Canon M200 vs M3

The Canon EOS M200 and the Canon EOS M3 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in September 2019 and February 2015. Both the M200 and the M3 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 M200		Canon M3
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
4k/25p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600		ISO 100-12,800 (100 - 25,600)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Viewfinder optional
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Tilting touchscreen
6.1 shutter flaps per second		4.2 shutter flaps per second
315 shots per battery charge		250 shots per battery charge
108 x 67 x 35 mm, 299 g		111 x 68 x 44 mm, 366 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS M200 and the Canon EOS M3? 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 Canon M200 and the Canon M3. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Both cameras are available in two different colors (black, white).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon M3 is somewhat larger (4 percent) than the Canon M200. Moreover, the M3 is markedly heavier (22 percent) than the M200. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the M200 nor the M3 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 M200 gets 315 shots out of its Canon LP-E12 battery, while the M3 can take 250 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E17 power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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	Street Price
1.		Canon M200	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	299 g	315	n	Sep 2019	EUR 539	ebay.com
2.		Canon M3	111 mm	68 mm	44 mm	366 g	250	n	Feb 2015	EUR 749	ebay.com
3.		Canon 250D	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	449 g	1070	n	Apr 2019	EUR 549	amazon.com
4.		Canon G5 X Mark II	111 mm	61 mm	46 mm	340 g	230	n	Jul 2019	EUR 929	ebay.com
5.		Canon G7 X	103 mm	60 mm	40 mm	304 g	210	n	Sep 2014	EUR 649	ebay.com
6.		Canon G7 X Mark III	105 mm	61 mm	41 mm	304 g	235	n	Jul 2019	EUR 779	amazon.com
7.		Canon M	109 mm	66 mm	32 mm	298 g	230	n	Jul 2012	EUR 599	ebay.com
8.		Canon M5	116 mm	89 mm	61 mm	427 g	295	n	Sep 2016	EUR 1 129	ebay.com
9.		Canon M6	112 mm	68 mm	45 mm	390 g	295	n	Feb 2017	EUR 799	ebay.com
10.		Canon M10	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	301 g	255	n	Oct 2015	EUR 499	ebay.com
11.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	EUR 779	ebay.com
12.		Canon M50 Mark II	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	387 g	305	n	Oct 2020	EUR 599	ebay.com
13.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	EUR 479	ebay.com
14.		Canon SX70	127 mm	91 mm	117 mm	608 g	325	n	Sep 2018	EUR 549	amazon.com
15.		Canon SX740	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	265	n	Jul 2018	EUR 399	amazon.com
16.		Fujifilm XF10	113 mm	64 mm	41 mm	279 g	330	n	Jul 2018	EUR 499	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The M200 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 19 percent) than the M3, 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. 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. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to 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 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.

In terms of chip-set technology, the M200 uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 8) 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 M200 and the M3 have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the M200 is much more recent (by 4 years and 7 months) than the M3, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time.

The Canon EOS M200 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS M3 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. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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.		Canon M200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/25p	24.0	13.5	1836	82
2.		Canon M3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.8	11.8	1169	72
3.		Canon 250D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/25p	23.9	13.4	1791	82
4.		Canon G5 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
5.		Canon G7 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	23.0	12.7	556	71
6.		Canon G7 X Mark III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
7.		Canon M	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.2	827	65
8.		Canon M5	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.4	1262	77
9.		Canon M6	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.6	1317	78
10.		Canon M10	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.4	753	65
11.		Canon M50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
12.		Canon M50 Mark II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.6	1939	83
13.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
14.		Canon SX70	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1063	51
15.		Canon SX740	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1050	51
16.		Fujifilm XF10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.4	1844	83
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the M200 provides a higher video resolution than the M3. It can shoot video footage at 4k/25p, while the M3 is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The M200 and the M3 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. That said, the M3 can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the EVF-DC1. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon M200 and Canon M3 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.		Canon M200	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
2.		Canon M3	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 250D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon G5 X Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon G7 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	6.5/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon G7 X Mark III	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon M	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.3/s	n	n
8.		Canon M5	2360	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon M6	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon M10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.6/s	Y	n
11.		Canon M50	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon M50 Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
13.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
14.		Canon SX70	2360	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Canon SX740	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Fujifilm XF10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the M200 and the M3 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 M200 and Canon EOS M3 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.		Canon M200	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Canon M3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon 250D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon G5 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon G7 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon G7 X Mark III	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon M	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon M5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
9.		Canon M6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
10.		Canon M10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon M50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
12.		Canon M50 Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
14.		Canon SX70	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
15.		Canon SX740	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
16.		Fujifilm XF10	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y

It is notable that the M3 has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The M200 does not feature such a mic input.

Both the M200 and the M3 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The M3 was replaced by the Canon M6, while the M200 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the M200 and M3 can be found, respectively, in the Canon M200 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon M3 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Canon M200 or the Canon M3 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Canon EOS M200:

• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 8 vs DIGIC 6).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4k/25p vs 1080/30p).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (6.1 vs 4.2 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 67g or 18 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (315 versus 250) on a single battery charge.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (19 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 4 years and 7 months of technical progress since the M3 launch.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS M3:

• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• More framing options: Can be equipped with a hotshoe-mounted accessory-viewfinder.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in February 2015).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the M200 emerges as the winner of the contest (8 : 5 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. 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 Canon M200 and the Canon M3 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 remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the M200 or the M3. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera 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	Street Price
1.		Canon M200	..	+	3/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2019	EUR 539	ebay.com
2.		Canon M3	4/5	o	..	75/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	EUR 749	ebay.com
3.		Canon 250D	4/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Apr 2019	EUR 549	amazon.com
4.		Canon G5 X Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	..	4/5	Jul 2019	EUR 929	ebay.com
5.		Canon G7 X	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	EUR 649	ebay.com
6.		Canon G7 X Mark III	..	+ +	4/5	81/100	4/5	..	Jul 2019	EUR 779	amazon.com
7.		Canon M	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2012	EUR 599	ebay.com
8.		Canon M5	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2016	EUR 1 129	ebay.com
9.		Canon M6	..	..	..	80/100	4/5	4/5	Feb 2017	EUR 799	ebay.com
10.		Canon M10	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Oct 2015	EUR 499	ebay.com
11.		Canon M50	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	EUR 779	ebay.com
12.		Canon M50 Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	..	4.5/5	3.5/5	Oct 2020	EUR 599	ebay.com
13.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	EUR 479	ebay.com
14.		Canon SX70	..	+ +	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Sep 2018	EUR 549	amazon.com
15.		Canon SX740	..	+	3.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2018	EUR 399	amazon.com
16.		Fujifilm XF10	..	..	4/5	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2018	EUR 499	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price 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. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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