The Canon EOS M3 isn't a new camera. It was announced at CP+ last February, and has been on sale in Japan and Europe for months. But now it's coming to the U.S., which is a bit of a surprise.
The original EOS M received a very cool reception here. Its image quality didn't disappoint in any way, but a slow autofocus system made it a tough camera to recommend.
Canon opted to skip releasing the EOS M2 completely in the U.S., and it looked like the M3 would receive the same treatment. But it's actually a late arrival to the party rather than a complete no-show.
The M3 is one of the more compact mirrorless models I've held, measuring 2.7 by 4.4 by 1.8 inches (HWD) without a lens. It's heavy for its size at 12.9 ounces, but that's because its construction is beyond solid. For the most part, I find the M3 to be comfortable to hold, especially when paired with one of the native lenses. There's a modest handgrip and a rear thumb rest, and I like that there's a dedicated EV compensation dial. It sits at the rear right corner of the top plate and is comfortable to adjust with my thumb.
The body also incorporates dual control wheels—one flat wheel on the back and another that surrounds the shutter button. A flat rear dial is pretty common on a digital camera, but I am a bit thrown by the wheel around the shutter release. It's not the most comfortable control to use—turning it clockwise is actually pretty easy, but counterclockwise movement (used to open the aperture or lengthen the shutter speed) is a little uncomfortable if you start from where your finger normally rests.
The rear LCD is a touch screen that can tilt down or up and faces all the way forward for selfies. It's a sharp display, and can be supplemented with an optional add-on EVF if you desire. Canon seems to be taking an add-on EVF approach across its line—the finder used by the EOS M3 is also compatible with the PowerShot G1 X Mark II and G3 X. The company has managed to squeeze a pop-up flash into the M3's body (it was missing from previous models), but I do give preference to mirrorless models that sport an in-camera viewfinder. For comparison, the Sony Alpha 6000 is a bit wider than the M3, but incorporates a flash, hot shoe, and EVF into its frame.
As for focus speed, there's a definite improvement when compared with the EOS M. The M3 uses the same Live View focus system as the EOS Rebel T6s SLR, and it speeds acquisition by continually hunting for focus as you frame a shot. But even in its improved state, it's sluggish when compared with the competition. Canon has some more work to do in order to match performance of mirrorless cameras like the aforementioned Alpha 6000, which also sports an APS-C image sensor but focuses in an instant and can track subjects at 11.1fps. I'll have more thoughts on the autofocus performance in our upcoming review.
Image quality is as strong as the T6s, which is a good thing. I'm pretty happy with the overall size of the lenses too—for the most part. The exception is the standard kit zoom. The M3 ships with an 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 zoom, the same lens bundled with the original M. It's smaller than the 18-55mm you're used to seeing with Canon SLRs, but other mirrorless systems have moved to compact (almost pancake) power zoom lenses. Sony, Samsung, Olympus, and Panasonic all offer svelte standard zooms as options for mirrorless models.
But the other lenses—the 22mm f/2, the wide-angle 11-22mm, and the 55-200mm telezoom—are all more in line with similar lenses for other systems, and balance well on the M3's body. I found myself using the 22mm a lot during my first week with the camera, as it was an easy combination to grab when leaving the house.
One of the appealing capabilities of the M3 is the ability to use Canon EF lenses with full aperture control and autofocus support via an adapter. I snapped a few images with the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM and found that it focuses just as well on the M3 as it does when using Live View with the T6s. Its STM motor certainly plays a part there—STM lenses are designed to pair well with Live View systems.
Just for fun I attached the huge Sigma 150-600mm F4-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports to the M3 and tried to snap a few shots of butterflies gathering nectar from flowers. Despite my (poor) decision to attempt this without a tripod, I got a few useable shots. I don't think that would have been possible using the focus system on the original M. It's neat that you're able to attach this tiny camera to a monster lens like the Sigma zoom, but it's an ergonomic nightmare if you try to handhold the combination.
That said, the M3 isn't the only mirrorless camera system that can use Canon glass with autofocus capability. The Sony Alpha series also supports the function via a third-party adapter from Metabones. But most models are limited to contrast detect focus, which is slow. The exception is the latest Alpha 7R II, which will focus off the sensor using phase detection. We've yet to get that model in for testing—but keep in mind that it's a pricey full-frame model that is likely to appeal to a different audience than the M3.
The EOS M3 will go on sale in the U.S. in early October. It's priced at $679 as a body only, $799 with an 18-55mm lens, and $1,049 with the 18-55mm and 55-200mm lenses. There are two color options: black and white.
Lenses and accessories that aren't already on sale in the U.S. will also be available in October. The 55-200mm zoom is priced at $349, the 11-22mm at $399, and the 22mm at $249. The lens adapter for EF lenses is priced at $199, and the EVF is already on sale for $299.
New SLR Lens
In addition to the EOS M3, Canon is announcing an update to one of its most popular SLR lenses. The new EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM aims to improve upon the favorite prime lens of many a wedding photographer and photojournalist.
It's the first lens to use a new type of optical element in its design. Canon has developed what it's calling Blue Spectrum Refractive Optics—BR for short. It's a material that's placed between conventional lens elements to better defract light with shorter wavelengths. Canon's Chuck Westfall states that it corrects chromatic aberration—which is often visible as purple fringing in high contrast areas of an image—to a degree that was not previously possible in a lens.
The 35mm f/1.4L II USM has 14 lens elements, one of which is a BR element. We'll see how well it handles color fringing when we get it in for review. It's set to go on sale in October and is priced at $1,799.