EOS-1D X Mark IIIvs EOS M3vs Canon EOS R3
Canon
EOS-1D X Mark III (2020)
Starting from £3500 new
Best for Professional Sports, Wildlife & Press Photography
View EOS-1D X Mark III
Canon
Canon EOS R3 (2021)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Sports & photojournalism professionals
View Canon EOS R3
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Professional Sports, Wildlife & Press Photography — EOS-1D X Mark III (2020): Canon's DSLR masterpiece — 20fps live view, 5.5K RAW, 191 cross-type AF points, and dual CFexpress. Almost certainly the finest optical viewfinder camera ever made.
Casual & Everyday — EOS M3 (2015): The EOS M3 was a meaningful upgrade over the original EOS M — bringing 24MP, a tilting touchscreen, and improved Hybrid CMOS AF III. Video tops out at 1080p/30p and burst shooting is modest, but for stills photographers wanting affordable APS-C quality, the M3 is a competent used-market option.
Sports & Photojournalism Professionals — Canon EOS R3 (2021): The pinnacle of Canon's mirrorless lineup for speed — Eye Control AF and 30fps burst in the most rugged body Canon has ever produced.
Who should buy what
EOS-1D X Mark III (2020)
- Sports and wildlife photographers with a Canon EF lens collection
- Professionals who prefer the optical viewfinder experience
- Press photographers who need 20fps, weather sealing, and Ethernet
- Canon historians who want to mark the end of the EOS-1D DSLR era
EOS M3 (2015)
- Photographers who want affordable 24MP APS-C quality on a budget
- Casual shooters who want a compact EF-M camera with a tilting screen
- Users looking for an affordable entry into the Canon EF-M ecosystem
- Used-market buyers wanting a capable but inexpensive mirrorless
Canon EOS R3 (2021)
- Professional sports and photojournalism photographers
- Canon users who need the fastest burst and most reliable AF in the system
- R5 users who want a pro-grade grip and faster shooting speed
- Event photographers who need eye-controlled AF and dual card slots
Quick take: The eos m3 has the highest resolution at 24mp; the eos m3 is the most affordable; only the eos-1d x mark iii, canon eos r3 are weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS-1D X Mark III (2020) | EOS M3 (2015) | Canon EOS R3 (2021) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £3,500 | £150 | £5,999 |
| Sensor | 20.1MP full-frame CMOS | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS | 24.1MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS |
| Resolution | 20.1MP | 24.2MP | 24.1MP |
| Video | 5.5K RAW, 4K 60fps (crop), 4K 60fps (full-frame via firmware) | 1080p/30p | 6K RAW, 4K/120p, 1080p/180p |
| Autofocus | 191-point all cross-type OVF AF; 525-point Dual Pixel CMOS AF (Live View) | Hybrid CMOS AF III (phase-detect + contrast-detect) | Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with Eye Control AF |
| Stabilisation | — | — | 8-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 16fps mechanical, 20fps live view | 4.2fps | 30fps electronic / 12fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | ~2850 shots (CIPA) | ~250 shots (CIPA) | 620 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1250g (body only) | 366g (body only) | 1015g body only |
| Dimensions | 158 × 167.6 × 82.6mm | 110.9 × 68.0 × 44.4mm | 150.0 × 142.6 × 87.2mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | OVF 0.76× magnification, 100% coverage | None (optional EVF-DC1 accessory) | 0.76" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps |
| Screen | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 4.15M dots | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon EF | Canon EF-M mount | Canon RF |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type B slots | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual CFexpress Type B |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth 4.2, USB-C 3.1 Gen 2, Ethernet | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS-1D X Mark III | EOS M3 | Canon EOS R3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | |||
| Wildlife | — | ||
| Wedding & Events | — | ||
| Portrait | — | ||
| Vlogging & Video | |||
| Street | — | ||
| Landscape | — | — | |
| Casual | — | — | |
| Travel | — | ||
| Photojournalism | — | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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Camera family history