As of Fall 2015 you can buy this camera easily on Amazon (rather than the hoops I jumped through to import if from Japan!
**1/11/16** Almost 10 months into ownership so I thought I’d add a long term update. We actually use the camera more than I thought I would. My wife will almost exclusively use this over her camera phone for anything she wants to look decent. The built in wifi makes it easy to send photos to your phone or even directly to facebook. I was originally a bit worried about the sturdiness of the flip out screen and pop up flash. However this camera has been dropped from 3ft + at least 4-5 times and nothing has been damaged. One day after hiking the flash wouldn’t pop up, but it turned out to be a tiny piece of grit which was easily blown away. Still very impressed with this camera and I’ve now had 3 close friends buy this camera as well.
**07-15-15 update** I just got back from a backpacking trip in Teton National Park. You can view the photos taken with this camera here. **end update**
Original Post
I’ve had the camera for a few days and I am extremely happy with my initial impressions. I am full time wedding photographer and shot nearly 200,000 photos on a few 5dmkiii’s in the past couple years. I haven’t owned a “consumer” level canon camera in quite awhile. I bought this camera because I was sick of having my life captured on a cell phone, and I can’t justify carrying around a monster camera and lens everywhere I go. A more fair comparison would be comparing the M3 against another apc-c camera, but for my purposes I want to find out if the M3 is “good enough” so that I can leave my big camera at home.
Here is my review of the Canon EOS M3:
Size – As you can see, the size between the M3 and the 5D MKiii with Sigma 50mm 1.4 Art lens is significant. Those of you used to using a big camera might initially be worried that it is too small. At least in my opinion, it is not. All the controls are well placed, and easily found with your thumb and index finger. Also, the default assignments function the same as Canon’s high end cameras. The shape of the camera and materials make it easy to hold on to. Having a giant DSLR as your only camera makes it difficult to get great everyday photos. I rarely carry it except for weddings, and when I do travel with the beast, it is a burden. For backpacking and even day hikes having a 5dmkiii with you is a significant detractor. So, in a lot of cases a small camera is a major plus, but what are the trade-offs?
Image quality – I’m extremely impressed with the color quality, noise level and resolution of the jpegs coming out of the camera. I did a number of test shots comparing this EOS M3 + ef-m 22mm lens to my 5dmkiii + sigma 35mm 1.4 Art. Remember, the 5DMK iii setup is at least $3800 if you bought it today. Whereas the M3 + lenses is under $800. I paid more for my Sigma 1.4 lens than the entire M3 kit. The 5dMKiii is also a full frame sensor tuned for high iso performance… and did I mention it weighs 4-5x as much. All these shots where taken at the same ISO and aperture value. I varied the shutter speed by 1/3 stop on the MKiii to attempt to achieve the same exposure (but you’ll notice that I was not perfect). Both cameras were set to standard noise reduction, Medium sharpening, and highlight priority mode (D+) The dynamic range is definitely better on the MKiii at both ISO ranges I tested (400 ISO and 6400 ISO), but especially at the lower ISO I thought the M3 performed very well. At high ISO (6400 ISO), there was a significant difference in image quality. The MKiii takes almost “clean” images, where as the M3 lost a lot of detail from the noise reduction. Also, I had the MKiii 1/3 stop brighter, but it ended up being nearly a full stop brighter (9/10ths) when compared in lightroom. So, the 3 year old mkiii still holds it’s own in image quality, but the M3 provides “professional looking” images at a fraction the cost and size.
View and Download the full versions of these files (the gallery below was downsized in lightroom)
Auto-Focus – For still objects the autofocus was extremely accurate and quite quick. Not a noticeable difference in autofocus lock on speed between the M3 and 5dMKIII until I was in very low light but still very good. I tried touch focus, and single point both of which worked well. It also has a tracking mode where you can touch any subject on the screen and it will keep it in focus. All these methods worked well and resulted in near perfect focus for normal use. The camera also has one touch controls to switch to manual focus with focus peaking on the screen. I also tested out servo focus on the ef-m 18-55 lens and my 70-200 2.8L IS II. The short and long of it is that auto focus worked great on the 70-200, but not servo mode.
