One of the biggest questions in the world of Canon is what will the company do with the EOS M lineup? I think most people, whether they wanted it to happen or not are resigned to the fact that Canon isn't likely to spend resources developing the EOS M system.

I have spoken to two sources recently, and both suggested that 2021 will be the last year of the EOS M lineup and that the EOS M50 Mark II was a “stop-gap for a couple of future RF mount APS-C cameras”.

This is the first time that I've heard that there are two APS-C RF mount cameras coming, but it makes some sense. The EOS M lineup has its fans, and if Canon can release an APS-C RF mount camera around the same size as current EOS M cameras, they'll have a winner.

Both sources were also adamant that there will not be RF-S lenses for APS-C EOS R cameras, but that future lens design will “fill the void of no dedicated APS-C lenses”. This makes some sense, as the only lenses APS-C shooters will likely require is a walk around kit zoom and a wide-angle lens.

I have reported that a Canon RF 18-45mm f/4-5.6 IS STM is coming in 2021, and that looks like it would be suitable as a kit lens for a crop camera, but it will also cover full-frame sensors. Canon will also be doing a Canon RF 10-24mm f/4L USM. which would cover the wide-angle needs of crop shooters, but I still think Canon will need a non-L lens starting at 10mm for cost reasons.

I suspect the EOS M will hang on a bit beyond 2021 as inventory will still exist, but I do think Canon needs to directly address this sooner than later.

More to come…

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401 comments

  1. The M50 is still the best selling mirrorless camera on Amazon, will they really kill this cash cow? If they will go for it they have to release a 600-700$ RF camera, or this slice of the market will go to the competition
  2. Pretty wild. It is understandable that on the lens side, there's very little room left to fill out the line up with the constant outer diameter restriction. But that hasn't hurt the sales in the past. Is it actually so expensive to sustain a few APS-C bodies to go along with it?

    If so, this sounds like the end of APS-C as we know it. At least in Canon land.
  3. An affordable crop RF body would be a nice complement for the RP to add some reach. Consumer wide angle lenses are exciting news as well. Speaking only for this Rebel class household (there’s no ‘L’ in here). Putting the RF 24-240 on a 24 or 32 MP crop sensor could be fun! We have the 35 f1.8 and 85 f2 as well. Both would do well on a crop body.

    That said, I can’t see them discontinuing M production as long as they sell well and are profitable. Just maybe little further development.
  4. The idea that all they need is a crap zoom and a wide angle. When it is the 22mm pancake and the size & quality combination of the 11-22 that make it worth having.

    I have no problem buying a spare m200 and picking up an m6ii to cover me for a decade off the clearance racks. I just can't believe that they could ever come close to meeting the form factor. Not the end of the world but I still hate it.
  5. I'm very happy they want to unite FF and APSC but I think it's a big mistake to not have a small lens lineup dedicated to the APSC cameras, essentially "ports" of the current M lenses. Many people would want such cheap and small lenses.

    We'll see what happens.
  6. An EOS M50 on steroids in M-land would have been my most desired camera: full frame 4k, good audio pre amps and maybe some 2-stop or 3-stop IBIS and it would be a joy to use the EF-M 32 on that camera for filming. I love that little lens so much because it has a brilliant IQ and the 1:4 maximum reproduction ratio besides the f/1.4 - a unique combination!
    If they finish the EOS M line I will buy 2 2nd hand bodies of M50 just to use that lens gem!
  7. Canon m50 was the favorite Canon camera before I sold it expecting a significant update with the m50 II... so close!

    Anyway is it a crazy idea to make an RF Lens that still fits the 54mm bayonet but only covers a APS-C sensor size in order to keep the weight and size of the lens down? I too would hate to go though the hassle of the ef \ ef-s situation again but if I can use my EOS R \ R6 in a cropped mode with a APS-C designed lens I'd be ok with that I think.

    I guess the point is the m50 + 15-45mm is the same focal range as the 24-70m of a full frame at a 1/4 of the weight ...

    I did a video a few years back comparing the 2 setups -
    here is that portion.

    There is no secret I'm bull on the Canon M line for travel, and is what I still recommend for people looking to get a "better camera"
  8. If they do kill the M line and replace it with crop sensor compact RF mount bodies, it would be foolish not to make some crop RF lenses. A 10-24/4 L RF is going to be about 10 EFM 11-22's. I own an 11-24/4 L. It has its charms. Light and compact are not among them. The thing is a beast. A 22/2 for a crop sensor can be very small, even with an RF mount. A 22/2 or 2.8 to cover full frame would be quite a bit bigger, maybe not twice the size, but bigger. And so on.
  9. If so, this sounds like the end of APS-C as we know it. At least in Canon land.
    Why do you say that? The same sources in the article mentioned “a couple of future RF mount APS-C cameras.”
  10. Why do you say that? The same sources in the article mentioned “a couple of future RF mount APS-C cameras.”
    Sure. But how do you replace the very budget oriented kits like the 1000D and M100 + EF-S 10-18 mm IS STM / 55-250 mm IS STM without producing APS-C specific lenses?

