M not small enough! Locked

Ali wrote:

Here I am thinking how R10 is too large and M6II is just right, but:

Brought M6II + EF-M 55-200 to a live ZZTop concert ... it didn't make it past security! The rules did say "no cameras with removable lens," and the lady at the gate was perceptive enough to not let me in with it.

I have usually had no problems with that combo, so this was a surprise.

Luckily I had my backup camera, Panasonic ZS80, and that made the cut. Not the image quality or resolution of the M6II, but it does have a 24-720mm equivalent lens, and did fine.

(And just for completeness, I was able to bring the M3/M6/M6II + 55-200 into a number of other concerts ... )

EOS M (2012) alongside Canon's Digital Elph Sub-Compact camera for scale.

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I dealt with exactly the same problem entering a concert hall to see a live performance by "QUEEN" (sans the late Freddie Mercury) a few years back. They were touring with singer Adam Lambert and came to Sydney, Australia as part of their tour.  The signs at the entrance prohibited ONLY cameras with 'interchangeable lenses'.  Specifically DSLRs. Large warning photographs of DSLRs with a circle and red line through them were posted at all the security checkpoints and bags were searched.
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Compact Cameras at concerts...
Many events these days have given up banning smartphones, probably for legal reasons. But they approved my Canon PowerShot G1X camera when they looked at it. They asked me if the lens was removable, and I showed them it wasn't.  Later, during the actual performance, as my lens extended to maximum, I was visited three times by security members telling me I "couldn't use that camera" but I replied to them that "it was approved at the entry". I shot plenty of video as well although the earlier days of uploading to YouTube had an impact on compression and image quality... you can see a clip here (which was degraded upon upload) - Radio GaGa - The staff eventually left me alone (although they had to read my lips and hand gestures over the sound of the concert) and I caught the shots I wanted. With better 4K video quality from Smartphones these days, as well as telephoto and zoom lenses being inbuilt, the Smartphones might be a bigger threat to event organizers than cameras with interchangeable lenses.
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Canon's PowerShot G1X - almost palmable.

G1X

G1X

G1X

G1X

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The EOS M cameras are small enough that they didn't pose as much of a threat to people until Canon produced models with the EVF hump and contoured grip with full controls and hotshoe mounts... because now they look more like a miniature DSLR. This can draw attention in dangerous locations or it can get you booted from a concert if you don't feel like leaving your equipment with a stranger. Whilst this might make sense (to leave your camera with security), it doesn't always end well...
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The perils of handing in a camera...
I can recall coming off the Fox Studios backlot with a camera PowerShot camera in my pocket after being on the set to the Star Wars prequels during filming... and I was then asked to attend a special advanced screening of a major Hollywood film at the local cinema in the afternoon.  Our company had supplied some of the visual effects to the movie. So our staff were all bussed into the CBD where we found ourselves being personally searched and passing through metal detectors to stop anyone from bringing a camera or a cellphone into the theater. Paramount studios had also fitted some staff with night vision equipment, watching over the audience (complete with military-grade starlight nightvision goggles) to ensure nobody was trying to film any footage and release it to the public as a 'leak'. There was no chance I could leave my camera with strangers as it contained photographs from the film set of Star Wars Episode III... and they even appeared to be confiscating memory cards... so I pulled the old "keys in my hand" trick as I went through the Metal Detector and was then waved in by security. The camera I had with me remained on my belt and unconfiscated. Why mention all this? Because when the screening ended, all our crew and other guests who were invited to the screening then exited the theater to look for their cellphones and cameras. And we found them in a huge pile on the edge of a candy bar... where strangers waiting to see other movies had taken their pick and had stolen many of the phones and cameras. The impact this had on production the following day was impressive.
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Asking for Permission
There was another occasion a few years back where I phoned the event organizers and asked for permission to bring a DSLR with me because I knew the location was going to be extremely dark and I wanted to use an f/1.2L lens to compensate for the low light environment. I offered to supply them with images if they wanted and they were extremely receptive. The location was darker than I had anticipated (mostly candle-light luminosity) and the only request I had was not to photograph the performers that would be attending without their permission. On this occasion, I was more interested in the guests so this was fine. If I was doing a repeat of this event I would likely have brought the EOS M6 + EF-M 32mm f/1.4 lens... or possibly just my iPhone (which would have had other issues due to the Night Mode and delayed exposure times).  Some examples from that evening below...
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EOS 6D + EF 85mm f/1.2L

EOS 6D + EF 85mm f/1.2L

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EOS M
When I was invited as a guest to attend a live performance and exhibit for Performance Costumes for theater and film, I brought my EOS M camera (the original 2012 model) to take some photographs. You can see these below. I was there as a guest but not a photographer so I waited for the lights to dim before I raised my camera.  I stood up and moved to the rear of the performance hall with my back to the wall and used the EOS M camera with an EF 135mm f/2 USM lens. This lens, due to the APS-C crop gave me around 217mm (equiv). The event organizers later reached out to hire me to cover the following year's event. On that occasion I was able to pick my own location and set up with a monopod... but I had to shoot for three days with multiple performances per day - tens of thousands of photographs - and that presumably took a toll on the life of my camera.  Though it still runs perfectly today.
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EOS M + EF 135mm f/2L

EOS M + EF 135mm f/2L

EOS M + EF 135mm f/2L

EOS M + EF 135mm f/2L

EOS M + EF 135mm f/2L

EOS M + EF 135mm f/2L

EOS M + EF 135mm f/2L