Servo Test shots with the EOS M3 and 70-200 2.8L IS II
The closer shots of Moses’s Head I was purposely moving my body back and forth slightly, as you can see, the only time I obtained good focus was when both the photographer and subject held still. A big problem was that it was really hard to keep the subject in frame because you can’t see anything on the screen. However, even when I kept Moses close and centered it wouldn’t track.
Servo Test Shots with EOS M3 and the ef-m 18-55
Build quality – I
Features – My 5dmkiii has very few frills so I was impressed by these items. From my perspective the built in WIFI is really nice. It’s easy to send photos to your phone, google drive, your computer, flicker and a handful of other services. The flip out screen is awesome. Gone are the days when you have to lay in the dirt to get a photo a few inches off the ground. You can even flip the screen forward for a selfie mode. Say what you will, but I have numerous times given my camera to a stranger to take a photo while traveling and had them take something ridiculously awful. I’ve gotten pretty good at the dslr selfie, but this screen will definitely make it easier. The pop up flash allows you to tilt it up for bounce flash. Nothing looks worse than a tiny flash pointed straight in the face of your subject, but with bounce flash you can get a professional look from your tiny camera. In my tests it was more than bright enough to light a room with a standard height (8ft) white ceiling. I’m sure it’s not as powerful as the 600EX RTs… but if you need more power you can put that on this camera as well. I bought the Electronic Viewfinder, but have not used it much. It’s a bit faster to frame a photo with the viewfinder, but I really find using the touchscreen for auto-focus to be convenient. I’m not sure which way I’ll use the camera, and I’m personally really happy that it is removable rather than built in.
Controls– I passed on the first versions of the EOS M because of the lack of external controls. With the M3 it is finally a camera for serious photographers. You can easily shoot anywhere from full auto to full manual with all the controls at your finger tips just like a real DSLR. It even has auto exposure adjustment dial which makes shooting TV or AV very easy. The M3 even has programmable buttons so you can set it up exactly how you want. Many of the settings are accessible both by hardware buttons as well as the touchscreen. The touchscreen is very responsive with good menu layout and makes accessing a number of settings very easy.
Conclusion – Mirrorless cameras are the future of photography. At some point the bulk of a camera like the 5dmkiii + high end lens makes you a worse photographer. If you’re serious about photography, but your current camera is so big that you don’t use it, then this is great option. Personally I think that this camera will be a great walk around camera. The image quality is more than sufficient for capturing life memories and travel shots. The single shot autofocus on both my ef-m lenses (22mm and 18-55mm) was fast and accurate. The servo focus on the 18-55mm was good enough that I will easily get action shots of pets and kids in action. The standard EF lenses that I tested focused correctly, but were not quite as fast to lock as the EF-M lenses. The Canon L series lenses I own and the Sigma Art lenses take beautiful pictures, but so does the $100 EF-M 22mm.
I am a fairly avid landscape photographer. I know that for backpacking I will definitely be opting for this camera, but it remains to be seen whether or not I feel comfortable leaving the MkIII (or 5dMK IV), at home for trips where photography is the main goal. For bird and nature photography this could be a great option for some people. If your animals are prone to moving quickly you’ll probably be better off with a 7dmkii. Canon did a great job with the Canon EOS M3, and it’s a shame it’s not available with a USA warranty. It’s also a shame that Canon hasn’t come out with a full frame competitor to the Sony A7. If I could have a camera with the features and lens options of the Canon EOS M3, the size of the Sony A7 (or smaller),the image quality of a top of the line full frame sensor and the price of a camera like the Canon 6D I would have bought that instead. However, since that’s not in existence I saved myself a few hundred dollars and will be very happy with this camera.
I believe the camera has a stainless steel frame covered in a magnesium alloy shell with various smaller parts such as doors etc. made of polycarbonite resin.
Excellent review. Thank you!
Very interesting read! i am a happy owner of the original EOS M, but missed having a viewfinder so much i bought a 100D / SL1 to compliment it. The best thing about the M system is the lenses, I have all of them, and although they ar not fast (apart from the 22mm f2) they have excellent image quality. If you are using EF/EF-S lenses the best ones for the M body are those with STM focusing.
