EOS M w 22mm lens for compact walkaround camera

I posted a thread before asking for input on a pancake "wide" lens for a crop sensor. Someone mentioned the EOS M with the 22mm lens kit.

I like my T3 but it is not exactly "compact." I was looking for a lens under $300 but it looks like I could get the EOS M with the 22mm for under that! I would be using it to carry around as a "just in case" camera; for when I am not going out to shoot but still want to be prepared for those moments when I wish I had it!

Any thoughts?

Do it. Fantastic camera.

BlakeC wrote in post #17131464
I posted a thread before asking for input on a pancake "wide" lens for a crop sensor. Someone mentioned the EOS M with the 22mm lens kit.

I like my T3 but it is not exactly "compact." I was looking for a lens under $300 but it looks like I could get the EOS M with the 22mm for under that! I would be using it to carry around as a "just in case" camera; for when I am not going out to shoot but still want to be prepared for those moments when I wish I had it!

Any thoughts?

I have 4 cameras. Full frame, 2x APS-C, and the EOS-M (APS-C) with 22mm F2 pancake.

I take the EOS-M with me every where. Restaurants, doctor visits with the kid, walking, travel, just when driving some where, any time I want to stop and do a sunset or sunrise, family in the house, family and friends outside, etc. You name it. It's small enough that it drops into my cargo shorts pockets with the pancake lens. It's silent, so no one hears the classic clack-clack-clack of my SLR. It's small, so it is not a hassle to bring. It dominates P&S and cellphone, for being far superior in low light (ISO 3200 is clean on this little guy, and with some work, 6400 and 12800 are usable), sharper, better image quality in general, depth of field control with F2. It produces the same quality that one of my SLR's produces. The 22mm F2 is -the- lens for the EOS-M. I have zero other `M lenses because I don't want bigger lenses, I just wanted compact, so the pancake does that. Plus I'm a prime junkie anyways and I love F2 on this little guy. If I wanted a zoom, I would have gotten a different kind of camera that has a lot more zoom built in to a compact form, but I don't want that. I wanted a "do it all" compact that is fast, easy to use, and silent. Just so happens the `M shares my other Canon lenses, so I can use it as a 2nd and 3rd camera if I want. I still prefer to just have it live with the 22mm F2 lens on it. It does everything I need at that focal length. Look at the EOS-M pictures thread to see a ton of what it can do (I post in there several times a week with new content too).

Things to know:

LCD is the only way to compose. No viewfinder. This means more battery consumption.
Touch screen does literally everything. Slower to change a lot of settings for some.
Autofocus is pretty slow. This is not for action.
Autofocus isn't great in really low light, it can hunt around, the AF assist beam helps tons.
It will not fit into some jeans pockets, but it will fit in coat/jacket/cargo pant pockets.

It shares your Canon lenses with an adapter (the generic ones work fine!).
It shares all your Flash equipment too.
Filters can be used, the lenses are threaded.

I use an Ultrapod II for a "pocket tripod" for when I pull over and do brackets of a sunset for example. Sweet $15 tripod.

I always have my EOS-M on me. I don't always drag out my SLR. But when I do, I always take my EOS-M as sidekick. I use both usually together. Big zoom on one. Wide prime on the EOS-M.

It shares everything. I don't need M line glass. Only the 22mm F2 pancake because it's so small, so wide, so sharp, and so fast (F2). Everything else I just share one of my other lenses with an adapter. It uses all the same mounts, lighting, filters, etc, as my normal SLR stuff. It can take my 11mm ultrawide, my 600mm telephoto, my 10 stop Big Lee Stopper, etc, you name it. It fits right into your gear if you already shoot Canon.

And it's great for vintage glass. I love putting my old M42 stuff on it with the two adapters. Works like a charm.

Oh, and sweet for video with F2 and high ISO for a really nice, cinematic HD camera when you're not carrying around big gear? Really nice in public being able to blur backgrounds and operate is really low light at 1/30s, ISO 3200, etc, at F2.

