In summary
Buy this camera:
– If you want a high-resolution compact camera that can record both still pictures and Full HD video clips.
– If you enjoy using touch screen interfaces.
– If you have several Canon lenses.
– If you could make use of the extended sensitivity range for still photography and video capture.
– As a small and light back-up body for landscape photography.
Don’t buy this camera:
– As a substitute for a DSLR.
– If you require a viewfinder.
– If you require a weatherproof camera.
Full review
As anticipated, Canon’s EOS M mirrorless interchangeable lens camera (ILC) was released in November and we have been fortunate to obtain a camera from the first consignment of production units to arrive. Rather than re-hash the information we published in our First Look at Canon’s EOS M mirrorless interchangeable lens camera (ILC) when it was announced in July, we’ll focus this review on the camera’s handling characteristics and performance.
Angled front view of the EOS M in white with the 18-55mm kit lens and accessory Speedlite. (Source: Canon.)
The camera is now on sale in retail outlets in a choice of three colours: black, red and white. The white version is particularly appropriate for use in the Australian summer (or anywhere the camera will be used in hot, sunny conditions) because it reflects heat, whereas the other colours are likely to absorb it.
Canon will be offering the EOS M locally as a body-only with the EF-EOS M adapter that allows normal EF and EF-S lenses to be fitted for an RRP of AU$949. It will also be sold with one or both of the new lenses but without the EF adapter.
The single-lens kit with the EF-M 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens and Speedlite 90EX flashgun is priced at AU$1049 (RRP). The twin lens kit (covered in this review), adds the EF-M 22mm f/2 STM lens for an RRP of $1149.
In the USA, the EOS M appears to be sold only in single-lens kits, with the 22mm kit priced at US$800 (RRP) and the 18-55mm kit at $849. The Speedlite 90EX is being sold separately for $149.
Build and Ergonomics
While it may not be the smallest ILC on the market, the EOS M’s body is small for the size of its sensor. It’s actually smaller than the G1x and G15 compact cameras. Measuring 108.6 x 66.5 x 32.3 mm and weighing 262 grams (without batteries), it’s similar in size to the Panasonic GF5, which has a smaller sensor.
Front view of the EOS M with no lens, showing the larger, APS-C sized sensor. (Source: Canon.)
The mirrorless design contributes to the EOS M’s reduced dimensions, as does the omission of a viewfinder and the use of a fixed LCD monitor instead of an adjustable one. These differences mean you can’t hold the EOS M as you would a DSLR; instead it must be used like a digicam.
The most comfortable position is to wrap your right hand around the camera body under the strap, with the thumb in the thumb rest and your second and third fingers on the grip bar on the front panel. The camera can be operated single-handedly with this position as your index finger is well placed for the shutter button and can easily turn the shooting mode dial and reach the on-off switch.
The rear panel of the EOS M in white. (Source: Canon.)
Aside from the monitor, the rear panel is pretty Spartan. There’s an arrow pad with surrounding ‘main’ dial plus buttons for the Menu, Play and Info functions. The directional switches on the arrow pad access the drive, exposure compensation, delete and AE/FE lock functions. There’s a movie button in the upper right corner of the thumb rest, which only works when movie mode is selected via the dial on the top panel, avoiding accidental movie recording.
The magnesium front and stainless steel back plates give the camera a very solid feel, while the thumb rest keeps the monitor clear of straying digits. With a resolution of approximately 1.04 million dots, this screen is a pleasure to use and provides a clear and colour-accurate view of the scene for framing shots along with detailed playback images.
The top panel is sparsely populated, with an inset on/off button and a shutter button surrounded by a basic shooting mode dial that has three positions: Auto, Stills and Movies. There is no mode dial, no command dial and no additional buttons; just a pair of microphones, each with seven tiny holes, inset into the top panel left of the hot-shoe for recording movie soundtracks.
The top panel of the EOS M with the 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 zoom lens fitted. (Source: Canon.)
The hot-shoe accepts Canon’s SpeedLites and accessories like the GP-E2 GPS receiver and the RC-6 Wireless Remote control unit. But there’s no support for shutter-release cables, battery grips, add-on viewfinders, or viewfinder accessories made for EOS DSLRs.