As for your test, I think test shot would be even more comparable if you compensated the APS-c cropping factor with the apperture, rather than the exposure time, to get a comparable depth of field
I would also encourage you to check out the pancake lens EF 40mm f2.8 together with the EOS M adapter. It is a somewhat uncommon equivalent of 64 mm on a full frame, i personally find it very useful
Fully concur; I own both a 5D III and EOS M3, and have the same opinion; this is a great walk about camera as you just can’t carry that much magnesium and glass around everywhere if you’re serious about photography…
I do miss the IQ of the 5D III, but, I just couldn’t carry the beast everywhere I wanted to and it got left home too much and the iPhone, although great, is not a APS-C.
EOS M3 goes with me everywhere, the 11-22 wide angle is a highly recommend. 55-200 gets a lot of use too. Noticed the same with the EF to EF-M adapter; results are sub par on AF vs EF-M native. I look forward to a macro and portrait IE 50mm or greater EF-M prime option.
DR and ISO are great; look forward to seeing if DXO concurs.
problem is not that the M3 is bad… problemn for canon is that other mirrorless cameras are so much better.
the Sony A6000 runs circles around the M3.
Hi, I appreciate your review, but I am afraid to say that there is tendency to do it in a way that will make the M system look better than it is. I am talking about comparing it to 5D Mark III (ok) with 35/1.4 (not so ok).
If your reference was full frame, do you realize that much closer combo would be 5D Mark III and EF 40/2.8 STM? All right, the focal length is slightly different, but on the other had the aperture is better (2.8 vs. equivalent of about 3.2 on the EOS M side). Now we are talking about significantly different size and weight.
Don’t get me wrong: I heartily agree, the the moving mirror will disappear in the future (and I own 5D Mark III, 5D Mark II and bunch of high-end lenses), but a body with cropped sensor with a relatively slow lens cannot be compared so easily to your high-end setup. (Though may be fine for casual and even not-so-casual use.)
Listen,
those faces, the pictures of those snouts, awesomeness. Had to tell you this first.
Now, back onto reading the review.
Great review! Thanks!
Does anyone know if I purchased one in Asia if the language could be changed to English? I’m going to be in Asia for the next month and would love to replace my EOS-M mkI with a iii! I too have a 5Dmkiii and would freaking love a better mirrorless.
Yes, I have the Japanese model. The language can switch between Japanese and English
Great review and I completely agree with you.
I’ve had my M3 a couple of weeks now and absolutely love it. As Matthew mentioned above, try the 11-22mm. It punches way above it’s weight.
I definitely see where you’re coming from. My goal was to compare the quality of photos that a person would actually take in a given environment. I used lenses with very similar point of view and kept the aperture value the same so that I could better compare the pros and con’s of the system as a whole ( sharpness wide open, bokeh wide open and at same ev, noise levels at a given ISO) Think about it this way: here is your scene and you have two tools to chose from. Both will will give you the same POV, but other aspects of the image change. In retrospect I wish I would have also done some test shots on the mkiii at a higher aperture to better match the bokeh of the m3+ 22mm f2.0 as a further comparison.
I liked the review very much. I have the eos m, 11-22mm,22mm and the standard kit lens. I also bought it specifically for backpacking. I’m strongly considering the M3 but have a couple of questions. What do you think of the RAW image quality at higher ISO’s? 3200, 6400? Where/how did you purchase it?
Oddly enough I have a Konica T4 also.
Like Dan, my workhorse 5D3s serve me well for wildlife and landscapes, but I’m considering a M3 for timelapses (less conspicuous size, quieter without a flapping mirror, ability to use a mini tripod because of low weight and no flapping mirror, etc.). Does anyone use the M3 for timelapses? Has Canon finally included an intervalometer?
I realize other brand mirrorless cameras would be much better for TLs, but I can use my existing EF lenses with the M3 and such things as AF speed/accuracy really aren’t important for TLs.
One question for those who actually own the EOS M3: Can you do WIRED remote shooting with it yet? Or can someone do a review on wireless so I can see if the delay is acceptable yet? =)
I still use my EOS M1 as my main camera. Any focus issues were overly hyped, and are completely dismissed by using something like a YN622 which boosts AF substantially, even in literal darkness.
I do wish that Canon stood behind the line more, which in turn would cause 3rd party manufacturers to do the same (focal reducer or even speed booster for EOS M would be heaven).
