HU: $249 EOS M, 22mm f/2, free ship in US

[hamradio]

Looks like the EOS M fire sale is back for a little while.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Canon-EOS-M...555?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c87e02843

No affiliation with the seller. I'm almost tempted to grab one myself; they're still $299 on Amazon. 😎

 

[dfatty]

Great deal for a very competent camera, esp with the lens, which is a nice prime.

 

[presspass]

Just be aware it is a grey market item and Canon will not do the warranty work.

 

[stompyq]

Not worth the money. For the same price your better off getting a Olympus EPM2 and 2 lens kit

 

[judsonzhao]

Not worth the money. For the same price your better off getting a Olympus EPM2 and 2 lens kit

It's definitely better from almost all perspectives than EPM2, especially considering lots of us here don't care AF too much

 

[Major Tom]

I've owned this camera for over a year.

Despite the consumer-y industrial design it is very well built and confoundingly heavy for it's size due to magnesium alloy construction. Holding it and my X-Pro1 at once causes a cognitive dissonance as they are of approximate weight.

The 22mm lens combination is quite pocketable in comfortable jeans and even more easily in typical cargo shorts. It's a tight fit in unpleated slacks and hipsters wearing girl-cut pants are probably out of luck.

The convenient size forces a compromise in tactile controls, as in there are none. Aperture, shutter speed and ISO can only be controlled through customizable alternate button functions or the touch screen. Said screen is well designed and responsive but overcrowded from the many functions relegated to its limited real estate, making for a finicky experience. Don't expect to be able to change settings within the critical time window during composition of an impermanent shot. What's more the touch screen cannot be turned off, only the shutter release via touch, causing occasional surprises when taken out of a pants pocket. AF points and other settings may go awry as the screen hugs your leg. So much for pocketable.

Canon claims this is a PDAF/CDAF hybrid but it behaves like a contrast detection only camera with the attendant caveats. If you expect spot on AF on the move you will be disappointed. The EF-M lenses have focus rings but it is by wire.

The 22mm lens itself is optically impressive and features one aspherical element. Distortion and aberration are minimal.

In practical use it's greatest assets are size and innocent looks. The camera averts the user being perceived as "a photographer". Unfortunately, it doesn't transcend that provenance and is not a photographer's camera. Since I obtained an X-Pro1 it's been virtually unused. It's an excellent vacation or "social" camera and wonky for anything else. It compares well to Micro 4/3 due to the availability of legacy lens adapters on a small body with a less extreme crop factor, but the lack of professional controls remains an issue.

 

[wafflecakee]

Wouldn't recommend it.

 

[burancap]

Major Tom,

That was an excellent write up and mirrors my opinion.

A wonderfully well built, but poorly planned device.

I liked it, but never loved it.

At $249, I'd probably keep one on hand ... but a used Ricoh of any flavor trumps that thought.

 

[Thardy]

At $249, I have to try it. Large sensor compared to MFT, updated firmware with quicker autofocus, plus it's gotta be MUCH better than that moldy folder I paid $200 for a few years ago.

 

[hamradio]

Just be aware it is a grey market item and Canon will not do the warranty work.

Ahh, my apologies for not noting this.

I've owned this camera for over a year.

Despite the consumer-y industrial design it is very well built and confoundingly heavy for it's size due to magnesium alloy construction. Holding it and my X-Pro1 at once causes a cognitive dissonance as they are of approximate weight.

The 22mm lens combination is quite pocketable in comfortable jeans and even more easily in typical cargo shorts. It's a tight fit in unpleated slacks and hipsters wearing girl-cut pants are probably out of luck.

The convenient size forces a compromise in tactile controls, as in there are none. Aperture, shutter speed and ISO can only be controlled through customizable alternate button functions or the touch screen. Said screen is well designed and responsive but overcrowded from the many functions relegated to its limited real estate, making for a finicky experience. Don't expect to be able to change settings within the critical time window during composition of an impermanent shot. What's more the touch screen cannot be turned off, only the shutter release via touch, causing occasional surprises when taken out of a pants pocket. AF points and other settings may go awry as the screen hugs your leg. So much for pocketable.