The battery and memory card slot share a compartment in the base of the camera. A tripod socket is located on the lens axis, mid-way across the base plate. Connectors for AV Out/Digital, HDMI and Mic-in plugs can be found on the left hand side panel, below a lift-up cover.
Touch Screen vs Menu Controls
The touch screen controls are well implemented and include tap (touch and let go), drag and multi-touch operations. Touch Focus and Touch Shutter operation are available, along with familiar reviewing gestures like pinch-and-spread movements and swiping to scroll between pictures. You can set the screen’s sensitivity levels to either Standard or Sensitive.
Sensitivity settings for the EOS M’s touch screen.
Up to 10 frequently-used functions can be displayed on the touch screen, with nine of them shown in the P, Av and Tv modes but only three when the dial on the top panel is set to auto shooting. A Feature Guide provides a very basic description of each function as it is selected when you change the shooting mode or use the Quick Control screen. (It can be disabled in the set-up menu.)
Selecting the shooting mode via the touch screen. Note the Feature Guide description of the selected mode.
Functions available via touch with the Live View shooting screen. Options for the selected function are shown along the bottom of the screen.
The touch shutter is enabled (and disabled) by tapping on the icon on the lower left corner of the screen. Once enabled, a tap on the screen focuses the lens on that area and triggers the shutter. If the AF mode was set to Flexi-Zone Multi, it defaults to Flexi-Zone Single. The shutter won’t fire if focus isn’t achieved.
When the Manual exposure mode is selected you can use the touch control to take a Bulb exposure that is longer than the 30-second limit that applies in the Tv mode. The first tap starts the exposure while the second one terminates it. The optional wireless remote controller (RC-6) can also be used for Bulb exposures. The user manual makes no mention of time limits that might apply.
The touch screen also makes navigating easier in playback mode. Horizontal swiping takes you from one image to the next in single-image playback, while you can scroll vertically through index displays by swiping your finger up to see newer images and down for older ones.
Swiping with two fingers lets you jump through images, according to the jump intervals set in the menu. Pinching in lets you change from a single-image display to four- and then nine-image index displays. A selected image will be outlined with an orange frame.
Playback zoom is engaged by touching the screen with two fingers and spreading them apart; the wider the fingers are spread, the more the image is magnified. Up t6o 10x magnification is available. Tapping the return icon takes you back to the single-image display.
Movie playback is also available with touch screen functions. Tapping the centre of the screen starts the selected movie playing. You can pause playback at any time by tapping the screen again.
The EOS M also provides 11 pages of menu settings, most of them ported across from the EOS DSLRs, particularly the EOS 650D, which has the same sensor and processor. Like a DSLR, the EOS M’s menu is split into four sections. There are four pages of shooting settings, two for playback and another four covering the set-up menu. The final page is the My Menu memory bank, where you can store collections of frequently-used combinations of settings.
The horizontal tabs (or a turn of the main dial) on the arrow pad take you from one page to the next, while the vertical tabs navigate up and down through the displayed page. The system is simple and logical and users of Canon’s DSLRs will feel right at home.
Seven ‘pages’ of Custom Functions can be accessed via page four of the set-up menu. The first two control exposure level increments and ISO expansion, the second and third controls highlight tone priority and AF-Assist beam use and the last three manage the shutter/AE Lock button, delete button function and release without lens option.
The EOS M comes with the same Picture Style and Filter Effect settings as the EOS 650D. The Picture Styles are adjustable and users can register three customised settings in the User-Defined memory bank.
A more limited range of adjustments is available for Filter Effects, applying mainly to the strength of the effect. Creative Filters can’t be applied in the Scene Intelligent Auto, Handheld Night Scene, HDR Backlight Control and movie shooting modes. Examples of some of the effects are shown in the Sample images section below.
Sensor and Image Processor
We’ve provided details of the EOS M’s sensor in our First Look and there’s very little to add here. Boasting 18-megapixel resolution, it’s the same as the sensor in the EOS 650D and is partnered with Canon’s DIGIC 5 image processor, which is also used in the EOS 650D. A fast readout from the sensor and 4-bit A/D conversion, provide same high sensitivity performance in both cameras.
Like the EOS 650D, the EOS M’s sensor has an array of phase-difference AF point detectors embedded in the surface of the sensor. These detectors are used to achieve approximate focus and drive the lens at high speed, after which the system switches to contrast AF for final focusing.
