Sony A77 vs Canon EOS M3

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Sony A77 vs Canon EOS M3

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APS-C 369.7mm²
24.3 megapixels
ISO 100 - 16,000

Go in depth with our full Sony A77 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the A77.

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 Sony A77 II
Compare A77 vs A77 II

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

Compare SONY A77 II vs CANON EOS M6

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Differences

Sony A77 advantages over Canon EOS M3

Lens selection
Good vs Limited
Better lens selection gives you more options
Larger sensor
APS-C vs APS-C
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
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
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Fast startup
~0.80 vs 2.4 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
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.
A77 test data on DxO Mark EOS M3 test data on DxO Mark

13.2 vs 11.8 evs
Retain detail in highlight and shadows
Built-in GPS
GPS vs None
Geotag your photos
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

530 vs 250 shots
Capture more photos
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Wider angle kit lens
24 mm vs 29 mm
Capture more of the scene with the included lens
Faster JPEG shooting
11.6 fps vs 4.2 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
11.6 fps vs 4.0 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
14 vs 4 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Canon EOS M3 advantages over Sony A77

Less expensive
$850 vs $1899
Save money for lenses or accessories
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
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 A77 test data on DxO Mark

1,169 vs 801 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
More telephoto lens reach
88 mm vs 75 mm
Capture objects farther away with the kit lens
Thinner
44 mm vs 80 mm
Thinner
Newer
9 years vs 13 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
Bigger JPEG buffer
Unlimited vs 17 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Higher extended ISO
25600 vs 16000 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

Focus peaking
Both provide
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
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

Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Neither provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read A77 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read EOS M3 User Reviews

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Your purchases support this site

Buy the Sony A77

Body Only

Body Only
Kit with 16-50mm Lens
Kit with 18-135mm Lens

All A77 Deals

Your purchases support this site

Buy the Canon EOS M3

Body Only (Black)

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

Very fast top frame rate; full-time phase-detect autofocus; Full 60p HD video; Excellent kit lens; Very good high-resolution sensor.
Heavy; EVF appears dim when used in bright light; AF tracking in Movie mode was unreliable in our testing.
Read our Sony A77 Full 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 Canon 7D

Sony A77

Canon 7D

$1899
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Focus peaking

$1499
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A77 vs Canon 7D

Canon EOS M3

Canon 7D

$850
APS-C

Focus peaking
Less expensive

$1499
APS-C

Lens selection
Eye-level viewfinder

Compare Canon EOS M3 vs Canon 7D

Compared to Canon 70D

Sony A77

Canon 70D

$1899
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$999
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A77 vs Canon 70D

Canon EOS M3

Canon 70D

$850
APS-C

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$999
APS-C

Lens selection
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Canon EOS M3 vs Canon 70D

Compared to Sony A77 II

Sony A77

Sony A77 II

$1899
APS-C

Built-in GPS

$1198
APS-C

Built-in Wi-Fi
NFC

Compare Sony A77 vs Sony A77 II

Canon EOS M3

Sony A77 II

$850
APS-C

Less expensive
Touchscreen

$1198
APS-C

Lens selection
Larger sensor

Compare Canon EOS M3 vs Sony A77 II

Compared to Samsung NX3000

Sony A77

Samsung NX3000

$1899
APS-C

Lens selection
Focus peaking

$950
APS-C

Built-in Wi-Fi
NFC

Compare Sony A77 vs Samsung NX3000

Canon EOS M3

Samsung NX3000

$850
APS-C

Focus peaking
Touchscreen

$950
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Canon EOS M3 vs Samsung NX3000

Compared to Fujifilm X-E3

Sony A77

Fujifilm X-E3

$1899
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$699
APS-C

Less expensive
Shoot 4K video

Compare Sony A77 vs Fujifilm X-E3

Canon EOS M3

Fujifilm X-E3

$850
APS-C

Tiltable Screen
NFC

$699
APS-C

Lens selection
Larger sensor

Compare Canon EOS M3 vs Fujifilm X-E3

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