Canon EOS M Verdict and Video Review

Big things come in small packages. Consider the new mirrorless Canon EOS M as a Rebel in a Powershot body and you have yourself a wolf in sheep's clothing. Underneath the hood of Canon's first entry in the mirrorless digital camera market is an 18 megapixel APS-C sensor with DIGIC V processor like its bigger Canon EOS Rebel T4i/650D brother.



For a retail price of $800, the Canon EOS M with EF-M 22mm f/2 STM kit lens does not come cheap when compared to other mirrorless brands like Sony, Panasonic and Nikon. The high price pays for the large APS-C sized sensor like in the Canon EOS Rebel T4i and the rest of the Canon cropped sensor lineup such as the Canon 7D. The Canon EOS M is a big sensor in a compact form factor with a new interchangeable EF-M lens mount.



The Canon EOS M shares many features of the similar priced Canon EOS Rebel T4i/650D except an actual SLR view finder, a swivel screen and a pop up flash. The differences stop there. The Hybrid AF system with continuous auto focus during video recording comes to the Canon EOS M. The AF Servo works in conjunction with STM (stepper motor) lenses for smoother lens movement in photo or video mode.



The touchscreen feature comes back to the Canon EOS M with open arms. I am not a big fan of limited tactile controls but the Canon EOS M combines real buttons with an intuitive touchscreen. The limited landscape at the rear LCD forces you to use the touchscreen at times. The on demand buttons of ISO and white balance of the Canon EOS Rebel T4i/650D are gone and replaced by a press of the "Q" menu button for the touch interface. Old school button pushers rejoice, the multifunction controller remains intact for the meantime.



With big APS-C sensors come dreamy bokeh and fantastic image quality. The included EF-M 22mm f/2 STM kit lens is fast and sharp with bursting color rendition. Now for the bad news...the autofocus is slow like turtle slow! Gone are the fast and accurate 9 AF points of the Canon EOS Rebel T4i/650D with a real DSLR viewfinder. The Canon EOS M is a point and shoot camera with a point and shoot AF system. The Canon EOS M takes a good one second to lock focus on a sunny day. Poor lighting conditions give way to the external focus assist light to help out if needed. Sports photographers (aka soccer moms) in need of AI Servo for fast action shots will be disappointed.



Long time Canon photographers can use their extensive EF and EF-S glass with the Canon EOS M with the optional Canon lens mount adapter. The optical possibilities are unleashed like my Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L prime lens paired with the Canon EOS M above. Do not hold your breath when it comes to AF speed. The point and shoot AF speed of the Canon EOS M is the same with mount adapter and EF glass. Bummer!



Aspiring photographers do not be afraid of all the technical jargon. The Canon EOS M has entry level Scene Intelligent Auto and Basic Zone modes with the addition of Creative Filters for beginners just like the Canon EOS Rebel T4i/650D. There is an even a fool proof Face Detect AF mode for people photos. A bad picture is not in the Canon EOS M vocabulary.



A clean ISO 3200 will make you smile and freeze your manually focused indoor sport action shots. Just like the Canon EOS Rebel T4i/650D, ISO all the way up to 3200 is for everyday use with no problem. ISO 6400 is grainy but can be cleaned up in RAW post processing. Anything higher like ISO 12800 is a crime against nature on many levels.



Just like the Canon EOS Rebel T4i/650D, the Canon EOS M video quality is outstanding in all video resolutions such as the 1080p video shot at 29.97fps shown above. Just like the Canon 5D Mark III and T4i/650D, the Canon EOS M has an extended video recording capability up to 29 minutes and 29 seconds without the FAT32 memory card limitation. Do not expect to record hours of footage with the LP-E12 battery. With no viewfinder, the LCD Live View along with any image stabilized lens drains the battery very quickly. Buy spares!



The Canon EOS M in video mode has full manual control over exposure and audio levels for ultimate creativity. The Canon EOS M has integrated stereo microphones and a mono microphone input port on the side that allows external audio devices to be connected for audio capture. DSLR filmmakers can now have a primary or secondary discreet camera for multiple camera shoots.



The continuous AF during video recording from the Canon EOS Rebel T4i/650D makes it over to the new Canon EOS M with all its disappointment. As you can recall, the Hybrid AF system allows objects or people to be continuously tracked in focus during video recording. With Canon's new EF-M STM or stepper motor lenses, the Hybrid AF system allows smoother lens focusing when compared to USM and non USM EF lenses. Everything sounds good on paper but ultimately an epic fail in execution. Just watch the video below and judge for yourself...