As in the EOS 650D, the EOS M supports ISO settings from 100 to 12800, with expansion to ISO 25600 in the ‘H’ mode when expansion is selected in the Custom Function menu. The movie mode restricted to a maximum of ISO 6400 and this is also the upper limit for the Easy Shot stills capture modes.
Continuous shooting is supported at a maximum of 4.3 frames/second (fps), which is marginally slower than the five frames/second burst speed of the 650D. The buffer memory is also smaller than the 650D’s, with space for up to 17 Large/Fine JPEGs if an 8GB UHS-1 compatible card is used or 15 shots with slower cards. Six CR2.RAW frames or three RAW+JPEG pairs can be stored in bursts before capture rates are slowed to allow for processing. Frame rates slow when tracking AF is used to between 1.2 and 1.7 fps. Tracking AF is only available with EF-M lenses.
Video
Movie settings have also been described in the First Look and, again, there’s little more to add. Clips are recorded in MPEG-4 format, using AVC.H.264 compression and a variable bit rate. Four settings are available: 1920/25, 1920/24, 1280/50, and 640/25 for PAL format and 1920/30, 1920/24, 1280/60, and 640/30 for NTSC.
The auto exposure and manual shooting modes are supported in movie mode. The hybrid AF system works in much the same way in movie mode as it does for shooting stills and users can access the single- and multi-point Live AF modes as well as One-Shot and Servo AFwith Face Detection + Tracking AF. A special Video Servo AF mode keeps servo AF active at all times, even when the shutter button is not pressed.
To counteract the rolling shutter phenomenon associated with typical CMOS sensor-electronic shutter systems, the EOS M’s shutter combines an electronic front curtain and mechanical shutter. Canon’s Video Snap movie shooting and editing functions allow even novice users to create movie clips easily.
The Kit Lenses and Accessories
While we received both kit lenses and the Speedlite, the review camera wasn’t supplied with the EF-EOS M Adapter, which users will need if they want to use Canon’s EF and EF-S lens with the EOS M body because its lens mount is smaller than the traditional EF mount. The adapter is supplied when the camera body is purchased on its own but costs AU$149 (RRP) or US$200 when purchased separately.
The EOS M camera fitted with the EF-EOS M Adapter and tripod mount plus the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens, which was released with the EOS 650D. (Source: Canon.)
Without an adapter to test, we can’t comment on how well Canon’s EF lenses perform on the camera. However, other reviewers have reported ‘flawless’ performance with autofocusing as fast as the native EOS M lenses and automatic vignetting and CA corrections fully implemented.
Most buyers will acquire the EOS M with the EF-M 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM kit lens, which covers the same zoom range as a standard kit zoom lens (28.8-88mm in 35mm format). It has been designed specifically for the smaller lens mounting and is quite a bit smaller than the EF-S equivalent, although not lighter.
Build quality is very good, thanks to a high-quality anodised aluminium barrel and metal mounting plate. The lens is a comfortable fit on the camera body, protruding 62 mm from the lens mount. It uses the same image stabilisation as Canon’s latest EF-S lenses, with a claimed advantage of about four f-stops. An STM (stepping motor) drive ensures smooth and quiet autofocusing while shooting movies.
The EF-M 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens. (Source: Canon.)
The optical design of the lens comprises 13 elements in 11 groups, with two Glass-Mould aspherical lens elements and one high precision aspherical element. Front and end caps are included as standard accessories but the lens hood and lens case are sold separately.
The Image Stabiliser can be turned on and off using the camera menu. A Dynamic IS function (movie mode only) provides additional steadiness for movie shooting while walking by expanding the angular range, particularly at the wide-angle end and increasing the degree of correction.
Imatest showed this lens to be a good performer, although it suffered from edge and corner softening at its widest aperture settings. However, the centre resolution at all but the shortest focal length exceeded expectations for the camera’s 18-megapixel sensor a stop or three down from maximum aperture, as shown in the graph of our Imatest results below.
Lateral chromatic aberration was almost entirely negligible, probably as a result of effective automatic in-camera correction. In the graph below, the red line separates ‘negligible’ from ‘low’ CA.
