Canon EOS M Series Cameras

I too have thought about getting one but I think I'll wait for the M3 to come down in price. I like the concept of the M1 but the fact it hasn't got a built in flash kills it for me. There are times when I need a flash and don't want to carry something separate around with me.
 
To be fair I very rarely use the built in flash with the M3. I find it's not really suited to the 11-22 lens which I am using 90% of the time at the moment. The lens tends to block the light and cast shadows. I haven't done many other tests but suspect it works best with either the 22 or the 18-55. I suspect using it with any ef lenses would be a big no-no unless you can bounce it. Not sure if other systems have this problem...
 
I should have rephrased it... I don't use the flash all that often but when I do it's a nice feature and makes a huge difference. I think a image with flash on will be better than a under exposed 12800iso any day.
 
I do a lot of macro work with the M but mainly use the MP-E which is probably not what you are looking for. I recently got the 55-200 and have used it with some extension tubes but not enough to get it to 1:1 as yet. Hopefully I'll get chance to play more over the next week). For dedicated macro lenses obviously there are no M mount ones (at least none that I am aware of) so ef lenses are your best option. All of these are good you just need to pick your focal length (and price). If you want to conform to the M philosophy and go small and light, I believe there is a 60mm ef-s macro that might make a good option. Other than that around 100mm lenses are very popular (I've read good things about the sigma mentioned above).

Diopter lenses are definitely worth a go. I know others who use the raynox ones to great effect. I may even get some myself at some point as they are cheap enough and obviously help keep the kit size down.

On a different note it looks like canon will be announcing the EF-M 15-45mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM in August. It's not really getting me excited but might be a decent travel lens.
 
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Not exactly macro, but this image of a Clematis seed head was taken with the Sigma 105 macro on my M. However, I do tend to use my 7D with my Sigma 105.

I think the Sigma 105 macro is an excellent lens and probably can not be beaten for the price.



IMG_1066 by Alan Perry, on Flickr
 
Still no after-market batteries for the M3. Very surprised (and annoyed!)
 
edster said:
Still no after-market batteries for the M3. Very surprised (and annoyed!)
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Not really a surprise, the camera has only been out a couple of months.
Even the Chinese are not that quick, it normally takes at least 6 - 12 months before third party ones start to appear.
 
Whilst waiting for Canon to bring out there macro lens I went for the Kood macro lens adapters, edit after taking this image think ill just keep with the lens adapters

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Steve B said:
Not really a surprise, the camera has only been out a couple of months.
Even the Chinese are not that quick, it normally takes at least 6 - 12 months before third party ones start to appear.
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That certainly wasn't the case with the M from what I remember. The two DSTL batteries that I bought for £11 of Amazon were out in a flash. I never got to the point of considering a Canon battery (as I am now).
 
My M3 needs help AF works fine in AF mode but doesn't in P mode & on screen shows MF but can't seem to turn it off. If I go into settings & turn off AF/MF I can still manually focus, any ideas...?
 
Sold my M3 kit, just the Tamron 18-200 lens left in the classifieds if anyone fancies it. Its been updated to work with the M3.
 
tourerjim said:
My M3 needs help AF works fine in AF mode but doesn't in P mode & on screen shows MF but can't seem to turn it off. If I go into settings & turn off AF/MF I can still manually focus, any ideas...?
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Ended up doing a reset so all is fine now.
 
Have actually just got the M3 out for the first time in ages and tried a couple of shots in the garden, nothing worth posting tho. How's everyone finding the M3 now they've been out for a while?
 
SaintSLR said:
Have actually just got the M3 out for the first time in ages and tried a couple of shots in the garden, nothing worth posting tho. How's everyone finding the M3 now they've been out for a while?
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I'm interested in this too! I like the M, but the M3 seems to be very much nicer - partly due to the viewfinder.
 
I love mine and use it most of the time. In fact I think I've only used my 5D3 a handful of times this year. It's compact and lightweight (albeit not as much as the original M), but I find the controls on the M3 make it far easier to use and outweigh the marginal compactness of the M. The screen is fab and although the viewfinder has only been used once or twice, it is really useful to have in bright conditions. Battery life is better than the M, which is good as I'd love a spare but refuse to by a canon spare!
 
Love my M and my fave combo is with the canon EF adaptor and my 50mm f1.8 Mk 1. Only thing I would like is a viewfinder :(
With that in mind I was hopeful for the M3 but disappointed that it was an add on VF and not integrated. Still a clumsy way of doing it in my opinion.
However I have become aware of Sony to EF lensa adaptors which allow the use of all my lovely Canon lenses on Sony Bodies. This makes me think a Sony NEX 6 or 7 would be great as they have very good LCD electronic viewfinders. (borrowed a friends NEX6 to try out with a sony lens attached)

So, my question is... anyone tried or heard of anyone who has tried a sony with Canon lenses and EF adaptor ? Any restrictions evident etc
I know its not really an M series question as such but think posting in this thread may garner some info. The irony is that if either of the Ms had a built in EVF I wouldnt even need to ask the question and that would have been my preferred option.:mad:
 
