EOS Mvs OM-3
Canon
EOS M (2012)
Starting from £80 new
Best for Canon mirrorless history & EF-M collectors
View EOS M
OM System
OM-3 (2024)
Starting from £999 new
Best for Travel, outdoor & adventure photography
View OM-3
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.
Travel, Outdoor & Adventure Photography — OM-3 (2024): The ideal mid-range OM System camera — weather sealed, class-leading IBIS, and superb computational features in a compact body.
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
OM-3 (2024)
- Outdoor and adventure photographers who need weather sealing and compact size
- Wildlife and bird photographers wanting improved AF over the OM-5
- Travel shooters who want a rugged, lightweight MFT system
- OM-5 or E-M5 III owners wanting better autofocus without going to the OM-1
Quick take: The om-3 has the highest resolution at 20mp; the eos m is the most affordable; only the om-3 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS M (2012) | OM-3 (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £80 | £999 |
| Sensor | 18MP APS-C CMOS | 20.4MP Live MOS Micro Four Thirds |
| Resolution | 18.0MP | 20.4MP |
| Video | 1080p 30fps | 4K/60p (10-bit), C4K/30p, 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF only — notoriously slow | Phase-detect AF — subject recognition (human, animal, bird, vehicle) |
| Stabilisation | — | IBIS — up to 6.5 stops (7.5 stops with Sync IS lenses) |
| Burst Rate | 4fps | 10fps mechanical, 30fps electronic with AF |
| Battery Life | ~230 shots (CIPA) | ~400 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 262g (body only) | 414g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | 108.6 × 66.5 × 32.3mm | 122.3 × 84.6 × 49.4mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | None (optional EVF accessory) | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.74× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon EF-M mount | Micro Four Thirds |
| Memory Cards | 1× SD/SDHC/SDXC | Single SD UHS-II slot |
| Connectivity | USB 2.0 | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS M | OM-3 |
|---|---|---|
| Casual | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Street | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Wildlife | — | |
| 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