Canon dipped its toe into the mirrorless world with the EOS-M back in July 2012, over 11 years ago. Today quietly, Canon Japan has all the EOS-M cameras as being discontinued, a sign from the world's largest camera manufacturer that the system is no longer available. We all knew that Canon would stop developing the EOS-M system once the RF-S was made available and that sooner or later the cameras would be all discontinued. That day is here now.
If we look at Canon Japan's website, we see that all the EOS-M camera bodies are now discontinued, including the popular EOS M50 and M50 Mark II. Canon USA no longer has any EOS-M cameras listed as well, and all the EOS-M cameras are out of stock in Canon USA.
According to asobinet, EF-M lenses in Japan are also in short supply, and on Canon USA's website, all the EOS-M lenses are now listed as being out of stock. Stock levels at other retailers may vary.
In the USA it seems that some retailers still have stock at the time of this article creation of some M200 and M50 Mark II camera kits, as well as the EF-M lenses.
So if you are still using the EOS-M system, I suggest looking around and buying that lens or two that you had your eye on. Because we all know, it's not as if your existing camera is going to stop working once Canon discontinues it. Good deals can be had for both new and used cameras. Just be aware that you are buying into a system with no future. Used lens prices on popular reselling sites should also be fairly cheap as people will be selling off their kits and moving to, well, somewhere. You can also still get Sigma and Viltrox lenses for the EOS-M system, at least for the time being.
Source: asobinet
However, after the M50 Mark II, it was pretty obvious the system was "doomed".
yeah the M50 II was a pretty good sign of what was happening, that and the lack of new lenses.
Especially, since the kit lenses all start at 18 unlike the EF-M 16-45.
I was never really attracted to it.
It was small, yes. But too expensive to me, compared to a 100D/SL1 and its successors.
And with no real compatibility to the R system this step seemed clear.
Nevertheless, an M6/M50 size body with RF-S bayonet would get my attention.
In march of this year during CP+, they answered to DPReview:
I'm not a M-system user, never have been, so I'm not concerned. But I can't help thinking that they could have been much more open and honest about their intentions. Same for DSLRs, they kept saying that "Canon remains committed to both DSLR and mirrorless systems". Fool me once...
That said.. the time clock bug is the worst, and the body was replaced twice! Still there. I was able to work around it. But they put these out the knowing it had these issues.
We seem to be in the midst of a bizarre used market, largely driven my tik-tokers, where older digital cameras are going for silly prices when they should be cheap as chips.
It\'s a great little camera, and perfect for use on largish drones. I guess I better get a spare battery or two while I still can.
I figured i would get flamed in the article by stating that Canon was clearly being dishonest. In corporate speak they were stating things as they were but not really good for consumers. They already knew. But like I said in the article, I'm not sure how much covid played into a complete disruption of their plans, but they certainly knew what they were going to do this year and even last year.
Even as a canon fanboy it makes me feel very uncomfortable that canon just quietly abandoned 100's of thousands or even closer to a million consumers. and unlike EF users, there's no path for EOS-M users to the RF system.
I know I'll hear but "they are the market leader," but I expected a higher standard from Canon versus a .. Sony, et all.
Did they push a switch that sent out a kill signal via satellite, such that all EOS M cameras and lenses stopped working? Thank goodness I keep mine wrapped in the same tinfoil I use to make hats!
Seriously, though, if the 'typical' M series buyer purchases a camera in a 2-lens kit (which is probably the case, at least domestically for Canon) and that's all, then that 'typical' buyer is just fine as long as their camera keeps working (several years), and if/when they're ready for another they'll just buy an APS-C EOS R and life will go on. That's what BCN data show is already happening.
The only people who have been 'abandoned' are those who have invested in the M system and want to invest more. That number of customers is probably measured in thousands or at most, tens of thousands. This forum and the gear-oriented membership is not representative of the broader camera-buying public. Not even close.
Also, above else the problem here is how Canon handled the situation and their lack of honesty about the matter. The difference between the quote from the March DPReview's article and reality as of today is just :eek::mad::poop: