Sony a290 vs Canon EOS M3

This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a290 and Canon EOS M3. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.

Manufacturing

Sony a290 is manufacturered by Sony but Canon EOS M3 is from Canon. Both Sony and Canon are well known brands though.

Sony a290 were released 2010 and Canon EOS M3 was released 2015. That is a 5 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.

Camera Released
Sony a290 2010
Canon EOS M3 2015

Type of camera

Sony a290 is a DSLR camera while Canon EOS M3 is a Mirrorless camera. More information about their differences will come soon.

Sensors / crop factor

These cameras have different sensors. Sony a290 has a "Sony APS-C"-sensor while Canon EOS M3 has a "Canon APS-C"-sensor, and their difference in sensors will also affect the crop factor and experience focal length. See the table below.

Camera Focal length, 50mm f/1.8 **
Sony a290 75 mm
Sony APS-C sensor
Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.5
Canon EOS M3 80 mm
Canon APS-C sensor
Crop factor/focal length multiplier by * 1.6

** Experienced focal length when using a lens such as a common "50mm f/1.8"

Learn more about crop factor and focal length multiplier here:
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Sony)
Camera selection can affect the focal length (Canon)

Resolution

Sony a290 has a 14 MP (Megapixels) resolution while Canon EOS M3 has 24 MP. If we break down this in more detail this is the data behind the numbers:

Camera Megapixels
Sony a290 14 MP
14033152 pixels
4592 x 3056
Canon EOS M3 24 MP
24000000 pixels
6000 x 4000

Canon EOS M3 has a 71 % larger resolution than Sony a290. This could give you more details in the picture but also a possibility to crop more in the pictures, afterward while editing the pictures, if needed that is.

ISO range

Canon EOS M3 has a larger ISO-range than Sony a290. Canon EOS M3 has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 12800 while Sony a290 has 100 to 3200.

Camera ISO Range
Sony a290 100-3200
Canon EOS M3 100-12800

Autofocus and lens compatibility

Both of these cameras have a built-in autofocus motor. Some lenses, that support autofocus, do not have an autofocus motor of their own but this won't cause any problems with these two cameras.

Worth mentioning is that Canon EOS M3 belongs to the Canon EOS M-system and needs an adapter to work with Canons EF, EF-S, MP-E, and TS-E lenses. You can read more about this adapter here:
Canon Lens Mount Adapter EF-EOS M

Here is a complete overview of which lenses work with each camera:
Lens compatibility chart for Sony a290
Lens compatibility chart for Canon EOS M3

Pictures per second

Depending on what you are shooting the FPS, or frames/pictures per second, can definitely be of interest. Sony a290 can shoot up to 2,5 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS M3 can shoot up to 4,2 pictures per seconds.

Camera FPS (Frames per second)
Sony a290 2,5
Canon EOS M3 4,2

Ability to record movies

It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.

It is only one of these two cameras that support recording movies and movie clips and that is Canon EOS M3. Sadly, the Sony a290 does not support this.

Weight

The weight of the camera can be an extremely important factor, especially if the camera is about to be used, or carried around, for several hours at a time.

Sony a290 weighs 549 gr (equal to 1.21 lb) which is 50% heavier than Canon EOS M3 and its 366 gr (or 0.81 lb).

Camera Weight
Sony a290 549 gr
1.21 lb
Canon EOS M3 366 gr
0.81 lb

Sony a290 vs Canon EOS M3 Specs

Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a290 and Canon EOS M3, next to each other. Each category of data is a link to an article covering the subject, giving you a deeper understanding so you can better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the two camera models.

Product
Sony a290
Canon EOS M3
Name Sony a290 Canon EOS M3
Manufacturer Sony Canon
Release Date and Price
Sony a290
Canon EOS M3
Release Year 2010 2015
Release Date 2010-06-09 2015-02-06
MSRP 499 USD 679 USD
Buy it today
Camera Type
Sony a290
Canon EOS M3
Camera Type DSLR Mirrorless
Sensor
Sony a290
Canon EOS M3
Sensor Size APS-C (approx 23.5 x 15.6 mm) APS-C (approx 22.3 x 14.9 mm)
Sensor Type CCD CMOS
Resolution 4592 x 3056 pixels 6000 x 4000 pixels
Megapixels 14 MP 24 MP
Image Processor Bionz DIGIC 6
Image
Sony a290
Canon EOS M3
ISO Range 100 - 3200 100 - 12800
White Balance Presets 6 6
Custom White Balance Yes Yes
Image Stabilization Yes
(Sensor-Shift)
No
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating 0 stops 0 stops
Uncompressed format RAW RAW
Optics & Focus
Sony a290
Canon EOS M3
Autofocus Motor Yes Yes
Autofocus Phase Detect
Multi Area
Selective Single Point
Single
Continuous
Contract Detect (sensor)
Phase Detect
Multi Area
Center
Selective Single Point
Tracking
Single
Continuous
Touch
Face Detection
LiveView
Focus Points 9 49
Lens Mount Sony A

See Compatible Lenses
Canon EF-M

See Compatible Lenses
Focal Length Multiplier APS-C Sensor (1.5x)
1.5x multiplier
Example:
24 mm becomes 36 mm
50 mm becomes 75 mm
100 mm becomes 150 mm
200 mm becomes 300 mm
APS-C Sensor
1.6x multiplier
Example:
24 mm becomes 38 mm
50 mm becomes 80 mm
100 mm becomes 160 mm
200 mm becomes 320 mm
Screen & Viewfinder
Sony a290
Canon EOS M3
Articulated LCD Fixed Tilting
Screen size 2.7” 3”
Screen dots 230400 1040000
Touch screen No Yes
Screen type N/A ClearView II TFT-LCD
Live view No Yes
Viewfinder Type Optical (pentamirror) Electronic (Optional via Canon EVF-DC2)
Viewfinder Coverage 95%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.83× (0.55× 35mm equiv.)
Viewfinder Resolution N/A 0
Photography features
Sony a290
Canon EOS M3
Frames per second 2,5 fps 4,2 fps
Minimum Shutter Speed 30 seconds 0 seconds
Maximum Shutter Speed 1/4000 seconds 1/0 seconds
Built-in Flash Yes Yes
Built-in Flash Range 10 meters 5 meters
External Flash Yes Yes
Self-Timer Yes Yes
Time-lapse No No
Metering modes Multi
Center Weighted
Spot
Multi
Center Weighted
Spot
Partial
Exposure Compensation +/- 2 (at 1/3 EV steps) +/- 3 (at 1/3 EV steps)
Videography features
Sony a290
Canon EOS M3
Video recording No Yes
Video format N/A H.264
Video resolution N/A 1280 x 720
1920 x 1080
Built-in Microphone No Yes
Built-in Speakers No Yes
Storage
Sony a290
Canon EOS M3
Memory Card Memory Stick Pro Duo
SD/SDHC
SD/SDHC
Connectivity
Sony a290
Canon EOS M3
HDMI Output Yes Yes
Microphone Port No Yes
Headphone Port No No
Wireless No Yes
Built-in (802.11b/g/n with NFC)
Remote Control Yes (Optional) Yes (via smartphone)
GPS No No
Body & Dimensions
Sony a290
Canon EOS M3
Enviromentally sealed No No
Battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery Details Lithium-Ion NP-FH50 rechargeable battery & charger
LP-E17 lithium-ion battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA) 290 shots 250 shots
Width 128 mm 111 mm
Height 97 mm 68 mm
Depth 86 mm 44 mm
Weight 549 gram 366 gram