Here's what my EOS-M does all the time:

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MalVeauX wrote in post #17131536
I have 4 cameras. Full frame, 2x APS-C, and the EOS-M (APS-C) with 22mm F2 pancake.

I take the EOS-M with me every where. Restaurants, doctor visits with the kid, walking, travel, just when driving some where, any time I want to stop and do a sunset or sunrise, family in the house, family and friends outside, etc. You name it. It's small enough that it drops into my cargo shorts pockets with the pancake lens. It's silent, so no one hears the classic clack-clack-clack of my SLR. It's small, so it is not a hassle to bring. It dominates P&S and cellphone, for being far superior in low light (ISO 3200 is clean on this little guy, and with some work, 6400 and 12800 are usable), sharper, better image quality in general, depth of field control with F2. It produces the same quality that one of my SLR's produces. The 22mm F2 is -the- lens for the EOS-M. I have zero other `M lenses because I don't want bigger lenses, I just wanted compact, so the pancake does that. Plus I'm a prime junkie anyways and I love F2 on this little guy. If I wanted a zoom, I would have gotten a different kind of camera that has a lot more zoom built in to a compact form, but I don't want that. I wanted a "do it all" compact that is fast, easy to use, and silent. Just so happens the `M shares my other Canon lenses, so I can use it as a 2nd and 3rd camera if I want. I still prefer to just have it live with the 22mm F2 lens on it. It does everything I need at that focal length. Look at the EOS-M pictures thread to see a ton of what it can do (I post in there several times a week with new content too).

Things to know:

LCD is the only way to compose. No viewfinder. This means more battery consumption.
Touch screen does literally everything. Slower to change a lot of settings for some.
Autofocus is pretty slow. This is not for action.
Autofocus isn't great in really low light, it can hunt around, the AF assist beam helps tons.
It will not fit into some jeans pockets, but it will fit in coat/jacket/cargo pant pockets.

It shares your Canon lenses with an adapter (the generic ones work fine!).
It shares all your Flash equipment too.
Filters can be used, the lenses are threaded.

I use an Ultrapod II for a "pocket tripod" for when I pull over and do brackets of a sunset for example. Sweet $15 tripod.

I always have my EOS-M on me. I don't always drag out my SLR. But when I do, I always take my EOS-M as sidekick. I use both usually together. Big zoom on one. Wide prime on the EOS-M.

It shares everything. I don't need M line glass. Only the 22mm F2 pancake because it's so small, so wide, so sharp, and so fast (F2). Everything else I just share one of my other lenses with an adapter. It uses all the same mounts, lighting, filters, etc, as my normal SLR stuff. It can take my 11mm ultrawide, my 600mm telephoto, my 10 stop Big Lee Stopper, etc, you name it. It fits right into your gear if you already shoot Canon.

Wow..... lol... I think you covered it all! Most informative response i've had! I never thought of using it as a second camera! That makes it easier to justify! I feel that I would get a ton of use out of this little guy!

What do the adapters run?

Thanks!

Heya,

I got the Fotodiox adapter for $50 new on Amazon. Works perfectly fine. I rarely use it. I most often pair it with a macro lens, my ultrawide (11-16 F2.8), or vintage primes that are manual focus. I find the autofocus too slow for big telephoto use for what I shoot. But for things like landscape, portrait, vintage glass, etc, it's perfectly good there and serves as my 2nd or 3rd camera when I'm out. You can find the Canon adapter sometimes around $60 if you shop for a refurb/whitebox, otherwise, it's like $80~100. I don't regret getting the adapter. But I definitely rarely use it. At this point, I only use it to adapt a vintage prime, like a Helios 44-2 or a Super Takumar 50 F1.4, for fun (since live view is ideal for manual focus on those compared to poor APS-C viewfinders). Works great in AV mode.

I usually use a Joby sling strap ($25?) when I'm carrying two cameras. It just swings around, weighs nothing.

I went a step further on my pancake and adapted a 43->58 step up ring, and I use a 58mm Marumi DHG CPL on there for when I'm outside. It cuts light by about 1 and a third of a stop, so it acts like a minor ND filter, but it lets me shoot at F2 wide open in the sunlight no problem, and of course, as a CPL helps with the sky and kills off reflections, etc. I go every where with it attached basically.

