DPrevThe EOS M5 is Canon's best ever mirrorless camera, and a big disappointment

[Don Haines]

The fact is that most people who will buy this camera will just put the camera in Auto and snap away.
They want a camera that starts quickly is responsive and focusses fast and well. Sure they will take the odd video too, and for this sort of use, the M5 is perfect.

Geeky features are nice to have, but most buyers are scared to even delve into the menus.

I teach amateurs photography, and 90% of them don't have any idea of what the buttons on their cameras do.
The first thing I tell them is that there is no self-destruct button, as most people are scared of using any of the buttons, and a lot of people hardly even know how to play back their images on their cameras.
Going into the menus is like a black art to most people.
I get the occasional guy with a 5d3 or Nikon D810, and even they have no idea of even a quarter of their camera's capabilities.

While some M5s will be bought by pros and advanced amateurs, most are bought by mums and dads and the M5 has everything they need, and more.

Geeky reviews are great, but most reviewers forget where the volume of sales go, and they don't go to geeks.

well said!

 

[d]

Geeky features are nice to have, but most buyers are scared to even delve into the menus.

The M5 is a *fail* - can't even load instagram on it like you can with Sony mirrorless:

http://www.sonyalpharumors.com/cool-hack-daniel-wood-installs-instagram-sony-a7rii/

Canon are years behind!!

 

[dsnook]

Despite the rest of the article there is really only one line about halfway into the article that matters.

In fact, despite its comparatively pedestrian feature set, given the choice, I'd take an EOS M5 out with me over a Sony Alpha any day of the week.But I really believe that this shouldn't be an either / or thing.

At the end of the day this is really what we care about, well designed, reliable, usable. That is what gets people using the gear and sells cameras. Sure, some people will buy something else because of a spec list. The point that the M5 is the option he would actually reach for shows that Canon is probably making the right decision, even if it frustrates some potential buyers.

 

[9VIII]

...
Geeky features are nice to have, but most buyers are scared to even delve into the menus.
...

I was talking to a woman recently who'd bought a 600D or similar. She'd tried to take a photo once but the review never worked so she put the camera down and hasn't used it since. In trying to help her with what is effectively blind advice, I mentioned that she might need to format the card first. She had no idea what that was or where it would be.

Attitude really does make all the difference in the world sometimes.

After I dropped my 400f5.6 and found that the AF motor was wonky, the first thing I did was try to disassemble it.
It was long out of warranty so it's not like I could break anything that Canon couldn't fix at the same time anyway.

 

[Sharlin]

Geeky features are nice to have, but most buyers are scared to even delve into the menus.

The M5 is a *fail* - can't even load instagram on it like you can with Sony mirrorless:

http://www.++++++++rumors.com/cool-hack-daniel-wood-installs-instagram-sony-a7rii/

Canon are years behind!!

I guess you can't "install Instagram" to it but you can install an Instagram uploader to it... just like many other WiFi-equipped Canon bodies.

 

[LDS]

If Canon delivered a mirrorless version of the 80D that could do 15fps, would anyone question "who is it for"?
Or does 15fps belong to only a 1DX and 7D series camera?

How many people in the target market for such cameras routinely shoot not at 10fps or 5fps, but beyond 2fps? How many people in that target market really miss photo opportunities because the camera can't shoot fast enough? How many in that target are willingly to pay more - because it may be quite useless to be able to shoot at 15fps for only 2s - for a feature they maybe use once in their camera lifetime?

Those who need such speeds are exactly those who would buy a 1DX or 7D anyway, because they don't need speed alone, but a whole system designed for a more demanding use. And still, many perform a kind of photography which needs single shot only...

Guess we should add "SAS" - "Specs Acquisition Syndrome" to GAS... for the joy of marketing people

 

[d]

Geeky features are nice to have, but most buyers are scared to even delve into the menus.

The M5 is a *fail* - can't even load instagram on it like you can with Sony mirrorless:

http://www.++++++++rumors.com/cool-hack-daniel-wood-installs-instagram-sony-a7rii/

Canon are years behind!!

I guess you can't "install Instagram" to it but you can install an Instagram uploader to it... just like many other WiFi-equipped Canon bodies.

Lol - sorry I was trying to be tongue in cheek! I don't care about uploading to social media direct from camera, though there are no doubt those who do. Didn't realise there were uploaders available - thanks for sharing.

 

[LDS]

I don't care about uploading to social media direct from camera, though there are no doubt those who do.

Just like SmartTVs, there's a not so remote risk any client on a camera will become useless as soon as the destination site "upgrades" the upload protocol and the camera client is not maintained.

So probably you'll get "features" that will become unusable in two/three years - which could be acceptable for phones that gets replaced more or less in the same period, not for a camera that should "live" far longer.

 

[Sharlin]

I guess you can't "install Instagram" to it but you can install an Instagram uploader to it... just like many other WiFi-equipped Canon bodies.

Lol - sorry I was trying to be tongue in cheek! I don't care about uploading to social media direct from camera, though there are no doubt those who do. Didn't realise there were uploaders available - thanks for sharing.

Yeah, I know Just found it particularly funny because with Canon you actually can (heh). You can register various social media accounts using the EOS Utility. To upload you need WiFi of course as the cameras don't have cellular connectivity.