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Canon M3 vs Nikon Z30 Comparison

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Canon M3

24 MP | APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) CMOS Sensor

Canon M3
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Nikon Z30

21 MP | APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm) CMOS Sensor

Nikon Z30
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Canon M3 vs Nikon Z30 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing the M3 and the Z30, two Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras from Canon and Nikon. Canon M3 was introduced to the market in February 2015 and Nikon Z30 was launched in June 2022. As you can see, M3 is 7 years older than Z30. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of the Canon M3 and Nikon Z30 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Canon M3 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2015-02-06
  • 24MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 12800 ( expands to 25600)
  • Canon EF-M Mount
  • 3.00" Tilting Screen
  • 4.2fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 366g. 111 x 68 x 44 mm

Nikon Z30 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2022-06-29
  • 21MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter
  • ISO 100 - 51200 ( expands to 204800)
  • Nikon Z Mount
  • 3.00" Fully Articulated Screen
  • 11.0fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • 120fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 405g. 128 x 74 x 60 mm
  • Weather-sealed Body

Canon M3 was replaced by Canon EOS M6. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Canon EOS M6 vs Canon EOS M3
Canon EOS M6 vs Nikon Z30

Let's read on in the following sections in order to better understand in detail how the Canon M3 and Nikon Z30 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Canon EOS M3 over Nikon Z30
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Sensor Resolution
24 MP vs 21 MP 14% more pixels
Weight
366 g vs 405 g 39 g lighter
NFC Connection
Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
CHECK M3 PRICE


Reasons to choose Nikon Z30 over Canon EOS M3
Video Record Limit
Unlimited vs Limited Record clips longer than 30 minutes
Max ISO
51.200 vs 12.800 300% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
209 vs 49 160 more focus points
Continuous Shooting
11.0fps vs 4.2fps 6.8 fps faster
Battery Life
330 shots vs 250 shots 80 more frames with a single charge
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Sensor Pixel Area
17.85µm2 vs 13.84µm2 28% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution
3840 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080 Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing Range
±5 EV vs ±2 EV Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR
Bluetooth
Yes vs No Connect your camera to other devices via Blueetooth
Focus Bracketing
Yes vs No Take multiple photos shifting focus point
Focus Stacking
Yes vs No Stacks photos in-camera to maximize depth of field
UHS Card Support
UHS-I vs none Read/Write in High Speeds
USB Version
USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 GBit/sec) vs USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) Faster Data transfer from the camera
Animal Eye AF Tracking
Yes vs No Easily lock and track focus on animals
Webcam Function
Yes vs No Use your camera as a Webcam
Eye Tracking Focus
Yes vs No Autofocus system locks on the eye and tracks the subject
CHECK Z30 PRICE

Common Strengths of Canon EOS M3 and Nikon Z30
Wireless Connection
Yes vs Yes Better connectivity
Adjustable LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fully Articulated Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Touch Screen
Yes vs Yes Easy control of camera functions
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Max Resolution
24 MP vs 21 MP Bigger prints and more details
LCD Screen Resolution
1.040k dots vs 1.040k dots High resolution screens
Microphone Port
Yes vs Yes High quality audio recording option
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Selfie/Vlogger Friendly LCD
Yes vs Yes Rotate LCD for taking Selfies
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs Yes Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Common Weaknesses of Canon EOS M3 and Nikon Z30
In-body Image Stabilization
No vs No No Built-in stabilization
Canon M3 vs Nikon Z30: Physical Specs and Body Features Comparison

Size and weight are big decision factors when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, we are going to illustrate the Canon M3 and Nikon Z30 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Canon M3 has external dimensions of 111 x 68 x 44 mm (4.37 x 2.68 x 1.73″) and weighs 366 g (0.81 lb / 12.91 oz) (including batteries). Nikon Z30 has external dimensions of 128 x 74 x 60 mm (5.04 x 2.91 x 2.36″) and weighs 405 g (0.89 lb / 14.29 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front-view size comparison of the Canon M3 and the Nikon Z30. Canon M3 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 17mm narrower, 6mm shorter and 16mm thinner than Nikon Z30.

Canon M3 vs Nikon Z30 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of the Canon M3 and the Nikon Z30 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of the Canon M3 and Nikon Z30.

Canon M3 vs Nikon Z30 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of the Canon M3 and the Nikon Z30 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Canon M3 and Nikon Z30.
Canon M3 vs Nikon Z30 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of the Canon M3 and the the Nikon Z30 Size

Weight is another important factor, especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Canon M3 is 39g lighter than the Nikon Z30 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you also have to take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since both Canon M3 and Nikon Z30 have the same APS-C sized sensor, their lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will be similar in size and weight.

