YI M1 Review

Name: YI M1
Brand: YI

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Main Features

20MP - Four Thirds CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 25600

3.00" Fixed Type Screen

5.0fps continuous shooting

4K at 30fps and FHD at 60fps Video Recording

Built-in Wireless

0g. 114 x 64 x 34 mm

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YI M1 Overview

First introduced in September 2016, YI M1 is a 20.0MP Entry-Level Mirrorless camera with a Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and Micro Four Thirds lens mount.

YI M1 Review - Click for Table of Contents

Overview
Pros and Cons
Lens Mount and Lenses
Sensor and Photography Features
Physical Specs
LCD and Viewfinder
Connectivity, Storage and Battery
Video
Other Features
Photography Type Scores
Recommended Accessories
Alternatives
Popular Comparisons
Frequently Asked Questions
Detailed Specifications

YI M1 is the latest member of YI's Entry-Level Mirrorless class cameras. Below you can see the latest models in this class and how their main specs have changed with each new model.

YI Entry-Level Mirrorless Series History

	Model	Release Date	Sensor	Max FPS	Dimensions	Weight
	YI M1	September 2016	20.0MP - Four Thirds	5.0 fps	114 x 64 x 34mm	0g

Check the link below to compare specs of the latest cameras in this series side-by-side:
YI M1

Alternative Model names found for YI M1: M 1 and M-1.

**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

YI M1 PROs and CONs Review

Now let's get in to more details of our YI M1 review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

PROs

Built-in Wireless (Wi-fi)

Bluetooth Connectivity

4K at 30fps and FHD at 60fps Video Recording

Touch Screen

Face Detection Focusing

20.0MP - High Resolution Sensor

25.600 Max ISO

81 Focus Points

1.040k dots LCD Resolution

0g Light Body

Timelapse Recording

Flash Sync Port

Remote control with a smartphone

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Buy YI M1 from AMAZON or B&H PHOTO

CONs

No Sensor shift Image Stabilization

No Articulating Screen

No Built-in Viewfinder

No External Viewfinder Option

Low Battery Life: 450 shots

No Environmental Sealing

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YI M1 Physical Specs

YI M1 weighs 350 and has external dimensions of 114 x 64 x 34 mm (4.49 x 2.52 x 1.34″). Considering that the average weight of Mirrorless type cameras is 473g, YI M1 is a remarkably light camera for its class. Even better, with a thickness of only 34mm, it is also quite small, 20mm thinner than the average of its class.

Weight Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

YI M1

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Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

YI M1

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Average

Max

In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of YI M1, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.

Physical size of the YI M1 Body Compared to a Credit Card and an AA Battery

Below you can find the comparison of the weight and thickness of YI M1 with its main competitors:

YI M1 Size Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Weight	vs M1	Thickness	vs M1
Sony A6000 Compare	344g	344g heavier	45mm	11mm thicker
Canon M50 Compare	390g	390g heavier	59mm	25mm thicker
Fujifilm X-A3 Compare	339g	339g heavier	40mm	6mm thicker
Canon M10 Compare	301g	301g heavier	35mm	1mm thicker
Sony a5100 Compare	283g	283g heavier	36mm	2mm thicker
Nikon 1 J5 Compare	231g	231g heavier	32mm	2mm thinner
Sony A7 Compare	474g	474g heavier	48mm	14mm thicker
Sony NEX-5 Compare	287g	287g heavier	38mm	4mm thicker

Weather Sealing

YI M1 doesn't have any environmental sealings on its body so you got to be extra careful to protect it against water and dust. If you shoot under these conditions very often, consider checking Top Mirrorless Cameras with Weather Sealing page.

YI M1 Lens Mount and Lenses

YI M1 has a Micro Four Thirds lens mount and currently there are 123 native lenses available for this mount.

YI M1 doesn't have a sensor based image stabilization system but 36 of these lenses already comes with Optical Image Stabilization.

