EOS Mvs Canon EOS R3vs Canon EOS R5 Mark II

GearFrame · Updated March 2026

Canon EOS M (2012) Starting from £80 new Best for Canon mirrorless history & EF-M collectors View EOS M

Canon Canon EOS R3 (2021) Starting from £5999 new Best for Sports & photojournalism professionals View Canon EOS R3

Canon Canon EOS R5 Mark II (2024) Starting from £4299 new Best for Hybrid shooters & professionals View Canon EOS R5 Mark II

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.

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.

Hybrid Shooters & Professionals — Canon EOS R5 Mark II (2024): The most complete hybrid camera Canon has ever made — 45MP stacked BSI, 30fps burst, 8K/60p RAW, and Canon's legendary Dual Pixel AF in one body.

↓ Full specifications below

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

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

Canon EOS R5 Mark II (2024)

Professional photographers who want 8K RAW and 45MP in one body
R5 owners upgrading to faster AF, improved overheating, and neural network processing
Wildlife and sports professionals who need high resolution and fast burst
Hybrid shooters who demand the very best Canon has to offer

Quick take: The canon eos r5 mark ii has the highest resolution at 45mp; the eos m is the most affordable; only the canon eos r3, canon eos r5 mark ii are weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.

Full specifications

Specification	EOS M (2012)	Canon EOS R3 (2021)	Canon EOS R5 Mark II (2024)
Price	£80	£5,999	£4,299
Sensor	18MP APS-C CMOS	24.1MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS	45MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS
Resolution	18.0MP	24.1MP	45.0MP
Video	1080p 30fps	6K RAW, 4K/120p, 1080p/180p	8K/60p RAW, 4K/120p, Cinema RAW Light
Autofocus	Contrast-detect AF only — notoriously slow	Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with Eye Control AF	Dual Pixel CMOS AF II, AI subject tracking
Stabilisation	—	8-stop IBIS	8-stop IBIS (coordinated with IS lenses)
Burst Rate	4fps	30fps electronic / 12fps mechanical	30fps electronic / 12fps mechanical
Battery Life	~230 shots (CIPA)	620 shots (CIPA)	570 shots (CIPA)
Weight	262g (body only)	1015g body only	746g body only
Dimensions	108.6 × 66.5 × 32.3mm	150.0 × 142.6 × 87.2mm	138.5 × 101.2 × 93.5mm
Weather Sealed	No	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder	None (optional EVF accessory)	0.76" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps	0.64" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps
Screen	3.0" fixed touchscreen, 1.04M dots	3.2" fully articulating touchscreen	3.2" fully articulating touchscreen
Mount	Canon EF-M mount	Canon RF	Canon RF
Memory Cards	1× SD/SDHC/SDXC	Dual CFexpress Type B	CFexpress Type B + SD UHS-II
Connectivity	USB 2.0	USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN	USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth

Suitability by genre

Genre	EOS M	Canon EOS R3	Canon EOS R5 Mark II
Casual	7.0	—	—
Travel	6.0	4.0	—
Street	6.0	—	—
Portrait	6.0	—	9.0
Vlogging & Video	5.0	7.0	9.0
Sports & Action	—	9.0	9.0
Wildlife	—	9.0	9.0
Photojournalism	—	9.0	—
Wedding & Events	—	7.0	9.0
Landscape	—	—	9.0

GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →

⚡ Compare specs side by side EOS M prices → Canon EOS R3 prices → Canon EOS R5 Mark II prices →

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Camera family history