EOS-M kicking butt in Japan

[unfocused]

BCN Ranking, via Photo Rumors, reports that Canon's EOS-M is in the #3 slot in Mirrorless Camera Sales in Japan for the first nine months of the year. That's pretty incredible considering the camera wasn't even announced until July.

Just goes to show how out of touch many on this forum are. And, I admit, I was (and still am) underwhelmed by the EOS-M. But, once again, Canon proves they knows how to sell them cameras.

 

[RLPhoto]

I like the EOS-M. Its a friendly looking camera with Great IQ.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

The camera is aimed at women, and lots of women in Japan are enthusiastic photographers, so I'd expect it to be doing well in Japan. Its about time that a high end camera was created that takes into account features that women want.

 

[dr croubie]

See my comment on the original PR post. Unfortunately, PRGuy got it wrong, those are the top 10 sales figures for 01-22 October only (and there's always going to be a big rush upon launch).
Still, nice to see that it's doing well (although there's some weird things in there, like the Pentax Q sells well, and the NEX-7 doesn't, and there's no Fuji anything or OM-D in there)

 

[unfocused]

See my comment on the original PR post. Unfortunately, PRGuy got it wrong, those are the top 10 sales figures for 01-22 October only (and there's always going to be a big rush upon launch).
Still, nice to see that it's doing well (although there's some weird things in there, like the Pentax Q sells well, and the NEX-7 doesn't, and there's no Fuji anything or OM-D in there)

In the immortal words of Emily Litella: "Never Mind." (Although I suppose those are still pretty good numbers and certainly beating Nikon)

 

[Zv]

A few reasons it's doing so well in Japan (based on living here) -

1. Canon's advertising a marketing campaigns are effective, when somethin new comes out you know all about it!
2. Japanese people love new gadgets, especially cameras.
3. It's small - they love small and cute things that come in multiple colors.
4. People stick to brands they know, Loyalty is everything.
5. OM-D and Sony NEX-7 not advertised as much and costs more.

I don't agree entirely with the aimed at women thing. I think Canon is going for the young party goers and weekend hobbyists, male or female. Though it would be interesting to see the demographic breakdown of sales!

I would be interested in EOS-M for things like Karaoke, nightclubs, bars, restaurants, camping trips, hiking and any other situation where my 5D mk II and lens collection are overkill / less than ideal.

 

[V8Beast]

Just goes to show how out of touch many on this forum are. And, I admit, I was (and still am) underwhelmed by the EOS-M. But, once again, Canon proves they knows how to sell them cameras.

Well said. I stand by my prior assessment that the EOS-M is a gimmicky product that doesn't suit any of my needs, so I will therefore never own. That said, maybe, just maybe, companies like Canon conduct extensive market research to determine the demand for future products before bringing them to market? If message board tech heads were the real experts, than Canon would be on the verge of bankruptcy due to its stagnation in DR improvements.

 

[Deleted member 7828]

The appeal of this camera for me is quite simple: I'm all about image quality. And the M takes DSLR quality and stuffs it into a P&S body. It has a non-intimidating appearance (with the 22mm), which matters in certain environments. The SD950IS I currently use as my compact camera is no longer cutting it, since the gap in IQ has widened considerably since making DSLR lens upgrades...and if I can't bring the DSLR (for whatever reason) I still want good quality shots. This is where the EOS M comes in.

I was underwhelmed with some test photos I saw online...but changed my mind as soon as I got one and took some pics. The (test) photos I've taken so far with the EOS M - I can't tell a difference between them and my 60D pics. They look like they came out of a DSLR. It's actually more of a testament to the surprisingly good quality of the 22mm kit lens than it is the camera itself given that its sensor is identical to the T4i (and therefore you'd expect high quality given a good lens).

My 270EX II fits the M quite well - it is maybe a little on the large side compared to the tiny 90EX, but it is far more powerful, it can tilt and bounce - and it is the same price. No-brainer for me (plus it's a great pocket flash for the 5DIII as well).

What I like:

- Size & weight:

With the 22mm it's small, JUST shy of being pocket-size.

When the situation matters, it doesn't draw attention/suspicion like a big DSLR would but is still able to deliver on quality.


- Ease of use: The camera is really fun to use. It's straightforward and intuitive - for the most part.

- High image quality: Photos are basically indistinguishable from my 60D shots...and I use L lenses, too.

- AF Points: Plenty of AF points (31) means more freedom of composition, and less cropping afterward (if you can get close enough).

What I don't like:

- AF Speed: The speed of AF seems to depend on what mode the camera is in. While it is adequate in single focus, center point mode, in other modes it will hunt on occasion...and when it hunts, it can sometimes take several seconds. So basically, this is not an action/sports camera at all. It is fine for still subjects and portraits. Having said that, it is not nearly as bad as I thought it would be given how hard many folks on the internet were knocking it. It really is no worse than a Powershot camera if you're using the "FlexiZone-Single" focus mode.

- Lack of customization (compared to Canon's DSLRs): It would be nice to be able to customize the camera a little more- assign more buttons to functions (and not just the trash one). Perhaps change the layout of the touch screen based on how you use the camera.

Bottom Line:

I really like this camera so far. I'm still amazed at how a camera less than half the size of my 60D is able to match it in IQ. Of course, when it comes to photographing anything moving, faraway subjects, or low-light photography the DSLR will win every time. Can't wait to use it in a real-world situation (which will be in a couple of weeks).

