Sony a7 vs Canon EOS M3
This is a full comparison between the cameras Sony a7 and Canon EOS M3. We compare them by looking at the categories you see below.
Manufacturing
Sony a7 is manufacturered by Sony but Canon EOS M3 is from Canon. Both Sony and Canon are well known brands though.
Sony a7 were released 2013 and Canon EOS M3 was released 2015. That is a 2 years difference. In tech, this period can be of interest since technology is always improving, etc.Camera | Released |
Sony a7 | 2013 |
Canon EOS M3 | 2015 |
Type of camera
Both these cameras are Mirrorless cameras. No difference there.
Sensors / crop factor
These cameras have different sensors. Sony a7 has a "Sony Full Frame"-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 a7 | 50 mm Full-frame sensor No crop factor/focal length multiplier |
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
Both these cameras have the exact same resolution. Sony a7 has a 24 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 a7 |
24 MP
24000000 pixels 6000 x 4000 |
Canon EOS M3 |
24 MP
24000000 pixels 6000 x 4000 |
ISO range
Sony a7 has a larger ISO-range than Canon EOS M3. Sony a7 has an ISO range that stretches from 100 to 25600 while Canon EOS M3 has 100 to 12800.
Camera | ISO Range |
Sony a7 | 100-25600 |
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 a7
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 a7 can shoot up to 5 pictures per seconds and Canon EOS M3 can shoot up to 4,2 pictures per seconds.
Camera | FPS (Frames per second) |
Sony a7 | 5 |
Canon EOS M3 | 4,2 |
Ability to record movies
It is becoming more and more popular to record movies with digital cameras.
In this case, both Sony a7 and Canon EOS M3 can shoot movies.
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 a7 weighs 474 gr (equal to 1.04 lb) which is 30% heavier than Canon EOS M3 and its 366 gr (or 0.81 lb).
Camera | Weight |
Sony a7 | 474 gr 1.04 lb |
Canon EOS M3 | 366 gr 0.81 lb |
Sony a7 vs Canon EOS M3 Specs
Below you will find the complete and detailed technical specs for both Sony a7 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 a7 |
Canon EOS M3 |
Name | Sony a7 | Canon EOS M3 |
Manufacturer | Sony | Canon |
Release Date and Price |
Sony a7 |
Canon EOS M3 |
Release Year | 2013 | 2015 |
Release Date | 2013-10-16 | 2015-02-06 |
MSRP | 1699 USD | 679 USD |
Buy it today | ||
Camera Type |
Sony a7 |
Canon EOS M3 |
Camera Type | Mirrorless | Mirrorless |
Sensor |
Sony a7 |
Canon EOS M3 |
Sensor Size | Full Frame (approx 36 x 24 mm) | APS-C (approx 22.3 x 14.9 mm) |
Sensor Type | CMOS | CMOS |
Resolution | 6000 x 4000 pixels | 6000 x 4000 pixels |
Megapixels | 24 MP | 24 MP |
Image Processor | Bionz X | DIGIC 6 |
Image |
Sony a7 |
Canon EOS M3 |
ISO Range | 100 - 25600 | 100 - 12800 |
White Balance Presets | 10 | 6 |
Custom White Balance | Yes | Yes |
Image Stabilization | No | No |
Image Stabilization CIPA Rating | 0 stops | 0 stops |
Uncompressed format | RAW | RAW |
Optics & Focus |
Sony a7 |
Canon EOS M3 |
Autofocus Motor | Yes | Yes |
Autofocus |
Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Center Selective Single Point Single Continuous Face Detection LiveView |
Contract Detect (sensor) Phase Detect Multi Area Center Selective Single Point Tracking Single Continuous Touch Face Detection LiveView |
Focus Points | 117 | 49 |
Lens Mount |
Sony E See Compatible Lenses |
Canon EF-M See Compatible Lenses |
Focal Length Multiplier |
Full frame No multiplier Example: 24 mm remains 24 mm 50 mm remains 50 mm 100 mm remains 100 mm 200 mm remains 200 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 a7 |
Canon EOS M3 |
Articulated LCD | Tilting | Tilting |
Screen size | 3” | 3” |
Screen dots | 1230000 | 1040000 |
Touch screen | No | Yes |
Screen type | Xtra Fine LCD | ClearView II TFT-LCD |
Live view | Yes | Yes |
Viewfinder Type | Electronic | Electronic (Optional via Canon EVF-DC2) |
Viewfinder Coverage | 100% | |
Viewfinder Magnification | 0.71× | |
Viewfinder Resolution | N/A | 0 |
Photography features |
Sony a7 |
Canon EOS M3 |
Frames per second | 5 fps | 4,2 fps |
Minimum Shutter Speed | 30 seconds | 0 seconds |
Maximum Shutter Speed | 1/8000 seconds | 1/0 seconds |
Built-in Flash | No | Yes |
Built-in Flash Range | N/A | 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 | +/- 5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) | +/- 3 (at 1/3 EV steps) |
Videography features |
Sony a7 |
Canon EOS M3 |
Video recording | Yes | Yes |
Video format |
MPEG4 AVCHD |
H.264 |
Video resolution |
1440 x 1080 1920 x 1080 |
1280 x 720 1920 x 1080 |
Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
Built-in Speakers | Yes | Yes |
Storage |
Sony a7 |
Canon EOS M3 |
Memory Card |
Memory Stick Pro Duo SD/SDHC |
SD/SDHC |
Connectivity |
Sony a7 |
Canon EOS M3 |
HDMI Output | Yes | Yes |
Microphone Port | Yes | Yes |
Headphone Port | Yes | No |
Wireless |
Yes Built-In ( with NFC and wireless control via PlayMemories Mobile app) |
Yes Built-in (802.11b/g/n with NFC) |
Remote Control | Yes (wired) | Yes (via smartphone) |
GPS | No | No |
Body & Dimensions |
Sony a7 |
Canon EOS M3 |
Enviromentally sealed | Yes | No |
Battery | Battery Pack | Battery Pack |
Battery Details |
NP-FW50 lithium-ion battery and charger
|
LP-E17 lithium-ion battery & charger
|
Battery Life (CIPA) | 340 shots | 250 shots |
Width | 127 mm | 111 mm |
Height | 94 mm | 68 mm |
Depth | 48 mm | 44 mm |
Weight | 474 gram | 366 gram |