Canon EOS M Pro Reviews

Despite being very late to the CSC market, Canon has managed to produce a camera that isn't too far off the pace in many respects, and it should give the Nikon J2 a serious run for its money. Thanks to the combination of the 18MP APS-C format CMOS sensor, DIGIC 5 processor and the high-quality EF-M 18-55mm kits lens, the M is capable of producing superb quality images that even outperform those taken on the Canon 650D EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II mounted. The touchscreen controls are also very good and it doesn't take long to get to know the camera. However, the M is let down by its AF system and its unbalanced feel that stems from it not having a decent grip.

What do we think? Well, we're with our reviewer on this one. Such slow AF is pretty hard to swallow, especially considering the competition, and we miss some of the features (built-in flash, complete Mode dial, tilting LCD) that were omitted for the sake of size. But while we probably wouldn't buy one ourselves (OK, one of us actually did, but he's a diehard Canon guy and the deal was incredible), we'd still recommend it for the right photographer -- either a Canon shooter looking for a compact companion, or someone looking for a steal of a deal.

An excellent introduction to the ILC market, the EOS M is a powerful and compact camera, that can be a great alternative to carrying a large dSLR for Canon owners. Providing excellent image quality and the ability to use any of the EF and EF-S lenses with an optional, it is a great addition to your bag if you already have an investment in the Canon EOS line. We did find a few drawbacks, including sluggish AF performance.

The Canon EOS M's image quality is good, but not better than the Sony Alpha NEX-5R's. And given the paucity of native lenses, poor performance, and unexceptional feature set, it's hard to declare this more than an average interchangeable-lens camera. And you might even find some fixed-lens models a better option. I suggest you check out the EOS M's ILC and advanced compact competitors before you buy.

The EOS M, Canon's first compact interchangeable lens camera, feels polished on the outside, but its poor performance makes it clear that you're looking at a first-generation product.

After using this camera, I had very mixed feelings about what to conclude and what to recommend. Obviously, this is through the prism of my personal usage and experience, but if I had to sum it up, I would say that you should hold off buying this camera until Canon has significantly improved the auto-focus. The Canon EOS M can capture excellent pictures but, if you want to “capture the moment”, the slow auto-focus does get in the way. The auto-focus performance is the most important thing that you should look at when considering the Canon EOS M. It’s fine if you can take the time to focus and shoot something stationary and you will get great photos, but you can forget about action shots, even if broad daylight. Beyond that, I’d love to see Canon take one some of the suggestions in the earlier paragraph, most importantly make it a real “EOS” camera, especially if it wants to sell it in the $800 range. We love Canon products, and we were hoping that the EOS M would make a fine addition to our gears, but not now, not yet… Someone said that Canon should have called it a PowerShot and to be brutally honest, there is some truth in that.

A smart design and superb photos, but autofocus performance isn't up to scratch

Image quality as strong as you’ll find from a DSLR, but dithering autofocus and awkward ergonomics spoil the venture

In conclusion it is the picture quality that counts however, and we were pleasantly surprised and impressed with the output from the EOS M. If you want EOS quality, yet from a smaller form factor, whilst not perfect in every single regard (and which ‘first attempt’ ever is?), this camera can deliver.

The EOS M is a debut model competing in a market full of mature products. For first time CSC buyers, there are better options, with superior handling and versatility, greater customisation, a wider choice of lenses and accessories, and many are also less expensive than the EOS M. Enthusiasts hoping for a compact body to complement their Canon DSLR are going to be disappointed with the slow AF, lack of viewfinder or the option of fitting one, and the poor customisation options. That said, for Canon compact owners looking to move into the world of interchangeable lens photography it offers a sensible and in many ways attractive upgrade path. Sure, it lacks a comprehensive catalogue of native lenses, but they will come. Yes, the AF is sluggish, but not everyone is a sports or street photographer, and you can take action shots with the EOS M, it's just easier to get good result with models that have have faster AF sytems. Plus, the EOS M combines the best of consumer friendly ELPH / IXUS design, auto exposure and creative modes with the more advanced EOS menu system. For enthusiasts there's plenty to gripe about; no dedicated mode dial, no viewfinder, few programmable controls, and again, sluggish AF. But balance that against the ability to use any EF or EF-S lens on the EOS M with full AF support and it begins to look a whole lot more attractive. Just remember when using EF lenses, the already slow AF of the EOS M becomes even slower and you won't be enjoying continuous autofocusing either.