Autofocusing with this lens was similar to what we found with the EOS 650D in Live View mode. When shifting focus between close subjects and infinity, the camera could hunt for a second or two in low light levels. However, over shorter distances, the system was usually able to lock on within a second.
Using the touch shutter reduced hunting and AF lag times to around 0.3 seconds. Lags of between 0.3 and 0.5 seconds were common in movie clips during panning and when the lens was zoomed in or out.
This lens suffers from noticeable barrel distortion at 18mm, which changed to slight barrel distortion at 55mm. Examples are shown below.
Distortion at 18mm.
Distortion at 55mm.
Vignetting was negligible at the maximum apertures throughout the zoom range. Bokeh was quite attractive with only a slight tendency to outline bright highlights in the backgrounds of shots.
The new EF-M 22mm f/2 STMprime lens for the EOS M isn’t Canon’s first pancake lens; the EF 40mm f/2.8 lens announced with the EOS 650D claims that honour. Interestingly, that lens is small enough to be used with the EOS M.
The EF-M 22mm f/2 STM prime lens. (Source: Canon.)
Fitted to the EOS M body, this lens makes the camera much more pocketable and able to be slipped easily into a jacket pocket. This lens extends just 23.7 mm in front of the camera body without the lens cap (which adds 5 mm) in place. It’s ideal for everyday photography because it’s fast and covers a moderately wide field of view.
Build quality is similar to the EF-M 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens, with an anodised aluminium outer barrel and metal mounting plate. The very narrow focusing ring has an impressed diamond pattern to provide a secure grip.
The optical design of the lens includes one Glass-Mould aspherical lens element. The lens cap and lens dust cap EB are included as standard accessories, with a threaded lens hood and soft drawstring case are sold separately.
Our Imatest tests showed this lens to be a good performer, although it didn’t quite meet expectations for the EOS M’s 18-megapixel sensor. However, edge and corner softening was much less than with the 18-55mm zoom lens, even at the widest aperture. The highest resolution occurred between f/4.5 and f/5, with diffraction reducing resolution dramatically from f/8 on, as shown in the graph of our test results below.
Lateral chromatic aberration was negligible, as shown in the graph of our test results below.
Neither distortion nor vignetting was evident in test shots with this lens, as shown below. Autofocusing was marginally slower than we found with the zoom lens but a little quicker when the touch shutter was used. Bokeh was generally attractive, thanks to the seven-bladed EMD (Electro Magnetic Diaphragm), which closes to a circular aperture.
Distortion with the 22mm lens.
While neither lens was a speed demon for autofocusing, both lenses could lock onto a subject very precisely, particularly in partial of spot AF modes. Either lens will be fine for the types of subjects it’s been designed for: landscapes, street scenes and group portraits. Street photography and indoor sports in poorly-lit situations are probably a no-nos.
TheSpeedLite 90EX slips into the hot-shoe mount on the EOS M, which is a standard Canon, making it compatible with all Canon cameras that include a hot-shoe. It provides coverage for up to 15mm wide angle lens shots with the EOS M (and EOS APS-C DSLRs) or 24mm with EF lenses on full frame cameras.
Its maximum guide number of 9 (meters at ISO 100) enables the output light to reach up to seven metres in indoor situations or five metres outdoors. This flashgun can also be used wirelessly to control slave units for creative multiple-flash shoots.
Front and rear views of the SpeedLite 90EX. (Source: Canon.)
The SpeedLite 90EX is powered by two AAA batteries (alkaline, lithium or NiMH) and claims an output capacity of more than 100 flashes with new alkaline cells. A lever on the rear panel locks its mounting foot firmly into the camera’s hot-shoe.
The camera automatically adjusts the flash output level to the lens aperture in the P, Av, Tv and M modes and defaults to a shutter speed of 1/60 second (the maximum synch speed) in the P mode. It can serve as an AF-assist light with any EOS digital camera that has an external flash function.
Test shots taken with the flash showed it to be a very good performer on the EOS M body. Exposures were evenly balanced from ISO 100 right up to ISO 6400, with slight under-exposure at ISO 80 and slight over-exposure at ISO 12800. Reproduction of colours was natural looking because the flash colour temperature data is transmitted to the camera when the flash is fired.