    What about the ultra tiny ones like the M200? That body is practically as tall as the EF-M lens mount. With an RF mount and lens, that design simply doesn't seem feasible.

    So the role of APS-C seems to either shift to reach and speed optimized bodies like the 7 series, or price regions that you can't reach with a FF sensor (sub 500?). Without dedicated lenses, there is only a little cost savings in the body and 0 size and weight savings, unless we are specifically talking reach limited setups. To me that justifies saying that the role of APS-C in the future is different from what it was in the past.
  11. I don't really see how this would work without crop RF lenses. A 10mm wide full frame lens is never going to be remotly cheap - L or not. The EF-S 10-18mm lens is £200 compared to £3000 for the EF 11-24L. The cost of glass elements rises exponentially with size so full frame lenses will always cost considerably more than APS-C crop lenses. This approach only really makes sense if you only consider a crop RF body as a companion/backup to a full frame RF body. On it's own a APS-C RF body makes very little sense without RF crop lenses.
  12. The idea that all they need is a crap zoom and a wide angle. When it is the 22mm pancake and the size & quality combination of the 11-22 that make it worth having.

    I have no problem buying a spare m200 and picking up an m6ii to cover me for a decade off the clearance racks. I just can't believe that they could ever come close to meeting the form factor. Not the end of the world but I still hate it.

    Exactly this. I got the first M1 during its clearance sale and it's been a treasure. My M50 hasn't been great but I just snatched up a m6ii. And I'll be prepared to snatch up another one or two to hold me over for a very long time.
  13. I just hope Canon knows what they are doing. A lot of these rumors lately seem counterintuitive. They wouldn't be the first company that pushed aside older management for young "innovators" only to have the new guys run the company into the ground.
  14. Really curious about the specs of those APS-C RF Bodies. Hope there will be a high end body with specs like R6 or R5 even if it's not cheaply priced.

    I do like the canon 10-18 EF-S lens and agree that I would like to see an updated RF version with better performance but cheaper priced than a equivalent UWA FF lens. Something like the price of a Canon EF 11-24 F4 doesn't make sense IMO for the people that will own a RF APS-C body. Otherwise I will just adapt my Canon 10-18.

    Overall I am very happy the RF line is getting APS-C options. I don't like the ergonomics of the M line and want to stay with APS-C. Assuming that the RF APS-C body (the high end one) won't have a super small form factor.
  15. Very sad news.
    I was introduced to the Canon land with an analog Rebel (500N) , then went on with two digital Rebels (350D and 450D). Then, after big and long hesitation, I upgraded to the smallest model that supports AF micro adjustments (80D). I like the IQ and features of my 80D especially with my walkaround 15-85 lens, but it lacks in two parameters: (1) it's too big (especially the grip) and too heavy, (2) has no IBIS.

    So I hoped that by the end of this year or beginning of 2021 I will be able to choose my next camera from at least two APS-C mirrorless models/lines that are capable similarly to my 80D, but are smaller, lighter (at least somewhat) and have IBIS. I also hoped that one of them will be (a kind of) EOS M 5 II.

    Now the rumors keep saying that this will not happen and the only viable option is to switch to Fuji... (ignoring the Sony A6600 because Sony also seems to focus too much on FF and leaving the APS-C to slowly die).

    Even if the new APS-C RF body had IBIS (but Nikon Z50 doesn't, so I expect that Canon will cripple the APS-C body in the same way), I still doubt they would make an RF 15-85 (how huge would need it be for FF) to have a reasonable walkaround lens (actually, I never understood the 3x "kit zooms", I never bought them with the body). According to the rumors they will never make a smaller/lighter 35mm F2 and 85mm F2. The existing 35 and 85 RF lenses are too big because of the added close focus feature (I can occasionally use extension tubes) and IS (no big need if the body had IBIS). And what about an equivalent (in size, weight and price) of the EOS M 22mm F2 and 32mmF1.4? The rumors say that they will just not happen either.

    So it's not the end of the world, but most probably the end of my use of Canon gear...
  16. This rumour sounds like cr guy stirring the pot again.
    Doesn't this go against the cr3 rumour that the apsc-r will be the same size as the r6, now we're back to talking about teeny wee apsc r's. What's the point!

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