Is Canon EOS SL1 / 100D still worth to buy? Or M3?

[KeithBreazeal]

I initially bought the SL-1 for my "pole-cam" and found it to be really good for IQ. I now keep it with me on local trips versus carrying the beasts. If it gets damaged or stolen, I would shed less tears.
It really is a surprisingly good little body- just not bomb proof.

Edwards NASA museum & Displays0328 by Keith Breazeal, on Flickr

Pole cam Mil stat Seabee Warbirds Reno 2014 Sun 3598 © Keith Breazeal by Keith Breazeal, on Flickr

Bodie with pole cam web © Keith Breazeal by Keith Breazeal, on Flickr

 

[RustyTheGeek]

I'm a SL1 fan/owner/advocate. Get the SL1.

 

[Sportsgal501]

I'm a SL1 fan/owner/advocate. Get the SL1.

Same here...debating if I want to get a nifty fifty lens to add to the family of primes.

 

[RustyTheGeek]

I'm a SL1 fan/owner/advocate. Get the SL1.

Same here...debating if I want to get a nifty fifty lens to add to the family of primes.

I got a good deal (used, eBay) on the 24mm EF-S Pancake. That's roughly a 40mm lens on the SL1 crop sensor. Works great on the SL1! (Plus it came with a little 3rd party lens hood that is also nice.) Give that a shot for a pretty small prime unit.

 

[dak723]

Sayonara, Canon.

It's been a swell ride, but it's over now between us. You remember back when it started, with a 4MP G3. Traded in my Nikon F2 film camera plus 5 Nikkor lenses. Learned all about photography with that F2, in the 1970's. Neither one of us were rookies, back then.

Graduated to a couple of EOS Rebels, with the promise of world class optics and more pixels. Only these gradually got left behind because they were too big and too heavy. Left the Rebels for an M class. A nicely compact, very well made machine, with only a couple of problems. A little too small for my larger than average hands, and the lack of an optical viewfinder prevented me from composing the kind of landscapes that I loved.

Call me fickle if you will, but I thought that I found true love with the SL1. Just the right size, and an optical viewfinder! What more could one want?

A little less plasticky feel.
A sensor with a larger dynamic range (like one that your competitors already are using).
Your latest processor, maybe.
I don't even care about the crummy videos.

So I have been searching the Canon Rumors forum every day for months, maybe years, for the elusive SL2.

No luck.

Well Canon, this boy is tired of waiting. He is going back to his first love, Nikon. A D5500. Right size, a little less plastic, more dynamic range.

It's been real.

You joined just to say goodbye! How wonderful! Canon and Nikon both make excellent cameras. No one cares which you choose. If your main concern is DR, then by all means go away! We don't need another DR crybaby here on CR.

 

[LesC]

I have both the 100D & the original EOS M. Although the EOS M is nice, I very rarely use it probably due to lack of a viewfinder.

However, the 100D gets lots of use - If I don't want the weight/size of my 6D + 24-70 it's great. Picture quality is superb - I often pair it with my 17-40 F4L but even with the 18-135 it's very nice & so light. Touch screen is very nice too.

I'd wholeheartedly recommend it; I really hope there is a successor but I suspect there wont be. CSC's seem to be all the rage at the moment but I'd sooner stick with the 100D...

Attached is a photo from the 100D + 18-135 at 135mm, ISO 800 ...

 

[yungfat]

I have both the 100D & the original EOS M. Although the EOS M is nice, I very rarely use it probably due to lack of a viewfinder.

However, the 100D gets lots of use - If I don't want the weight/size of my 6D + 24-70 it's great. Picture quality is superb - I often pair it with my 17-40 F4L but even with the 18-135 it's very nice & so light. Touch screen is very nice too.

I'd wholeheartedly recommend it; I really hope there is a successor but I suspect there wont be. CSC's seem to be all the rage at the moment but I'd sooner stick with the 100D...

Attached is a photo from the 100D + 18-135 at 135mm, ISO 800 ...

Thanks LesC.

Although SL1 isn't a very popular camera from Canon camp, but it seems those who purchased are really fall in love with the camera, for its light weight, picture quality, build quality and so on...

