Are Two EOS M cameras coming in 2020? [CR1]

SteveC

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Sep 3, 2019
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I think the introduction of the M7 and M5 II will mark a clear division between the two two strands (body form factors) of the M range. The M200 and M6 to represent the compact end.

The other part will have built in EVF (which also makes a design statement). Then in order to fit two card slots, IBIS etc. the M7 and I guess the M5 II will end up putting on a bit of size and a hint of weight. I guess the bodies might be a bit taller, to accommodate the tech and our extra fingers. That would also help balance larger legacy glass via the adaptor. Think a slimmed mirrorless version of the 250D. Or something just a bit smaller than the RP. It would also add space for an additional wheel or two.

If they manage to put some weather sealing in the M7 and some subset of animal eye focus they will have a winner. I'll be there for pre-order.

(I love my RP. However my rucksack with the body, 100-400, extender, adaptor and FR 24-105 alone is a lump before I add a 50mm, batteries, filters and all the other stuff.

My M50 and 4 lenses weighs a fraction of my other kit and fits nicely in a shoulder bag).

I'm not sure in reading this whether you're confusing an M50-II with an M5-II. The rumor mentions the 50, but not the 5.
 
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GadgetDave

All the cameras
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Nov 30, 2016
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Of course there are specifications, but Canon are keeping them secret as they always do! It might be a fun experiment to cover up some of the pins on an RF lens and see what pins are actually needed, but yes it's these new four pins that do the high-speed communication the newer lenses rely on. And no, I very much doubt they'd work with only EF protocols sent to them.

The issue isn't electronics. The distance from the camera flange to the sensor on the EF-M mount is 18mm. The distance on the RF mount is 20mm. That means that the RF lenses are designed to focus the light on the sensor that is 20mm away from where they connect to the camera.
I believe (I could be wrong!) that would mean that an adapter for EF-M to RF could only be 2 mm thick to make the lens the correct distance for the RF lenses to focus on the sensor in an M-series camera. I think the mounting flange itself might be almost 2mm thick, so probably impossible.

That being said, EF glass adapts amazingly well - I use my M6II regularly with my L series primes and they are fantastic. If the M7 is all that I'm probably a day 1 preorder too.
 
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ReflexVE

Fujifilm X-H2S (M50 Veteran)
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May 5, 2020
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Im dying to offload my m50, which ive never been able to get into a flow with. Its too light, too small. My M1 has been a workhorse for years, but even for that one, with a metal body, needed a photodiox metal plate grip to make it fully usuable.

My 11-22 also is so small the handling suffers. I dont have big hands but its also too small. Its still very new and the zoom is stiff as hell (not goign to break it in, likely just sell it also). Ive really come to appreciate lenses with internal focusing, as my 10-22 efs is still a joy to work with all these years later. (adapted to M bodys as well).

I tested the m6ii and aside from a full swivel, it handles beautifully. But it doesnt have ibis...i guess im goign to have to wait more. I REALLY want that camera! Help :oops:
Why not put it in a Smallrig cage? It adds a nice amount of grip/size and weight IMO without overdoing it.
 
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Chig

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Jul 26, 2020
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I really hope this isn’t supposed to be a replacement for the 7D mark ii because the M bodies are terrible dinky little boxes that feel like a bridge camera and the M lenses are laughable
A proper replacement for the 7D 2 needs to be a full size body with decent ergonomics similar to the R6 , ideally should be an R7 apc-s rf mount body with a cropped 17mp version of the R5 sensor and all the good stuff from the R6 like digic X processor,the new AF and animal eye af ibis ,etc
 
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ReflexVE

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May 5, 2020
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I really hope this isn’t supposed to be a replacement for the 7D mark ii because the M bodies are terrible dinky little boxes that feel like a bridge camera and the M lenses are laughable
A proper replacement for the 7D 2 needs to be a full size body with decent ergonomics similar to the R6 , ideally should be an R7 apc-s rf mount body with a cropped 17mp version of the R5 sensor and all the good stuff from the R6 like digic X processor,the new AF and animal eye af ibis ,etc
Are any of the majors still announcing cameras like this?
 
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I'm really hoping they introduce usb-c or thunderbolt port to it save the need for 2 cards and we can record straight to portable ssd be so much better and save the need for dongles to transfer to computer. other then that weatherproof the crap out of it so we can go full boonta in the bush, would be my number 1 pick!
 
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If the M7 has 10 bit 4:2:2, C-Log, a headphone jack, and a relocated HDMI port, consider me sold. Optional battery grip would be nice too - let me decide when to keep it small and portable and when to beef it up. The M line has been great for photography for a while (as long as you're okay with the limited native lens selection, which I am, for now at least), so I really just want to see some video bumps
 
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Michael Clark

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Apr 5, 2016
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But we were told that Canon would ditch the M cameras. What gives?

/sarcasm


I'm debating about switching to Fuji right now from the M system. I currently have 4-M5's and over 20 lenses I use with them. This camera, M7, if it is as currently rumored, would be the only thing that might stop me. Dual slot is a must for me for my next camera. But there is still the problem with lenses. Yes, the 32mm 1.4 is one of the secrets of the Canon world, but it is still mainly a plastic lens. Will it hold up over the years? I would definitely add the Sigma 16 & 56, which I already want. But sadly, I still see the EOS M line being dropped when the EF line is discontinued unless Canon introduces some kind of a speedbooster converter to allow RF lenses to be used on the EF-M bodies. I've used Canon for over 40 years, but my needs have changed and Fuji seems to be the better fit right now. October was when I was planning on the switch, so let's see what you got Canon!