Weather-sealed Lenses for YI M1

There are 43 lenses with weather sealing for YI M1 but bear in mind that M1 body doesn't have weather sealings.

Here are some of the most popular YI M1 Lenses on Camera Decision:

Popular Micro Four Thirds Mount Lenses for YI M1

Model	Focal Length equiv.	Coverage	Weight	Focusing	Street Price
OM System 40-150mm F4.0 PRO	0-0mm	FourThirds	382gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Lumix G 25mm F1.7 ASPH	0mm	FourThirds	125gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Lumix G Vario 12-60mm F3.5-5.6 ASPH Power OIS	0-0mm	FourThirds	210gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 100-400mm F5.0-6.3 IS	0-0mm	FourThirds	1120gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 50-200mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH Power OIS	0-0mm	FourThirds	655gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 12-60mm F2.8-4.0 ASPH Power OIS	0-0mm	FourThirds	320gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 II ASPH Power OIS	0-0mm	FourThirds	985gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 ASPH Power OIS	0-0mm	FourThirds	985gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo

Here you can find the lenses that are compatible with M1 classified by suitability to certain photography types:

Check our YI M1 Lenses page for more detailed lens search.

YI M1 Sensor and Photography Features

YI M1 has a 20.0MP Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm ) sized CMOS sensor . You can shoot at maximum resolution of 5184 x 3888 pixels with aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. M1 has a native ISO range of 100 - 25600 and it can save files in RAW format which gives you a wider room for post processing.

YI M1 is not the highest resolution Four Thirds camera. Panasonic G9 II with its 25.2MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of YI M1 vs Panasonic G9 II or take a look at Highest resolution Mirrorless cameras list.

Let's look at how the size of the YI M1's Four Thirds sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

Comparison image of YI M1 Sensor Size with other standard sensors

YI M1 LCD

YI M1 has a Fixed Type 3.00-inch LCD screen with a resolution of 1,040k dots. Both the screen size and the screen resolution is up to the standards of this class.

LCD is Touch screen type, so you can change the settings and set the focus point with your fingertips.

Unfortunately YI M1 doesn't have a Selfie friendly screen. If this feature is important for your shooting style, check here the list of Best Mirrorless Cameras with Selfie Friendly LCD screen.

M1 doesn't have a viewfinder and no option for external viewfinder. Lack of a viewfinder can be problematic especially under strong light where visibility of LCD screens goes down dramatically. If you need a Mirrorless camera with a built-in viewfinder in a similar price range, consider Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II (Compare) or Panasonic Lumix DC-G95 (Compare).
Alternatively, check here the list of all Mirrorless cameras with viewfinder..

YI M1 Connectivity, Storage and Battery

YI M1 features built-in wireless (Wi-Fi) connectivity ( 801.11b/g/n with Bluetooth LE) which lets you transfer your photos directly to compatible devices without any physical connection. YI M1's Bluetooth connectivity feature comes handy for connecting other devices that supports it. One other feature that we like is the ability to use our smartphone as a remote to control our M1. You can change camera settings, release shutter, view LCD screen and tranfer files using remote control app.

You can connect M1 to compatible devices via its HDMI port or USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port.

YI M1 Battery

YI M1 is powered by a proprietary battery which provides a battery life of 450 shots according to CIPA standards. Considering that the average battery life of Mirrorless type cameras is 391 shots, its battery life is about average in its class but it would still be wise to invest in some spare batteries for long photo trips.

Battery Life Comparison in Entry-Level Mirrorless Cameras

YI M1

Min

Average

Max

Fujifilm X-S20 with its 750 shots is the model with longest battery life among Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras. Check the comparison of YI M1 vs Fujifilm X-S20 or take a look at Longest Battery Life Mirrorless cameras list.