The other thing I can’t recommend enough is Magic Lantern, which basically turns EOS M into a Sony (shame on you Canon). Focus peaking is something I can no longer live without!
The body is metal, except for the flash and battery doors. If anything feels flimsy, it’s the scissor mechanism for the pivoting screen. It may not be quite as good as a Sony or Fuji but it’s considerably less expensive, if purchased in Japan. The 11-22 lens is a bargain too.
Here is a video review of it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCIZ-uNpWyU
The auto focus seems to be better than the original M. Would like to see auto focus speed with other mirorless systems
Nice review. You mentioned the focus peaking, a feature sorely missed on the original EOS M. It’s worth noting that you can choose from red, yellow, or blue highlighting. Works great with my old Minolta MC Rokkor 58mm f/1.4 lens. I also ordered the EVF-DC1 viewfinder. Never missed it on the EOS M, but wow, what a difference on the EOS M3. I wear glasses and it has no problem automatically switching from the screen to the viewfinder. Great for sunny days or the beach when the screen is mostly washed out by ambient light. It’s a must buy.
I’ve used the android app with the m3, and there is no noticeable lag in the image, and focusing seems about the same speed as normal. Shutter release is as quick as in camera (at least that is how it feels). It takes about a minute to initially connect the camera to your phone, but once its synced, viewing photos and shooting is really quite seamless.
I live in Canon land and have L and Art lenses. I also use my iPhone 6+ for quickies. In Canada, I’m tempted to get a Sony RX100iii as my walkaround rather than grey market M3.
Robert,
Regarding ISO, from my experience the M3 is about 2/3 stop better on ISO performance vs Canon’s previous APS-C king the T2i/T3i/T4i/T5i/60D/7D/EOSM/EOSM2 (all use 18mp APS-C). IE I see about the same noise levels at ISO 5000 on the M3 that I would see at ISO 3200 on my old EOS M or T3i; not quite a full stop IE 6400, but darn close which is really good.
You’ll need to import it the camera from Asia or Europe, but the dollar trades better against the Yen then it does against the Euro so I choose Asia, best choices are eBay from a reputable seller or dpreview has a thread running about ordering from Amazon.co.jp and using tenso (a proxy service) to forward it to you for a small fee ($40).
I did the latter, you have to do some Japanese to English via google translate, setup a tenso account, validate your identity with them and order from Amazon Japan and have Amazon Japan ship to Tenso with your account number embedded in the address to Tenso and Tenso will forward it to you after you pay them their fee. If you’re in the states import duties don’t apply, not expensive enough to qualify.
Thanks for writing the review. Although this camera is not avaliable where I am now, I think it will come later and I will be interested in it. I do have the 5D3 with L lenses and even purchsed the Tamron 28-300 PZD full frame lense to make it more “walk around” friendly; however, with great IQ it is still big and heavy. After a lot of review, I ended up with a Fujifilm X-E2 with 18-135mm (27-200mm ~ APC sensor)weather selaed lense. It has been an amazing tool for me as the noise level at ISO 6400 is very close to the 5D3 due to lake of AA filter and different color array setup. It is an option I will not over look for just a every day “walk around” camera.
Why Sony cannot make the same 22/2.0? Sony??? You make great little cameras but grrrr
Thanks for pointing that out about the metal body, I’ve added an update.
So where is this camera available? You say it’s not available in USA, but your readers live in other countries too (me? Germany right now). Maybe add the countries where this is sold to your article.
Enjoyed the article and have a strong interest in this camera.
I have just uploaded a compilation of movie samples shot in low light – high ISO, with the new mirror-less Canon EOS M3 in Athens, Greece. ISO value of every movie sample is shown at the right-bottom side of the video. Chipped and unchipped legacy lenses were used for shooting the samples of this movie, which are:
1. Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 non-Ai (adapter used).
2. Mir 24N 35mm f2 (adapter used).
3. Tokina 12-24mm f/4 AT-X 124AF Pro DX II for Nikon (adapter used).
4. Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II LD IF for Canon.
Movie samples were shot from April 11 until April 15 2015 in the center of the Greek capital.
Hope it helps some people.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_MiVFmAg_o
Excellent review, it addressed everything I wanted to know about the M3. I was very curious about this one as it never arrived in our shores.
