Mik-el
Active member
I just bought an M6 & I'm wondering how to view pics when taking them outside on bright days?
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Canon EOS M6 question
- Thread starter Mik-el
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I am using my M6 for about seven years now, always without EVF, and mostly outside.
Shooting in bright sun can sometimes be a little bit difficult, but to my mind it's a kind of "getting used to". I have never missed or completely misexposed a shot because of bright light.
For me the easy handling of the tilting screen is one reason why I really like the M6.
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Three choices (at least);
- Find shade
- Buy an add-on EVF
- Buy a different camera with built-in EVF.
Unfortunately the fact that less users here struggle with seeing the screen in bright sun (because they don't experience it as often) doesn't make it less of an issue. To anyone living in a bright sunny climate (like tropical Australia) being outside in very bright sun is a regular occurrence and makes things very difficult trying to use a screen in such weather.
My first M body was a M3 (with no EVF) and after one trip to South Africa (safari - it was bought as a second/backup body) I was convinced that the screen only thing didn't work for me - due to the bright sun and the fact that I wore readings glasses, but not distance glasses, so I have to kept swapping between sunglasses and reading glasses to shoot.
I bought the original hot shoe mounted EVF and while that mostly solved the bright sun issue, it turned a small compact form factor camera into a clumsy shape.
So, I bought a M5 and it was a VAST improvement.
To my thinking the only reason to buy a M6 or M6 ii is because you specifically want to have something as small and compact as possible and plan to use it primarily with a small lens like EF-M 22mm. But I know there are others here who have a different opinion, which is fine
M4Mobility
Veteran Member
Just a tip: If you are pressing the info button for 2-3 seconds, the LCD will go to max brightness.
I use it all the time when out in bright sunshine.
+ The tilt screen is great.
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- M4M
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To my mind, there is a fourth choice: Keep the M6 and enjoy using it.Three choices (at least);
...............................................
- Find shade
- Buy an add-on EVF
- Buy a different camera with built-in EVF.
To my thinking the only reason to buy a M6 or M6 ii is because you specifically want to have something as small and compact as possible and plan to use it primarily with a small lens like EF-M 22mm. But I know there are others here who have a different opinion, which is fine
I have purchased the EF 70-200mm f/4 L IS ii for using it with my M6. It's a great, sharp and (quite) bright lens, which I also use for sports. Here are three shots in order to make clear that it's no problem to use a large lens with the M6, also without EVF.
That is hard to do when you literally cannot see a thing on the screen in bright sunlight. Perhaps the sun in Germany is a little less harsh than in Australia
I am sure that using a medium sized lens like 70-200 f4 (barely heavier than a EF 24-104L ii) is possible, but it does become more challenging when using a larger/heavier lens like EF 100-400L ii, which with adapter is about 1900g.
I found the EF 100-400L ii clumsy to use with my M5, which had a larger grip than M6. Using a VF with a larger lens is also MUCH easier than trying to hold out the combo in front so that a screen can be seen.
But people can get used to anything, especially if there is no choice - meaning, if a person only has a M6 and wants to shoot with a larger tele, then they would get used to the lens quite quickly (because they either don't know any better or don't have another option).
Once someone has tried something like R10 (with a nice deep grip & EVF) + RF 100-400 they would realise how much nicer it is to use than a M6 + adapted large tele (like EF 100-400L ii).
Mik-el
Active member
I did not know that thanks!Just a tip: If you are pressing the info button for 2-3 seconds, the LCD will go to max brightness.
I use it all the time when out in bright sunshine.
+ The tilt screen is great.
Mik-el
Active member
Closest to that I have is a Canon NFD 300mm f4.0To my mind, there is a fourth choice: Keep the M6 and enjoy using it.Three choices (at least);
...............................................
- Find shade
- Buy an add-on EVF
- Buy a different camera with built-in EVF.
To my thinking the only reason to buy a M6 or M6 ii is because you specifically want to have something as small and compact as possible and plan to use it primarily with a small lens like EF-M 22mm. But I know there are others here who have a different opinion, which is fine
I have purchased the EF 70-200mm f/4 L IS ii for using it with my M6. It's a great, sharp and (quite) bright lens, which I also use for sports. Here are three shots in order to make clear that it's no problem to use a large lens with the M6, also without EVF.
aaaarrrrteee
Active member
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my standard tips for these kinds of questions:
Read the manual.
don't have one? go to camera company website, download the pdf of the manual and read it
go to youtube and search for vids 'setting up and using (model of camera)'
when i started out, i learned from a book called Digital photography for dummies
they might have an updated version
other books
Read this if you want to take great photographs by Carroll
Stunning digital photography by Northrup
don't get discouraged
“Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst.” ― Henri Cartier-Bresson
Read the manual.
