EOS Mvs Canon EOS R3vs EOS RP
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.
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
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 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; 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 RP (2019) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £80 | £5,999 | £799 |
| Sensor | 18MP APS-C CMOS | 24.1MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | 26.2MP Full-Frame CMOS |
| Resolution | 18.0MP | 24.1MP | 26.2MP |
| Video | 1080p 30fps | 6K RAW, 4K/120p, 1080p/180p | 4K/24p (with 1.7× crop), 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF only — notoriously slow | Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with Eye Control AF | Dual Pixel CMOS AF, 4779 manually selectable positions |
| Stabilisation | — | 8-stop IBIS | None (no IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 4fps | 30fps electronic / 12fps mechanical | 5fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | ~230 shots (CIPA) | 620 shots (CIPA) | ~250 shots (CIPA) — very limited |
| Weight | 262g (body only) | 1015g body only | 485g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 108.6 × 66.5 × 32.3mm | 150.0 × 142.6 × 87.2mm | 132.5 × 85.0 × 70.0mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | None (optional EVF accessory) | 0.76" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen | 3.0" vari-angle touchscreen, 1.04M dots |
| Mount | Canon EF-M mount | Canon RF | Canon RF-mount |
| Memory Cards | 1× SD/SDHC/SDXC | Dual CFexpress Type B | Single SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB 2.0 | USB-C 3.2, HDMI full-size, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, LAN | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS M | Canon EOS R3 | EOS RP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casual | — | — | |
| Travel | |||
| Street | — | ||
| Portrait | — | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — | ||
| Sports & Action | — | — | |
| Wildlife | — | ||
| Photojournalism | — | — | |
| Wedding & Events | — | — | |
| Video | — | — |
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