Fujifilm X-E3 vs Canon M

The Fujifilm X-E3 and the Canon EOS M are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in September 2017 and July 2012. Both the X-E3 and the Canon M are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Fujifilm has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Canon provides 17.9 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Fujifilm X-E3		Canon M
Mirrorless system camera		Mirrorless system camera
Fujifilm X mount lenses		Canon EF-M mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		17.9 MP – APS-C sensor
4K/30p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 200-12,800 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-12,800 (100 - 25,600)
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed touchscreen		Fixed touchscreen
8 shutter flaps per second		4.3 shutter flaps per second
350 shots per battery charge		230 shots per battery charge
121 x 74 x 43 mm, 337 g		109 x 66 x 32 mm, 298 g

Check X-E3 offers at
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Check Canon M offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Fujifilm X-E3 and the Canon EOS M? 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

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Fujifilm X-E3 and the Canon M. 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 measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The X-E3 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the Canon M is also available in two color-versions, but different ones (black, white).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon M is notably smaller (20 percent) than the Fujifilm X-E3. Moreover, the Canon M is markedly lighter (12 percent) than the X-E3. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the X-E3 nor the Canon M 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.

Concerning battery life, the X-E3 gets 350 shots out of its Fujifilm NP-W126S battery, while the Canon M can take 230 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E12 power pack. The power pack in the X-E3 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

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, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Fujifilm X-E3	121 mm	74 mm	43 mm	337 g	350	n	Sep 2017	899	ebay.com
2.		Canon M	109 mm	66 mm	32 mm	298 g	230	n	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
3.		Canon M10	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	301 g	255	n	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
4.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
5.		Canon SL1	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
6.		Canon T3i	133 mm	100 mm	80 mm	570 g	440	n	Feb 2011	599	ebay.com
7.		Canon T5i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm X-A3	117 mm	67 mm	40 mm	339 g	410	n	Aug 2016	399	ebay.com
9.		Fujifilm X-A5	117 mm	68 mm	40 mm	361 g	450	n	Jan 2018	399	ebay.com
10.		Fujifilm X-A10	117 mm	67 mm	40 mm	331 g	410	n	Dec 2016	399	ebay.com
11.		Fujifilm X-E2	129 mm	75 mm	37 mm	350 g	350	n	Oct 2013	999	ebay.com
12.		Fujifilm X-E2S	129 mm	75 mm	37 mm	350 g	350	n	Jan 2016	699	ebay.com
13.		Fujifilm X-E4	121 mm	73 mm	33 mm	364 g	380	n	Jan 2021	849	amazon.com
14.		Fujifilm X-T10	118 mm	83 mm	41 mm	381 g	350	n	May 2015	799	ebay.com
15.		Fujifilm X-T20	118 mm	83 mm	41 mm	383 g	350	n	Jan 2017	899	ebay.com
16.		Fujifilm X-T30	118 mm	83 mm	47 mm	383 g	380	n	Feb 2019	899	ebay.com
17.		Fujifilm X-T30 II	118 mm	83 mm	47 mm	383 g	380	n	Sep 2021	899	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

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 Canon M was launched at a markedly lower price (by 33 percent) than the X-E3, which puts it into a different market segment. 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.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the Canon M is 10 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have format factors, respectively, of 1.5 (X-E3) and 1.6. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 24MP, the X-E3 offers a higher resolution than the Canon M (17.9MP), but the X-E3 has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.92μm versus 4.31μm for the Canon M). However, the X-E3 is a much more recent model (by 5 years and 1 month) than the Canon M, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the X-E3 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Fujifilm X-E3 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the X-E3 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon M are 25.9 x 17.3 inches or 65.8 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 20.7 x 13.8 inches or 52.7 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 17.3 x 11.5 inches or 43.9 x 29.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Fujifilm X-E3 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 12800, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS M are ISO 100 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. The X-E3 uses Fujifilm's X-Trans layout of photosites, while the Canon M employs the more common Bayer array.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Fujifilm X-E3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	23.9	13.3	1764	82
2.		Canon M	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.2	827	65
3.		Canon M10	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.4	753	65
4.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
5.		Canon SL1	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
6.		Canon T3i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.5	793	65
7.		Canon T5i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	681	61
8.		Fujifilm X-A3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	13.1	1664	81
9.		Fujifilm X-A5	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.3	1800	82
10.		Fujifilm X-A10	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/30p	23.9	13.2	1691	81
11.		Fujifilm X-E2	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.4	12.6	1400	77
12.		Fujifilm X-E2S	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.7	13.0	1608	80
13.		Fujifilm X-E4	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.2	13.7	2085	85
14.		Fujifilm X-T10	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.7	12.9	1546	79
15.		Fujifilm X-T20	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	23.9	13.2	1704	81
16.		Fujifilm X-T30	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.1	13.5	1895	83
17.		Fujifilm X-T30 II	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.2	13.8	2144	85
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

