Canon SLR cameras. Canon EOS M mirrorless review High-resolution articulating touchscreen
The Canon EOS M50 is an entry-level mirrorless camera that sits above the comparatively compact EOS M100. Both cameras have an APS-C sensor and separate command dials, but the M50 has a 2.36MP electronic viewfinder, a hot shoe and a more comfortable grip similar to the EOS M5. Articulated touch screen adorns the back and stellar Dual Pixel autofocus is available when shooting photos and videos.
Same sensor, new processor
The camera uses the same 24MP image sensor as many other Canon cameras like the M5, M6 and M100, as well as the EOS 80D DSLR. But the M50 uses the all-new Digic 8 processor, which gives the camera a number of advantages over other Canon cameras.
Faster burst speed is one of the benefits of the new processor. With autofocus, the M50 can shoot at 7.4fps and 10fps with fixed focus. That's a big jump from the M100's 4 frames with AF, and even faster than the 80D's 7 fps shooting speed with AF. Although there is a fly in the ointment. The memory buffer fills up in just one second.
Another major benefit of the new Digic 8 chip is the ability to shoot Ultra High Definition Video, making the M50 Canon's first mirrorless camera that can shoot 4K. But…
It shoots 4K, but...
You shouldn’t rejoice ahead of time, because the implementation of 4K leaves much to be desired due to a number of limitations.
The most notable limitation is that you can't use the Dual Pixel's excellent autofocus when shooting 4K, which is a shame for Canon. Dual Pixel AF is the only advantage of Canon cameras when shooting video. The M50 can use autofocus in 4K, but with contrast detection, so the camera will be slow to focus, taking a long time to hunt for the subject.
Another big limitation concerns the 1.6x crop when shooting UHD video. It is worth considering that the APS-C sensor has a 1.6x crop relative to a full-frame sensor. This makes 22mm F2 equivalent to a 56mm viewing angle.
But it's not all news on the video front: the EOS M50 can shoot 1080/60p and 720/120P with Dual Pixel AF. And there's no annoying extra crop if you don't use digital stabilization.
New CR3 Raw format with better compression settings
The M50 is the first Canon camera to offer newest format RAW CR3, which was realized using the new Digic 8 processor. Why add it to an entry-level camera? Because the format includes a new and improved compression option that will benefit users who want to use Raw but are put off by large file sizes.
The old CR2 format is also available. There is a possibility of "small" and "medium" compression, which leads to a decrease in resolution compared to a regular CR2 file. A compressed CR3 can be half the size of a full CR3 file.
Increased Dual Pixel AF coverage, Eye detection mode
The M50 camera has received several autofocus improvements. There are now 99 selectable points, up from 49 on previous M-series cameras. AF point coverage is 80% of the frame with most M lenses. Users now have higher focusing accuracy.
However, with some lenses, notably the 18-150mm, 28mm Macro and 55-200mm, autofocus coverage increases to 88% x 100%, and the number of selectable points increases to 143. Canon representatives do not provide any details as to why this is the case. However, we hope that any new lens will offer wider autofocus coverage.
The M50 also gets a new "Eye Detection AF" option. A similar eye-focus mode has been used in Sony cameras for a long time and photographers love their cameras for this feature. Unfortunately, Canon's implementation seems less useful since the mode cannot track the eyes of moving subjects.
Improved wireless connectivity
It's not Canon's first mirrorless camera with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and NFC, but it's the first to offer the ability to send every photo to your smartphone as soon as it's taken. Canon M50 has a dedicated Wi-Fi button.
High resolution articulating touch screen
The 1.04MP touch screen can be completely flipped for selfies. This is very useful for those who make vlogs or just like to take self-portraits. It can also flip towards the camera, which will protect the display when transporting the camera.
There aren't many controls on the camera body, but the touch screen makes it easy to adjust settings. You can use it to change quite a few settings, access the quick menu and move the AF point. In addition, Canon's implementation of the touch screen was successful. The display is responsive and all gestures and touches receive a quick and accurate response.
