Canon EOS M6

The Canon EOS M6 is a compact mirrorless camera from 2017 built around an APS-C sensor. It uses Canon's EF-M mount, while its 112 x 68 x 45 mm body supports a compact camera system.

Framing happens on the rear screen because there is no viewfinder. That is the main adjustment for photographers used to composing with the camera held to the eye. The flipping touchscreen helps with waist-level, overhead and self-framed shots.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are built in, which fits the camera's travel-friendly character.

The heart of the stills setup is a 24.2 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor. That resolution leaves room for tight crops and large prints, and the native ISO range runs from 100 to 25600.

For movement, the camera offers 49 autofocus points and bursts up to 9 fps. That top rate suits brief action, though it is a maximum rather than a sustained promise.

Our optics score of 65 out of 100 calls the overall package good, and it sits around the middle of cameras in our database for Optics. The sensor and autofocus carry that placing, while the missing stabilisation and the 1/4000 second top shutter speed hold it back.

There is no in-body stabilisation, so slower handheld exposures may need steady technique, a stabilised lens or a firm support. That matters most in dim light and at longer focal lengths, where camera shake is easier to see.

The EOS M6 records video up to Full HD, and its highest listed frame rate reaches 60 fps, with clips saved as MP4.

The 60 fps maximum gives smooth motion with moving subjects and leaves room for a light slow-motion effect once you slow the footage in the edit.

Full HD is the ceiling here. That is enough for online clips and family movies, but anyone planning heavily cropped or large-screen work will find it limiting.

A timelapse function is built in, so the camera fires the frames itself at set intervals while it sits on a tripod, saving you the job of assembling stills into a sequence. Our video score of 70 out of 100 reflects a good set of recording features.

Composition happens entirely on the 3-inch LCD. It is a touchscreen with a 1,040,000-dot panel, and it flips out, so you can shoot from waist level or over a crowd and use touch to make adjustments.

The built-in flash can provide fill light, and the camera also accepts an external flash for broader lighting options.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth provide wireless links to other devices, and live view keeps the screen showing your scene before the shot. There is no GPS, so location tagging is not built in.

The body has no weather sealing, so keep it under cover in rain, sea spray or heavy dust. Our features score of 70 out of 100 reflects a good set of screen and connection features, with weather sealing the main gap.

A single SD, SDHC or SDXC slot handles storage. Capacity planning and careful card handling matter on busy days because the body holds only one card at a time.

The LP-E17 battery has a stated figure of 295 shots per charge. Treat that as a rating rather than a promise, since real counts vary with screen and flash use, and carry a second battery for long days.

There is no USB charging. Build charging time into your routine and pack a charger for trips.

Our storage and battery score of 16 out of 100 is limited, and the causes are visible here: one slot, a modest battery rating and no USB charging. None of that stops the camera working well; it just asks for a little planning.