EOS Mvs EOS Rvs Canon EOS R3
Canon
EOS M (2012)
Starting from £80 new
Best for Canon mirrorless history & EF-M collectors
View EOS M
Canon
EOS R (2018)
Starting from £799 new
Best for Entry to full-frame mirrorless & RF lens exploration
View EOS R
Canon
Canon EOS R3 (2021)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Sports & photojournalism professionals
View Canon EOS R3
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.
Entry To Full-Frame Mirrorless & Rf Lens Exploration — EOS R (2018): The RF mount's founding camera — 30MP, Dual Pixel CMOS AF, and the proof-of-concept that launched Canon's mirrorless era.
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 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 R (2018)
- Canon DSLR users wanting to enter the RF ecosystem at the lowest full-frame price
- EF lens collectors who want an affordable RF body to use with the EF-RF adapter
- Photographers stepping up from APS-C who want full-frame quality on a budget
- RF system fans who want a second body without full EOS R6 pricing
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 r has the highest resolution at 30mp; the eos m is the most affordable; only the eos r, canon eos r3 are weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS M (2012) | EOS R (2018) | Canon EOS R3 (2021) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £80 | £799 | £5,999 |
| Sensor | 18MP APS-C CMOS | 30.3MP full-frame CMOS | 24.1MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS |
| Resolution | 18.0MP | 30.3MP | 24.1MP |
| Video | 1080p 30fps | 4K/30p (1.7× crop), 1080p/60p | 6K RAW, 4K/120p, 1080p/180p |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF only — notoriously slow | Dual Pixel CMOS AF — 5655 AF areas, Eye AF | Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with Eye Control AF |
| Stabilisation | — | None | 8-stop IBIS |
| Burst Rate | 4fps | 8fps continuous (5fps with AF/AE) | 30fps electronic / 12fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | ~230 shots (CIPA) | ~350 shots (CIPA) | 620 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 262g (body only) | 660g body only | 1015g body only |
| Dimensions | 108.6 × 66.5 × 32.3mm | 135.8 × 98.3 × 84.4mm | 150.0 × 142.6 × 87.2mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | None (optional EVF accessory) | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.71× magnification | 0.76" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.0" touchscreen, tilting | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon EF-M mount | Canon RF mount (full-frame) | Canon RF |
| Memory Cards | 1× SD/SDHC/SDXC | Single SD UHS-II slot | Dual CFexpress Type B |
| Connectivity | USB 2.0 | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic jack | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS M | EOS R | Canon EOS R3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casual | — | — | |
| Travel | |||
| Street | — | — | |
| Portrait | — | ||
| Vlogging & Video | |||
| Landscape | — | — | |
| Wedding | — | — | |
| Sports | — | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | — | |
| Wildlife | — | — | |
| Photojournalism | — | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | — |
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