Just a point I partly disagree with. I use a lot of light mirrorless cameras like the G7 and the X100t and I agree that being able to conveniently pick a camera up and bring it everywhere with you does encourage shooting more but I think its more about the person’s drive and passion rather than the size the camera that make them better at photography. The great masters like Ansel Adams shot with a camera the size of a tripod and made beautiful photos. Then again these guys took Photography a million time more seriously than most of us.
Thanx for the writeup.
I think that if they produced a mirror less canon that could rival the sony a7, they would be shooting themselves in the foot as they would loose sales from the 5d and 1d lines.
For documenting everyday life, why not just get a G1X MkII, with it’s dedicated “clip on” accessory EFV, at a total cost > $1,000? It has an large 1.5″ sensor, a fast f/2-3.9, 24-120 mm equivalent IS zoom lens, built in flash, dedicated exposure compensation dial, and two programable rings around the lens that let you quickly change of often used used parameters (such as focus, etc).
Last summer we took a Baltic Sea trip (Copenhagen, Tallin, St Petersburg, Helsinki, and Stockholm), and it’s RAW files were on par with my 5D MkIII’s. At high 3,200 ISO’s, church interiors were surprisingly clean, with little noticeable noise. Never missed my “big kit”, but I sure enjoyed the experience of traveling with just a 2 lb camera on my shoulder.
I also own 5DIII and M3 (In USA) also had E-M5, E-M1, E-M10, A7r and A6000, while is nice that I can share lenses between 5DIII and M3 (EF mount), performance of M3 is just sad, all mirrorless cameras I mentioned can run circles around M3, Canon still has a lot to learn, makes me wonder if they make mirrorless cameras slow on purpose, technology is there, as other companies have proven, but Canon has to protect their DSLR line.
I have been a Canon fan for years but I decided to buy a mirrorless camera and wasn’t happy with the features particularly in AF speed a lens options offer for EOS-M1/2/3.
I opted for the Sony a6000 with the Sony-Zeiss 16-70mm f/4 OSS and I’m very happy how it share time with my 5D3.
Adobe has updated their drivers to support RAW files natively from the EOS M3. I’d be curious to see an updated post with your views, particularly on high ISO.
@mcdphoto – I downloaded the update last night and plan on expanding the review with some edited files.
Hi Dan,
great work. I love your review. I already tried the M3 myself and I will buy it next month (a lot of stores here in Germany don´t have the M3 in stock yet and I am waiting for a (small) price drop as soon as it is widely available). I also linked your review in my photoblog!
Cheers,
Henry
Great review. I have just purchased a M3, after having had the M as my only camera for a year. I missed faster AF, but was quite pleased with everything else, especially IQ.
The M3’s AF is definitely faster, and I really enjoy this camera.
The M3 with the 22mm fits perfectly in my bag!
i have 2 m 3’s. Bought on eBay as kit with dc1 eye level finder for $600. Have the 22 mm, 18-55 mm, and 55-200 EF-M lenses. This is an almost perfect travel rig. Does not take the place of my full size rigs for wild life and birds, but great for people and landscapes. Use as compliment for full size rigs on photo safari. Back up body with EF adapter.
Fantastic review/comparison post. I recently got my hands on the EOS M3 having used the original for over a year. So far I’m loving the M3 with the faster focus, wifi, bigger and flippable screen and external controls. It’s such a shame the price is high in comparison to competitors but in the end you can whack on a slew of Canon lenses with the adaptor which is really what won me over in the end.
I’ve had the M3 for 3 weeks now and I love it. The upgrades from the original M make me very happy. This is not meant to take the place of my 5DMkIII. I wanted a camera to have with me at all times so I don’t always have to lug the 5D around. I think the images are fantastic and I’m glad i shopped eBay for this camera. I still have my original M but it hasn’t been used since the M3 arrived.
Nice review but even nicer are the dogs.
Does anybody know what kind of breed (combination) they might be?