The electronic viewfinder has a resolution of 2.36 MP. It is very bright and clear. It is convenient and pleasant to use.
Satisfactory battery life
The battery life is not too long. On one charge, the camera can take 235 shots according to the CIPA rating. When traveling and hiking, you will probably need a spare battery. You can use Eco mode, which reduces power consumption and increases battery life up to 370 frames. As always, you will be able to take significantly more pictures in real conditions.
The M50 uses the same LP-E12 battery as the M100. A replacement battery will cost about $50. It's not cheap, but you can always buy a battery from a third-party manufacturer.
Ports, hot shoe and pop-up flash
In terms of connectivity, the M50 offers a 3.5mm microphone jack, which is rare in entry-level products. There's also a Micro-HDMI and Micro-USB port, the latter of which does not support charging.
Photographers liked the M100's pop-up flash because you can use your finger to point it at the ceiling. The M50 lacks this feature. It can only be directed at the subject being photographed. However, unlike the M100, the M50 offers a hot shoe for using an external flash.
More buttons than M100 and new silent mode
We already mentioned that the M50 doesn't have a lot of buttons, but it does have more controls than the more affordable M100. Additional buttons include exposure lock, AF frame selector, and a custom function button.
The EOS M50 has a built-in user manual that explains the features and how to use them. This manual is missing from the M100, and it's good that Canon is bringing it back to entry-level cameras.
The M50 also gets a new silent shooting mode, which will come in handy in many situations, like photographing sleeping babies or shooting at lectures, museums or libraries where you don't want to create extra noise. You won't be able to control exposure settings when using Quiet mode, as with all scene modes, but these are good features for beginners.
What do you think?
The EOS M50 is Canon's first 4K mirrorless camera and sends photos to a smartphone in automatic mode. It is also the first Canon camera to use the new Digic 8 processor and the updated CR3 Raw format. In addition, Dual Pixel autofocus has been expanded and improved in functionality with the addition of eye focusing. This is a great set of improvements for an entry-level camera.
Do you think the EOS M50 is evidence that Canon is getting serious about mirrorless cameras? Are you frustrated by the limitations of 4K video? Also currently limited by the small family of M-series lenses, which this moment only 7 pieces, especially when competitors Fujifilm X or the Micro Four Thirds system offer a very wide range of lenses.
Publication date: 27.12.2016
Development of the Canon EOS M system
A story about the history of the system and how a professional photographer who shoots with full-frame DSLRs came to work with the Canon EOS M system.
In September 2016, the Canon EOS M line of mirrorless cameras was replenished with the flagship model M5, which incorporated a number of advanced technologies previously used in the company's DSLR cameras. This allowed the new product to become almost on par with professional DSLRs in many characteristics, while retaining all the advantages of compact system cameras. Our expert, familiar with the Canon EOS M system since its introduction, tested the EOS M5 camera for a week and now shares his impressions and evaluates the new product in comparison with previous cameras in the line.
When Canon's first mirrorless camera was introduced in 2012, giving rise to the whole Canon EOS M family, I was really excited - for a very long time I wanted to have a compact system camera for everyday shooting, visiting, walking and traveling without burdensome cases... But, still, I wanted a camera that was more serious than a regular point-and-shoot camera, with the ability to use interchangeable optics, and even better, optics for full-frame cameras, which I already acquired.
The Canon EOS M met my needs like no other camera. After its announcement, I followed the news very closely, looked through all the materials with test images, and by the time sales began, my opinion was formed, I was already well prepared and determined to buy this camera at any cost.
It so happened that the start of sales of the new product coincided with my vacation, which I was going to spend in an Asian country. Upon arrival, at the Canon company store I was able to profitably purchase a set of an EOS M camera, an EF-M 22mm f/2 STM pancake lens and an adapter for lenses with an EF mount - Mount Adapter EF-EOS M. About a lazy vacation There was no longer any question - I immediately started shooting, both with a “pancake” and the lenses that I had with me for a Canon full-frame SLR camera. The latter spent the entire holiday in my bag, not in demand at all.
