Upgrade Guide
Canon EOS M→Canon Canon EOS R3
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
→
Worthwhile
Clear improvements over the EOS M. Whether it justifies the cost depends on which upgrades matter most to your shooting.
What's new in the Canon EOS R3
-
Resolution24MP vs 18MP (+6MP)
-
Weather sealingAdded — fully sealed body
-
StabilisationIBIS added — significant for handheld and video
-
Burst rate30fps electronic / 12fps mechanical vs 4fps
-
Battery life620 shots (CIPA) vs ~230 shots (CIPA)
-
Generation9 years newer (2021 vs 2012)
Suitability by genre
| Genre | EOS M | Canon EOS R3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casual | — | ||
| Travel | -2.0 | ||
| Street | — | ||
| Portrait | — | ||
| Vlogging & Video | +2.0 | ||
| Sports & Action | — | ||
| Wildlife | — | ||
| Photojournalism | — | ||
| Wedding & Events | — |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | EOS M | Canon EOS R3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £80 | £5,999 | |
| Released | 2012 | 2021 | ↑ |
| Sensor | 18MP APS-C CMOS | 24.1MP full-frame BSI stacked CMOS | |
| Resolution | 18MP | 24MP | ↑ |
| Video | 1080p 30fps | 6K RAW, 4K/120p, 1080p/180p | |
| Autofocus | Contrast-detect AF only — notoriously slow | Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with Eye Control AF | |
| Stabilisation | — | 8-stop IBIS | |
| Burst Rate | 4fps | 30fps electronic / 12fps mechanical | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~230 shots (CIPA) | 620 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 262g (body only) | 1015g body only | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes | ↑ |
| Viewfinder | None (optional EVF accessory) | 0.76" OLED EVF, 5.76M dots, 120fps | |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen | |
| Mount | Canon EF-M mount | Canon RF | |
| Memory Cards | 1× SD/SDHC/SDXC | Dual CFexpress Type B |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See EOS M and Canon EOS R3 next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
Get a personalised upgrade score
Run the upgrade checker →
Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the Canon EOS R3 against your specific genres — not just specs.
Other upgrades from the EOS M
Related buying guides
Camera family history