I think for my needs, there is no way to go if I need a compact dslr that can carry anywhere.

 

[[email protected]]

This post inspired me to check out a used M from eBay. Boy, is it a nice form factor. Makes my SL-1 look like an awkward 6-foot-tall teenager. But I can't get good pictures of anything that moves. Now this is the original M, so I'm sure the m2 and m3 are better, but woo-boy. I can't see how this autofocus could possibly be so slow when we have point-and-shoot cameras from Canon that are many times faster than this. It's genuinely awful.

I was thinking of keeping it to teach my daughter how to take pictures, but now that I have them both in front of me, the SL-1 is going to be much better because 1) it has more manual controls to show the concepts of photography and 2) she'll actually be able to take shots of action and deliberately blur, etc., in the learning process.

I would say this, though: if you have someone who is so unsophisticated or "too cool" or just plain lazy to fiddle with more than 3 buttons on a camera, then the M series would be better. I was teaching my 5-year-old the exposure triangle and how those concepts were manipulated on the SL-1. She's getting it fine, but she's motivated (chocolate). I know another who is not so motivated, and I think she's going to like the M better than her SL-1.

 

[koenkooi]

This post inspired me to check out a used M from eBay. Boy, is it a nice form factor. Makes my SL-1 look like an awkward 6-foot-tall teenager. But I can't get good pictures of anything that moves. Now this is the original M, so I'm sure the m2 and m3 are better, but woo-boy. I can't see how this autofocus could possibly be so slow when we have point-and-shoot cameras from Canon that are many times faster than this. It's genuinely awful.

Have you installed the firmware upgrade? That makes a big difference. It's still sub-par, but it stops being infuriating.

 

[yungfat]

This post inspired me to check out a used M from eBay. Boy, is it a nice form factor. Makes my SL-1 look like an awkward 6-foot-tall teenager. But I can't get good pictures of anything that moves. Now this is the original M, so I'm sure the m2 and m3 are better, but woo-boy. I can't see how this autofocus could possibly be so slow when we have point-and-shoot cameras from Canon that are many times faster than this. It's genuinely awful.

I was thinking of keeping it to teach my daughter how to take pictures, but now that I have them both in front of me, the SL-1 is going to be much better because 1) it has more manual controls to show the concepts of photography and 2) she'll actually be able to take shots of action and deliberately blur, etc., in the learning process.

I would say this, though: if you have someone who is so unsophisticated or "too cool" or just plain lazy to fiddle with more than 3 buttons on a camera, then the M series would be better. I was teaching my 5-year-old the exposure triangle and how those concepts were manipulated on the SL-1. She's getting it fine, but she's motivated (chocolate). I know another who is not so motivated, and I think she's going to like the M better than her SL-1.

Your daughter got a good father
How lucky she is!

 

[yungfat]

Hi!

I got an voucher recently, and I have change to redeem it with discount for M3, or 1200D, unfortunately 100D is not in the list, 760D & 70D is too large for my purpose.

Do you think 1200D is close with 100D? Or I should just go with M3?

Thank you.

 

[KrazyE]

I have both the 1200D and the 100D. I like the 100D better, but that's probably because I had it first and got use to it. I'm pretty sure they have the same sensor so images should be very similar. The 1200D is a little bit larger, and is more "Rebel" like. I feel like the 100D is just a little bit nicer than the entry level Rebel.

 

[yungfat]

I have both the 1200D and the 100D. I like the 100D better, but that's probably because I had it first and got use to it. I'm pretty sure they have the same sensor so images should be very similar. The 1200D is a little bit larger, and is more "Rebel" like. I feel like the 100D is just a little bit nicer than the entry level Rebel.

Thanks KraztE.

Do you feel the AF work the same way?

Although both are identical from the specs, is it real different while shooting with both?

Just out curiosity, why you still get a1200D while you already have the 100D?

Thank you.

 

[TeT]

You wont notice any real difference between the 100 & 1200 regarding AF.

