Canon EOS M vs Sony RX10 III

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Canon EOS M vs Sony RX10 III

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APS-C 332.3mm²
18.0 megapixels
ISO 100 - 12,800

Go in depth with our full Canon EOS M Review.
How does it shoot? Canon EOS M in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the EOS M.
Compare Canon EOS M image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Canon EOS M conclusion.

1 inch 116.2mm²
20.1 megapixels
24.00mm - 600.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Sony RX10 III Review.
How does it shoot? Sony RX10 III in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the RX10 III.
Compare Sony RX10 III image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony RX10 III conclusion.

Succeeded by the Canon EOS M3
Compare EOS M vs EOS M3

Succeeded by the Sony RX10 IV
Compare RX10 III vs RX10 IV

Compare CANON EOS M3 vs SONY RX10 IV

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Differences

Canon EOS M advantages over Sony RX10 III

Larger sensor
APS-C vs 1 inch
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 4.30 vs 2.41 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Higher effective ISO

Higher effective ISO

Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

You can learn more at our glossary entry.

Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
EOS M test data on DxO Mark RX10 III test data on DxO Mark

827 vs 472 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Thinner
32 mm vs 127 mm
Thinner

Sony RX10 III advantages over Canon EOS M

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Eye-level viewfinder
Eye-level vs Rear display only
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Shoot 4K video
4K (UHD) vs 1080p
Make sure you have a fast computer
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Tiltable Screen
Tiltable vs Fixed
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
More dynamic range

More dynamic range

Cameras with more dynamic range allow you to take photos with dramatic differences in highlight and shadow areas while retaining detail in both.

Think of a brilliant sunset on a rocky beach: Bright sunset in the background, with dark rocks in the foreground. High dynamic range means more of the extremes will be faithfully reproduced.

Dynamic range test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
RX10 III test data on DxO Mark EOS M test data on DxO Mark

12.6 vs 11.2 evs
Retain detail in highlight and shadows
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

420 vs 230 shots
Capture more photos
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Newer
9 years vs 12 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
Less shutter lag
0.20 vs 0.74 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Faster JPEG shooting
14.2 fps vs 4.2 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
44 vs 13 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
8.0 fps vs 4.4 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
29 vs 6 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Faster shutter
1/32000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Similarities

Common Strengths

Rear display
Both provide
Review photos on the back of the camera
RAW file ability
Both provide
Gives you more flexibility to develop your photos later
Manual focus
Both provide
AF is for the weak. Real photographers focus manually.
External Mic Jack
Both provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
Integrated ND filter
Neither provide
Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read EOS M User Reviews

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Sony RX10 III

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Review Excerpt

Excellent image quality similar to Rebel T4i, T5i and SL1 DSLRs, with 18-megapixel APS-C-type sensor delivering considerable resolution for a mirrorless camera; Solid build and sleek design; Bright, high-resolution 3-inch LCD touchscreen monitor; Full 1080p HD video recording that's virtually silent with an STM lens.
Barely acceptable autofocus speed still lags far behind most mirrorless cameras despite firmware update fix; Limited physical controls and buttons, including no Program, Priority, or Manual on Mode dial; Lacks built-in flash or electronic viewfinder option; Only two compact EF-M mount lenses currently available.
Read our Canon EOS M Review

Versatile all-in-one replacement for a DSLR or mirrorless camera; Great handling and build; Excellent image quality; Spectacular zoom reach; Swift performance with generous buffer depths; Extremely capable video capture; Comprehensive remote control; Quick-and-easy image sharing
Extremely expensive for a fixed-lens camera; Fairly heavy for fixed-lens camera; Somewhat soft in the corners at wide-angle or tele; Noise reduction intrudes at higher sensitivities; No built-in ND filter; Not as fast when shooting raws; Slow buffer clearing
Read our Sony RX10 III Review

The Competition

Compared to Sony NEX-C3

Canon EOS M

Sony NEX-C3

$600
APS-C

Touchscreen
On-sensor phase detect

$559
APS-C

Lens selection
In-camera panoramas

Compare Canon EOS M vs Sony NEX-C3

Sony RX10 III

Sony NEX-C3

$1398
1 inch

Focus peaking
Eye-level viewfinder

$559
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony RX10 III vs Sony NEX-C3

Compared to Sony NEX-5N

Canon EOS M

Sony NEX-5N

$600
APS-C

Less expensive
Touchscreen

$700
APS-C

Lens selection
Larger sensor

Compare Canon EOS M vs Sony NEX-5N

Sony RX10 III

Sony NEX-5N

$1398
1 inch

Focus peaking
Eye-level viewfinder

$700
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony RX10 III vs Sony NEX-5N

Compared to Sony NEX-5R

Canon EOS M

Sony NEX-5R

$600
APS-C

Less expensive
External Mic Jack

$499
APS-C

Lens selection
Focus peaking

Compare Canon EOS M vs Sony NEX-5R

Sony RX10 III

Sony NEX-5R

$1398
1 inch

Eye-level viewfinder
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$499
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony RX10 III vs Sony NEX-5R

Compared to Panasonic FZ2500

Canon EOS M

Panasonic FZ2500

$600
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$899
1 inch

Tilt-swivel screen
Focus peaking

Compare Canon EOS M vs Panasonic FZ2500

Sony RX10 III

Panasonic FZ2500

$1398
1 inch

Slower slow-motion
Larger lens aperture

$899
1 inch

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Sony RX10 III vs Panasonic FZ2500

Compared to Sony RX10 IV

Canon EOS M

Sony RX10 IV

$600
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$1698
1 inch

Focus peaking
Eye-level viewfinder

Compare Canon EOS M vs Sony RX10 IV

Sony RX10 III

Sony RX10 IV

$1398
1 inch

Less expensive

$1698
1 inch

Touchscreen
Built-in Bluetooth

Compare Sony RX10 III vs Sony RX10 IV

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