EOS Mvs Canon EOS R3vs EOS R8
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
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.
Full-Frame Entry — EOS R8 (2023): Canon's most affordable full-frame mirrorless — 4K/60p 10-bit and class-leading Dual Pixel AF at an accessible entry price.
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
EOS R8 (2023)
- Photographers wanting full-frame image quality at the lowest RF price
- EOS RP owners upgrading to better autofocus and modern video specs
- Beginners who want to start on full-frame without overspending
- Travel photographers who want a lightweight full-frame RF body
Quick take: The eos r8 has the highest resolution at 24mp; the eos m is the most affordable; only the canon eos r3 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS M (2012) | Canon EOS R3 (2021) | EOS R8 (2023) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £80 | £5,999 | £1,099 |
| Sensor | 18MP APS-C CMOS | 24.1MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | 24.2MP Full-frame BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 18.0MP | 24.1MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 1080p 30fps | 6K RAW, 4K/120p, 1080p/180p | 4K/60p oversampled 10-bit, FHD/180p |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF only — notoriously slow | Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with Eye Control AF | Dual Pixel CMOS AF II, 1053 zones, eye/face/subject tracking |
| Stabilisation | — | 8-stop IBIS | None (no IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 4fps | 30fps electronic / 12fps mechanical | 6fps mechanical, 40fps electronic |
| Battery Life | ~230 shots (CIPA) | 620 shots (CIPA) | ~220 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 262g (body only) | 1015g body only | 461g body only |
| Dimensions | 108.6 × 66.5 × 32.3mm | 150.0 × 142.6 × 87.2mm | 132.5 × 86.1 × 70.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | None (optional EVF accessory) | 0.76" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.59× |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon EF-M mount | Canon RF | Canon RF mount (full-frame) |
| Memory Cards | 1× SD/SDHC/SDXC | Dual CFexpress Type B | Single SD UHS-II slot |
| Connectivity | USB 2.0 | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS M | Canon EOS R3 | EOS R8 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casual | — | — | |
| Travel | — | ||
| Street | — | ||
| Portrait | — | ||
| Vlogging & Video | |||
| Sports & Action | — | ||
| Wildlife | — | — | |
| Photojournalism | — | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | ||
| Landscape | — | — |
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