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Canon M3 vs Samsung NX3000 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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Samsung NX3000

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

Samsung NX3000
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Canon M3 vs Samsung NX3000 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing M3 and NX3000, two Entry-Level Mirrorless cameras from Canon and Samsung. Canon M3 was introduced to market in February 2015 and Samsung NX3000 was launched in May 2014. There is only 8 months difference between M3 and NX3000 so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Canon M3 and Samsung NX3000 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

Samsung NX3000 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2014-05-26
  • 20MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • Samsung NX Mount
  • 3.00" Tilting Screen
  • 5.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 230g. 117 x 66 x 39 mm
  • Replaced Samsung NX2000 Compare

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 Samsung NX3000

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Canon M3 and Samsung NX3000 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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Reasons to choose Canon EOS M3 over Samsung NX3000
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Sensor Resolution
24 MP vs 20 MP 19% more pixels
Number of Focus Points
49 vs 35 14 more focus points
LCD Resolution
1.040k dots vs 461k dots 125% higher resolution screen
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
CHECK M3 PRICE


Reasons to choose Samsung NX3000 over Canon EOS M3
Max ISO
25.600 vs 12.800 100% higher Max ISO
Continuous Shooting
5.0fps vs 4.2fps 0.8 fps faster
Battery Life
370 shots vs 250 shots 120 more frames with a single charge
Weight
230 g vs 366 g 136 g lighter
Sensor Pixel Area
18.48µm2 vs 13.84µm2 33% larger pixel area
AE Bracketing Range
±3 EV vs ±2 EV Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR
CHECK NX3000 PRICE

Common Strengths of Canon EOS M3 and Samsung NX3000
Wireless Connection
Yes vs Yes Better connectivity
Adjustable LCD Screen
Tilting vs Tilting Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Max Resolution
24 MP vs 20 MP Bigger prints and more details
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
NFC Connection
Yes vs Yes Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs Yes Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Common Weaknesses of Canon EOS M3 and Samsung NX3000
In-body Image Stabilization
No vs No No Built-in stabilization
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Canon M3 vs Samsung NX3000: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Canon M3 and Samsung NX3000 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). Samsung NX3000 has external dimensions of 117 x 66 x 39 mm (4.61 x 2.6 x 1.54″) and weighs 230 g (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Canon M3 and Samsung NX3000. Samsung NX3000 is 2mm shorter and 5mm thinner than Canon M3 but it is also 6mm wider.

Canon M3 vs Samsung NX3000 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Canon M3 and Samsung NX3000 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Canon M3 and Samsung NX3000.

Canon M3 vs Samsung NX3000 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Canon M3 and Samsung NX3000 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Canon M3 and Samsung NX3000.
Canon M3 vs Samsung NX3000 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Canon M3 and Samsung NX3000 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Samsung NX3000 is significantly lighter (136g ) than the Canon M3 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since both Canon M3 and Samsung NX3000 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
NX3000
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Mirrorless Cameras

M3
NX3000
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Canon EOS M3 nor Samsung NX3000 provides any type of weather sealing in their body, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top Mirrorless Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Canon M3 and Samsung NX3000's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.00".

Both cameras feature Tilting screens where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels.


Canon M3 vs Samsung NX3000: 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, Samsung NX3000 has a 20.0MP APS-C (23.5 x 15.7 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the M3 and NX3000 sensor size comparison.

Canon M3 vs Samsung NX3000 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon M3 and Samsung NX3000 Cameras


As seen above, Samsung NX3000 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 Samsung NX3000 Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. When we look at the available lenses for these two cameras, we see that Samsung NX3000 has an advantage over Canon M3 There are 34 lenses for Samsung NX3000's Samsung NX mount, on the other hand there are only 29 lenses for 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 7 lenses for Samsung NX mount with IS.

Lens Type # of Canon M3 Lenses # of Samsung NX3000 Lenses
Standard Zoom 1 4
Standard Prime 5 5
Wideangle Zoom 2 1
Wideangle Prime 11 11
Telephoto Zoom 1 2
Telephoto Prime 6 4
SuperZoom 1 1
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 1 4
Macro Prime 1 1
Perspective Control Prime n/a n/a
Telephoto Mirror Prime n/a n/a
TOTAL 29 34

What types of Photography are Canon M3 and Samsung NX3000 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Canon M3 and Samsung NX3000 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

Samsung NX3000 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: 20.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Canon M3 for Street Photography

GOOD

Samsung NX3000 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
Tilting LCD Screen
Medium sized Body
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Canon M3 for Sports Photography

GOOD

Samsung NX3000 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE
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
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
1 Cross Type Focus sensors
35 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization
No Built-in Viewfinder
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Canon M3 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Samsung NX3000 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE
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
230g
Medium size Body
Read the details

Canon M3 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Samsung NX3000 for Landscape Photography

POOR
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: 20.0MP
Live-view
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Canon M3 vs Samsung NX3000: 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 Samsung NX3000, 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 Samsung NX3000 scores compare:

Canon M3
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #37 out of 134 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #221 out of 1259 in all Cameras
Samsung NX3000
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #77 out of 134 in Rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras
Ranked #368 out of 1259 in all Cameras

Canon M3 has a higher Overall Score than the Samsung NX3000 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Canon M3
Canon M3
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Samsung NX3000
Samsung NX3000
CHECK PRICE

CHECK PRICE

Samsung NX3000 vs Canon M3 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Canon EOS M3 Samsung NX3000
Brand Canon Samsung
Announced 2015-02-06 2014-05-26
Body Type Rangefinder-style mirrorless Rangefinder-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 20 megapixels
Max Resolution 6000 x 4000 5472 x 3648
Max Native Light sensitivity 12,800 ISO 25,600 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 25600 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 35
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Canon EF-M Samsung NX
Number of Available Lenses 29 34
Screen
Type Tilting Tilting
Size 3.00" 3.00"
Resolution 1,040k dots 461k 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 5.0 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 1920 x 1080
Video Formats H.264 H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 366g 230g
Dimensions 111 x 68 x 44mm 117 x 66 x 39mm
Battery Life 250 shots 370 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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