Canon EOS M

The Canon EOS M is one of the most eagerly anticipated camera launches of this year. Not only does it mark the debut of Canon in the CSC market, but it could also herald a new standard of performance in this area. We headed down to Canon HQ to spend a little time with the new models, and here’s what we found.

At the risk of stating the obvious, the first thing that strikes you about the EOS M is its diminutive dimensions. When lined up side-to-side to the model with which it shares almost its whole specification – namely the Canon EOS 650D – its compact build is clearly evident and Canon’s achievement of shrinking the spec in to a smaller body begins to be appreciated.



This shrinking of size, however, has not come at the expense of build quality – when holding the camera, it certainly feels well put together. The model’s aesthetic will feel instantly familiar to photographers acquainted with Canon’s PowerShot range of compacts. The button layout on the rear of the camera is noticeably sparse, as is that on the model’s top plate. What’s clear from these early observations is the EOS M is aimed at the type of user previously deterred by DSLRs but looking for something slightly more advanced than a compact.



There’s good news to be found on the rear of the camera as well. The model’s 3in, 1040k touchscreen performs much the same as that found on the EOS 650D, both in use and when displaying images. Unlike some other touchscreens found on compact cameras, the EOS M’s is incredibly response and intuitive. The screen also offers excellent sharpness and contrast for both framing and review of images.



Next up for inspection were the optics announced with the new EOS M series. Both the 22mm EF-M prime lens and 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lenses are a dark shade of granite grey. The colour both matches the grey coloured EOS M perfectly and handily distinguishes the lenses from Canon EF-S and EF lenses.



One point of note – currently those who chose to purchase the EOS M with the 22mm f/2 STM pancake lens have no choice but to buy it with the EF-EOS M mount adapter. This seems slightly odd considering not all consumers will have EF and EF-S lenses to use with the model, and lots will see the 22mm pancake as the natural fit with the compact body of the EOS M.




Overall, our first impressions of the EOS M are very good, in terms of build and core performance - you really are getting cutting edge DSLR performance in a very compact form. However, its lack of built in flash, hand grip and other enthusiast features combined with a high £800 asking price means it feels a little overpriced at the moment. We certainly think it has potential though, and if that price drops a bit over the next few months it could be well worth a look.