Canon EOS M 18.0 MP Compact Systems Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD and EF-M22 STM Lens Black

I heard so many negative things about Canon EOS M so I stayed away from it for long time. Auto focus speed, lack of EVF option, Controls, lack of native lens selection, initial price, and the list goes on. Well, prices have come down drastically and my curiosity got the best of me as I heard that image quality was that of T4i which is very good. I went with this 22mm f/2 kit instead of 18-55mm zoom because I personally like the image quality and the speed of the prime lenses over the zoom ability. Image Quality is foremost important to me. 22mm f/2 which is near 35mm equivalent in full frame and has fast f/2 aperture (not much difference between f/2 and more typical f/1.8, but there is big difference between f/1.8 and f/2.8). f/2.8 primes while the IQ is typically better than a zoom, speed and DOF control isn't much different from a good f/2.8 zoom lenses. I am so glad Canon went with f/2 instead of f/2.8. I love the bokeh and ability to isolate subject with this lens as well as low light capability paired with the ASP-C sensor. It's one sharp lens that I wouldn't mind paying for entire price of the camera kit for. Sony and M43 versions of 35mm equivalent primes with at least f/1.8 aperture (since they don't make f/2) costs more than the entire EOS M Camera kit. Even if you already have Olympus, Panasonic, or Sony Nex, I would get this kit just for this lens. 22mm f/2 is pancake lens making the entire camera jacket pocketable. Great. Now, as for image quality, it's GREAT. Paired with 22mm f/2 Canon EOS M is able to produce beautiful sharp images. 35mm is most versatile range in my opinion. The entire kit cost $300 - 350. Wow. Try to get ASP-C sensor Mirrorless body with a "fast" pancake prime and see how much it cost you. M43 has Olympus 17mm f/1.8 $400-500 alone and Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 for around $300-400 used or new. Again slightly faster aperture is negated by smaller sensor compared to larger sensor on Canon when looking at low light and shallow DOF. Sony Nex has Zeiss 24mm f/1.8 premium lens that costs around $700-1000. Nothing cheaper if you are looking for around 35mm range prime with near f/1.8 aperture. I currently use Olympus m43, but I picked up this kit as it hits that 35mm fast prime void for $100 less. As for the CON of this kit. Canon EOS M does have much slower AF. It got better to be tolerable from what I hear, but "compared" to other options, it's definitely slower. Not for moving subjects. I was planning to use this kit for still subjects so that's no problem. The control is kind of bad, but it can be considered ok or even good only if you don't mind using the touch screen to change your settings instead of buttons. I personally got used to using the touch screen and come to like it. No built in Flash. (I real like the convenience of those tiltable build in flashes). I do like those tiltable displays for creative shots or candid shots. It would have been great if it had it. No EVF option. Well, at initial price this was a problem, but with current prices, that is comparable to other mirrorless in this price range. All it all, I say give it a try. Not much to lose with these prices. Don't get anything else even if you have other Canon lenses. This kit is perfect as it is with its limitations for current PRICE. Buying flash, 18-55mm (maybe this is ok since it's cheap as well), or the adapter kind of spoils the bargain aspect with little gain. If you have other Canon lenses that means you have a DSLR Body. Why would you use it on this camera with the limitations mentioned? Portability? As soon as you put that large lens on save 40mm f/2.8, it becomes an awkward set up. Don't do it. Flash? maybe... hopefully with f/2 and its high iso capability, you don't need one. Canon EOS M currently isn't so great if you are looking to "grow" your system. There are MUCH better options. Get it for stand alone 22mm (35mm equivalent) f/2 set up with maybe addition of 18-55mm. I would not get the 18-55mm bundle over this one as Sony Nex 3N or F3 kit is better than Canon EOS M 18-55mm kit in terms of value for features including similar image qualities for similar price. Canon EOS M only becomes incredible value for those who appreciates 35mm fast prime as you can't get one at this price on any other system with this good of image quality any where. I am saying this 22mm f/2 kit for the price is a five star, and not EOS M if you disregard the price.