Performance
It’s difficult to fault the test shots we obtained from the review camera. The 18-megapixel sensor and kit lenses provided high enough resolution to make it worthy of consideration as a back-up for a Canon DSLR when size and weight would mitigate against DSLR back-up bodies.
But as a replacement for a ‘proper’ SLR (or even a high-end ILC like the Olympus OM-D EM-5) the EOS M in its present form has a few significant limitations. The most serious is the lack of any viewfinder option. The lack of external controls is another deterrent because having to dive into the menu and toggle delays shooting (and even the Quick menu doesn’t solve this problem).
Metering showed the same, rather sluggish response times as the AF system, with lags of a second or two common when moving between brightly-lit and dark subjects. However, exposures were generally well-positioned and even backlit subjects were handled competently.
Imatest showed the camera to be capable of maintaining high resolution across most of its sensitivity range. Raw files maintained their advantage over JPEGs, at all ISO settings and both file types showed a decline in resolution from ISO 6400 on. The graph below shows the results of our Imatest tests, based on files shot with the EF-M 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens.
Test shots were almost noise-free up to ISO 6400, after which both noise and softening became visible in long exposures. By ISO 12800, both noise and softening were obvious when images were enlarged to 50%, although the overall integrity of the image was preserved, as shown below.
Not unexpectedly, auto white balance performance was identical to that of the EOS 650D. Shots taken under incandescent lighting retained an orange cast, while shots taken with fluorescent lighting were almost cast-free.
For both lighting types, the pre-sets slightly over-corrected but manual measurement delivered a neutral colour balance. Nine levels of in-camera correction are provided for each colour and white balance bracketing of +/- three levels in one-step increments is available.
Video quality was similar to the EOS 650D. We couldn’t see many quality differences between the HD 1080p and 720p video clips when they were displayed on a TV screen. Clips shot at VGA resolution were very good for their frame sizes. Noise could be seen in clips shot in dim indoor lighting, while blown highlights were common in bright, contrasty conditions.
Audio quality from the built-in microphone was remarkably good for the size and location of the built-in microphones. Some wind noise was picked up when shooting outdoors, although the wind filter could handle up to about 12 knot winds. No camera noises were detected in movie soundtracks.
Our timing tests were conducted with a 32GB SanDisk Extreme Pro SDHC UHS-1card, the fastest card in our collection. The review camera took approximately one second to power up ready for shooting. We measured an average capture lag of 0.85 seconds when the shutter button was used to trigger the exposure and 0.9 seconds with the touch shutter.
This lag was reduced to 0.1 seconds with pre-focusing when the shutter button was used but couldn’t be eliminated for the touch shutter. Shot-to-shot times averaged 2.4 seconds.
High-resolution JPEGs took an average of 3.2 seconds to process, while CR2.RAW files were processed in 4.1 seconds and RAW+JPEG pairs in 5.2 seconds. These times are almost double the processing times taken by the EOS 650D.
In the continuous shooting mode the review camera recorded eight Large/Fine JPEGs in two seconds before the capture rate slowed, which is marginally slower than specifications. It took 6.4 seconds to process this burst.
With CR2.RAW files, capture rates slowed noticeably after five frames were recorded at 0.2 second intervals. It took 15 seconds to process this burst. For RAW+JPEG pairs, capture rates slowed after four frames, which were recorded in one second. It took 15.6 seconds to process this burst.
Conclusion
Canon is aiming this camera at “users who want DSLR quality with the ease and convenience (through the interface and compact body) of their smartphone”.
As a step-up from a compact camera the EOS M looks like and can be operated like a point-and-press digicam, but comes with some very sophisticated functions like copyright logging and built-in lens corrections. It also delivers plenty of resolution and good colour reproduction in a body that is very easy to use.
The 18-megapixel resolution and support for raw file capture will be over-kill for point-and-shooters who only post their pictures on image sharing websites or make snapshot-sized prints, but photographers who want a more serious capture device could find a lot to like about the EOS M once they dive below the surface.
Essentially, the EOS M is just the beginning to what we hope will develop into a fully-fledged system that offers at least one body for serious photographers. In the interim, anyone considering the EOS M as a DSLR replacement will be less than satisfied with the lack of a viewfinder and the camera’s relatively sluggish response times, even though they will have no complaints about the quality of either still pictures or video clips.
