A System Guide to Canon EOS M

bythom canon apsc

Items on same line indicate model updates. Different lines indicate varying model levels.

I now consider the EOS M-mount to be a system on life-support. And I expect the plug will be pulled on it in the not too distant future (Canon no longer lists most M gear as available). The last significant camera introduction was in 2019, and the last M-mount lens was introduced in 2018. The introduction of RF-S by Canon in 2022 implies that I was correct in my statements about what Canon needed to do in crop-sensor (e.g. bring it into the RF mount, ala Nikon and Sony making same-mount cameras with different sensor sizes). Unfortunately, the M-mount and RF-mount were defined in a way that there's no clear potential for keeping them both going, as to do so would force Canon to have to duplicate cameras and lenses. While there's rumors we might get a modest update to the M200, that's the only M rumor I've been able to track down in the last two years. 

EOS M has a modestly deep history, dating back to 2012, several years after mirrorless cameras first appeared. Moreover, Canon was clearly tentatively experimenting early on, so we only got a few camera iterations and lenses at first, and they were not distributed worldwide. 

Today, we still have a lineup of only three current cameras (M6 Mark II, M50 Mark II, M200; in bold in the table).

Body-wise, I’d say things are relatively simple: buy an EOS M6 if you want an EVF, which means you have to pop for the optional EVF and pay more money. The M50 Mark II is a significantly feature-reduced version of the older M5 if you’re really are on a budget. The M200 is a similarly cut down version of the M6 Mark II. Don’t get swayed by 4K video capabilities on the newest models, as that comes with a lot of gotchas you probably won’t like. 

Lenses aren’t much deeper than the camera line up. We still only have three primes, five zooms, and the ability to mount Canon EF or EF-S lenses via an optional adapter. That last bit makes the EOS M a solid candidate as a second or travel camera for a Canon DSLR user, as you can use lenses you already own on your EOS M camera. Be careful, though, as putting a big DSLR lens onto an EOS M camera tends to overwhelm it and make it front heavy.

You can find third-party M lenses that help with the lens choice, but note that many of those are manual focus.

As I write this, you don’t have a lot of choices to make, in my opinion. Here are the only choices I'd consider:

  • EOS M6 II body — simply the best body Canon has made to date, with a modern, excellent image sensor, and it's still mostly competitive with the other crop sensor mirrorless cameras at its price point. However, you need to opt for the external EVF if you want a through-the-lens view.
  • 22mm f/2 — this is a no brainer. This small 35mm-equivalent lens makes for a really small camera/lens package and is often the only lens you need for casual photography.
  • 11-22mm f/4.5-5.6 — Small in size, and better optically than expected. Provides you with a really competent wide angle zoom capability (something like 18-35mm effective). 
  • 32mm f/1.4 — a fast, normal lens that isn't too big. Street, portrait, and low-light photographers probably should have this lens in their kit.

The 28mm f/3.5 is also a very interesting lens, but somewhat limited in functionality. That’s because at the 1:1.2 maximum magnification ratio you’re focused at 3.7 inches, which puts your subject right up near the front element of the lens. Indeed, that’s why Canon has put a ring light around the front element, otherwise you’d have a very hard time getting light to your close subjects. However, the 28mm f/3.5 makes a smallish normal lens that’s quite sharp and can focus closer than a normal lens usually does, which is more how I use it.

The various “kit” mid-range zooms are a mixed bunch, and mostly mediocre, at best. The original 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 is the best of the bunch, in my opinion, but “best” in this case is a relative word and 18mm at the wide end means you're really at 30mm equivalent.

The one telephoto zoom is okay, but also not anything overly compelling. If you need telephoto you either buy the 55-200mm EOS M lens or use the optional mount converter to put one of your Canon DSLR lenses on the camera.

Since we’re talking about using Canon DSLR lenses, are there any that stand out on the EOS M with the adapter? Yes:

  • EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM — the 22mm f/2 EF-M option is better, but if you already have this small DSLR lens, it performs nicely on the EOS M bodies.
  • EF 40mm f/2.8 STM — another really small DSLR lens that fits very well into the EOS M world via adapter. Makes for a reasonable 70mm equivalent option, which is a portrait lens focal length.
  • EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM — the 28mm EOS M macro is just a bit too short of focal length to be fully useful if you’re seeking 1:1 levels of macroness. This is the next option up for an EOS M user.
  • EF 85mm f/1.8 or 100mm f/2 USM — focus performance drops a bit, but these make EOS M-sized 140mm and 170mm effective lenses.

The good news is that Canon standardized on their DSLR accessories for the M series. So the remote control, the optional Speedlites, even the Rebel DSLR battery are all what the EOS M6 II uses. Canon DSLR users will find that some of their accessories work just fine in the EOS M world.

The EOS M system has expanded and offers more options today than it did when it first appeared. Nevertheless, it still is a system with a reduced set of options compared to most competitors. That's not a bad thing as you won't be spending a fortune on building a basic M system, but it can be a limiting thing for those that want to explore some types of specialized photography. 

Looking for gear-specific information? Check out our other Web sites:
DSLRS: dslrbodies.com | general: bythom.com| Z System: zsystemuser.com | film SLR: filmbodies.com

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