My Hybrid AF conclusion is the same for the Canon EOS M and the Canon EOS Rebel T4i/650D. I give it a big thumbs down. Canon needs to do its homework on AF Servo technology because it simply does not work well at all! My old school policy of good camera work is manual focus, manual exposure, manual audio and lots of practice.



For all those Final Cut Pro 6 and 7 fans out there, I have an Apple NLE treat! Just like the modified .plist of the Canon E-1 Movie plugin of the Canon Rebel T4i/650D, I hacked the .plist again for the new Canon EOS M. With this .plist modification, you can automatically log and transfer your Canon EOS M .mov files to AppleProRes422 instead of manually transcoding. Just read the above .plist and follow my links in my last Canon EOS Rebel T4i/650D Video Test for detailed instructions.



The force was strong this weekend, just like my Canon EOS M verdict. I was at the premiere of LEGO Star Wars Miniland at LEGOLAND Florida snapping away LEGO pics with my Canon EOS M around my neck. My Canon EOS M conclusion? The image quality out of this Rebel in a Powershot body with interchangeable lenses is outstanding. I always wanted a Canon Powershot G1X with a DSLR sized sensor. Now my mirrorless dreams have come true. Of course, any good dream has to end and the disappointing Hybrid AF is definitely from the dark side of the force.



Nothing says cool like a hot pink trike and glitter shoes! The new Canon EOS M is the perfect compact travel companion with the flexibility of interchangeable lenses and the ease of use of a Canon EOS Rebel T4i/650D. Despite the slow point and shoot AF for pictures and disappointing AF servo during video recording, the Canon EOS M shines as a portable powerhouse with DSLR image quality.



You can view more eye candy photos and videos in my Canon EOS M Verdict and Video Review Gallery. I have more videos, ISO comparisons and images shot with a variety of EF/EF-S lenses from the Canon EOS M mirrorless digital camera.



Hit the streets of NYC like at Times Square at night with the Canon EOS M paired with the Rokinon 8mm T3.8 Fisheye Cine lens. The small form factor combined with the full array of Canon EF glass with EF-M lens adapter make a fabulous duo.



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Yosemite National Park Experience

Ansel Adams relied on his trusty pack mule to venture into the Yosemite wilderness with heavy camera gear to capture epic vistas and breathtaking landscapes. I traveled with my family and reliable Peg Perego baby stroller through paved mountain passes to El Capitan and Tunnel View parking lots photographing tourist laden panoramas. I call this family wilderness photography with a wife and three kids.
 

The National Park Service warned us about a Hantavirus outbreak but never adorable and hungry baby cubs luring wary onlookers for constant attention and cherry lollipops. Through the looking glass of our minivan rental, we saw Mule Deer, a coyote, annoying squirrels and Stellar Jays a plenty!

 

With so much grand views of the Sierra Nevada, a bad photograph is hard to come by with this much eye candy. No 4x5 view cameras and plate glass emulsion in my bag during this adventure, but my full frame Canon EOS 5D Mark III ready for landscape detail. A good wide angle with minimal distortion is great for vistas but a zoom lens is even better for compressing forest mountain tops. Fill the frame!

 

Our Yosemite National Park visit was brief but memorable. The trip to San Francisco led the family straight to Jollibee and other "City by the Bay" landmarks. My son had his eyes on landmarks like souvenir gift shops and Jollibee Chickenjoy!

 

My fashion diva oldest daughter willingly posed a many in the picturesque Japanese Tea Garden by the Academy of Science Museum. The middle school fashionista dominated the city and wilderness with ease.

 

Too much family pictures and not enough nap time, make adorable baby cubs angry and short tempered. A bit of family picture advice for the novice, take baby and toddler photographs fresh from a nap and arm your self with loads of patience!

 

A 1080p video shot with the Canon EOS 5D Mark III at 29.97fps. Edited with Final Cut Pro 6.0.6 and used Compressor to get a 1.2gb h264 video file at best quality. I used the Canon E-1 Movie Plugin to automatically transcode to AppleProRes422. The Canon EOS 5D Mark III was paired with the Canon EF 17-40 f/4L, Canon EF 24-105 f/4L IS and the Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS lenses. For audio, I used a Sennheiser MKE400 shotgun microphone. For stability, I used a Manfrotto 701HDV fluid head with Benro 3580 tripod legs.