If you’re considering the EOS M as a compact back-up body for an EOS DSLR user, it’s certainly a contender ““ provided you can tolerate its slow response times. While it’s not the ideal tool for capturing fast action, landscape photographers will appreciate its solid build, light weight and compact size and its ability to produce images and movies that can rival a DSLR.
Rumour has it (http://www.canonrumors.com/2012/11/february-march-are-announcement-months-for-canon-cr2/) that a second EOS M body, this time with a viewfinder, will be released in the first quarter of 2013, along with ‘at least two new lenses’ for the system. We await developments.
Buy this camera:
– If you want a high-resolution compact camera that can record both still pictures and Full HD video clips.
– If you enjoy using touch screen interfaces.
– If you have several Canon lenses.
– If you could make use of the extended sensitivity range for still photography and video capture.
– As a small and light back-up body for landscape photography.
Don’t buy this camera:
– As a substitute for a DSLR.
– If you require a viewfinder.
– If you require a weatherproof camera.
SPECS
Image sensor: 22.3 x 14.9 mm CMOS sensor with approximately 19 million photosites (18 megapixels effective )
Image processor: DIGIC 5
A/D processing: 14-bit
Lens mount: Canon EFM (EF/EF-S via adaptor)
Focal length crop factor: 1.6x
Image formats: Stills ““ CR2.RAW, JPEG (Exif 2.3), RAW+JPEG; Movies ““ MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
Image Sizes: Stills ““ 5184 x 3456, 3456 x 2304, 2592 x 1728, 1920 x 1080, 720 x 480; Movies: 1920 x 1080 (Full HD) at 30p/25p/24p, 1280 x 720 (HD) at 60p/50p, 640 x 480 (SD) at 30p/25p
Image Stabilisation: Lens-based only
Dust removal: Canon Integrated Cleaning System (vibration of low-pass filter; Auto, Manual, Dust Delete Data appending)
Shutter speed range: 30 to 1/4000 second plus Bulb; X-synch at 1/200 sec.
Exposure Compensation: +/- 5EV in 1/3 or 1/2 EV steps
Exposure bracketing: +/- 2EV in 1/3 or 1/2 EV steps (Can be combined with manual exposure compensation)
Self-timer: 2 or 10 seconds delay
Focus system: Hybrid CMOS AF system (contrast-based with phase-detection sensors in the centre of the frame) with 31 AF points
Focus modes: One-Shot AF, Servo AF with Face Detection + Tracking AF, Multi-point Live AF, Single-point Live AF
Exposure metering: 63-zone TTL full-aperture metering with Evaluative (linked to all AF points), Partial (approx. 9% of viewfinder at centre), Spot (approx. 4% of viewfinder at centre) and Centre-weighted average metering
Shooting modes: Scene Intelligent Auto, Program AE, Shutter-priority AE, Aperture-priority AE, Manual exposure, Creative Auto, Portrait, Landscape, Close-up, Sports, Night Portrait, Handheld Night Scene, HDR Backlight Control
Picture Style/Control settings: Auto, Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Neutral, Faithful,Monochrome, User Def. 1 – 3
Colour space options: sRGB, Adobe RGB
Creative filters: Grainy B/W, Soft focus, Fish-eye effect, Art bold effect, Water painting effect, Toy camera effect, Miniature effect
ISO range: Basic Zone modes: ISO 100 – 6400; Creative Zone modes: ISO 100 – 12800 set manually; expansion to ISO 25600 available in Creative Zone modes
White balance: Auto, Preset (Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten light, White fluorescent light, Flash*), Custom; WB correction and bracketing provided; * Flash colour temperature information transmission enabled
Flash: Compatible with EX Series Speedlites (Flash functions settable with the camera); E-TTL II autoflash metering; flash exposure compensation of +/-2EV in 1/3- or 1/2-stop increments; FE Lock available
Sequence shooting: Max. 4.3 frames/second for up to 15 large/fine JPEGs, 6 CR2.RAW files or 3 RAW+JPEG pairs with standard cards; up to 17 JPEG capacity with UHS-I compatible 8 GB card
Custom Functions/Copyright embedding: 7 (My Menu registration supported) / copyright entry and embedding possible
Storage Media: SD/ SDHC/ SDXC memory cards (UHS-1 and Eye-Fi compatible)
Viewfinder: None
LCD monitor: 3-inch 3:2 aspect TFT colour LCD with approx. 1.04 million dots; capacitative touch screen technology
Playback functions: Single-frame, Index (4 or 9 frames), Enlarge (1.5x to 10x), Highlight alert, Slideshow with background music, Picture rotation (auto mode available), Histogram (independent luminance/RGB available), Shooting information; jump by 10 or 100 images, by shooting date, by folder, by movies, by stills, by rating; movie playback
Interface terminals: USO 2.0, HDMI (Type C Mini), A/V out, GPS Receiver GP-E2 connection, 3.5 mm diameter stereo mini-jack for external microphone, terminal for Remote Switch RS-60E3, Wireless remote control and Eye-Fi card supported
Power supply: LP-E12 rechargeable lithium-ion battery; CIPA rated for approx. 230 shots/charge
Dimensions (wxhxd): Approx. 108.6 x 66.5 x 32.3 mm
Weight:Approx. 262 grams (body only)
Approx. Street Price: AU$1060 for twin lens kit with Speedlite 90EX (as reviewed); US$850 with 18-55mm lens or US$800 with 22mm lens.
