Good, but just..not impressive, and does not compete.

I loved my M3 dearly, and it is definitely a great camera. However, it is just so underwhelming compared to so many other mirrorless and generally similarly priced cameras on the market today. The low light capture is quite poor, the dynamic range is unimpressive with much contrast, it's definitely not a performer for fast subjects, and I had two of these crap out in less than a year each (electrical flaws) so I'm not impressed with the build quality. To me my M3 is like your teddy bear, I love it to death no matter what, and want to keep it with me forever, but as a piece of equipment, there are just such better options for any purpose you might have, at comparable price points.

Overall the image quality is good, the physical controls are great as far as I'm concerned, I enjoyed the ergonomics, the level of customizability in buttons and overall control is good, the size and weight are delightful.  The lens options are somewhat limited, depending on what you need, and the battery life is fairly poor.

So to keep it simple, I love the M3 and the M line is certainly just getting better, but I would not buy another one because there are many better options for any attribute you are considering.

FallenLeaf Photography wrote:

I loved my M3 dearly, and it is definitely a great camera. However, it is just so underwhelming compared to so many other mirrorless and generally similarly priced cameras on the market today. The low light capture is quite poor, the dynamic range is unimpressive with much contrast, it's definitely not a performer for fast subjects, and I had two of these crap out in less than a year each (electrical flaws) so I'm not impressed with the build quality. To me my M3 is like your teddy bear, I love it to death no matter what, and want to keep it with me forever, but as a piece of equipment, there are just such better options for any purpose you might have, at comparable price points.

Overall the image quality is good, the physical controls are great as far as I'm concerned, I enjoyed the ergonomics, the level of customizability in buttons and overall control is good, the size and weight are delightful. The lens options are somewhat limited, depending on what you need, and the battery life is fairly poor.

So to keep it simple, I love the M3 and the M line is certainly just getting better, but I would not buy another one because there are many better options for any attribute you are considering.

Although you don't want to buy another Canon product, I would recommend one of the two things:
- EOS M6
- EF-M 22 mm
Half a year ago, I switched from a compact camera to the M6, and I really love it. I also tried the M3 before, but the following points are (to my mind) better with the M6:
- handling (speed, screen, settings),
- colours in general.
I began with the 15-45 mm, which I also do like, but for two weeks now, I use the 22 mm, which is a great lens (despite of some cons, see below):
+ great sharpness (from 2.5 and above)
+ good for close-up shots (not macro)
+ small size
- sharpness at 2.0
- no IS.
Below I have added some photos (which I like, althout they are not spectacular) as examples.
These are just my personal recommendations, it's up to you to decide.

Enjoy shooting,
rz64

rz64 wrote:

FallenLeaf Photography wrote:

I loved my M3 dearly, and it is definitely a great camera. However, it is just so underwhelming compared to so many other mirrorless and generally similarly priced cameras on the market today. The low light capture is quite poor, the dynamic range is unimpressive with much contrast, it's definitely not a performer for fast subjects, and I had two of these crap out in less than a year each (electrical flaws) so I'm not impressed with the build quality. To me my M3 is like your teddy bear, I love it to death no matter what, and want to keep it with me forever, but as a piece of equipment, there are just such better options for any purpose you might have, at comparable price points.

Overall the image quality is good, the physical controls are great as far as I'm concerned, I enjoyed the ergonomics, the level of customizability in buttons and overall control is good, the size and weight are delightful. The lens options are somewhat limited, depending on what you need, and the battery life is fairly poor.

So to keep it simple, I love the M3 and the M line is certainly just getting better, but I would not buy another one because there are many better options for any attribute you are considering.

Although you don't want to buy another Canon product, I would recommend one of the two things:
- EOS M6
- EF-M 22 mm
Half a year ago, I switched from a compact camera to the M6, and I really love it. I also tried the M3 before, but the following points are (to my mind) better with the M6:
- handling (speed, screen, settings),
- colours in general.
I began with the 15-45 mm, which I also do like, but for two weeks now, I use the 22 mm, which is a great lens (despite of some cons, see below):
+ great sharpness (from 2.5 and above)
+ good for close-up shots (not macro)
+ small size
- sharpness at 2.0
- no IS.
Below I have added some photos (which I like, althout they are not spectacular) as examples.
These are just my personal recommendations, it's up to you to decide.

