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What is an M3 still good for?

Started Feb 5, 2020 | Discussions thread
Alastair Norcross
Alastair Norcross Veteran Member • Posts: 9,874
Re: What is an M3 still good for?
3

I still have my original M (along with an M6 and M6II). The AF is fine. It's not lightning fast, like the M6II, or as fast as the M6, but it's more than adequate for most uses, including portraits and landscapes. It copes perfectly well with the kind of shots you posted. I used the camera extensively for nearly four years, before getting the M6, and never used manual focus. I don't recall reading that the AF on the M3 is worse than on the M, in fact quite the opposite. So I'm sure the M3's AF will cope just fine with most subjects, though probably not BIF or fast sports. Having said all that, I'm pretty sure that you can get an M6 or M5 in good condition for about $250. In fact, you can get it new on Amazon bundled with the 15-45 for $450. I would say it's definitely worth paying an extra $100 for the M6 over the M3, and worth paying an extra $200 to get a new M6 ($450 - $100 for the lens), unless money is really very tight. All the improvements in the M6 over the M3 add up to far more than $100 worth.

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As the length of a thread approaches 150, the probability that someone will make the obvious "it's not the camera, it's the photographer" remark approaches 1.
Alastair
http://anorcross.smugmug.com
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 Alastair Norcross's gear list:Alastair Norcross's gear list
Canon G7 X II Canon EOS M6 II Canon EOS R7 Canon EOS R6 Mark II Canon RF 35mm F1.8 IS STM Macro +24 more
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