Gazamonk said:
Love my M and my fave combo is with the canon EF adaptor and my 50mm f1.8 Mk 1. Only thing I would like is a viewfinder :(
With that in mind I was hopeful for the M3 but disappointed that it was an add on VF and not integrated. Still a clumsy way of doing it in my opinion.
However I have become aware of Sony to EF lensa adaptors which allow the use of all my lovely Canon lenses on Sony Bodies. This makes me think a Sony NEX 6 or 7 would be great as they have very good LCD electronic viewfinders. (borrowed a friends NEX6 to try out with a sony lens attached)

So, my question is... anyone tried or heard of anyone who has tried a sony with Canon lenses and EF adaptor ? Any restrictions evident etc
I know its not really an M series question as such but think posting in this thread may garner some info. The irony is that if either of the Ms had a built in EVF I wouldnt even need to ask the question and that would have been my preferred option.:mad:
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The M3 view finder on mine gives excellent field of view the vf tilt works well, I also keep it on me camera all the time & when you look into it it auto's the lcd off & I don't find it clumsy at all, ref the Sony I did read that someone used the Canon lens/lenses & I seem to think it was the Canon lens IS that doesn't work.
 
I'm sure it works well for you but by clumsy I am referring to the manufacturers design strategy. I mean they give you a dedicated ETTL hotshoe then you negate it's use if you want the VF ! It's really not the most elegant solution. On top of that I should imagine that VF makes it less easy to take in and out of some camera bags. It sort of misses the point of the mirrorless small form factor imo.
 
Quick question. Has anyone used the 50mm 1.8 on their M/M3 with the adaptor? I had a go with mine yesterday and seemed to really struggle with the AF. Was wondering if the newer 1.8 STM would focus quicker with the adaptor?
 
I use my Eos-M mk1 with my Canon 50mm f1.8 Mk1 a lot and it snaps in to focus at the same speed as my L lenses do when used with it so I cant say anymore on your issue.
Have you got the latest firmware on your EOS-M ? On the Mk1 the original firmware was atrocious for focussing. I dont know about the 50mm STM but I would imagine it will focus much quieter than the nifty fiftys which were noisy anyway.
I have the 18-135 STM and it is virtually silent. In fact, now that you have asked the question, I honestly havent paid attention to se if the STM lenses focus quicker.
Let me go try the STM on my EOS-M and see if its any faster than my other lenses, ...
watch this space.......
 
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Okay here are the very quick unscientific results..
Tried it with 3 lenses

EF 50mm f1.8 mk1
EF 24-105 f4 L
EF-S 18-135 f3.5-f5.6 STM

Focussed on 5 different areas of my 16'x11' office including one long range shot through the window on a car approximately 70 feet away.
All tests were done by setting the focus to infinity manually on each lens before attempting the AF.
Distances varied from a couple of feet to around 12 feet indoor and 70 feet outdoor.
The indoor shots were in varying levels of light and contrasty situations from brightly sunlit to dingy corner.
I could see no appreciable difference between the 24-105 and the 50mm. They snapped in to focus quickly from infinity in way less than 2 secs.
The 18-135 (now remember this is not scientifically tested with a timing device) felt just that bit quicker and seemed to snap in to focus very smoothly and totally silently. The silence may have had some bearing on this and it may have just felt faster but in my opinion it was faster.
The 24-105 was less quiet and the 50 was, as expected much noisier.

Take from that what you will.
 
Addendum: The above testing aside, my EOS-M and the fifty is my favourite setup and I stick it in my jacket pocket if im going out for a walk etc and intend on just snapping or shooting on the fly. The clarity and colours of the images straight out of camera are just lovely.
 
Gazamonk said:
Addendum: The above testing aside, my EOS-M and the fifty is my favourite setup and I stick it in my jacket pocket if im going out for a walk etc and intend on just snapping or shooting on the fly. The clarity and colours of the images straight out of camera are just lovely.
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Thanks for those tests. I used to have a 18-135 that I used on my original M and found it very fast to focus. I was surprised when I went out with my M3 and 50mm on it how it struggled with AF. Manual focus was fine.
 
SaintSLR said:
Quick question. Has anyone used the 50mm 1.8 on their M/M3 with the adaptor? I had a go with mine yesterday and seemed to really struggle with the AF. Was wondering if the newer 1.8 STM would focus quicker with the adaptor?
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I wonder if it might be the focusing system on the 50mm, I always found it hunted a lot and was slow to focus on my 600D in live view mode.
Cant test it on the M as I dont have it anymore, hated the damned thing:)
 
Steve B said:
Cant test it on the M as I dont have it anymore, hated the damned thing:)
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I was the same when I first got mine but I decided to just keep at it and now I really love taking it on the non critical days when I just shoot for fun. Its a very capable camera and it works a treat with EF-EFs lenses.
 
Gazamonk said:
I was the same when I first got mine but I decided to just keep at it and now I really love taking it on the non critical days when I just shoot for fun. Its a very capable camera and it works a treat with EF-EFs lenses.
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Sorry, I think that came across wrong, it was the 50mm that I hated:oops: :$
Nothing wrong with the 'M' at all, couldn't bear to part with it or the 22mm which seems to be stuck on it:)
 
I just sold my 22mm as thought I was going to sell the camera as haven't used it recently [emoji24], now changed my mind and going to keep!! Now off looking for the 22mm online!!!
 
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