I immediately liked the capabilities of the purchased new product: it has RAW shooting, a bright, clear touch screen, the presence of the usual shooting modes, including manual and semi-automatic, via an adapter - compatibility with a large fleet of Canon optics and more. Small dimensions of a metal case with pleasant outlines and good ergonomics, good layout of controls, intuitive interface.
Since I shoot with different devices, using in various ways image control, the lack of a viewfinder was not a problem for me. It’s convenient for me to shoot both with and without it, looking at the screen with both eyes, like the monitor of a video camera or a compact point-and-shoot camera, for example. The screen brightness was quite enough for shooting in bright sunshine.
What I was most pleased with was the ability to tap the screen with my finger to get a clear and always correctly exposed photo. Even with backlight, the faces in the photos always turned out well. Defects in such shooting are kept to a minimum, which is very important when traveling, where you don’t always have time to view photos on the spot, and free space on the memory card is limited. And here, much less time is spent on subsequent selection and processing of images. Viewing the captured photos turned out to be simple and very convenient - the touch screen allows you to “stretch” the image with your fingers to enlarge a fragment and control sharpness. All these joys were complemented by the possibility of video shooting in Full HD format.
The EF-M 22mm f/2 STM lens very quickly won my liking and became a standard lens. Tiny size - pancake form factor, bright, sharp at wide open aperture, with fast autofocus, beautiful bokeh and pleasant colors. Unexpectedly flexible, this beautiful lens is suitable for the most different tasks. And I still believe that this is best lens for EOS M system.
Using the adapter, I tried almost all my full-frame Canon lenses with an EF mount on the EOS M camera, as well as mechanical lenses: Helios, Leica, Zeiss and others - all for which I already had mount adapters E.F.
Mount Adapter EF-EOS M
I was completely satisfied with the results. For me, the camera had a single, but significant drawback - a slow autofocus system. But despite this, I used the EOS M very often and carried it with me everywhere. The EOS M system - a camera with several lenses and the necessary accessories - took up a very small camera bag and became a faithful companion in my travels.
By the time the EOS M3 was released in the spring of 2015, I was already quite an experienced Canon EOS M user and, of course, could not pass up the new product. Once again I found myself in the front row of buyers, I appreciated the updated design, tilting screen and other changes.
The Canon EOS M3 has grown in size, but has also taken a big step forward in the development of the line. The increase in megapixels, of course, is a good thing, but fast autofocus, the presence of Wi-Fi, a built-in flash, focus peaking when shooting in manual focusing mode and a quick response to the shutter button pleased me much more.
A wheel for selecting modes and exposure compensation has been added, a wheel for selecting parameters framed the shutter button, and a multifunction button has appeared. The camera had the ability to install an external viewfinder in the hot shoe, but I decided not to spend extra money and used the wonderful tilting screen, which is convenient for shooting from ground level or, conversely, at arm's length when the camera is overhead. The rotating mechanism even allowed the screen to be rotated upward by 180 degrees. In this position, you can easily take a selfie; the picture on the screen also turns upside down.
Canon EOS M3, top view
I used this opportunity to shoot video interviews on the go, when the characters are walking and talking, and I walk in front of them, but not backwards, as I have to do with most cameras, but normally. The screen is tilted up vertically and stands above the camera, and I hold it with the lens back, but at the same time I control the image on the screen. The case of such use is not very frequent, but there are a lot of options where a rotating screen can be useful.
By the way, the Canon EOS M10 model, which appeared in October 2015, has a screen that can be raised in the same way.
Actually, the level of development of the system as a whole can be judged by the quantity and quality of accessories developed for this system, for example, lenses :). Other manufacturers began creating and launching their mirrorless “monsters” on the market long before Canon (and in our time the game goes not for decades, but for months).