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 X-E3 provides a higher video resolution than the Canon M. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the Canon is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the X-E3 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the Canon M relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Fujifilm X-E3 and Canon M in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Fujifilm X-E3	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	n
2.		Canon M	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.3/s	n	n
3.		Canon M10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.6/s	Y	n
4.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
5.		Canon SL1	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9/s	Y	n
6.		Canon T3i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.7/s	Y	n
7.		Canon T5i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
8.		Fujifilm X-A3	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
9.		Fujifilm X-A5	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
10.		Fujifilm X-A10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
11.		Fujifilm X-E2	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	n
12.		Fujifilm X-E2S	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	Y	n
13.		Fujifilm X-E4	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	n
14.		Fujifilm X-T10	2360	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
15.		Fujifilm X-T20	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
16.		Fujifilm X-T30	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
17.		Fujifilm X-T30 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the X-E3 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Fujifilm X-E3 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 X-E3 and the Canon M 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 Fujifilm X-E3 and Canon EOS M and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Fujifilm X-E3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Canon M	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon M10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon SL1	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon T3i	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon T5i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Fujifilm X-A3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Fujifilm X-A5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
10.		Fujifilm X-A10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Fujifilm X-E2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Fujifilm X-E2S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Fujifilm X-E4	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
14.		Fujifilm X-T10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Fujifilm X-T20	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
16.		Fujifilm X-T30	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
17.		Fujifilm X-T30 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y

It is notable that the X-E3 offers wifi support, while the Canon M does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Both the X-E3 and the Canon M have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The Canon M was replaced by the Canon EOS M3, while the X-E3 was followed by the Fujifilm X-E4. Further information on the features and operation of the X-E3 and Canon M can be found, respectively, in the Fujifilm X-E3 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon M Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Fujifilm X-E3 or the Canon M – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Fujifilm X-E3:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (24 vs 17.9MP) with a 16% higher linear resolution.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/30p).
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8 vs 4.3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (350 versus 230) on a single battery charge.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More modern: Reflects 5 years and 1 month of technical progress since the Canon M launch.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS M:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• More compact: Is smaller (109x66mm vs 121x74mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 39g or 12 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (33 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in July 2012).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the X-E3 is the clear winner of the match-up (12 : 5 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape 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 Fujifilm X-E3 and the Canon M 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 specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the X-E3 or the Canon M perform in practice. 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 why expert reviews are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). 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.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Fujifilm X-E3	4.5/5	+	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2017	899	ebay.com
2.		Canon M	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
3.		Canon M10	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
4.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
5.		Canon SL1	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
6.		Canon T3i	3/5	o	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2011	599	ebay.com
7.		Canon T5i	..	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm X-A3	..	..	..	74/100	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2016	399	ebay.com
9.		Fujifilm X-A5	..	+	4.1/5	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2018	399	ebay.com
10.		Fujifilm X-A10	..	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Dec 2016	399	ebay.com
11.		Fujifilm X-E2	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	999	ebay.com
12.		Fujifilm X-E2S	4.5/5	..	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	699	ebay.com
13.		Fujifilm X-E4	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jan 2021	849	amazon.com
14.		Fujifilm X-T10	4.5/5	+ +	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	May 2015	799	ebay.com
15.		Fujifilm X-T20	5/5	+ +	5/5	82/100	5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	899	ebay.com
16.		Fujifilm X-T30	5/5	+ +	5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2019	899	ebay.com
17.		Fujifilm X-T30 II	5/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2021	899	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, 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.

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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.

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