The only people who think Canon will ditch the EOS M series anytime soon are the ones too ignorant to realize it is the best selling mirrorless interchangeable lens camera system on the planet.
 
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Michael Clark

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We need a RF to EF-M adaptor as well. Some guys who have the RF lens may want to use on it on a smaller camera as well, like EF and EF-S system

Due to the difference in throat diameters and only 2mm difference in registration distance, which is less than the thickness of the RF mount lugs behind the flange, an RF to EF-M adapter that allows infinity focus without additional optical elements is physically impossible.
 
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jolyonralph

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I really hope this isn’t supposed to be a replacement for the 7D mark ii because the M bodies are terrible dinky little boxes that feel like a bridge camera and the M lenses are laughable
A proper replacement for the 7D 2 needs to be a full size body with decent ergonomics similar to the R6 , ideally should be an R7 apc-s rf mount body with a cropped 17mp version of the R5 sensor and all the good stuff from the R6 like digic X processor,the new AF and animal eye af ibis ,etc

I don't think you've actually used EF-M mount cameras and lenses seriously, have you?

Firstly, just because previous M bodies are "terribly dinky little boxes" doesn't mean that future ones have to be. Camera size tends to be dictated by marketing. The majority of M users want something small and lightweight. Clearly an 7D series replacement wouldn't be small and light - but it absolutely could use the EF-M mount.

M lenses are far from laughable. The EF-M prime lenses are fantastic, and the EF-M 11-18 ultra-wide angle zoom is superb.

A premium APS-C camera targeted as an upgrade to 7D II users could easily be an EF-M camera. It would still work with every lens an 7D user would currently own.

Imagine something the same size body and ergonomics as the R5 or R6, but with EF-M mount, better thermal management (because of smaller sensor) and a bundled EF-M to EF adaptor (improved over the existing one, with weather sealing). There's also no reason why Canon couldn't produce new EF->EF-M adaptors with drop-in filters or control rings either.

Of course, Canon could still launch an R mount body instead. We can't rule out either option right now.
 
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jolyonralph

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The issue isn't electronics. The distance from the camera flange to the sensor on the EF-M mount is 18mm. The distance on the RF mount is 20mm. That means that the RF lenses are designed to focus the light on the sensor that is 20mm away from where they connect to the camera.
I believe (I could be wrong!) that would mean that an adapter for EF-M to RF could only be 2 mm thick to make the lens the correct distance for the RF lenses to focus on the sensor in an M-series camera. I think the mounting flange itself might be almost 2mm thick, so probably impossible.

That being said, EF glass adapts amazingly well - I use my M6II regularly with my L series primes and they are fantastic. If the M7 is all that I'm probably a day 1 preorder too.


The flange distance is the obvious reason, but don't discount the electronics issue which is just as big of a problem as the flange distance and would prevent things such as an RF->EF-M teleconverter being practical.
 
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Michael Clark

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Not going to happen because existing EF-M mount cameras can't talk the RF protocols. They'd need to produce a new mount (RF-M?) that was capable of taking adapted RF lenses and existing EF-M lenses. But I can't see there being a big enough market for this to make it worthwhile.

It would be fairly elementary for Canon to make RF lenses compatible with the EF-M protocol using only firmware updates for existing RF lenses. After all, both the EF-M and RF protocols are built upon the EF protocol.

Sure, the RF connection has a faster bus speed. So does USB 3.1 vs. USB 2 or even USB 1, yet it's still possible to make USB 3.1 devices backwards compatible with USB 2 connections, even though USB 3 has more contacts inside the connectors than USB1/2 does.
 
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koenkooi

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Feb 25, 2015
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I don't think you've actually used EF-M mount cameras and lenses seriously, have you?

Firstly, just because previous M bodies are "terribly dinky little boxes" doesn't mean that future ones have to be. Camera size tends to be dictated by marketing. The majority of M users want something small and lightweight. Clearly an 7D series replacement wouldn't be small and light - but it absolutely could use the EF-M mount.

M lenses are far from laughable. The EF-M prime lenses are fantastic, and the EF-M 11-18 ultra-wide angle zoom is superb.

A premium APS-C camera targeted as an upgrade to 7D II users could easily be an EF-M camera. It would still work with every lens an 7D user would currently own.

Imagine something the same size body and ergonomics as the R5 or R6, but with EF-M mount, better thermal management (because of smaller sensor) and a bundled EF-M to EF adaptor (improved over the existing one, with weather sealing). There's also no reason why Canon couldn't produce new EF->EF-M adaptors with drop-in filters or control rings either.

Of course, Canon could still launch an R mount body instead. We can't rule out either option right now.

And they might not be mutually exclusive either!
 
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Michael Clark

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I think canon will use the eos M line as their mirroless apsc camera and the eos R line up for full frame mirrorless

I'd be very surprised if there isn't eventually an APS-C body in the RF mount.

I'd also be very surprised if there is ever a FF camera in the EF-M mount.

EOS M will probably always be an APS-C only mount, but I don't think it will be the only mount for Canon APS-C cameras after EF/EF-S cameras and lenses are phased out.

I suppose anything could happen. But for the eight years the EOS M system has existed Canon has kept it in a specific size, weight, and price space aimed a specific demographic of buyers.

Maybe Canon has decided to eventually expand the EOS-M system to take the place of APS-C EF/EF-S mount cameras and lenses? But I'd be very surprised if they introduce EOS M bodies or EF-M lenses much larger than what they've held the line at for the past eight years during the same time they're transitioning from EF to RF for their full frame cameras and lenses.
 
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