Canon M3 vs M6

The Canon EOS M3 and the Canon EOS M6 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in February 2015 and February 2017. Both the M3 and the M6 are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 24 megapixels.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon M3		Canon M6
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Canon EF-M mount lenses		Canon EF-M mount lenses
24 MP, APS-C Sensor		24 MP, APS-C Sensor
1080/30p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-12800 (100-25600)		ISO 100-25600
Viewfinder optional		Viewfinder optional
3.0" LCD, 1040k dots		3.0" LCD, 1040k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Tilting touchscreen
4.2 shutter flaps per second		9 shutter flaps per second
250 shots per battery charge		295 shots per battery charge
111 x 68 x 44 mm, 366 g		112 x 68 x 45 mm, 390 g

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS M3 and the Canon EOS M6? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon M3 and the Canon M6 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The M3 can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the M6 is also available in two color-versions, but different ones (black, silver).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon M3 and the Canon M6 are of equal size. However, the M6 is markedly heavier (7 percent) than the M3. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the M3 nor the M6 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, just select a new right or left comparator from among the camera models in the table. Alternatively, you can also move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Camera Body Specifications

	Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life (CIPA)	Weather Sealing (yes/no)	Camera Launch (announced)	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price (USD)	Used Price (USD)	Camera Model
	Canon M3»	4.4 in	2.7 in	1.7 in	12.9 oz	250	n	Feb 2015	679	-		Canon M3
	Canon M6«	4.4 in	2.7 in	1.8 in	13.8 oz	295	n	Feb 2017	779	-		Canon M6
	Canon M6 Mark II« »	4.7 in	2.8 in	1.9 in	14.4 oz	305	n	Aug 2019	849			Canon M6 Mark II
	Canon M50« »	4.6 in	3.5 in	2.3 in	13.8 oz	235	n	Feb 2018	779			Canon M50
	Canon T7« »	5.1 in	4.0 in	3.1 in	16.8 oz	500	n	Feb 2018	449			Canon T7
	Canon M100« »	4.3 in	2.6 in	1.4 in	10.7 oz	295	n	Aug 2017	499			Canon M100
	Canon M5« »	4.6 in	3.5 in	2.4 in	15.1 oz	295	n	Sep 2016	979			Canon M5
	Canon G5 X« »	4.4 in	3.0 in	1.7 in	12.5 oz	210	n	Oct 2015	799	-		Canon G5 X
	Canon M10« »	4.3 in	2.6 in	1.4 in	10.6 oz	255	n	Oct 2015	499	-		Canon M10
	Canon T6i« »	5.2 in	4.0 in	3.1 in	19.6 oz	440	n	Feb 2015	749	-		Canon T6i
	Canon T6s« »	5.2 in	4.0 in	3.1 in	19.9 oz	440	n	Feb 2015	649	-		Canon T6s
	Canon G7 X« »	4.1 in	2.4 in	1.6 in	10.7 oz	210	n	Sep 2014	699	-		Canon G7 X
	Canon M« »	4.3 in	2.6 in	1.3 in	10.5 oz	230	n	Jul 2012	599	-		Canon M
Convert to Metric
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The M3 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 13 percent) than the M6, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.6. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the M6 uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 7) than the M3 (DIGIC 6), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 24 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the M3 and the M6 have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the M6 is much more recent (by 2 years) than the M3, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

The Canon EOS M3 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 12800, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS M6 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600 (no boost).

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the M6 provides a faster frame rate than the M3. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60p, while the M3 is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The M3 and the M6 are similar in the sense that neither of the two has a viewfinder. The images are, thus, framed using live view on the rear LCD. However, optional viewfinders – the EVF-DC1 for the M3 and the EVF-DC2 for the M6 – are available as accessories. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon M3, the Canon M6, and comparable cameras.

The Canon M6 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the M3 and the M6 write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS M3 and Canon EOS M6 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Both the M3 and the M6 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on eBay. The M3 was replaced by the Canon M6, while the M6 was followed by the Canon M6 Mark II. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Canon website.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Canon M3 or the Canon M6 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS M3:

• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (13 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2015).

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS M6:

• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 7 vs DIGIC 6).
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/30p).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (9 vs 4.2 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (295 versus 250) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More modern: Reflects 2 years of technical progress since the M3 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the M6 is the clear winner of the contest (7 : 2 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon M3 and the Canon M6 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the M3 and the M6 in practical situations. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, and photographyblog). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Review Scores

	Camera Model						Camera Launch (announced)	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price (USD)	Used Price (USD)	Camera Model
	Canon M3»	o	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	679	-		Canon M3
	Canon M6«	-	80/100	4/5	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	779	-		Canon M6
	Canon M6 Mark II« »	-	-	-	-	-	Aug 2019	849			Canon M6 Mark II
	Canon M50« »	+	79/100	-	4/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	779			Canon M50
	Canon T7« »	o	-	3.5/5	-	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449			Canon T7
	Canon M100« »	+	-	4/5	-	3.5/5	Aug 2017	499			Canon M100
	Canon M5« »	+	82/100	4/5	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2016	979			Canon M5
	Canon G5 X« »	+ +	78/100	4.5/5	4/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	799	-		Canon G5 X
	Canon M10« »	-	-	-	o	4/5	Oct 2015	499	-		Canon M10
	Canon T6i« »	-	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749	-		Canon T6i
	Canon T6s« »	+	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	649	-		Canon T6s
	Canon G7 X« »	+ +	77/100	4.5/5	3.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	699	-		Canon G7 X
	Canon M« »	+	-	4/5	3.5/5	4/5	Jul 2012	599	-		Canon M
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (-) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

Specifications: Canon M3 vs Canon M6

Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

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