I lived professionally (weddings, events, portraits, portfolios) off Digital Rebels (from 6 Mp to 18 Mp) from 2003 to 2012. Then I went FF with various generations of 5D (III, IV, SR). From my film days I had a lot of L lenses; today I have ten great whites plus six other Ls and five 1.4 Sigma Arts. So I believe I can offer my customers just about the maximum image quality it is possible to extract from today's DSLRs without going to medium format.
Longer ago than I like to admit, by accident I was in the right place at the right time with two (film) Leica CLs and six lenses. Grabbing the CL with B&W film I ran through a roll. The next day my photos ran full page on the front pages of both NYC tabloids. It is my only claim to photo-journalistic fame, but I still always carry a basic kit, hoping that lightning will strike twice. That kit was a Rebel T3i (stupidly with battery grip!), three kit zooms, and the plastic fantastic nifty fifty. But as I got older the outfit seemed to get bigger and heavier, and I started to hear the siren song of the Sony NEX. A quick visit to B&H showed me that the comparable lenses were no smaller or lighter, plus a Sony kit comparable to mine would set me back about four grand. I bought a Rebel SL1 instead, since replaced by an SL2. Smaller body, but still the same lenses.
When the M series was introduced I was mildly interested, but real photographers don't hold their cameras at arms length; the lack of an EVF was a deal breaker, even when you could get one as an accessory. The M5 changed my mind; I got one (with 11-22, 18-55, 55-200, 22f/2, and an adapter, mostly for the 50/1.8) and I must say I like it a lot. I also just acquired the 32/1.4 and that is one impressive piece of glass, 14 elements in 8 groups, that is 2 more elements than the Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4, which is considered the best non-AF normal lens there is. It is also one more element than the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 which seems to be regarded as the best AF normal lens. Disclaimer: I know very well that more elements does not automatically imply higher IQ, but it does give the lens designer more options to improve quality.
Some observations:
- Two macros aside, there is only ONE EF-S prime lens, the 24mm f/2.8, which is a rather pedestrian design and seems to be largely a scaled down version of the EF 40mm f/2.8. Over 15 years of EF-S lenses, that is it!
- One macro aside, after 6 1/2 years there are already two EF-M prime lenses.
- The EF-M 32mm f/1.4 is likely the most ambitious lens Canon has ever made for their APS-C format cameras. That seems to indicate a significant commitment to the M system.
- The Sony NEX/A6x00 have been relatively successful in the marketplace. This has likely not escaped Canon's attention.
Some speculations:
- I suspect there is a market out there for a small ILC which in addition to three kit zooms can offer some high grade small and light prime lenses.
- The M range is comprehensive enough to likely appeal to both phone snappers stepping up as well as more seasoned photogs wanting/needing a small and light yet high quality system (that is guys like me.)
And finally a bit of a wish list:
- 50mm in APS-C makes an excellent portrait lens. I think it is optically feasible to make an EF-M 50mm f/1.4 fit into the current form factor. If not, I would settle for f/1.8 or f/2.0.
- And then an 85mm, which of course is equivalent to a 135mm on FF. Again, it could possibly be f/2.0 without getting overly large and heavy. As suggested in an earlier post, f/2.4 would be Plan B. Finally, there really wouldn't be anything wrong even with f/2.8. 135mm f/2.8 lenses were pretty common in FF days.
That's my position, and I am sticking to it!
Longer ago than I like to admit, by accident I was in the right place at the right time with two (film) Leica CLs and six lenses. Grabbing the CL with B&W film I ran through a roll. The next day my photos ran full page on the front pages of both NYC tabloids. It is my only claim to photo-journalistic fame, but I still always carry a basic kit, hoping that lightning will strike twice. That kit was a Rebel T3i (stupidly with battery grip!), three kit zooms, and the plastic fantastic nifty fifty. But as I got older the outfit seemed to get bigger and heavier, and I started to hear the siren song of the Sony NEX. A quick visit to B&H showed me that the comparable lenses were no smaller or lighter, plus a Sony kit comparable to mine would set me back about four grand. I bought a Rebel SL1 instead, since replaced by an SL2. Smaller body, but still the same lenses.
When the M series was introduced I was mildly interested, but real photographers don't hold their cameras at arms length; the lack of an EVF was a deal breaker, even when you could get one as an accessory. The M5 changed my mind; I got one (with 11-22, 18-55, 55-200, 22f/2, and an adapter, mostly for the 50/1.8) and I must say I like it a lot. I also just acquired the 32/1.4 and that is one impressive piece of glass, 14 elements in 8 groups, that is 2 more elements than the Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4, which is considered the best non-AF normal lens there is. It is also one more element than the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 which seems to be regarded as the best AF normal lens. Disclaimer: I know very well that more elements does not automatically imply higher IQ, but it does give the lens designer more options to improve quality.
Some observations:
- Two macros aside, there is only ONE EF-S prime lens, the 24mm f/2.8, which is a rather pedestrian design and seems to be largely a scaled down version of the EF 40mm f/2.8. Over 15 years of EF-S lenses, that is it!
- One macro aside, after 6 1/2 years there are already two EF-M prime lenses.
- The EF-M 32mm f/1.4 is likely the most ambitious lens Canon has ever made for their APS-C format cameras. That seems to indicate a significant commitment to the M system.
- The Sony NEX/A6x00 have been relatively successful in the marketplace. This has likely not escaped Canon's attention.
Some speculations:
- I suspect there is a market out there for a small ILC which in addition to three kit zooms can offer some high grade small and light prime lenses.
- The M range is comprehensive enough to likely appeal to both phone snappers stepping up as well as more seasoned photogs wanting/needing a small and light yet high quality system (that is guys like me.)
And finally a bit of a wish list:
- 50mm in APS-C makes an excellent portrait lens. I think it is optically feasible to make an EF-M 50mm f/1.4 fit into the current form factor. If not, I would settle for f/1.8 or f/2.0.
- And then an 85mm, which of course is equivalent to a 135mm on FF. Again, it could possibly be f/2.0 without getting overly large and heavy. As suggested in an earlier post, f/2.4 would be Plan B. Finally, there really wouldn't be anything wrong even with f/2.8. 135mm f/2.8 lenses were pretty common in FF days.
That's my position, and I am sticking to it!