There are cheaper competitors available than the Canon EOS M, with quicker focus, a larger choice of lenses, as well as features including Wi-Fi. In addition, the other systems available either feature a built in pop-up flash or smaller external flashes. The Canon EOS M has a small well designed body with an easy to use 3 inch touch screen, however the limited number of lenses, as well as the extremely slow focus and short battery life are rather frustrating limitations holding the camera system back. It would be nice to see some of these issues resolved either with a firmware update or a following model and releases, however, until then, other mirrorless cameras offer a much better range of lenses, focus speeds, as well as generally better battery life. However, if you can bear with some of these weaknesses, then the camera has good noise performance, and is cable of taking excellent photos.

In technology, we expect first-of-its-kind products to encounter teething issues. But in the case of the EOS M, Canon should not have had to reinvent the wheel. Perhaps the company is still unsure and testing the waters with this first try, or, as some have theorized, Canon doesn’t want a mirrorless model to cannibalize its market share of compact EOS DSLRs, a sector it’s strong in. The Compact System Camera/mirrorless market is a growing one, and Canon needs a camera that can compete with those from Nikon, Sony, Panasonic, and Olympus. The EOS M, unfortunately, isn’t it. The EOS M still deserves praise. Image quality matters, and it has no problems there. Its ability to use Canon’s full line of EF lenses is also appealing. But for Canon DSLR users looking for a secondary or backup camera, the EOS M’s slow AF system is a turn off, among other things. For users ready to step up from a point-and-shoot, there are better and more affordable models. For the price of the EOS M, you can get one of Canon’s compact-but-capable DSLRs, but you’ll have to forego the convenience of a small package. We wouldn’t write Canon off so quickly. Rumor has it that the company is expected to unveil follow-up models that could be impressive and, hopefully, address some of the shortcomings of the EOS M. If you really want a compact shooter that will work with your existing Canon lenses, the EOS M delivers with caveats. For everyone else, wait if you can.

We like the Canon EOS M -- far more than we might have expected, given its mediocre performance during our hands-on -- but the company's first mirrorless ILC falls short on several fronts. Professional photographers can affix their pricey L lenses, which is nice, but the dismal focusing performance means SLRs will probably be far more appealing to these users. With the M, Canon is providing a digital camera bridge of sorts in the hopes of capturing the hearts (and wallets) of amateurs looking to step up from point-and-shoots. Indeed, this is far more versatile than what these beginners are used to, yet it's still built on a simple interface that isn't intimidating. Granted, this isn't what the pros had been hoping for, but Canon's DSLR series clearly isn't ready to free these users from their hefty housings, leaving the company's ever-strong professional lineup to live another day.

The Canon EOS M delivers on the image quality front, but is otherwise ultimately a let down. It's late to the compact system camera game and fails to offer anything truly special. It's expensive, autofocus is a step behind its competitors, it's not possible to add an electronic viewfinder, there's no built-in flash and the new EF-M lens mount only offers two current lenses. No word of a future lenses map as yet either. Both image quality and movie mode do go some way to saving the camera, while the detailed rear touchscreen LCD screen looks top notch and is useful for making focus adjustments via the power of touch. This is no game-changer. Canon's got potential with the M-series, but it'll take more launches and extra lenses before it's fully ripe and can hold its own.

Blending the best bits of their compact and DSLR range, Canon has delivered one of the most easy to use, capable CSCs around today. While there are a couple of things that are missing on the EOS M - Wi-Fi connectivity for instance, on the whole it's a very well specified camera, with plenty to keep both the entry-level and more experienced users happy. To back this up, the EOS M's large APS-C sized CMOS sensor delivers the goods, providing some of the best results for a camera in this class and a match for a lot of DSLRs. All this is cloaked in a very well made, sleek but understated body, with the magnesium alloy body panels deliver a very solid feel that rivals some much pricier models. What really sets the EOS M apart though is the touchscreen interface. While the Sony NEX-5R's interface can be clunky to use and the Panasonic GF5's doesn't muster quite the same level of control, the EOS M's is both responsive and easy to use. There's still some room for improvement though. While the EF-EOS M mount adapter is a handy accessory to attach existing EF and EF-S lenses, there needs to be more EF-M mount lenses than the current two to build the system, while the AF speed and burst shooting could both be faster. For those looking to upgrade from a compact, this is a great CSC option, while DSLR owners looking for a lightweight alternative shouldn't discount it either as once you've got round the lack of body mounted controls will find a camera that's both responsive and quick to use. With all other major players establishing themselves in the CSC market place, Canon needed to deliver something special, and with the EOS M, they pretty much have.

Though it isn’t immediately obvious that this is a touch screen model until you discover that a flick of finger and thumb will enlarge a portion of an image as on your phone, the sense here is that Canon, rather than deliver a breakthrough product has competently delivered enough to get it in the game, with real innovation to follow.