Daniel
Sorry for the slow reply, but they are most likely pitbull + weimeraner mix. They are from a local humane society, and we’ve never got them genetically tested. They also look a lot like texas blue laceys, but I’ve never seen one in Minnesota. Pitbulls and weimeraners are decently common in the area, so our guess was that it was a poor mans attempt at making a blue-pit (which are very desirable and expensive)
I have the original EOS M and 3 lenses – 22mm, 18-55mm and the 11-22mm. It does take great pictures and the EF-M lenses have great quality especially for the price. But the camera is sluggish. I had a Panasonic GF1 which is a m4/3 camera that pre-dates the EOS M and it was far faster. My primary motivation for buying it was that I am already in the Canon EOS ecosystem. That was a mistake – non EF-M lenses are even more sluggish with the adapter and some will barely focus at all.
I too am tired of lugging the DSLR. Truthfully I think NO ONE wants to carry the bulky cameras. The last time I sold everything I had a 10D and a bunch of lenses. Bought a Canon G9, used it a lot despite the tiny sensor and the lag. Sold all the EOS stuff. Eventually traded the G9 in for a m4/3 Panasonic GF1. This thing looked like a baby Leica and was very quick. Only thing is composing off the screen drove me crazy, it was hard to see outside. Same problem with EOS M. So I sold it and went back to Canon. The last few years though I really detest the weight of the DSLR and the lenses.
Was contemplating buying the EOS M3 as I already have the lenses but I am not sure as this will be pushing even more money into something I may not like. Though it seems the picture quality is there, the m4/3 picture quality is there as well and they have a lot more than 4 native lenses and have functionality that Canon just does not have.
thanks for sharing this. I have the same set up as you and may want to take a serious look at this little camera. I had the first one but sold it.
It’s quite obvious that the Canon 5DIII has more accurate colour than EOS M3. Basically, all the images with white desk and sofa in M3 have greenish colour. According to some review, this problem only exist in M3, but not M or M2. Canon should release a firmware to fix it.
In regards to color accuracy: there is a big difference between what a camera is capable of and the color accuracy of a given shot. The m3 does not have a noticeable tint across the board in my experience. Anyway, if you want accurate color shoot in raw and adjust in post… Which is why you should buy the m3 over other compact cameras. The best camera in the world isn’t going to get perfect color every time when you’re shooting auto white balance
I have both EOS M3 and 6D. The greenish color in M3 is noticeable especially when you do a side by side comparison. It does not bother me much, but it has annoyed some reviewers to abandon M3 and bought M2 instead. One of the important reason that people choose canon not sony or nikon is for its color, something that RAW processing could not easily replicate.
Di Xia – true, I’ve found the new 24mp APS-C sensor on the M3 gravitates a bit more to the blue/green, than the M and M2. But, I’ve found the the M’s AF to be lacking in speed and accuracy and the M2 lacking in accuracy of AF, not so much speed though. The M3 still maintains the “Canon” look and feel to images right out of camera, but, I’ve noted the difference myself, it’s not as radical as a Sony or Panasonic image though but i do miss the M2’s color gamut default. I miss the 50mbit/sec video bitrate more though… The M3 is heavily neutered in that realm.
AI K – The G1X II was my predecessor to my EOS-M, then M2 and finally the M3 I have now. Great tool. it’s only downfalls were subtle but substantial… In bright conditions it’s metering lead to ETTR was too far to the right, often resulting in blowouts of highlights; non-recoverable. I’ve never noticed DR being lacking on a Canon product, until the G1X II, it exasperated this phenomena adding insult to injury. Also it’s AF was a bit hit and miss, it missed the desired focus by a hair way to much resulting in undesired soft imagery in about 30% of shots (yikes!). However, it’s optics were outstanding for it’s size/weight/cost and it’s low light performance is unmatched for it’s class. I don’t care what reviews say about the RX100 III/IV, the G1X II stomps all over it above 3200. I shot 12,800 a lot and it was really good. Also you need to use Av/Tv/M to get desired results. P often resulted in unwanted wide open shots in landscapes… Of course I could just adjust the dial, I want something my wife can enjoy as well as myself, and sometimes I like to just shoot P and not think about what how I’m shooting but just what.
The M3’s metering is spot on, it’s DR is much improved and it has interchangeable optics, good ones at that, and is small/light/cheap (if imported). If Canon updated the G1X II with a more modern 1.5″ sensor, updated the firmware and stuck on an embedded EVF, I’d be in heaven and would switch back very fast as although I love my EOS M3, I liked my G1X II as I never had to switch optics to get the shot which was very, very nice.
Awesome thanks for sharing this! 🙂