EOS Mvs EOS M3vs EOS RP
Canon
EOS M (2012)
Starting from £80 new
Best for Canon mirrorless history & EF-M collectors
View EOS M
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Canon Mirrorless History & Ef-M Collectors — EOS M (2012): Canon's first mirrorless — a historic body that broke new ground with touch-AF and EF-M, but its sluggish contrast-detect system quickly became its Achilles heel.
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.
Entry Full-Frame Stills Photography — EOS RP (2019): An affordable gateway into the RF system. The RP makes sense as a stepping stone camera — if you're committed to Canon RF glass, this is the cheapest full-frame body to buy those lenses for. Just manage expectations on video and battery life.
Who should buy what
EOS M (2012)
- Canon shooters who want the camera that started Canon's mirrorless story
- Budget first-time mirrorless buyers who already own EF/EF-S glass
- Collectors of significant digital camera milestones
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
EOS RP (2019)
- Canon users who want to start investing in RF glass affordably
- Stills photographers who shoot primarily in good light
- Anyone coming from a Canon DSLR wanting the RF system at low cost
- Travel photographers who prioritise compactness over video specs
Quick take: The eos rp has the highest resolution at 26mp; the eos m is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS M (2012) | EOS M3 (2015) | EOS RP (2019) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £80 | £150 | £799 |
| Sensor | 18MP APS-C CMOS | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS | 26.2MP Full-Frame CMOS |
| Resolution | 18.0MP | 24.2MP | 26.2MP |
| Video | 1080p 30fps | 1080p/30p | 4K/24p (with 1.7× crop), 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF only — notoriously slow | Hybrid CMOS AF III (phase-detect + contrast-detect) | Dual Pixel CMOS AF, 4779 manually selectable positions |
| Stabilisation | — | — | None (no IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 4fps | 4.2fps | 5fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | ~230 shots (CIPA) | ~250 shots (CIPA) | ~250 shots (CIPA) — very limited |
| Weight | 262g (body only) | 366g (body only) | 485g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 108.6 × 66.5 × 32.3mm | 110.9 × 68.0 × 44.4mm | 132.5 × 85.0 × 70.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | No | No |
| Viewfinder | None (optional EVF accessory) | None (optional EVF-DC1 accessory) | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.04M dots |
| Mount | Canon EF-M mount | Canon EF-M mount | Canon RF-mount |
| Memory Cards | 1× SD/SDHC/SDXC | Single SD UHS-I slot | Single SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB 2.0 | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS M | EOS M3 | EOS RP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casual | — | ||
| Travel | |||
| Street | |||
| Portrait | |||
| Vlogging & Video | — | ||
| Sports & Action | — | — | |
| Video | — | — | |
| Wildlife | — | — |
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