don't have one? go to camera company website, download the pdf of the manual and read it
go to youtube and search for vids 'setting up and using (model of camera)'
when i started out, i learned from a book called Digital photography for dummies
they might have an updated version
other books
Read this if you want to take great photographs by Carroll
Stunning digital photography by Northrup
don't get discouraged
“Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst.” ― Henri Cartier-Bresson
Probably the sun here in Germany is less harsh than in AustraliaThat is hard to do when you literally cannot see a thing on the screen in bright sunlight. Perhaps the sun in Germany is a little less harsh than in Australia
I don't intend to use larger lenses than my EF 70-200mm.
Thereby, a combination of my M6 with one of my others lenses (11-22, 15-45, 22, 32, 56, 55-200, maybe except 16) remains small and light and is very well suited for walking and traveling. And the optical results are good to very good.
On the other hand, I sometimes wonder, why M-users, who really like the M-system (although it's not perfect), have to justify their M-shooting, especially here in this forum.
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Sittatunga
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It sounds facetious, but keep it under your hat! If it were that bright I would be wearing a large sun hat and using the flippy screen to keep the camera under the shadow of my head. Of course that doesn't work so well in portrait alignment and where I live the sun never ever reaches a height of 60° above the horizon.I did not know that thanks!Just a tip: If you are pressing the info button for 2-3 seconds, the LCD will go to max brightness.
I use it all the time when out in bright sunshine.
+ The tilt screen is great.
Sittatunga
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I've got a cheap one that has an eyepiece which often falls to bits. Its body will fit in a 75mm cube so it won't fit in a trouser pocket. On the plus side, I'm long-sighted enough so that there is room to get my finger in to work the touchscreen even when the loupe is in place.
That is actually another good point. We are currently mid-winter in Australia and the sun still gets to above 40° above horizon, and in summer it spends over 4 hours of the day above 60° (up to 85°). This means that unless we shoot under something like an black umbrella, it is often hard to shade the screen.
As for sun "harshness", to put it in perspective the (tropical) Australian sun in mid-winter has a similar UV index to London right now (around 5-6) in mid summer. In summer our UV index gets to over 10 most days (with over 14 on sunny days).
So, combining seriously harsh sun and almost directly overhead essentially renders a screen useless. Some days I have to mash the viewfinder into my eye to try to create a light seal and then let my eye adjust to the EVF brightness to be able to see properly.
I apologise if I came across that way.Probably the sun here in Germany is less harsh than in AustraliaThat is hard to do when you literally cannot see a thing on the screen in bright sunlight. Perhaps the sun in Germany is a little less harsh than in Australia
I don't intend to use larger lenses than my EF 70-200mm.
Thereby, a combination of my M6 with one of my others lenses (11-22, 15-45, 22, 32, 56, 55-200, maybe except 16) remains small and light and is very well suited for walking and traveling. And the optical results are good to very good.
On the other hand, I sometimes wonder, why M-users, who really like the M-system (although it's not perfect), have to justify their M-shooting, especially here in this forum.
I don't see it as justifying the use of M cameras. From my PoV there are a couple of things that jump out at me about the M bodies;
- Many users here live in North America or Europe and therefore tend to think that what works for them (eg. a lack of EVF) works for everyone, so I often have to try to justify why a lack of EVF doesn't work for all.
- As above, many (northern hemisphere) users seem to think that wearing bulky jackets with big pockets (that accommodate a small M body with 22mm) is "normal". I have to "justify" that almost no current camera (except a phone) will fit in the pocket of the shorts that I wear for ¾ of the year, and my T-shirts don't have pockets.
- There was a time when the M cameras filled a useful gap because they were so small and light. I myself had two of them, but they were always my "compact" or backup system to my DSLRs and probably saw about 10-15% of my shooting. IMO that time has mostly passed now, with the smaller R bodies (R10, R50, R100 and even R8) being far more capable than any M body, and very little different in size or weight.
However, some M users seem to tout the M bodies as the cameras to suit all people in all situations and vehemently recommend them to new photographers (which probably isn't the case in this thread).
To me, they (the M bodies without EVFs) don't work in bright sunny conditions, they don't work if I need reading glasses to see the screen and non-prescription sunglasses for most other outdoor situation, and they are inferior to something like R10 with regard to AF, subject detection, tracking, frame rate and a few other things - with minimal penalty on size/weight (especially if talking about a M5 or M50).