Very best,

I have an EOS-M and the 22mm lens (and ultrapod!) and I haven't been using it very much at all. I have mostly been using my S95 or S110 for walking about, but I am going to shift my focus to the M. This post and THAT reply has inspired me to start shooting... Thanks so much!

MalVeauX wrote in post #17131597
Heya,

I got the Fotodiox adapter for $50 new on Amazon. Works perfectly fine. I rarely use it. I most often pair it with a macro lens, my ultrawide (11-16 F2.8), or vintage primes that are manual focus. I find the autofocus too slow for big telephoto use for what I shoot. But for things like landscape, portrait, vintage glass, etc, it's perfectly good there and serves as my 2nd or 3rd camera when I'm out. You can find the Canon adapter sometimes around $60 if you shop for a refurb/whitebox, otherwise, it's like $80~100. I don't regret getting the adapter. But I definitely rarely use it. At this point, I only use it to adapt a vintage prime, like a Helios 44-2 or a Super Takumar 50 F1.4, for fun (since live view is ideal for manual focus on those compared to poor APS-C viewfinders). Works great in AV mode.

I usually use a Joby sling strap ($25?) when I'm carrying two cameras. It just swings around, weighs nothing.

I went a step further on my pancake and adapted a 43->58 step up ring, and I use a 58mm Marumi DHG CPL on there for when I'm outside. It cuts light by about 1 and a third of a stop, so it acts like a minor ND filter, but it lets me shoot at F2 wide open in the sunlight no problem, and of course, as a CPL helps with the sky and kills off reflections, etc. I go every where with it attached basically.

Very best,

The 55-250STM focuses very fast on the M. In fact, the 22f2 is the slowest focusing M lens.

Of course, the 11-22 is possibly the top UW zoom lens for Canon APS-C.

Funny to see how the M has rebounded. Nine months ago the mere mention of the M around here would elicit nothing but guffaws. Like Malveaux, i too own FF and two APS-C DSLRS, but the M is my most used camera.

Heya,

Here's an example of some of the range of this little camera, with the 22mm F2 pancake attached.

Small profile, easy to one-hand in a restaurant, and has clean ISO 3200 (these are ISO 3200, no special clean up applied, just the in camera standard reduction):

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/oBga​bk

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Maybe I should look into a smaller setup. Right now my "walkaround" kit is a gripped 5d2 with Sigma 50 on it.

Heya,

Here's how small it really is. This is with a step up ring and 58mm CPL on it. I don't mind the little extra length added to the pancake, because it's already so small. It's still only as tall as my knuckle to thumb is, even with the pinch cap I use on it. But I like the added versatility of the CPL, it stops light (1 and a 3rd stop basically) so I can more often shoot F2 even in really bright sun (remember the `M tops out at 1/4000s and does not have ISO 50 as an option; so a bit of light stopping power is great when you're outside). Plus the nice effect of CPL for sky, color, reflection handling, etc.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/p1tT​hh

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BlakeC wrote in post #17131464
I posted a thread before asking for input on a pancake "wide" lens for a crop sensor. Someone mentioned the EOS M with the 22mm lens kit.

I like my T3 but it is not exactly "compact." I was looking for a lens under $300 but it looks like I could get the EOS M with the 22mm for under that! I would be using it to carry around as a "just in case" camera; for when I am not going out to shoot but still want to be prepared for those moments when I wish I had it!

Any thoughts?

I carry around my EOS M/22mm f/2 regularly. I get around on motor scooter and just slip the EOS M into my little shoulder bag.

Is the autofocus THAT bad on these things?

If you were to stick it into center point, could one obtain successful hip-fired shots?

Or is the autofocus just too slow that its out of the question entirely?

I have borrowed a friends fuji X100s and it seemed to work wonderfully... but the price of the Eos-M is just SO incredible!

the flying moose wrote in post #17132614
Maybe I should look into a smaller setup. Right now my "walkaround" kit is a gripped 5d2 with Sigma 50 on it.

There's always a 6D with the 40STM.