Both focus in low light better than the M3... and no action shots with the M3

 

[yungfat]

You wont notice any real difference between the 100 & 1200 regarding AF.

Both focus in low light better than the M3... and no action shots with the M3

Thanks TeT.

In fact, one of my friend told me he thinking to buy M3 for his travel camera. He is using his old 8mp Olympus DSLR, got very sharp shoot even when sitting in the car that moving very fast, he expect the M3 will do the same.

Well, I stop him right away and explained him what I learned from you all about the user experiences.

 

[KrazyE]

I have both the 1200D and the 100D. I like the 100D better, but that's probably because I had it first and got use to it. I'm pretty sure they have the same sensor so images should be very similar. The 1200D is a little bit larger, and is more "Rebel" like. I feel like the 100D is just a little bit nicer than the entry level Rebel.

Thanks KraztE.

Do you feel the AF work the same way?

Although both are identical from the specs, is it real different while shooting with both?

Just out curiosity, why you still get a1200D while you already have the 100D?

Thank you.

I won the 1200D in a contest. Shooting with them both are very similar. I use the 1200D mainly for video, (Even though the 100D is better at video). I have my camera stabilizer set up so I can just mount the 1200D on it and go. The 100D has spot metering while the 1200D doesn't. No Mic input on the 1200D. FPS is slower on the 1200D. The big thing I like on the 100D is I can switch to video with a flick of a switch vs. on the 1200D I have to spin the wheel around to get to video.

If you find yourself shooting with live view the 100D is much better with that.

 

[g.loitz]

I would personally have to go with the Sl1. I've had mine for about 6 months and I love it. I am upgrading to the 6D in about a month, but am still going to use the sl1 as a carry everywhere camera. Even though it's not really pocket-able (unless you have obscenely sized pockets for some reason), it is still portable enough to be carried around very easily in the smallest of camera bags. Pair it with some good glass, and I don't have any doubt that you will be more than satisfied with the results you can achieve with it. I currently have it paired with a 24-105L and a Sigma 30mm ART, and I love the results I can achieve with them together. I'm investing in the 6d because I am switching to doing photography full time, so now I need the FF, better ISO sensitivity, longer battery life when shooting events like weddings, parties, etc. But on just any normal day when I am shooting just for myself, or keeping it casual I definitely will stick with my SL1. One thing I think it is worth noting though, is that the SL1 is rated at about 380 shots per battery, however the shoot I did over the weekend yielded a little over 520+ shots on one full charge, using the stock battery. The little guy continues to impress. Hope this helps!

 

[yungfat]

I would personally have to go with the Sl1. I've had mine for about 6 months and I love it. I am upgrading to the 6D in about a month, but am still going to use the sl1 as a carry everywhere camera. Even though it's not really pocket-able (unless you have obscenely sized pockets for some reason), it is still portable enough to be carried around very easily in the smallest of camera bags. Pair it with some good glass, and I don't have any doubt that you will be more than satisfied with the results you can achieve with it. I currently have it paired with a 24-105L and a Sigma 30mm ART, and I love the results I can achieve with them together. I'm investing in the 6d because I am switching to doing photography full time, so now I need the FF, better ISO sensitivity, longer battery life when shooting events like weddings, parties, etc. But on just any normal day when I am shooting just for myself, or keeping it casual I definitely will stick with my SL1. One thing I think it is worth noting though, is that the SL1 is rated at about 380 shots per battery, however the shoot I did over the weekend yielded a little over 520+ shots on one full charge, using the stock battery. The little guy continues to impress. Hope this helps!

Wow, nice shoot.
Btw, I went to 6D as there are huge discount when the time I am considered SL1.
6D is awesome, might also consider to buy one SL1 if SL2 doesn't exist...
Thanks again

 

[TeT]

SL1 beats M3. Hopefully that changes with the M5. Its not about IQ.. they are all good to go in that regard.

 

[yungfat]

SL1 beats M3. Hopefully that changes with the M5. Its not about IQ.. they are all good to go in that regard.

Hi, TeT,
If the M5 DPAF is as good as the 5D mk IV, I might consider to purchase one instead of waiting for the SL2.
Cheers...