Enjoy shooting,
rz64

Can't argue with that. I've been using Ms since The Firesale, and both the M and the M3 were delghtful in many ways, capable of wonderful pictures, but deeply frustrating in others. But the M6 - well, I've not found any frustrations at all. Now it's important to understand that my use of an M is as a backup to my full frame kit, and as a travel camera; as such, the available lenses meet my needs very nicely. What matters to me is image quality, and for the record, I like shadows, I really don't like the aesthetics of extracting too much shadow detail, and the handling and way a camera feels. And the M6 is close to perfect in this area for when I want a small camera. It just seems to improve on all the M3's weaknesses, and build on the strengths - the on/off switch is improved, and the extra dial is handy and makes the exposure compensation dial harder to adjust by accident. But the real improvement is the focusing - the number of times the M3 let me down in poor light with non-static subjects was beyond a joke.
Are there cameras with better specifications for the price out there? Yes.  Are there better cameras for me? Honestly, for what I want it for, no. I used to be apprehensive taking the M3 to an interesting destination as only camera, I'm really looking forward to using the M6 in Lisbon this weekend.

You have to remember that the M3 is now over 3 years old in design and things have moved on. In its day, it was wonderful, but things change.

Alan

First of all, thanks for your comments on this older camera model.  It certainly echoes what many of us feel about the M3.

Ever since I got the M3 - which was some 3 years ago - there was one specific area that I was "not" content with - and that was the high ISO capabilities (read "clean" here).  Heck, many of my older M43 cameras did a better job are retaining cleaner high ISO scenarios than this larger sensor-sized M3 - now go figure.

Colorwise, I've had no issues since I shoot in RAW mode.  I still have my M3 and right now I have the EF-S 55-250 attached to mine (via adapter of course).  I keep the EF-S 10-18 on the M2.

But as you mentioned the M line is slowly getting better and better - however, I must admit that with regards to Canon's once indisputable high ISO capabilities (a decade ago), the M line is still not where it should be in this regard.

Just my opinion - just sayin.'

ISO 8000 from M3, looks ok from normal viewing distance.  Processed from RAW with Lightroom CC.

I also believe it is important to remember that even having a usable ISO 1600 is a pretty recent thing, my old FF EOS 5D barely supported ISO 3200 for instance

Agree with this. Just buy an M100. Affordable and awesome!

thunder storm wrote:

Agree with this. Just buy an M100. Affordable and awesome!

I just have, Amazon have been selling it in the UK for £450 with the 15-45 and 22 f2.

The more I look at samples and read about it the more I can't wait for it. The M100 and 22mm are going to make a lovely foursome with my K-50 and 40mm XS. And as a bonus my wife may actually enjoy using it.

Never considered the older Ms due to what appeared to be poor performance but I feel like they'll meet my needs now.

To the OP: good user feedback. Well put.

My M6 arrives Friday, but honestly I'm just selling it straight out with all my M3 kit and buying an Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mkii.  It just gives me everything I'm looking for that the M line doesn't offer, and some extra features on top.  Later on I'll switch to an E-M1 model when I have the budget, while building out my MFT lens collection.

Again, I love the M line, but to me it becomes irrelevant quickly because it doesn't compete with other options like Olympus in this category.

My opinion was the same when I got it a few years back, just writing a review as I depart from my M3.

FallenLeaf Photography wrote:

My M6 arrives Friday, but honestly I'm just selling it straight out with all my M3 kit and buying an Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mkii. It just gives me everything I'm looking for that the M line doesn't offer, and some extra features on top. Later on I'll switch to an E-M1 model when I have the budget, while building out my MFT lens collection.

Again, I love the M line, but to me it becomes irrelevant quickly because it doesn't compete with other options like Olympus in this category.

As I have written, it's up to you to decide. Every system has advantages and disadvantages, but it is always a personal choice. My decision for an ILC took a very long time, I was interested in Nikon 1, Olympus MFT and finally Canon. N1 was discontinued, I tried the Pen E-PL7, but I found the colours not convincing, finally I chose the M6. Although this system is not perfect, I have found something that fits to my needs, and so you'll probably find what is appropriate for you.

Again, enjoy shooting

FallenLeaf Photography wrote:

My M6 arrives Friday, but honestly I'm just selling it straight out with all my M3 kit and buying an Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mkii. It just gives me everything I'm looking for that the M line doesn't offer, and some extra features on top. Later on I'll switch to an E-M1 model when I have the budget, while building out my MFT lens collection.

Again, I love the M line, but to me it becomes irrelevant quickly because it doesn't compete with other options like Olympus in this category.

Honestly, I'd be more concerned about your decision making than the quality of Canons M series... You purchased a new camera even though you didn't like they system, having already had experience with the M3 & kit... But then decide to sell it before you actually use it. Anyways, the Olympus is a much, much more expensive camera, so you would expect additional functionality.

I like my M6 & four lens system... may even add lenses to it. Congratulations on the Olyumpus, I hope you enjoy it and it provides you with much improved results.

I didn't buy a new M6.  It was a repair replacement (since they don't repair the M series), after the second electronic failure in an M3 in under a year each body.  So Canon sent me a replacement instead of repairing my M3 (I imagine they ran out of M3's at this point).  The M series doesn't fit my needs and hasn't been a dependable camera for me, so the M6 gets sold, without ever being opened.