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pyrojim wrote in post #17132696
Is the autofocus THAT bad on these things?

If you were to stick it into center point, could one obtain successful hip-fired shots?

Or is the autofocus just too slow that its out of the question entirely?

I have borrowed a friends fuji X100s and it seemed to work wonderfully... but the price of the Eos-M is just SO incredible!

If you've ever used autofocus in Live view mode on your DSLR, it's slightly better than that. It does tend to hunt in low light, even with the 22mm f/2 lens. It doesn't have focus points like you're thinking of with your DSLR...you literally touch anywhere on the screen that you want to focus, and that becomes your "focus point".

I take mine everywhere..autofocus is perfectly acceptable, IMO, in good to decent light...low light is where it struggles a bit, but the image quality is absolutely worth the extra effort.

To expand upon what MalVeauX said, manual focus lenses work great on the M...I've installed Magic Lantern and have turned on focus peaking and it makes shooting manual focus lenses sooo much easier.

pyrojim wrote in post #17132696
Is the autofocus THAT bad on these things?

If you were to stick it into center point, could one obtain successful hip-fired shots?

Or is the autofocus just too slow that its out of the question entirely?

I have borrowed a friends fuji X100s and it seemed to work wonderfully... but the price of the Eos-M is just SO incredible!

Heya,

The 22mm F2 is not a fast to move lens. It's mechanism just isn't as fast as today's USM. It's silent, it's STM, and lovely sharp and fast at F2. But for focusing, it's not super snappy like some of Canon's more lightning fast primes (85 F1.8 for example, super fast to focus). The EF 40 F2.8 STM is about the same speed really. I've tested both on the `M and they seem to move about the same speed. When I test the 85 F1.8 on the EOS-M, it's fast. It's not as fast as on my other SLR's, but it's faster than the 22mm F2 STM, and 40mm F2.8 STM, on the EOS-M. So USM makes a difference. Any USM lens should focus much more quickly here, even on the adapter of the EOS-M. So it's not just the EOS-M that is slow, really, it's a wee bit slower than other SLR's. But it's the non-USM lenses that are the real speed factor. I think the other part of the slower to focus thing going on, is Live View itself. Live View on SLR's is also slower than viewfinder AF it seems (at least on models I've tried).

Here's a quick test-example from the junk desk, using the EOS-M with the 22mm F2 STM lens to make a quick video showing it's ability to move through the focal range from near to far, and back, using Servo. Gives you an idea of it's speed to move through the range.

https://www.youtube.co​m …w4_AMM88&featur​e=youtu.be

(That video was done at ISO 3200 by the way; ugh ignore the audio, it picked up what was playing through my headphones. You can hear the STM motor at work, it's not pure silent while focusing)

But again, I didn't get the EOS-M expecting it to be a robust autofocus beast, like the 7D. I expected it to simply be as good as any other "walk around camera" meant for general shots, not for tracking serious action. It does focus quite well for things that are normal. Great for people, it tracks faces quite well, great for touching an area and getting a focus lock on that spot. When I do landscape, I close focus and use hyperfocal distance focusing anyways for that stuff. Very useful for manual lenses, like vintage stuff, as you get to see exactly what's coming through. Ultimately it's just one of those very handy to walk around with powerful little cameras with the ability to have a fast F2 prime on board, with a full frame field of view of 35mm, and very good ISO ability, unlike most "pocket cameras" and "cellphones."

$250 for the camera and the 22mm lens is pretty much a no brainer to me. Especially since it can share lenses with the EOS family. And flash/lighting systems with the same setups.

If I wanted to be able to take instant focused photos at ANY distance, I'd simply stop the lens down to F8, focus at about 2 feet from me, turn off autofocus, and push ISO to whatever it takes to get an acceptable shutter speed, shooting in AV mode. Depth of field from aperture at this focal length will have the horizon in focus acceptably sharp. I use this technique all the time with my landscape stuff. But if you want that thin depth of field look, that F2 provides at close range, then you use autofocus and accept that it's not as fast as a robust SLR with a viewfinder and a USM lens.

Very best,