EOS M3vs Z6 II
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Casual & Everyday — EOS M3 (2015): The EOS M3 was a meaningful upgrade over the original EOS M — bringing 24MP, a tilting touchscreen, and improved Hybrid CMOS AF III. Video tops out at 1080p/30p and burst shooting is modest, but for stills photographers wanting affordable APS-C quality, the M3 is a competent used-market option.
All-Round Full-Frame Photography — Z6 II (2020): The Z6 II is the Nikon most photographers should buy. It's balanced across every discipline — stills, video, autofocus, weather sealing — without overpaying for megapixels you don't need. The Z-mount glass is superb.
Who should buy what
EOS M3 (2015)
- Photographers who want affordable 24MP APS-C quality on a budget
- Casual shooters who want a compact EF-M camera with a tilting screen
- Users looking for an affordable entry into the Canon EF-M ecosystem
- Used-market buyers wanting a capable but inexpensive mirrorless
Z6 II (2020)
- Nikon DSLR users ready to move to mirrorless
- Photographers who need a reliable all-rounder without specialising
- Video creators wanting 4K/60p in a weather-sealed body
- Enthusiasts who shoot everything from portraits to travel
Quick take: The z6 ii has the highest resolution at 24mp; the eos m3 is the most affordable; only the z6 ii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS M3 (2015) | Z6 II (2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £150 | £1,699 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS | 24.5MP Full-Frame BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 24.5MP |
| Video | 1080p/30p | 4K/60p, 4K/30p (oversampled), 1080p/120p slow-motion |
| Autofocus | Hybrid CMOS AF III (phase-detect + contrast-detect) | Phase-detect, 273 points, Eye AF, subject tracking |
| Stabilisation | — | 5-axis IBIS, 5 stops (up to 6 stops with VR lenses) |
| Burst Rate | 4.2fps | 14fps mechanical, 14fps electronic (12-bit RAW) |
| Battery Life | ~250 shots (CIPA) | ~410 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 366g (body only) | 705g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 110.9 × 68.0 × 44.4mm | 134.0 × 100.5 × 69.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | None (optional EVF-DC1 accessory) | EVF, 3.69M dots, 0.80× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.2" tilting touchscreen, 2.1M dots |
| Mount | Canon EF-M mount | Nikon Z-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual card: 1× CFexpress Type B / XQD + 1× SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC | USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS M3 | Z6 II |
|---|---|---|
| Casual | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Street | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Video | — | |
| Wildlife | — |
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