Canon EOS M5 Mark II rumored to launch alongside the EOS M6 Mark II

(Image credit: Future)

Rumors of the arrival of two new APS-C mirrorless cameras from Canon began back in October 2018, but there hasn’t been much noise about the EOS M5 Mark II and the EOS M6 Mark II... until now.

The rumor mill has picked up whispers of Canon announcing updated models of the aging EOS M5 flagship and the EOS M6 APS-C snapper on August 28 – the same date the EOS 90D is supposed to be launched as well.

There could well be some truth to this rumor as Canon patented new lens designs for the EF-M range at the start of 2019. However, Canon announcing a DSLR and two new crop-sensor mirrorless cameras on the same day seems unlikely, although we can hope that is the case.

Long time coming

The current M5 model was released back in 2016, while the M6 arrived a year later in 2017. Both snappers could well do with an upgrade, but rumors suggest there’s going to be some physical changes to the range.

According to Canon Rumors, the upcoming APS-C mirrorless cameras – codenamed Project Nacho – will share the same electronic viewfinder (EVF) as the EOS RP. What that means, though, is unclear as the M6 currently doesn’t sport an integrated viewfinder while the M5 does. 

While the addition of a built-in EVF to the M6 line would be a welcome, both upcoming cameras are said to feature no-crop 4K video capture with high frame rates for slow motion footage.

The Canon EOS M6

The Canon EOS M6 (Image credit: Future)

Keep your calendar open

With its full-frame mirrorless line, Canon staggered the release of the EOS R and the EOS RP across a few months, so we’re not entirely sure whether both the EOS M5 Mark II and the EOS M6 Mark II will be announced on the same day as a DSLR.

If the EOS 90D is to be announced on August 28, it’s likely Canon will wait a few months to bring out its second generation M5 and M6 models. Or it could be the other way around – if there’s truth to the rumors of the APS-C mirrorless cameras arriving next month, we may have to wait for the rumored DSLR replacement of the EOS 80D.

How this will play out is unclear, but as August 28 approaches the flurry of leaks and rumors will likely increase and we may get a better picture – we’ll surely know more closer to that date. 

Sharmishta Sarkar
Managing Editor (APAC)

Sharmishta is TechRadar's APAC Managing Editor and loves all things photography, something she discovered while chasing monkeys in the wilds of India (she studied to be a primatologist but has since left monkey business behind). While she's happiest with a camera in her hand, she's also an avid reader and has become a passionate proponent of ereaders, having appeared on Singaporean radio to talk about the convenience of these underrated devices. When she's not testing camera kits or the latest in e-paper tablets, she's discovering the joys and foibles of smart home gizmos. She's also the Australian Managing Editor of Digital Camera World and, if that wasn't enough, she contributes to T3 and Tom's Guide, while also working on two of Future's photography print magazines Down Under.