pRICE cUBE wrote:
[quote=DRR]
I have one. I'd be happy to share my opinions if anyone wants them (that's a rare occurrence). :biggrin:
I am thinking this would be less bulk than the nikon d7000 I haul around for general shooting.
The M is awesome as it is the only mirror less that allows you to use the eos line lenses with an adapter. With ef-s 1.6x lenses , there is no conversion. The Nikon 1 in contrast is a2.5 or 3x multiplier with Nikon f lenses.
Looks like this big value inc has some mixed results but paypal/eBay usually sides with the buyer these days so the price might be worth a roll. Of the dice.
DRR, how do you like it? I am thinking this camera with a tame on 18-270 via the eos adapter.
I like it a lot, but I don't love it. If you're coming from an SLR (obviously you are) then you'll find many things lacking.
The good:
Image quality is
excellent, especially with the kit prime (22mm). I've heard nothing but good things about the other native lenses also. It's basically a T4i without the mirror box. Similarly, other lenses perform as well as they normally would on SLR also.
APS-C sensor, which is on the large side for this class, which includes most mirrorless ILCs. Sensor size may or may not matter to other people, but it definitely matters to me. I went from m4/3 to EOS-M in large part because of this fact alone.
It's small and light, which makes it very easy to pack and carry. Batteries are cheap and work well (which is good because battery life isn't great). It's light but it's built very solidly. Does not feel cheap at all.
Fully compatible with Canon accessories and protocols, if you're bought in to the system. I do have the EF adapter and it works great with all my lenses. Also Eye-fi compatible at the firmware level so it can be controlled from the menu system.
I use it with the 22mm, 99% of the time. It's small, light, somewhat pocketable, excellent image quality.
Short flange distance means you can adapt hundreds of different manual focus lenses to it, if you're into that kind of thing.
The bad:
Ergonomics. This is my main gripe. It's borderline too small to operate efficiently as anything but a point and shoot. A point and shoot has a limited number of buttons so a smaller size works. The EOS M tries to maintain its SLR roots but crams (too) many functions into a small space. That makes for a camera that's too small to operate. The more you want to be able to control the camera and settings, the more awkward it will be. The touchscreen can also be problematic. Maybe I'm still not used to it, but using a touchscreen to change settings is awkward at best. I've even upgraded the grip to a beefier aftermarket grip just for a little more "purchase" for my fingers. It's better but still not great.
Grip
EF Adapter - the practicality of the adapter is great because it allows you to add all sorts of different non-native focal lengths to the EOS-M, but it increase the size of a full size lens even more. So it's a fun to have, but if you can afford to take an SLR you'll be better off. Further, it throws the balance off even further, to the point where you're basically holding the lens and only touching the screen or the shutter release on the camera - you're not holding it by the camera.
Camera has lugs that are apparently shared only by certain Hasselblad models. In other words, good luck finding/using a different strap or wrist strap.
As I'm sure you've read from reviews, AF is slow. There was a firmware update last year which helped significantly. But that just means it's average at best now. Not a good camera for action unless you're used to prefocusing or zone focusing techniques. EF lenses will also focus a bit slower with the adapter, than they normally would on an SLR.
Short flange distance means you can adapt hundreds of different manual focus lenses to it, if that's your thing.
No viewfinder, optical or EVF. LCD screen only. Which doesn't tilt.
Conclusion:
Great camera if you want to
take pictures, can't compare to an SLR when you want to
make pictures.
EOS-M + EF adapter + Tamron 18-270 will give you a packable, lightweight, general purpose walk-around kit. But it won't be as small as you think it will be. My normal kit, which I have with me whenever I have my messenger bag, is EOS-M +22mm + adapter +EF 40mm f/2.8. I do like having a "real" camera with me all the time.
