What do you plan to do with you M gear?

Feigerou wrote:

I've heard enough comments flying around this forum about all the favorite opinions - how the M system will keep getting updates for years, the merits of the M system as it exists today, or how it's dead.

I think everyone has an opinion on this.  Inevitably, some will be right and some wrong.  But the M-cameras made a notable mark in Canon's product lines and brought in a significant amount of money for investors.

To me, what we actually plan to do with our gear moving forward is much more interesting than all the speculation and opinion. So I thought I'd throw this poll out there to get some real numbers and see what most of us are thinking we'll do. Plus, this may help us get above the loudest voices.

I feel that the EOS M-system reached maturity as soon as Canon added DPAF sensor, which was around the time of the M5. M6 and M50 cameras being released.  From that point onward, they could capture pretty much anything an APS-C type DSLR could achieve.  The relatively large APS-C sensor has tremendous light-gathering capabilities for those of us who shoot with challenging light. The APS-C sensors run rings around even the 1.5" and 1" sensors.  But even going back to the original 2012 model EOS M camera, these things have been marvelously useful.  More importantly, they are FUN to use.  And I'm not the only person who feels this way...
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EOS M camera + EF-M 22mm f/2 Lens - literally palm-sized.

Random shots taken with my EOS M and EOS M6 cameras.

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So here we are in 2022, more than ten years after the original EOS M was launched in 2012... and these cameras now are faster and more powerful than ever before.  They take really nice pictures, dependent of the lens used.  You can easily use them for professional work as a primary device or a backup camera body. And you can use them for private use for home or for an effective travel camera.
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I use the EOS M-System cameras alongside the EOS R-System cameras.  They work well together.  There are times when I can't carry the larger R-System cameras with me, like when I'm hiking long distances in difficult terrain, or especially when prospecting for gold or minerals in remote areas.  On those occasions I can clip and M-camera to my backpack straps or my belt... and pack an additional tiny EF-M lense with me if I need one.  This now gives me much better image quality that what my current iPhone camera can offer, and with larger file sizes.  When I'm shooting something that requires a full frame sensor - it's easier to carry the M-cameras on my belt to free up both hands to carry the R-cameras with.  On those occasions I tend to carry a Long and Short lens combo.  I used to combine a Full Frame DSLR with the EOS M cameras but now those have been swapped out for an EOS R6.  Hence I tend to have the R6 and M6 to choose from and I'll often add a wide (11-22mm) lens to the M6 and a longer (or brighter) lens to the R6.
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Using Dual Cameras together - EOS M + EOS M6 + EOS 6D + EOS R6 + EOS Ra

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LENSES
The native EF-M lenses cover an overlapping range of focal lengths and apertures.  There's a native 28mm Macro lens as well as the ability to use any EF macro lens via an adapter.  There's wide aperture lenses (f/1.4 and f/2.0) and lenses with wide FOV (15-45mm and 11-22mm). If the native lenses offer 150mm aren't long enough, you can mount an EF lens with a much longer focal length if you want to. I've not been one to complain about the limited range of lenses for the M-series cameras because Canon deliberately allowed for the mounting of EF and EF-S lenses. This greatly expands the range of available glass with genuine Canon lenses, not to mention all those lenses made by other manufacturers in both EF-M and EF lens mounts.
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When I bought the EOS M camera, I put the money down before the camera had shipped because it looked great on paper.  But I wasn't interested in the native lenses... I bought three L-series lenses to use with the EOS M.... (1) EF 100mmL Macro (2) EF 24mmL II (3) EF 135mmL.  This was a fantastic way to explore the M camera and push its abilities.  It wasn't until members here began to ask me to consider the EF-M 22mm f/2 lens that I took a gamble and bought one to use.  I ended up buying 4 difference EF-M lenses (22mm, 32mm. 11-22mm, 28mm) and it's been a fantastic experience to use them all.
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FUTURE of the M?
The future of the EOS M system is not quite up in the air anymore - especially with the recent comments from a Canon spokesperson claiming that the M-System is to be sold alongside the R-System. It also explains why they needed to remove the M6 II from the shelves just a few weeks before the R10 was announced.  If the M-System was to be discontinued, the time to have announced this was with the reveal of the R10 and R7 cameras.  So I look forward to seeing what the future holds for the next M-system camera design. Existing cameras should continue to function, along with their EF-M lenses. 
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Smartphones
Canon repeatedly reminds us of the impact of smartphones and how they influence Canon's future roadmaps and ongoing product strategy.  I recently upgraded mine to an iPhone 13 Pro Max because my ancient iPhone 6S was no longer going to be eligible for service and updates. I tried to find an alternative to Apple but for sheer convenience I ended up giving Apple another go and so far it takes great pictures, plus it's with me wherever I am.  I think the file sizes are smaller than ideal at just 4032p wide, but generally speaking it takes decent images that I can use.  Even in light that is challenging for even a Full Frame camera sensor.  It certainly drawn less attention than an actual camera.
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What I find now in 2021-2022 is that I don't need to carry my EOS M cameras with me nearly as much as I did pre-2021 - and that it's easier for me to leave them at home and just carry my smartphone with me in my top pocket. Panoramas are a breeze and video quality is just ideal (if I ever need it).  For the most part, it's simply convenient to have a better quality camera on my iPhone.  Since everyone else is in much the same boat, it's easy to see why Camera manufacturers are having to factor in the influence of smartphones on their sales.  But until smartphone cameras get even better, there's still plenty of room for APS-C cameras like the M.  The tiny sensors simply don't offer as much to work with without the aid of computational photography playing a big part in the results.  And with Canon edging towards embracing HEIC/HEIF files (typically the domain of iPhones and iPads), I think there's room for further future advancement with the M in this regard.  Canon has been slowly including this format on the newer R-Series cameras.
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iPhone 13 Pro Max smartphone

Samples from my iPhone 13 Pro Max - Not perfect, but not bad either.

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The EOS M cameras made photography fun for so many of us.  As for myself, I'll continue to use mine until they fail mechanically/electronically or until something better arrives.  I have a need for a very lightweight APS-C camera with minimal size for a number of different applications and the R10 isn't to my liking and the R7 is much too large by comparison.  In fact the R7 is almost the same scale as the R6 that I'm using - when viewed side-by-side.  I predict that Canon will wait until both of these cameras are in their second shipment before there's a chance that they list a new & updated M-series model.
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Regards,
Marco Nero.