Canon claims this is a PDAF/CDAF hybrid but it behaves like a contrast detection only camera with the attendant caveats. If you expect spot on AF on the move you will be disappointed. The EF-M lenses have focus rings but it is by wire.

The 22mm lens itself is optically impressive and features one aspherical element. Distortion and aberration are minimal.

In practical use it's greatest assets are size and innocent looks. The camera averts the user being perceived as "a photographer". Unfortunately, it doesn't transcend that provenance and is not a photographer's camera. Since I obtained an X-Pro1 it's been virtually unused. It's an excellent vacation or "social" camera and wonky for anything else. It compares well to Micro 4/3 due to the availability of legacy lens adapters on a small body with a less extreme crop factor, but the lack of professional controls remains an issue.

Thank you for this writeup and your opinion. The touchscreen has been holding me back from purchasing one; I'm not sure if I could ever get really used to it. I was on the verge of buying one the last time they were on deep discount (though they are $299 through Amazon), but instead got a 40/2.8 STM for my eos 5D, which killed my desire for a smaller camera setup. The thought of using my LTM and Minolta MC/MD lenses with a digital camera is nice, but used A7s are getting cheaper...

 

[Major Tom]

Ahh, my apologies for not noting this.



Thank you for this writeup and your opinion. The touchscreen has been holding me back from purchasing one; I'm not sure if I could ever get really used to it. I was on the verge of buying one the last time they were on deep discount (though they are $299 through Amazon), but instead got a 40/2.8 STM for my eos 5D, which killed my desire for a smaller camera setup. The thought of using my LTM and Minolta MC/MD lenses with a digital camera is nice, but used A7s are getting cheaper...

You are only a few hundred dollars away from a Fuji X-Pro1 or X-E1, which are vastly superior cameras with wonderful optics available in X-mount or legacy lenses. I got my X-Pro1 for $480(!!!) with extra batteries and X-E1's are approaching $400. Sony a6000 is a compelling alternative.

The EOS M is a dead system, almost by design, if not intent. I keep it as a rainy day camera. Fuji-X or NEX will not disappoint you, for sure.

 

[Paddy C]

I love my EOS M and it is now my most-used camera.

But I wouldn't necessarily say buy it.

I also don't think it's a dead system. It's selling well in Asia, particularly Japan where, if I'm not mistaken, it's the best selling mirrorless recently. A new lens was just released.

I was able to buy the M kit (body, 22mm, flash) and the wide-angle zoom last Aug/Sept. The total cost was the same as if I had bought Sony's e-mount wide angle for my NEX 5N.

I got a killer 22mm (35mm ff equiv) that is my favourite focal length and a lens Sony refuses to make in e-mount. The wide angle zoom tested better than the competition and is, for me, a useful range for travel photography—just wide enough for dramatic but goes to 22mm on the long end so you don't need to switch lenses for, say, street photography.

The touch screen interface is actually quite well designed. It's not going to be as fast as direct controls but real thought went into it. Just takes some getting used to.

The camera's biggest fault is in the ergonomic department. It is heavy, not well balanced and lacks a good grip. I also think there is something strange going on with the shutter release. Something about it's position in combination with everything else can make steadying the camera while shooting more difficult than it should be. Add in the the fact that you cannot set a minimum shutter speed (so annoying) and that the camera's software prefers lowering shutter speed before raising ISO and you have to keep your eye on things to avoid images with camera shake. It's not uncommon in AP to have the camera select 1/40th and ISO 100. With the 22mm (no OIS) good luck using those settings.

The ergonomics also bring up another point. I have only tried using Canon EF and EF-S lenses on it (specifically the 40mm and the 60mm EF-S macro). The 40mm is not bad. The 60mm macro is unbalanced and difficult. I don't think the ESO M, in its present incarnation, is a good candidate for adapted lenses.