and weaknesses shown side-by-side.

      STRENGTHS Canon EOS M5 Sony Alpha DSLR-A380
        Face Detection
        Live View Autofocus
        Built-in Flash
        HDMI Output Micro
        Orientation Sensor
      WEAKNESSES Canon EOS M5 Sony Alpha DSLR-A380
        No Headphone Output
        No Built-in GPS
        No Environmental Sealing
        Short Battery Life295 shots500 shots

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Screen

      Canon EOS M5 has a 3.2" screen with 1,620k dot resolution and Sony Alpha DSLR-A380 has a 2.7" screen with 230k dot resolution. Both have Tilting screens. Tilting screen makes cameras very useful for photography purposes but not so useful for video shooting. Canon EOS M5 also features touchscreen which has advantages such as easy menu navigation, intuitive controls, quick setting adjustment and most importantly a Touch-to-Focus functionality allowing users to select a specific point on the screen where they want the camera to focus. This feature can be helpful for achieving precise focus in both photo and video recording.

      Image cannot be displayed Image cannot be displayed

      Canon EOS M5 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A380 with Tilting screen


      Viewfinder

      Canon EOS M5 has a built-in Electronic viewfinder with 2,360k dot resolution and Sony Alpha DSLR-A380 has a built-in Optical (pentamirror) viewfinder. Canon EOS M5 has 100% coverage magnification and Sony Alpha DSLR-A380 has 95% coverage with 0.74x (0.49x 35mm equivalent) magnification.

      Sensor

      Canon EOS M5 features a 24.2 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor with dimensions of 22.3 x 14.9 mm and a total area of 332.3 mm2. Its native ISO range is 100 - 25,600. Sony Alpha DSLR-A380 features a 14.2 megapixel APS-C CCD sensor with dimensions of 23.6 x 15.8 mm and a total area of 249.6 mm2. Its native ISO range is 100 - 3,200.


      Here is a sensor size comparison chart where you can see how different sensors compare with each other:

      Sensor size chart
      Sensor Dimensions Area Aspect Ratio Crop Factor
      Image cannot be displayedMedium Format44 x 33 mm1452 mm24:30.79x
      Image cannot be displayedFull Frame36 x 24 mm864 mm23:21x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-H27 x 18 mm486 mm23:21.3x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-C23.6 x 15.6 mm368.2 mm23:21.5x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-C (Canon)22.3 x 14.9 mm332.3 mm23:21.6x
      Image cannot be displayedMicro Four Thirds17.4 x 13 mm226.2 mm24:32x
      Image cannot be displayed1-inch13.2 x 8.8 mm116.2 mm23:22.7x
      Image cannot be displayed1/1.7-inch7.44 x 5.58 mm41.5 mm24:34.7x
      Image cannot be displayed1/2.3-inch6.17 x 4.55 mm28.1 mm24:35.6x

      Photography Features

      Canon EOS M5 is equipped with DIGIC 7 processor and can take pictures up to 6000 x 4000 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 3:2 (6000 x 4000, 3984 x 2656, 2976 x 1984, 2400 x 1600), 16:9 (6000 x 3368, 3984 x 2240, 2976 x 1680, 2400 x 1344), 4:3 (5328 x 4000, 3552 x 2664, 2656 x 1992, 2112 x 1600), 1:1 (4000 x 4000, 2656 x 2656, 1984 x 1984, 1600 x 1600) with 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 aspect ratios. Sony Alpha DSLR-A380 is equipped with BIONZ processor and can take pictures up to 4592 x 3056 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 4592 x 2576, 3408 x 2272, 3408 x 1920, 2288 x 1520, 2288 x 1280 with 3:2, 16:9 aspect ratios.


      Lens Mount

      Canon EOS M5 has Canon EF-M lens mount and Sony Alpha DSLR-A380 has Sony A lens mount. They both have APS-C sensor but because of a small size difference their crop factors (also called lens multiplier) differ from each other. Canon EOS M5 has the crop factor of 1.6x which means that a 35mm equivalent focal length of the mounted lens will be equal to its actual focal length times 1.6. Sony Alpha DSLR-A380 has the crop factor of 1.5x which means that a 35mm equivalent focal length of the mounted lens will be equal to its actual focal length times 1.5.


