EOS M3vs A1 II
Sony
A1 II (2025)
Starting from £6500 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & high-resolution studio work
View A1 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.
Professional Sports, Wildlife & High-Resolution Studio Work — A1 II (2025): The most complete camera ever made — 50MP, 30fps, 8K, and the world's best EVF in a single flagship body.
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
A1 II (2025)
- Professional sports and wildlife photographers who need 30fps, 50MP, and the best AF available
- Commercial and advertising photographers who demand 50MP resolution alongside pro video specs
- Photojournalists who need a single body capable of handling every assignment
- Sony system shooters ready to invest in the absolute best
Quick take: The a1 ii has the highest resolution at 50mp; the eos m3 is the most affordable; only the a1 ii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS M3 (2015) | A1 II (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £150 | £6,500 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS | 50.1MP full-frame stacked BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 50.1MP |
| Video | 1080p/30p | 8K/30p, 4K/120p 10-bit, 4K/240p super slow-motion |
| Autofocus | Hybrid CMOS AF III (phase-detect + contrast-detect) | AI subject recognition — human, animal, bird, insect, vehicle, aircraft, train |
| Stabilisation | — | 8.5-stop IBIS (with in-lens OSS) |
| Burst Rate | 4.2fps | 30fps electronic (with full AF/AE), 10fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | ~250 shots (CIPA) | ~530 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 366g (body only) | 743g body only |
| Dimensions | 110.9 × 68.0 × 44.4mm | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | None (optional EVF-DC1 accessory) | EVF 0.9× 9.44M-dot — the highest resolution EVF available |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 2.1M dots |
| Mount | Canon EF-M mount | Sony E-mount (full-frame) |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC | USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Wi-Fi 6GHz, Bluetooth 5.3, HDMI full-size |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS M3 | A1 II |
|---|---|---|
| Casual | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Street | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Sports | — | |
| 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