Panasonic GH3 vs Canon EOS M3

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Panasonic GH3 vs Canon EOS M3

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4/3 224.9mm²
16.1 megapixels
ISO 200 - 12,800

Go in depth with our full Panasonic GH3 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the GH3.

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

Go in depth with our full Canon EOS M3 Review.
How does it shoot? Canon EOS M3 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the EOS M3.
Compare Canon EOS M3 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Canon EOS M3 conclusion.

Succeeded by the Panasonic GH4
Compare GH3 vs GH4

Succeeded by the Canon EOS M6
Compare EOS M3 vs EOS M6

Compare PANASONIC GH4 vs CANON EOS M6

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Differences

Panasonic GH3 advantages over Canon EOS M3

Lens selection
Excellent vs Limited
Better lens selection gives you more options
Tilt-swivel screen
Tilt-swivel vs tilt-only
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Eye-level viewfinder
Eye-level vs Rear display only
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
Fast startup
~0.80 vs 2.4 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
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

540 vs 250 shots
Capture more photos
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Longer exposure
60 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Faster JPEG shooting
6.1 fps vs 4.2 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
5.1 fps vs 4.0 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
24 vs 4 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)

Canon EOS M3 advantages over Panasonic GH3

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Larger sensor
APS-C vs 4/3
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
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 M3 test data on DxO Mark GH3 test data on DxO Mark

1,169 vs 812 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
44 mm vs 82 mm
Thinner
Lighter weight
366g vs 555g
Lighter weight
More dots on screen
1040k vs 614k dots
Can mean greater resolution or a brighter screen
Less shutter lag
0.13 vs 0.21 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
More pixels
24.2 vs 16.1 megapixels
Higher resolution photos

Similarities

Common Strengths

Touchscreen
Both provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Built-in Wi-Fi
Both provide
Share your photos wirelessly
Internal flash
Both provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
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

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Neither provide
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
Top deck display
Neither provide
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

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Read GH3 User Reviews

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Adorama
Read EOS M3 User Reviews

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Body Only (Black)
Kit with 18-55mm and 55-200mm lens (Black)
Kit with 18-55mm lens (Black)
Kit with 18-55mm lens (White)

All EOS M3 Deals

Review Excerpt

Professional quality video in a compact body; Still image quality ranks with the best mirrorless models and even some prosumer DSLRs; Fast autofocus; Rugged, weatherized camera build; Reasonably priced for its advanced feature set; Large selection of high quality lenses.
Not as compact as most mirrorless cameras; Live View not available during high speed bursts; High ISO image quality and dynamic range not quite as good as top APS-C cameras.
Read our Panasonic GH3 Review

DSLR image quality & resolution in a mirrorless body; Higher-res 24MP APS-C sensor; Much improved AF performance; Better ergonomics with full PASM dial; Built-in Wi-Fi & NFC; Tilting LCD.
No built-in EVF; Limited native lens selection; Slow burst mode; Shallow buffer depth with RAW files; No 60p video frame rate or 4K video option.
Read our Canon EOS M3 Review

The Competition

Compared to Panasonic G5

Panasonic GH3

Panasonic G5

$798
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Fast startup

$500
4/3

Less expensive
Higher-res screen

Compare Panasonic GH3 vs Panasonic G5

Canon EOS M3

Panasonic G5

$700
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$500
4/3

Lens selection
Eye-level viewfinder

Compare Canon EOS M3 vs Panasonic G5

Compared to Olympus E-M1

Panasonic GH3

Olympus E-M1

$798
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Longer stills battery life

$1099
4/3

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Panasonic GH3 vs Olympus E-M1

Canon EOS M3

Olympus E-M1

$700
APS-C

Larger sensor
NFC

$1099
4/3

Lens selection
Eye-level viewfinder

Compare Canon EOS M3 vs Olympus E-M1

Compared to Panasonic GH4

Panasonic GH3

Panasonic GH4

$798
4/3

$899
4/3

Focus peaking
Shoot 4K video

Compare Panasonic GH3 vs Panasonic GH4

Canon EOS M3

Panasonic GH4

$700
APS-C

Larger sensor
Higher effective ISO

$899
4/3

Lens selection
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Canon EOS M3 vs Panasonic GH4

Compared to Samsung NX3000

Panasonic GH3

Samsung NX3000

$798
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Lens selection

$950
APS-C

Less expensive
Larger sensor

Compare Panasonic GH3 vs Samsung NX3000

Canon EOS M3

Samsung NX3000

$700
APS-C

Focus peaking
Touchscreen

$950
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Canon EOS M3 vs Samsung NX3000

Compared to Fujifilm X-E3

Panasonic GH3

Fujifilm X-E3

$798
4/3

Lens selection
Tilt-swivel screen

$699
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

Compare Panasonic GH3 vs Fujifilm X-E3

Canon EOS M3

Fujifilm X-E3

$700
APS-C

Tiltable Screen
NFC

$699
APS-C

Lens selection
Larger sensor

Compare Canon EOS M3 vs Fujifilm X-E3

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