 

The Golden Gate bridging gaps with one clam chowder filled sourdough bowl at a time. Considered a civil engineering wonder of the world, the Golden Gate Bridge at sunset strikes an ominous pause through my "L" glass. A sturdy tripod is a must on top of this windy overlook for the extra sharp details.



My four wonders of the world posing in hot pink, camouflage and Kirkland Signature Khaki in front of another grand wonder, Half Dome at Glacier Point.



You can view more in my Yosemite National Park and San Francisco 2012 Gallery shot with the Canon EOS 5D Mark III paired with the Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L, EF 24-105mm f/4L IS and EF 70-200mm f/4L IS lenses.
 

 Stay updated with the latest gear like my upcoming Canon EOS M Verdict and Video Review by Becoming a Fan on my Facebook Fan Page and following me on Twitter!

Canon EOS M Video Test

The new Canon EOS M maybe a day late and a dollar short in the competitive mirrorless camera market. Panasonic, Sony and Leica, to name a few, have dominated the compact, no real viewfinder and interchangeable lens market for hungry consumers for the past several shopping seasons. What does the Canon EOS M have to offer this late in the game? For a retail price of $800, the 18 megapixel Canon EOS M features a very large APS-C sensor with DIGIC V processor, like in the Canon EOS Rebel T4i/650D. With a large CMOS sensor in a compact form factor comes a new interchangeable EF-M lens system as well. The EF-M 22mm f/2 STM lens is the standard kit lens with the Canon EOS M. As a 35mm focal length equivalent on a crop sensor, the new EF-M lens is fast and quick due to the f/2 aperture and stepper motor. Be patient, I will have more ISO and still image quality tests in my upcoming Canon EOS M Verdict and Video Review. Enough with the basics! The Canon EOS M features full manual exposure and audio control for Full HD 1080p glorious video. The full manual control is partly touchscreen because of the smaller landscape of the mirrorless form factor but that gimmicky feature looks bad only on paper. For such a compact camera, the touchscreen is quite useful and handy at times. For audio inputs, the Canon EOS M has built in stereo microphones and a mic jack for an external microphone. Now for my actual Canon EOS M Video Test... Now for the video good stuff! The video quality is impressive, especially with the new EF-M 22mm f/2 STM lens. The color, sharpness and that dreamy "bokeh" in the video footage makes this a formidable contender in the mirrorless market. You basically get Canon Rebel T4i/650D video quality in half the size. The full manual control for exposure and audio is a bonus for the budget filmmaker. There will be soon a EF-M to EF lens mount adapter for the Canon EOS M so I can mount all my "L" glass like the big boys. Just like the T4i/650D and 5D Mark III, the Canon EOS M has total video capture time of 29 minute and 59 seconds. My kid's Christmas Recital can last longer than 12 minutes. Hooray...I think? Now for my initial bad stuff! I am a big fan of manual focus during video capture. My experienced eyes and precise fingers can roll that lens barrel with precision better than most machines. The focus throw on the new Canon EF-M 22mm f/2 STM lens is average but very smooth to focus manually. The only problem is the EF-M lenses need power for AF and MF. Since there is no external AF/MF switch on EF-M lenses, you have to go into the menu to select the focus option. Not very user friendly when you are switching back and forth from still pictures with AF and shooting movies with manual focus. The other pink elephant in the room is the infamous Hybrid AF Servo during video capture. Just like the Canon Rebel T4i/650D, the continuous AF during video recording was a big disappointment. My Canon EOS M Hybrid AF Video Test is coming soon to give you more details. Patience! For all those Apple Final Cut Pro fanboys! Just like the modified .plist of the Canon E-1 Movie plugin of the Canon Rebel T4i/650D, I hacked the .plist again for the new Canon EOS M. With this .plist modification, you can automatically log and transfer your Canon EOS M .mov files to AppleProRes422 instead of manually transcoding. Just read the above .plist and follow my links in my last Canon EOS Rebel T4i/650D Video Test for detailed instructions. The Canon EOS M is a mighty new contender in the mirrorless market. My dream Powershot G1X and the new Powershot G15 did not feature full manual exposure and audio control to my disappointment. I think the Canon marketing department has something up their sleeves for the moment. Now, if they only lower the Canon EOS M price point like the other mirrorless brands... Stay updated for my full Canon EOS M Verdict and Video Review by Becoming a Fan on my Facebook Fan Page and following me on Twitter!

***Major Update***

My Canon EOS M Verdict and Video Review is complete and posted with a full gallery of more pictures and videos like this Rokinon 8mm T3.8 Fisheye Cine version lens. Click here.