Of course, the range of optics for cameras with an EF-M mount can be expanded with the help of an adapter and at the same time use all available EF-S and EF lenses (however, I saw somewhere a list with restrictions on the use of some rare lenses).
So far there are only 2 cameras with the EF-M mount: Canon EOS M (from this review) and Canon EOS M2, introduced in the fall of 2013.
Like most mirrorless cameras, the Canon EOS M is interesting because of its large APS-C sensor, which allows you to create good quality images are no worse than modern SLR cameras. Roughly speaking, the camera uses a sensor taken from a SLR camera, and later used in Canon EOS. The camera creates pictures with a maximum size of 5184 × 3456 (18 MP).
The image quality is very similar to what can be achieved with DSLR cameras and .
Maximum speed continuous shooting is 4.3 frames per second, the continuous shooting speed drops seriously with different auto focus settings. The camera is small; on average, 4-5 RAW images and about 12 JPEG images fit into the buffer. If you use additional functions that allow you to correct lens deficiencies and improve image quality, it sags greatly when shooting in JPEG. The camera can automatically correct vignetting and color aberrations of the lens.
The camera shutter is mechanical, although with only one curtain. An electronic first curtain is used during shooting. When shooting, you can feel a slight shutter lag. The shutter, compared to many other cameras, is very quiet :). If you allow the shutter release without a lens in the menu, then you can use any manual optics with the camera, for which there is an adapter for the Canon EOS-M mount. For precise focusing, you can zoom in on the selected area of the image. With manual lenses, metering and shooting in aperture priority mode are available.
The camera is very well assembled, the body is made of a metal alloy. The camera, including the battery, weighs 300 grams and feels like a well-made device in your hands.
I would say that the basis of the camera is a 3-inch display with 1,040,000 dots. Both models have a similar display (the latter also have a rotating display). Almost all control occurs via the display. The display is touchscreen with multi-touch support. There are very few controls on the camera itself and everything, even the most basic settings, is easiest to set using the display. The control joystick is very tiny and is not always convenient to use. The joystick ring rotates in a circle, and you can quickly access some important functions using the joystick while shooting.
On the one hand, controlling the camera via the touch screen is a godsend for novice users who can easily switch from mobile phone with touch control to a camera with touch control. But to me, accustomed to quick access using dedicated controls, adjusting the camera using the sensor seemed extremely slow and inconvenient (especially in cold weather, when the sensor does not accept control with gloves). If we abstract ourselves and remember that the camera is designed for the “point and shoot” shooting mode, then the control, due to the touch display, is performed on top level and newcomers to the world of digital photography should be very pleased with it :).
Canon EOS M can shoot video with maximum quality Full HD 1920*1080 30p with stereo sound. You can choose different combinations of frame size and quality. Video mode is selected by the main command dial on the top of the camera. There are two options available for video mode - automatic and manual. When recording video in manual mode, you can control all the basic recording parameters - ISO, shutter speed, aperture and additional settings, by type of picture style mode, etc.
The camera has a standard stereo microphone connector, as well as an HDMI output and a USB 2.0 port. Here is a link to a video from the owner of the lens.
Canon EOS M with two adapters and lens
The camera uses Hybrid AF phase focusing (exactly the same as in Live View mode). Autofocus speed is the main problem with this camera. The camera focuses noticeably slower than other mirrorless cameras, very often makes mistakes in focusing, and sometimes cannot focus on the selected object at all, even if focusing is selected using one specific zone. It tracks objects in motion very poorly. I can’t say that focusing is completely helpless, but I would like its performance to be better. And this is when using native lenses, with an EF-M mount and an STM focusing motor!
In general, the Canon EOS M is a small camera, in appearance, and in terms of ease of use, very similar to modern digital point-and-shoot cameras. Even the silver sticker with the main camera capabilities is very similar to those on point-and-shoot cameras (similar stickers are also placed on laptop cases, which quite annoys me). The camera battery can handle about 200 photos on a single charge (compared to DSLR cameras, this is very little). I also liked the strap, which can be quickly attached and removed from the camera straps. The strap has small clips for quickly securing it to the camera.