YI M1 Features Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Max Video	Battery Life	Wi-fi	Bluetooth	NFC
Sony A6000 Compare	1920 x 1080	360shots	Yes	No	Yes
Canon M50 Compare	3840 x 2160	235shots	Yes	Yes	Yes
Fujifilm X-A3 Compare	1920 x 1080	410shots	Yes	No	No
Canon M10 Compare	1920 x 1080	255shots	Yes	No	Yes
Sony a5100 Compare	1920 x 1080	400shots	Yes	No	Yes
Nikon 1 J5 Compare	1920 x 1080	250shots	Yes	No	Yes
Sony A7 Compare	1920 x 1080	340shots	Yes	No	Yes
Sony NEX-5 Compare	1920 x 1080	330shots	No	No	No

YI M1 Video Features

With YI M1, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 4096 x 2160 at 30p fps and save in MPEG-4 and H.264 formats. YI M1's 4K is the common standard resolution in consumer video world.

Microphones, Speaker and Headphone Connections

It has a Mono speaker but no built-in microphone. On the other hand, YI M1 doesn't have any connections for external microphones and headphones. If you need a Mirrorless camera with external microphone connectivity, consider Fujifilm X-T200 or Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX8 in a similar price range.

YI M1 Other Features

Max Shutter speed

YI M1 can shoot continuously at max speed of 5.0 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/4000 sec.

Flash

Unfortunately M1 doesn't have a built-in flash but it has a flash shoe for mounting external flashes.

Focusing

YI M1 features a Contrast Detection autofocusing system. The AF system has 81 points to choose from.

YI M1 also features Face detection AF where it intelligently detects the faces in the frame and locks the focus automatically.

What type of Photography is YI M1 Good for?

In this section, we review and score YI M1 in 5 different photography areas.

YI M1 for Portrait Photography

YI M1 has a score of 47 for Portrait Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Portrait is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Mirrorless Cameras for Portrait Photography list.

Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling

No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder

Read the details of how we scored YI M1 for Portrait Photography

Check the Best Micro Four Thirds Mount Lenses for Portrait Photography

YI M1 for Street Photography

YI M1 has a score of 55 for Street Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Street is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Mirrorless Cameras for Street Photography list.

Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor

Medium sized Body
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization

Read the details of how we scored YI M1 for Street Photography

Check the Best Micro Four Thirds Mount Lenses for Street Photography

YI M1 for Sports Photography

YI M1 has a score of 56 for Sports Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Sports is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Mirrorless Cameras for Sports Photography list.

Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
81 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps

Average Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization

Read the details of how we scored YI M1 for Sports Photography

Check the Best Micro Four Thirds Mount Lenses for Sports Photography

YI M1 for Daily Photography

YI M1 has a score of 53 for Daily Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Daily is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Mirrorless Cameras for Daily Photography list.

0g
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor

Medium size Body

Read the details of how we scored YI M1 for Daily Photography

YI M1 for Landscape Photography

YI M1 has a score of 35 for Landscape Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape We strongly recommend you to check our Top Mirrorless Cameras for Landscape Photography list and consider these alternatives over theM1.

Live-view
Large Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm) sensor

Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
No Environmental Sealings

Read the details of how we scored YI M1 for Landscape Photography

Check the Best Micro Four Thirds Mount Lenses for Landscape Photography

YI M1 Alternatives

In this section, we analyse how YI M1 compares with other Mirrorless cameras within a similar price range.

Read a more detailed analysis of YI M1 alternatives.

Popular Comparisons of YI M1

Here are the eight most popular comparisons of the YI M1 amongst Camera Decision readers.

YI M1 Alternatives in DSLR Cameras

It would also be interesting to compare the YI M1 with DSLR Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked DSLR cameras in YI M1's price range.

YI M1 Conclusion and Scores

Currently, YI M1 has an Overall Score of 60/100 which is based on our evaluation of 69 different technical parameters. Our scores are dynamically updated whenever a new camera is added to our database or when we change our ranking algorithm and the maximum score is always 100. YI M1 is ranked #187 out of 257 in Mirrorless cameras (Top 20 Mirrorless), and ranked #365 out of 1276 in all Cameras (Top 20 Overall).