I have switched to a dual body (R10 + R8) system with lenses that natively fit either body and, for me, that is a far lighter (about 55% of the weight), smaller, better solution to my previous kit where I had a FF DSLR with L lenses and a M5 with EF-M lenses which were only partially interchangeable. I do accept though, that while this solution works for me, it won't work for everyone. The R10 (MY current APS-C body) absolutely runs rings around the M5 (MY previous APS-C body) in every aspect except cost, and is almost identical in dimensions and weight.
M4Mobility
Veteran Member
There are some people who have left the system who come back from time to time just to bash the M-system. I think they are insecure and this is their weird way to defend their purchase decisions. Sometimes it is better to just ignore those people. If you reply to them they just go on and on and on about the same nonsense in even longer posts.
As a wise person once said: "Don't feed them ......"
The OP asked about how to be able to use a camera with only screen in bright sunlight and I provided a few options - as per the question asked - is there a problem with that or do you disagree with the answers I provided ? Check my first response - I did not mention the RF system at all, I just tried to answer the question asked (because it is something that I also struggled with). I only mentioned briefly an R10 in my second post - in response to the comment about using a larger lens on M6, which was completely unrelated to the OP's question.
People, particularly newer members, need to know that there are viable (and better) alternatives to the M system for SOME people - it simply doesn't suit everyone. Some fanbois just blindly push the M system without offering people asking questions viable alternatives or options, in spite of the system being quite out of date (M6 ii was launched 6 years ago and a LOT has happened in Canon's world since then) and discontinued.
I think a balanced view is important, hence my comments about who the M system will suit very well.
And for the record, I still visit all of the Canon forums except the Powershot forum - because I have owned DSLRs (both APS-C & FF) and M gear, so I still have an interest in it.
So I would appreciate you keeping your snide remarks and troll insinuations to yourself please - keep it civil. I don't expect everyone (and especially people who are extremely passionate about the M system) to agree with me on everything but please don't dismiss everything you don't agree with as "nonsense" - it isn't a good look for you.
People, particularly newer members, need to know that there are viable (and better) alternatives to the M system for SOME people - it simply doesn't suit everyone. Some fanbois just blindly push the M system without offering people asking questions viable alternatives or options, in spite of the system being quite out of date (M6 ii was launched 6 years ago and a LOT has happened in Canon's world since then) and discontinued.
I think a balanced view is important, hence my comments about who the M system will suit very well.
And for the record, I still visit all of the Canon forums except the Powershot forum - because I have owned DSLRs (both APS-C & FF) and M gear, so I still have an interest in it.
So I would appreciate you keeping your snide remarks and troll insinuations to yourself please - keep it civil. I don't expect everyone (and especially people who are extremely passionate about the M system) to agree with me on everything but please don't dismiss everything you don't agree with as "nonsense" - it isn't a good look for you.
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M4Mobility
Veteran Member
Just glad I could help.I did not know that thanks!Just a tip: If you are pressing the info button for 2-3 seconds, the LCD will go to max brightness.
I use it all the time when out in bright sunshine.
+ The tilt screen is great.
The M6 is a nice little camera that takes beautiful pictures (also in sunshine
). Congrats.--
- M4M
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ThrillaMozilla
Veteran Member
A little-known benefit of the EVF attachable viewfinder is that there is a button on it that can be set to switch between viewfinder and screen. (This works on my M6 II, at least.)
When the back screen is turned off with the button, the camera settings no longer go crazy whenever the screen brushes my shirt. The way I have it set, the only setting that is controlled by touch on the back screen is the focal spot position. Suddenly the camera becomes usable.
When the back screen is turned off with the button, the camera settings no longer go crazy whenever the screen brushes my shirt. The way I have it set, the only setting that is controlled by touch on the back screen is the focal spot position. Suddenly the camera becomes usable.
Worth noting that sunshine in Norway may be a little different to sunshine in countries or places a bit closer to the equator.(also in sunshine
Oslo - sun position on 21st June (summer solstice) 54° above horizon, UV index for summer typically around 3-5 (northern Norway would be even milder presumably).
OP's Minneapolis, MN - sun position (summer solstice) on 21st June 68° above horizon, UV index for summer typically around 6-7
Cairns, Australia - sun position on 22nd December (summer solstice) 87° above horizon, UV index for summer typically around 13-15. The sun on 21st June (winter solstice) was at 50°, only marginally lower than Oslo at summer solstice. Not really an apples vs apples comparison.
There are significant differences in sun brightness, height in the sky and intensity and a far-northern country like Norway may not be the best benchmark for what may work in more sunny climates.
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