📷 Cameras 🔭 Lenses 🎒 Accessories 🏷 Brands

EOS M3vs Pentax K-3 Mark III

GearFrame · Updated March 2026

Canon EOS M3 Canon EOS M3 (2015) Starting from £150 new Best for Casual & Everyday View EOS M3
VS
Pentax Pentax K-3 Mark III Pentax Pentax K-3 Mark III (2021) Starting from £1699 new Best for DSLR enthusiasts & outdoor photographers View Pentax K-3 Mark III

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.

Dslr Enthusiasts & Outdoor Photographers — Pentax K-3 Mark III (2021): The finest APS-C DSLR ever made — class-leading weather sealing, optical viewfinder, 5-axis IBIS, and extraordinary build for photographers committed to DSLR.

↓ Full specifications below

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

Pentax K-3 Mark III (2021)

  • DSLR photographers who want the finest APS-C optical viewfinder experience
  • Outdoor and weather photographers who need robust all-weather sealing
  • Pentax lens owners who want to use their existing K-mount glass
  • Photographers who prefer optical viewfinders and refuse to switch to mirrorless

Quick take: The pentax k-3 mark iii has the highest resolution at 26mp; the eos m3 is the most affordable; only the pentax k-3 mark iii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.

Full specifications

Specification EOS M3 (2015)Pentax K-3 Mark III (2021)
Price £150 £1,699
Sensor 24.2MP APS-C CMOS 25.7MP APS-C BSI CMOS (AA-filterless)
Resolution 24.2MP 25.7MP
Video 1080p/30p 4K/30p, 1080p/60p
Autofocus Hybrid CMOS AF III (phase-detect + contrast-detect) SAFOX 13 phase-detect, 101-point (25 cross-type)
Stabilisation 5.5-stop 5-axis IBIS (Shake Reduction III)
Burst Rate 4.2fps 12fps
Battery Life ~250 shots (CIPA) 800 shots (CIPA)
Weight 366g (body only) 820g body only
Dimensions 110.9 × 68.0 × 44.4mm 134.5 × 103.5 × 73.5mm
Weather Sealed No Yes
Viewfinder None (optional EVF-DC1 accessory) Optical pentaprism, 100% coverage, 1.05× magnification
Screen 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 1.04M dots 3.2" tilting touchscreen
Mount Canon EF-M mount Pentax KF-mount
Memory Cards Single SD UHS-I slot Dual SD UHS-II
Connectivity USB, Wi-Fi, NFC USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Genre EOS M3Pentax K-3 Mark III
Casual
8.0
Travel
7.5
7.0
Portrait
7.5
7.0
Street
7.0
Vlogging & Video
4.5
4.0
Sports & Action
4.0
9.0
Landscape
9.0
Wildlife
9.0

GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →

⚡ Compare specs side by side EOS M3 prices → Pentax K-3 Mark III prices →

More comparisons with EOS M3

Camera family history