EOS M3vs A6500
Sony
A6500 (2016)
Starting from £649 new
Best for Travel, street & versatile everyday photography
View A6500
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.
Travel, Street & Versatile Everyday Photography — A6500 (2016): The first Sony APS-C with IBIS — the A6500 added in-body stabilisation, touch AF, and a far deeper buffer to the A6300's already strong formula.
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
A6500 (2016)
- Travel photographers who want IBIS in a compact weather-sealed E-mount body
- A6300 owners who need the stabilisation or touch AF the A6300 lacked
- Street and documentary photographers who want a capable compact with weather sealing
- Sony E-mount shooters looking for a capable used body at an accessible price
Quick take: The eos m3 is the most affordable; only the a6500 is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS M3 (2015) | A6500 (2016) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £150 | £649 |
| Sensor | 24.2MP APS-C CMOS | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | 24.2MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 1080p/30p | 4K/30p (full pixel readout), 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Hybrid CMOS AF III (phase-detect + contrast-detect) | 425 phase-detect + 169 contrast-detect AF points, face/eye detection |
| Stabilisation | — | IBIS — 5-axis, up to 5 stops (first Sony APS-C with IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 4.2fps | 11fps |
| Battery Life | ~250 shots (CIPA) | ~310 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 366g (body only) | 453g (with battery and card) |
| Dimensions | 110.9 × 68.0 × 44.4mm | 120.0 × 66.9 × 53.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes |
| Viewfinder | None (optional EVF-DC1 accessory) | EVF, OLED 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.0" fully articulating touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon EF-M mount | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-I slot | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC | USB, Wi-Fi, NFC, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS M3 | A6500 |
|---|---|---|
| Casual | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Portrait | ||
| Street | ||
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Sports & Action | ||
| 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