In defense of the EOS M(onster) for PRO-shooters

After months of research and trials of various cameras in the performance compact and mirrorless segments of the pro-sumer camera market, to find a better substitute for my oft-ignored Canon S100, I settled on the EOS M.

I am no longer satisfied with the compact sensor quality in the s100/g15, as its not SO much better than my iphone 5 that I feel the need to take it with me daily.  I wanted something with more notable quality and real DOF.  That eliminated most of the smaller sensor options, leaving me with the EOS M, GX1, RX100 and various 4/3's cameras.

I finally settled on the EOS M because:

a) it has an APS-C sensor - equiv. to the 650D

b) it is very small and nearly pocketable with the 22mm STM

c) I can expand with my other Canon lenses, and it can be used as a backup body to my 7D

d) its solid as a rock

e) hotshoe that will accept my Canon flash

f) external mic input

My reservations pre-purchase were related to the slow focus, lack of OVF and reliance on touch-screen.  The last of these reservations is the basis of my post, as I believe its the EOS M's best asset.  In use, the EOS M has slow focus, slow enough that I miss shots of my 9 month old son as he careens from location to location and I struggle to track him with the M's slow tracking mode.  I have not missed all of the shots, and in fact manage to get some amazing shots of moving targets when I employ manual focus and tracking with servo, giving me a second shot that usually hits on focus after my first one misses but brings the camera closer to where it needs to be, making the second attempt a shorter throw.  Also, the touch-to-shoot mode coupled with the face-detect-with-tracking AF mode works splendidly when tracking moving targets for stills.  It locks and snaps in one go, giving a faster feel to the whole business and ultimately provideing a new an futuristic shooting experience.

The lack of OVF is a miss for me, a dire lover of my SLR's performance.  Getting lost in a viewfinder during composition is one of the great joys of photography.  That being said, the absence of the viewfinder is made acceptable by the amazing touch screen performance.

Now, here lies the point of this post.  I feel that the reviewers i have read on the EOS M have looked at the specs, the lack of external controls, the similarity to the IXUS line of Canons, and wrote this camera off as "not a pro-level shooter".  YET, in nearly all reviews that lament the lack of controls, slow focus etc, the final paragraph (conclusion) typically starts with the phrase "Do I like the EOS M? Actually, yes I do".  Its almost as if the authors pen the review as the physical sample is en route to them based on specs, and when they finally use it, they write in the rest.  This is a result of the unexpected nature of the EOS M's performance, notably the amazing touch screen and how effective it is in the process of photography.

I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed, even reveled in the use of the touch screen, including touch-to-shoot.  This is a new way of shooting I have never considered, and now that I have experienced it, I can say that its works very well, even for a dedicated semi-pro SLR user like myself.  Focusing on the lack of external controls is missing the point entirely.  I would suggest that the beauty of the touch screen control layout, ease of use, clarity of controls (especially with the Q Screen overlay implementation) is a pleasure.  Manipulating shots in the review mode is great, with processing, deleting, zooming etc already as fast as my SLR usage speed...in a week of use.  The external controls are useful, to be sure, but they are besides the point.  I find myself using the touch screen as much as possible, and using the external controls to supplement and accelerate the selection process.

Now, taking the performance into consideration, the IQ, of course, is spectacular.  It is every bit as good as my 7D, if not better regarding noise.  So, once you can USE this camera quickly and effectively, you are then able to get the most out of what is unquestionably the best performing sensor in the mirrorless market, as its simply the Rebel sensor in a mirorless body.

I guess the point here is that I did NOT expect to love the EOS M.  I opened the package gingerly and prepared for a quick return.  But in a days after using it, I started to really obsess over the results.  I mean, to have SLR DOF in you coat pocket is a revelation, and what I have been looking for in this exhaustive search for a pocketable pro-level camera to supplement my 7D.  Yes, the focus is slow.  Slower than an SLR and likely many competitors.  But, considering that video mode is outstanding, stills of stationary objects and slow moving targets are pristine, its only a slim percentage of shots (for me) that I am losing due to this glaring weakness.  Hopefully a firmware update is forthcoming to help out here.  If thats the case, and it makes a big difference, this camera becomes a world-beater.

In conclusion, look more closely at the EOS M, and consider that it is more than meets the eye.  Also consider that the EOS M can be used in ways that, while they are different than your SLR experience, are not less capable, and in some ways, are even more intuitive and results-oriented.

Below are some samples...

Thanks for your time.

-G



Canon EOS 7D -- Canon EOS M w/22 f2

24-105L, 50 1.4, 40 STM, Sigma 30 f1.4,

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nycgeo/