EDIT: An announcement was made that firmware will be released at the end of june that will greatly speed up the AF performance. so... END EDIT This camera is fantastic, I have had it for awhile now and it pleases me more every time I use it. First, build quality: the build on this camera is easily up to the par of the xxD line of prosumer cameras.. well at least from the 50D back, as the camera is built with magnesium alloy on the whole body and an aluminum cased lens. Short of the weather sealing it is built like the tanks of the eos line. Ergonomics: Now, I'm not a clumsy person, I don't go around throwing my cameras all over. even so the M (black version) is really a pleasure to hold and I don't find myself fighting for grip with it. I can't use the rebel line of cameras, they just don't fit me, in fact I am not partial to using the smaller of the xxD line (20,30,40,60D) without a vertical grip. The eos M is a great fit, perhaps it's the size to weight ratio, but it just feels right in my hands. Just in case I do use a wrist strap, I made one by taking one of the neck strap quick connects off and attaching a regular wrist strap (for a nikon 1) through it just as if it were a normal eyelet. Menus: I didn't think i would like the lack of buttons and touchscreen, however I now find them extremely intuitive, one handed operation on the rear is extremely easy. the jog wheel on the rear can control almost all the functions i would need (shutter speed, aperture, exposure comp, etc) one of my favorite things is that the settings stay with the mode I am in, for instance if I have the mode set for A and have it set for multi shot and the focus set to flexizone multi and autofocus, I can switch quickly (using the top dial) to manual and have it set for single point and AF+MF. Most of the parameters and menu features stay with the modes as well, great for switching quickly between two completely different shooting styles. the touch screen is great as well, i can scroll through things with the right dial and then immediately select something to change or a menu by touching, the touch to focus and shoot has been fantastic for tripod shots. Focus: yes, this has been a very outspoken item whenever the M is even mentioned, so much so that the rest of the camera is ignored. is it slow at times, yes, would I pan with a subject and shoot frame after frame all the way down the pitch at a soccer match, probably not. it also isn't great for just run and gun style photography. but most would have a higher end SLR if they really plan on this style of photography. honestly, whenever I think it might be too slow, I prefocus or simply use manual focus. I know this might sound like a pain, but a good photographer will get very good at this. I do this even with my SLR, why? well.. as smart as the AF systems are, they don't always put just what I want in focus, so by the time I pressed to select the focus point and framed, then focused, I usually could have done it faster on the M's fantastically clear screen. don't want the "hassel"? don't even think about buying a leica..... I shot a street festival recently and used manual focus for quite a bit of the action, maybe one out of 50 or so shots wasn't quite the right focus, and that was at f4 at 200mm. that said I love using the AF+MF mode, I can quickly let the camera get close and then narrow right in without any hunt. Low light with no AF assist? you shouldn't be using auto... that's all I'm really going to say about it, it works fine for my style. EDIT: forgot to say how to increase the AF speed for those that aren't too familiar with AF systems, on the M change the AF type to flexizone- single and under the second menu, disable continuous AF. The single point AF is much faster and more accurate because it is more direct, no multi-step, complex algorithm, face detection etc. turning off the continuous AF keeps the camera from hunting and also saves battery life as the camera isn't constantly trying to adjust focus when you are just holding the camera. with these settings the AF is great for this type of camera and should be fantastic once the faster firmware is released. :END EDIT Image quality: this is one of the places this camera really starts to shine, with the digic 5 processor and aps-c sensor this camera is up there with the best prosumer cameras outside of full frame. the low light quality is fantastic and even large prints are just wonderful to see. right out of the box with the 22mm the image quality is better than any fixed lens camera i have ever seen, and yet I can take it everywhere with me just like a point and shoot. I use the lowepro dashpoint 20 case and it fits the camera with 22mm lens and wrist strap into something i can even run with, its great wearing everyday on a belt or slipping into a bag, try that with any size SLR ;) now the real treat comes when using the adapter and L lenses. the picture quality is outstanding, and it recognizes the lens I am using and can automatically ( and quite nicely ) correct the known distortions and vignetting for that lens at the given aperture and focal length. Big lens ergonomics: on my SLRs I have to have a vertical grip, especially when shooting with a 70-200L now with this camera and that lens, its more like the camera is attached to the back of the lens and not the other way around. given this, you are really holding the lens and not the camera, as such its actually more comfortable for me than with the tiny lens, I can hold with my left hand and adjust things by touching the screen or using the dial with my right. did I mention the image quality? yea, well its that good. I actually prefer it to the 60D, the build quality is better, the functions are easier to use, and the processor is better, what does that mean? it introduces us to the next point. Video: where have you been all my life? The M is not actually that much bigger than a gopro and yet the video is up there with the best DSLRs, the brilliant thing is that I can shoot full manual and have the pro quality look of low shutter speed (no rolling shutter) and variable DOF.. the fantastic thing is that with just a small RAM mount I can produce in-car and on-car footage that is above and beyond an action cam and rock solid, this camera is even unobtrusive suction cupped to my windshield. The digic 5 processor works wonders in this cam and the screen is a joy to film with. the M has a stereo 3.5mm mic input and manual volume adjustment. whats more, it doesn't overheat like some of the even more expensive cams like some of the 7Ds, it shoots continually for 29min 59sec though the file is broken apart into 12min segments on the card. I use 16 and 32gig sandisk extreme SDHC cards and at full resolution I got the full length of video 100% error free.. using this camera to shoot video with L lenses is a joy, the video is pristine and as you use manual focus in video anyway, the big slr is actually at a disadvantage here, I can fly this camera, steady cam it, suction cup it, etc. far easier than many of the larger SLRs and yet the video outshines more than its fair share, with audio features not even found on some of the go-to cameras in the market. What can I say, I'm thoroughly impressed.. and it more than easily fits in my carry on.......

great camera - dslr quality - but no viewfinder makes it very lame to try and use properly -- be prepared for professional build quality with cheapo camera usability - when trying to photograph a specific small subject the focus square will not go small enough so you might have the wrong thing in focus -- the touch screen is great -- the 22mm f/2 lens is wonderful