EOS M3vs Pentax 17
Pentax
Pentax 17 (2024)
Starting from £400 new
Best for Film photography enthusiasts & diptych storytelling
View Pentax 17
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.
Film Photography Enthusiasts & Diptych Storytelling — Pentax 17 (2024): The best new film camera of the decade — manual controls, a sharp lens, and a half-frame format that doubles your roll and forces a new way of seeing.
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
Quick take: The eos m3 is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS M3 (2015) | Pentax 17 (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £150 | £400 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS | 35mm half-frame (18 × 24mm) |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | — |
| Video | 1080p/30p | N/A — film camera |
| Autofocus | Hybrid CMOS AF III (phase-detect + contrast-detect) | Zone focus (0.35m / 1m / 3m / ∞) |
| Stabilisation | — | N/A — film camera |
| Burst Rate | 4.2fps | Manual wind-on |
| Battery Life | ~250 shots (CIPA) | 2× CR2 lithium batteries |
| Weight | 366g (body only) | ~165g (without batteries) |
| Dimensions | 110.9 × 68.0 × 44.4mm | 113 × 66 × 44mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | No |
| Viewfinder | None (optional EVF-DC1 accessory) | Optical viewfinder with half-frame framelines |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 1.04M dots | N/A |
| Mount | Canon EF-M mount | 35mm film (ISO 25–3200 via DX coding + manual dial) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | 35mm 135-format film cartridge |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC | N/A |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS M3 | Pentax 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Casual | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Street | ||
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Everyday | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Low Light | — |
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