Weight Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

M3
Z30
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

M3
Z30
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Thanks to the weather-sealed body of the Z30, you can use this camera with more confidence under conditions where there is risk of exposure to water and dust compared to the M3.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Canon M3 and Nikon Z30's LCD screens have the same diagonal size of 3.00 inches.

Canon M3 features a Tilting-only screen which is mostly only good for shooting from waist or over-the-head levels. On the other hand, Nikon Z30 sports a Fully Articulated screen which is more flexible and useful, especially for taking selfies and video.


Canon M3 vs Nikon Z30: Sensor Comparison

Canon M3 has a 24.0MP APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features DIGIC 6 processor. On the other hand, Nikon Z30 has a 21.0MP APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Expeed 6 processor.

One other difference between these two cameras that is worth mentioning is that Nikon Z30's sensor doesn't have an anti-alias (Low-Pass) filter. Removing anti-alias filter increases the sharpness and level of detail but at the same time, it increases the chance of moiré occurring in certain scenes.

Below you can see the M3 and Z30 sensor size comparison.

Canon M3 vs Nikon Z30 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon M3 and Nikon Z30 Cameras


As seen above, Nikon Z30 has a 1.1x Larger sensor area than Canon M3. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

Canon M3 vs Nikon Z30 Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

The number of available lenses is a big deciding factor when choosing your interchangeable lens camera. When we look at the available lenses for these two cameras, we see that the Nikon Z30 has an advantage over the Canon M3 There are 37 lenses for the Nikon Z30's Nikon Z mount, but on the other hand, there are only 29 lenses for the Canon M3's Canon EF-M lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. None of these bodies have sensor based image stabilization so you have to buy lenses with Optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 6 lenses for Canon EF-M mount and 11 lenses for Nikon Z mount with IS.

Lens Type # of Canon M3 Lenses # of Nikon Z30 Lenses
Standard Zoom 1 6
Standard Prime 5 5
Wideangle Zoom 2 3
Wideangle Prime 11 8
Telephoto Zoom 1 3
Telephoto Prime 6 7
SuperZoom 1 2
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 1 n/a
Macro Prime 1 3
Perspective Control Prime n/a n/a
Telephoto Mirror Prime n/a n/a
TOTAL 29 37

What types of Photography are Canon M3 and Nikon Z30 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Canon M3 and Nikon Z30 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Canon M3 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon Z30 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 21.0MP
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Canon M3 for Street Photography

GOOD

Nikon Z30 for Street Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Optional External Viewfinder
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Canon M3 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Nikon Z30 for Sports Photography

GOOD
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
49 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Continuous Shooting: 4.2fps
No Image Stabilization
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 250 shots
Read the details
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 11.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
209 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Wireless Connection
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Canon M3 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Nikon Z30 for Daily Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Medium size Body
366g
Body Thickness 44mm
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Medium size Body
405g
Body Thickness 60mm
Read the details

Canon M3 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon Z30 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Live-view
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Large APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 21.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details

Canon M3 vs Nikon Z30: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far, but in case you wonder how we rated Canon M3 and Nikon Z30, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Canon M3 and Nikon Z30 scores compare:

Canon M3
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #37 out of 135 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #221 out of 1260 in all Cameras
Nikon Z30
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #84 out of 111 in SLR-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #158 out of 1260 in all Cameras

Nikon Z30 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Canon M3 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Canon M3. Otherwise, Nikon Z30 is the better camera overall.

Canon M3
Canon M3
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Nikon Z30
Nikon Z30
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Nikon Z30 vs Canon M3 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Canon EOS M3 Nikon Z30
Brand Canon Nikon
Announced 2015-02-06 2022-06-29
Body Type Rangefinder-style mirrorless SLR-style mirrorless
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size APS-C APS-C
Dimensions 22.3 x 14.9 mm 23.5 x 15.7 mm
Area 332.27mm2 368.95mm2
Megapixels 24 megapixels 21 megapixels
Max Resolution 6000 x 4000 5568 x 3712
Max Native Light sensitivity 12,800 ISO 51,200 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 25600 ISO 204800 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 100 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 49 209
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Canon EF-M Nikon Z
Number of Available Lenses 29 37
Screen
Type Tilting Fully Articulated
Size 3.00" 3.00"
Resolution 1,040k dots 1,040k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic (optional) None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization No No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 5.00 m (at ISO 100) no built-in flash
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 4.2 fps 11.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 3840 x 2160
Video Formats H.264 MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 366g 405g
Dimensions 111 x 68 x 44mm 128 x 74 x 60mm
Battery Life 250 shots 330 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 72 not tested
DxO Color Depth 22.8 not tested
DxO Dynamic Range 11.8 not tested
DxO Low Light ISO 1169 not tested
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