In the middle, the adapter is made in the form of a tapering stepped shaft, which avoids unnecessary glare and reflections of rays. By the way, this adapter design confirms that the Canon EF-M mount will not expand for full-format lenses:(,
Tiny front lens Canon lens Lens EF-M 22mm 1:2 STM
Canon Lens EF-M 22mm 1:2 STM is a very small and cutest pancake lens. Despite its size (it weighs only 105 grams), the lens has a large maximum aperture of F/2.0. And on top of everything else, it uses tiny filters with a diameter of 43 mm. At first it even seems that the filters are not intended for this lens at all.
Lens uses new technology focusing STM - ST epper M otor - stepper motor or focusing stepper motor. STM was supposed to improve focusing quality when shooting video, paying special attention to smooth focusing. Focusing is really smooth and fast, but when focusing (both manual and automatic), the lens is noisy, the nature of the noise resembles the hum of a transformer. Similar noise can be observed with a mirror pancake lens. The noise only disappears if you rotate the focus ring very, very slowly.
The Canon Lens EF-M 22mm 1:2 STM uses an electronic focus ring. The ring is quite comfortable, but its jagged ridges are not rubberized. There is no focus mode switch on the lens; to switch to manual focus mode, you need to use the camera menu. In manual focusing mode, to move the lens from focusing to infinity to MDF, you need to rotate the ring 360 degrees. The focus ring rotates in any direction without restrictions. There is an FTM mode - Full Time Manual Focusing (constant manual focusing), although it only works if the AF+MF mode is selected on the camera and only after the camera has focused. During focusing, the front lens doesn't rotate, only the trunk lengthens. The minimum focusing distance is only 15 cm, and the maximum magnification ratio is 1:4.8.
The lens is well assembled (despite the fact that it was made in Taiwan), with a metal mount. There is only a mark on the lens for connecting to the camera. There are no grooves for the lens hood; it needs to be screwed in instead of or on top of the filter. The lens hood is not included.
The diaphragm consists of seven rounded blades and closes to F/22. On covered apertures, nuts () can still be seen in the blur zone.
Peculiarity: When you turn it on and off, when you close the battery compartment cover (even if you just removed the memory card without a battery), and when you attach it to the camera, the lens undergoes initialization. When turned on, the lens sticks out its trunk, focusing a few meters away. When turned off, the lens hides its trunk, and it is clear that the trunk goes into the lens body much deeper than when focusing at infinity. This means that the lens has a special ‘parking’ trunk, which allows you to reduce its size during transportation. It’s a little annoying that when the camera is turned off, if you press the image view button, the lens will also initialize.
The optical design of the lens consists of 7 elements in 6 groups, one element is aspherical.
The lens is quite sharp at F/2.0 even at the edges of the frame. Gives good contrast, weak distortion, present, but quite expected. In backlight it can catch glare (). In general, it turned out to be a nice ‘baby’ for a wide range of tasks. The EGF of the lens is 35 mm, which, in turn, is something between a wide-angle and a standard lens. With this lens you can shoot almost anything :).
Canon EF-M 18-55/3.5-5.6 IS STM - the most simplified lens for a simplified camera :).
The optical design of the lens consists of 13 elements in 11 groups, 3 elements are aspherical (good, at least they didn’t save on this).
The Canon EF-M 18-55/3.5-5.6 IS STM handles backlight well, but if you put a very bright object in the frame, for example the sun, you can get glare. At 18 mm, quite strong distortion is noticeable. On the Canon EOS M camera, distortion is not automatically corrected. The lens suffers from slight chromatic aberrations. Like most similar lenses, it’s not the sharpest at open apertures, but the contrast is okay. Overall, the Canon EF-M 18-55/3.5-5.6 IS STM is a good kit lens, but it’s still far from good.