      In-Body Image Stabilization on Sony Alpha DSLR-A380

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A380 has a built-in Sensor Shift in-body image stabilization (IBIS). This means that you are still getting vibration reduction when camera is paired with non-image stabilizied lenses. It also works with lenses with optical image stabilization and in combination can achieve even better compensation.

      Connectivity, Battery and Storage

      Built-in Wi-Fi on Canon EOS M5

      Canon EOS M5 has a built-in Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n, 2.4 GHz) which allows to easily transfer photos and videos from the camera to other Wi-Fi-enabled devices, such as smartphones, tablets, printers, or computers. This eliminates the need for cables and allows for quick and convenient media sharing and social media integration. It gives you the ability to control your camera remotely using a smartphone or tablet. This is particularly useful for taking self-portraits, group shots, or capturing images in challenging conditions without having to touch the camera. Firmware updates can also be downloaded and installed wirelessly.
        Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in WiFi.


      Bluetooth on Canon EOS M5

      Canon EOS M5 has a built-in Bluetooth which lets you to connect the camera to a smartphone or a dedicated remote control device. This allows you to remotely trigger the camera, adjust settings and controls remotely through a paired mobile app. While Wi-Fi is generally faster for transferring larger files, Bluetooth can be used for small, selective transfers, it can provide real-time information about your camera's battery status, memory card capacity, and other key settings directly on your paired smartphone or smartwatch.
        Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in Bluetooth.


      NFC on Canon EOS M5

      Canon EOS M5 has Near Field Communication (NFC) technology which simplifies the process of pairing it with other NFC-enabled devices like smartphones or tablets. It allows to quickly transfer photos and videos or remotely control the camera from compatible device. NFC can also be used for authentication and security purposes. It can verify your identity before accessing certain features or transferring sensitive data. It can be used with NFC-enabled accessories as well, such as lenses, flashes and GPS devices.


      USB Inputs and HDMI Outputs

      Both models have USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) inputs for data transfer. Canon EOS M5 has a Micro HDMI and Sony Alpha DSLR-A380 has an HDMI connector for video signal output.


      Battery

      Canon EOS M5 comes with LP-E17 battery pack with battery life of 295 shots and Sony Alpha DSLR-A380 comes with NP-FH50 battery pack with battery life of 500 shots.


      External Storage Slots

      Canon EOS M5 has a single SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-I) card slot. Sony Alpha DSLR-A380 has a single SD/SDHC, Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo card slot.

      Other Features

      Shutter

      Canon EOS M5 has Electronically controlled focal-place shutter. Shutter speed can go up to 1/4000 sec on Canon EOS M5, and up to 1/4000 sec on Sony Alpha DSLR-A380. Canon EOS M5 can shoot continuously up to 9.0 fps. Sony Alpha DSLR-A380 can shoot continuously up to 2.5 fps.


      Focusing

      Canon EOS M5 has Dual Pixel CMOS AF system with 49 focusing points and Sony Alpha DSLR-A380 has 9 focusing points. Canon EOS M5 has detection range from -1 to +18 EV.


      Exposure

      Exposure meterings of Canon EOS M5 ranges from +1 to +20 EV and you can set the exposure compensation within the ±3 EV range on Canon EOS M5 and ±2 EV range on Sony Alpha DSLR-A380. You can also do exposure lock, exposure bracketing and manual exposure adjustment on Canon EOS M5 and and manual exposure adjustment on Sony Alpha DSLR-A380.


      Flash

      Cameras have built-in flash with maximum range of 5.00 m at ISO 100 on Canon EOS M5 and 10.00 m at ISO 100 on Sony Alpha DSLR-A380. They also accept external flash which can be connected via Hot Shoe to Canon EOS M5. The fastest flash synchronization speed is 1/200 sec on Canon EOS M5 and 1/160 sec on Sony Alpha DSLR-A380.