Distributor: Canon Australia; 1800 021 167; www.canon.com.au
TESTS
JPEG images
Raw images converted in Adobe Camera Raw.
SAMPLES
Auto white balance with incandescent lighting.
Auto white balance with fluorescent lighting.
30-second exposure at ISO 100; 22mm focal length at f/11.
10-second exposure at ISO 3200; 22mm focal length at f/16.
6-second exposure at ISO 6400; 22mm focal length at f/18.
5-second exposure at ISO 12800; 22mm focal length at f/22.
Crop from the above image, enlarged to 50%.
Flash exposure at ISO 100; 55mm focal length, 1/60 second at f/5.6.
Flash exposure at ISO 1600; 55mm focal length, 1/60 second at f/5.6.
Flash exposure at ISO 6400; 55mm focal length, 1/60 second at f/5.6.
Flash exposure at ISO 12800; 55mm focal length, 1/60 second at f/5.6.
18mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/320 second at f/11.
55mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/400 second at f/11.
22mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/400 second at f/10.
Close-up; 55mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/1250 second at f/5.6.
Close-up; 22mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/500 second at f/5.
Bokeh; 39mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/400 second at f/5.
55mm focal length, ISO 5000, 1/100 second at f/5.6.
18mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/250 second at f/10.
22mm focal length, ISO 3200, 1/30 second at f/2. (Photograph courtesy of Nick Brown, Sydney Heritage Fleet.)
22mm focal length, ISO 1600, 1/60 second at f/2.5. (Photograph courtesy of Nick Brown, Sydney Heritage Fleet.)
22mm focal length, ISO 1600, 1/60 second at f/2. (Photograph courtesy of Nick Brown, Sydney Heritage Fleet.)
45mm focal length, ISO 200, 1/400 second at f/8. (Photograph courtesy of Nick Brown, Sydney Heritage Fleet.)
Soft Focus Filter Effect; 22mm focal length, ISO 1600, 1/30 second at f/3.2.
Grainy B&W Filter Effect; 22mm focal length, ISO 400, 1/30 second at f/2.
Art Bold Filter Effect; 22mm focal length, ISO 320, 1/30 second at f/2.
Watercolour Filter Effect; 22mm focal length, ISO 400, 1/30 second at f/2.
Toy Camera Filter Effect; 55mm focal length, ISO 6400, 1/80 second at f/5.6.
Still frames from Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixel) video clips recorded outdoors and indoors.
Still frames from HD (1280 x 720 pixel) video clips recorded outdoors and indoors.
Still frames from VGA (640 x 480 pixel) video clips recorded outdoors and indoors.
Rating
RRP: n/a – Approx.Street Price: AU$1060 for twin lens kit with Speedlite 90EX (as reviewed); US$850 with 18-55mm lens or US$800 with 22mm lens.
- Build: 9.0
- Ease of use: 8.8
- Autofocusing: 8.0
- Still image quality JPEG: 8.5
- Still image quality RAW: 9.0
- Video quality: 8.8