In comments Can I ask you a question on the topic and to you they will definitely answer, and you can also express your opinion or describe your experience. To select photographic equipment, I recommend large catalogs, for example E-katalog. A lot of little things for photos can be found on Aliexpress.
Personal experienceI confess that while working I did not feel any delight from either of the lenses or from the camera as a whole. Everything is too stripped down; poking around in the menu to enable a basic function is infuriating. The camera itself does not respond very quickly to controls. For lenses, the FTM mode does not work at all. Adding here not the most successful focusing - I would not look at this camera at all :(. But considering that this camera was apparently created not for photographers, but for ordinary amateur photographers, it has the right to life, and you can get the most out of it high quality photos.
Canon is one of the leading manufacturers of photo and video cameras. The history of the company began in 1933, and in 1955 the company reached the global level. Today are mirrored Canon cameras are very popular among professionals and novice photographers along with products from Sony and other well-known manufacturers.
Canon DSLR cameras: wide range of models
Today the following products are produced under this brand:
- Canon digital SLR cameras for beginners and advanced users;
- Premium Canon SLR cameras designed for experienced photographers.
Canon's main series of DSLRs is called EOS. Models with three or four digit names (for example, EOS 1300D) are intended for beginner photographers. Devices with two digits in their names belong to the semi-professional category. If there is one number in the name, then this is a Canon DSLR of a professional or semi-professional class.
In the M.Video online store you can buy a Canon SLR camera at an attractive price.
- SLR Cameras Canon is presented in a wide range of 42 models in the M.Video online store;
- Prices range from 15990.0 to 399990.0 rubles;
- Compare prices for Canon DSLR cameras, read specifications and customer reviews;
- Buy Canon SLR cameras with a guarantee on favorable terms of purchase (including on credit or in installments);
- Order Canon SLR cameras in the cities: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Chelyabinsk, Kazan online on the website or by phone 8 800 200 777 5, arrange delivery to the specified address or pickup from the store.
There is nothing special noticed at the bottom - a compartment for the battery and memory card, as well as a standard thread for mounting on a tripod. If you use a tripod with a docking pad, it blocks the lid and prevents you from quickly changing the memory card. This is a very popular disease compact cameras and mirrorless cameras. However, again, the positioning of the EOS M does not allow us to classify this as a serious ergonomic flaw.
Screen and interface
As you can see, Canon abandoned most of the controls in favor of a touchscreen interface. Potential buyers should get used to this. The display itself deserves all the praise. This is a three-inch TFT matrix with a resolution of 1,040,000 dots, high touch sensitivity and even multitouch support. The same screen, by the way, was used in the Canon EOS 650D. True, there it had a rotating design.
The space between the sensor and the protective glass is still filled with clear rubber to minimize glare. Viewing angles are close to 180 degrees, which means you can forgive the screen for its fixed design.
Navigation through the menu is organized using buttons and a navigation dial. It's very similar to the EOS 650D's menus, and those familiar with Canon DSLRs should find the camera fairly easy to master.
Functionality
The Canon EOS M inherits the 18-megapixel CMOS sensor from its older relative, the EOS 650D DSLR. The matrix is notable for the fact that it has points for both contrast and phase focusing. IN DSLR camera, of course, there is a full-fledged phase focusing system, and the EOS M uses a hybrid contrast-phase focusing method. The sensor's sensitivity range, as with the EOS 650D, is ISO 100–12800, expandable to ISO 25600 in photo mode. By the way, the noise is very moderate. One of the best performance among mirrorless cameras. Below we take a look at the test shots.
The second element, borrowed from its mirror counterparts, was the DIGIC 5 processor. According to the developers, the performance of the chip has increased 5 times compared to the previous DIGIC 4. The sensor-processor combination offers the user a fairly good rate of fire: 4.3 frames in full resolution are produced per second with the camera turned off. focusing with a buffer depth of 17 JPEG or 6 RAW images.