#365 out of 1276 in Top Ranking Cameras
#187 out of 257 in Top Ranking Mirrorless Cameras
#69 out of 120 in Top Ranking Entry-Level Mirrorless Cameras
#51 out of 90 in Top Ranking Four Thirds Sensor Cameras
#46 out of 68 in Top Ranking MFT Lens Mount Cameras
#1 out of 68 in Lightest Mirrorless Cameras with Four Thirds sensor(0g)
#111 out of 920 in Top Ranking Cameras with Fixed Type Screen
Geek Score: 0

YI M1

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Main Scores

Imaging

Features

Value for Money

Portability

Overall Score

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Frequently Asked Questions about YI M1

Does the YI M1 have Image Stabilization?
Does the YI M1 have RAW support?
Does the YI M1 have Weather Sealing?
Does the YI M1 have built-in GPS?
What is the Max ISO of YI M1?
What is the Sensor Size of YI M1?
is the YI M1 a Full Frame (FF) camera?
Does the YI M1 have Touch Screen?
Does the YI M1 have built-in Wireless?
What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of YI M1?
What is the Weight of YI M1?
What are the Dimensions of YI M1?

YI M1 Detailed Specifications

General
Brand	YI
Model	YI M1
Announced	2016-09-19
Body Type	Rangefinder-style mirrorless
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Micro Four Thirds
Number of Lenses	123
Focal Length Multiplier	2x
Macro Focus Range	n/a
Screen
Screen Type	Fixed Type
Screen Size	3.00"
Screen Resolution	1,040k dots
Live View
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None
Viewfinder Resolution	no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage	n/a
Viewfinder Magnification	n/a
Photography Features
Min Shutter Speed	60s
Max Mechanical Shutter Speed	1/4000s
Max Continuous Shooting	5.0 fps
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Exposure Compensation	Yes
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	no built-in flash
Flash Modes	Auto, On, Off, Slow Sync, Red-Eye Slow
External Flash
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Exposure Modes
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested
DxO Color Depth	not tested
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested
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Sensor
Sensor Type	CMOS
Sensor Size	Four Thirds
Sensor Dimensions	17.3 x 13 mm
Sensor Area	224.90mm²
Sensor Resolution	20 megapixels
Max Image Resolution	5184 x 3888
Max Native ISO	25,600
Min Native ISO	100
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	81
Number of Cross Focus Points	Unknown
Video Features
Video Resolutions	4096 x 2160 @ 30p / 75 Mbps, MOV, H.264, AAC
Max Video Resolution	4096 x 2160
Video Formats	MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Built-In
HDMI
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Water Proof
Dust Proof
Shock Proof
Crush Proof
Freeze Proof
Weight	0g
Physical Dimensions	114 x 64 x 34mm
Battery Life	450 shots
Battery Type	Battery Pack
Other Features
Self Timer	Yes (2 or 10 secs)
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None
Storage Type	SD/SDHC/SDXC card
Storage Slots	1
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Latest Micro Four Thirds Lenses

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 35-100mm f2.8 POWER OIS
Micro Four Thirds | F2.8 Telephoto Zoom

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmar 100-400mm F4.0-6.3 II ASPH Power OIS
Micro Four Thirds | F4.0 - F6.3 Telephoto Zoom

OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 90mm F3.5 Macro IS Pro
Micro Four Thirds | F3.5 Macro Prime

Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit 12-35mm F2.8 ASPH POWER OIS
Micro Four Thirds | F2.8 Standard Zoom

Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 9mm F1.7 ASPH
Micro Four Thirds | F1.7 Wideangle Prime

OM System 12-40mm F2.8 PRO II
Micro Four Thirds | F2.8 Standard Zoom

OM System 40-150mm F4.0 PRO
Micro Four Thirds | F4 Telephoto Zoom

Samyang 135mm F2.0 ED UMC
Micro Four Thirds | F2 Telephoto Prime