      Physical Parameters

      Canon EOS M5 body has dimensions of 116 x 89 x 61 mm (4.57 x 3.5 x 2.4") and Sony Alpha DSLR-A380 body has dimensions of 128 x 97 x 71 mm (5.04 x 3.82 x 2.8"). Canon EOS M5 weighs 427 g (0.94 lb / 15.06 oz) and Sony Alpha DSLR-A380 weighs 519 g (1.14 lb / 18.31 oz).

      Canon EOS M5

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A380

      116 mm

      89 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      128 mm

      97 mm

      Image cannot be displayed


      89 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      97 mm

      Image cannot be displayed


      61 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      71 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      Size comparisons of Canon EOS M5 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A380

      Canon EOS M5 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A380 for Different Types of Photography

      We give scores to the cameras for six types of photography based on their features and specifications. Let us see how suitable they are for each type of photography.

      Landscape Photography

      Canon EOS M5

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A380

      GOOD
      75
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,620k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      AVERAGE
      69
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing

      Sports Photography

      Canon EOS M5

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A380

      GOOD
      75
      •   25,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   49 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,620k dot
      •   Viewfinder Resolution - 2,360k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 9.0 fps
      •   Short Battery Life - 295 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      AVERAGE
      69
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 2.5 fps
      •   Short Battery Life - 500 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Wildlife Photography

      Canon EOS M5

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A380

      AVERAGE
      68
      •   25,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   49 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,620k dot
      •   Viewfinder Resolution - 2,360k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 9.0 fps
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 295 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      AVERAGE
      61
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 2.5 fps
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 500 shots
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Portrait Photography

      Canon EOS M5

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A380

      EXCELLENT
      85
      •   49 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Large Screen - 3.2"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,620k dot
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/200 sec
      •   Orientation Sensor
      GOOD
      82
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 2.7"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/160 sec
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Street Photography

      Canon EOS M5

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A380

      EXCELLENT
      86
      •   49 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,620k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 427 g (0.94 lb / 15.06 oz)
      GOOD
      83
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 519 g (1.14 lb / 18.31 oz)

      Travel Photography

      Canon EOS M5

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A380

      GOOD
      82
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,620k dot
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Low Video Recording Limit
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 427 g (0.94 lb / 15.06 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 295 shots
      GOOD
      82
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 519 g (1.14 lb / 18.31 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 500 shots

      Evaluations

      We evaluate Canon EOS M5 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A380 and give them scores of 72 and 61 out of 100 recpectively. We also give separate scores for 7 different categories according to the available features and specifications some of which are listed below. These evaluations are relative and may change each time a new camera is added to the database.


      Canon EOS M5

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A380

      OVERALL
      72
      OVERALL
      61

      Sensor

      Canon EOS M5

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A380

      GOOD
      71
      •   Sensor Resolution - 24.2 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   25,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   DxO Overall Score - 77
      GOOD
      71
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 14.2 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   DxO Overall Score - 67

      Photo

      Canon EOS M5

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A380

      GOOD
      70
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 9.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/200 sec
      GOOD
      70
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 2.5 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/160 sec

      Video

      Canon EOS M5

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A380

      BAD
      16
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Low Video Recording Limit
      BAD
      0
      •   Image Stabilization

      Focusing

      Canon EOS M5

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A380

      EXCELLENT
      89
      •   -1 EV Min AF Detection
      •   49 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      GOOD
      75
      •   9 Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Canon EOS M5

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A380

      EXCELLENT
      85
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Large Screen - 3.2"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,620k dot
      •   Viewfinder Resolution - 2,360k dot
      GOOD
      70
      •   Tilting Screen
      •   Screen Size - 2.7"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 230k dot

      Connectivity

      Canon EOS M5

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A380

      EXCELLENT
      92
      •   HDMI Output
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   Built-In Bluetooth
      AVERAGE
      57
      •   HDMI Output
      •   No Built-in Microphone
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth

      Battery, Storage and Physical

      Canon EOS M5

      Sony Alpha DSLR-A380

      POOR
      40
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 427 g (0.94 lb / 15.06 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 295 shots
      POOR
      42
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 519 g (1.14 lb / 18.31 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 500 shots


      For a full specification list please go to the specifications page:

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