 

[Hillsilly]

They’re not perfect for everyone, but they fit the bill for a lot of people. It offers a reasonable level of capabilities and image quality. It is significantly better than phones and most point and shoots. In that price range, excluding DSLRs, it is difficult to say that anything else is “better”. And, if you already have some Canon lenses, it would be the logical choice for a small camera. But personally, I’m holding off until version 2 with the EVF, improved battery life and bundled EF to EF-M adapter.

I noticed that someone said they were designed for women. Well, they do make up half of the population. But what's next - a camera designed for left handers? The whole camera universe would implode.

 

[Rocky]

But what's next - a camera designed for left handers?

Get an Exakta. It is all left handed, including the film winder. :=)

 

[Dylan777]

The camera is aimed at women, and lots of women in Japan are enthusiastic photographers, so I'd expect it to be doing well in Japan. Its about time that a high end camera was created that takes into account features that women want.

-1....Count me in when Canon has FF mirrorless. Hope they will have some decent pancake lenses. I DO NOT wish to mount my 24-70 or 70-200 on that mirrorless body.

 

[pwp]

I'm glad it's doing so well; that's likely to inspire Canon to expand its mirrorless range sooner rather than later. Call me old fashioned, but I wouldn't contemplate serious photography on a camera without a proper viewfinder. And I'm perfectly happy if that happens to be a quality EVF.

When Canon deliver the mirrorless with EVF and snappin' AF I'm on board! In a heartbeat...

-PW

 

[sandymandy]

Hm i was wrong then i guess Why cant canon make a rangefinder?

 

[Ricku]

Very sad news.

I was hoping that people would ignore this camera, because it isn't full frame.

The EOS M is just another "I can too!"

 

[traveller]

See my comment on the original PR post. Unfortunately, PRGuy got it wrong, those are the top 10 sales figures for 01-22 October only (and there's always going to be a big rush upon launch).
Still, nice to see that it's doing well (although there's some weird things in there, like the Pentax Q sells well, and the NEX-7 doesn't, and there's no Fuji anything or OM-D in there)

That's exactly it, the Japanese especially love new things.

Continuing the discussion ( ) - quite a number of people seem to want full frame. I wonder how keen they'd be when they saw the size and price of the lenses! Really, this boils down to what you want the camera for and what compromises you are willing to accept. If you're looking for a smaller, yet still very capable camera system to supplement your DSLR, then I'd suggest that you don't want full frame, as it adds size and cost whilst duplicating capabilities you already have.

In some ways, this mirrors (pun noted!) the currently available systems. I would suggest that Fuji's X-system is very much orientated at those who are looking to change from a DSLR based set-up to something more compact, rather than those who seek to supplement their DSLR with something smaller. Hence why the X-series are physically larger and amongst the most expensive of the mirrorless cameras.

DSLR DSLR supplement point and shoot upgraders
replacement
X-Pro1 ------------- NEX-7, OMD EM5 ---------- GX-1, EP3 ----------- EPLx, GFx, Nikon 1

I'm not trying to suggest that there are any clear cut boundaries (nor was I trying to be comprehensive), just that there is a vague spectrum, upon which different cameras exist. As you move further to the left on my spectrum, the more niche the product becomes. Might I therefore also suggest that the further to the left a camera is, the less attractive it becomes to the mainstream manufacturers like Canon and Nikon.

 

[Zv]

Had a play about with one today at a camera store. I have to admit it's quite addictive! Here's some things I like / don't like about it -

Like - the touchscreen. You can select an AF point (area?) just by touching the screen. Cool. Also the Playback zoom is super easy with the pinch and grab movements.
It's small, with the 22mm it could fit in a coat pocket, not in your jeans pocket though.
The IQ of the 22mm was pretty good too, slightly better than the 18-55mm.

Dislike - AF was slow. I'll try and be specific here. Even when the subject is already close to being in focus it still hunts back and forth once or twice and then locks. Average time to lock on was between 1 to 2 seconds. Lighting conditions were average. You will not be able to take a quick snap with this thing.
The EF adapter is pretty heavy. Probably weighs more than my 50mm f/1.8 II.

But overall I still think it has potential if they can fix the AF with a firmware.

 

[brad-man]

Very sad news.

I was hoping that people would ignore this camera, because it isn't full frame.

The EOS M is just another "I can too!"

This is a very odd sentiment. Did you expect Canon's first mirrorless would be full frame? It is already a full size APS-C. I am hoping the camera will be a success, thereby prompting Canon to expand the line with more features and lenses worthy of a "real" system. This, in turn, will eventually lead to a full frame version...

 

[Nishi Drew]

Here in Japan, I visited a photo gallery, and one of the gentlemen who's work was at the exhibition was toying with his M, attached to it was a massive (or with the small body looked that much larger) telephoto. He was taking pictures of me and a few others with it having some fun. For people with a wealth of EF lenses it would be tempting, but man, it doesn't stand out any less, is now awkwardly front heavy, and less controls + no VF would mean slower operation anyways... yeah basically what everyone's been saying, but I saw it happening in the wild!

 

[weixing]

Hi,
If you do the calculation, Canon G1X sensor has similar pixel size with 7D, 60D, 650D and EOS M... at around 4.3um.

So, you want a camera with good IQ, you can have the following choice:
1) P&S: Canon G1X
2) Mirrorless: EOS M
3) General Purpose DSLR: 650D
4) Mid level DSLR: 60D
5) Sport/Wildlife DSLR: 7D

WOW! Canon cover all the range with one sensor design.

Have a nice day.

 

[DB]

It is good that Canon is enjoying some success with their new mirror-less APS-C offering, but I fear that it could put more pressure on Canon to make smaller and lighter bodies, that in turn may result in smaller & lighter EF lenses (just look at how much weight they shaved off the 24-70 II by using more plastic).