End of the Line for M Series, Finally?

[Tronhard]

Canon Japan formally discontinues the last EOS-M cameras, saying goodbye to EF-M: Digital Photograph...

If so, is Canon finally starting to reduce its legacy platforms? They are taking their lead from an article from Canon Rumors: Canon EOS-M has been quietly discontinued (canonrumors.com)  In does seem that the M-series has disappeared from the USA catalogue and my local NZ catalogue listing. 

[Tronhard]

Agreed - but the question is why?   Again, I put that down to the fact that the A6xxx series include an integrated EVF, so one can hold them to the eye for stills photography and for a more stable platform for telephoto lenses, making them much more flexible bodies.   They also have killer optics and quite a few 3rd party lenses available.

[deebatman316]

With the advent of APS-C RF Mount cameras. There is no need for EF-M APS-C cameras anymore. Why have 2 separate incompatible Mounts when one works for both. No to mention different communication protocols between the RF Mount and the EF-M Mount.

[Tronhard]

I agree that this has been coming for a long time, and makes total sense.  Canon have been supporting 5 mounts: EF-M, EF, EF-S, RF and RF-S for a while and that is totally unsustainable in the shrinking ILC market.  Next on the chopping block will be already shrinking range of DSLRs and their lenses, I wonder how long that will take...

[Waddizzle]

I agree.  Canon has been supporting too many mounts, or it seems that way.  Development for the EF/EF-S mount came to al halt with the release of the first RF lenses.

Production of EF/EF-S lenses has been winding down for a few years now.  Just about all of the EF line has been discontinued.  With the growing arsenal of RF-S lenses, I would expect the EF-S line to be completely discontinued pretty soon.  Although it probably will not happen until the current stock of EF-S DSLRs has all but sold out.  

I disagree with the comparisons to cell phones.  The argument ibeing made s a valid one.  Except, it should apply to all interchangeable lens cameras, not just the M series camera bodies.

There is still significant demand for Sony A6xxx bodies.  If Canon were to completely discontinue the M series, then Canon would no longer have anything to offer to compete against it.  Nikon has never had anything to compete in that demographic.’

The only current RF bodies that could compete are the R50 and R100.  The R100 is crippled and the R50 is hobbled.  They’re not good replacements for the M Series.

[Tronhard]

I think much depends on what one wants to use these cameras for.  As I suggested, I think there are several different markets for these bodies - the travel camera for both stills and video with an APS-C sensor and access to a range of interchangeable optics, and the video/vlogging market (which I suspect is now the greater) with smaller lighter bodies and access to a wide range of good wide-normal lenses.

As I also mentioned, to me (for my purposes as a compact stills camera) the vast majority of the M-series bodies were themselves limited by the lack of an integrated VF and, to a less significant extent, a missing EV compensation dial.  But that is for my purposes.  Certainly, I would say that the platform's demise will have different impacts for different user types.  That said, one thing is clear.  Canon have decided that the M platform market has shrunk sufficiently, and the offerings on their R-series bodies, now offering both FF and APS-C sensors with much more advanced features, light bodies and in some cases quite small form factors, as well as a burgeoning array of equivalent optics that they are prepared to shut up shop on the manufacturing investment.

It may well be that some folks will then move to Sony, there are lots of people who have been threating that since the R platform came out, but with Canon's market dominance, I suspect that will not deter them.

[deebatman316]

I see Canon dropping support for the APS-C EF-S Mount first before the Full Frame EF Mount. Since the Full Frame EF Mount works for both camera types. Where as EF-S WILL ONLY mount on APS-C camera. Then technically RF-S isn't a lens mount. It's just an RF Mount lens with an APS-C image circle. 

[Waddizzle]

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@deebatman316 wrote:

With the advent of APS-C RF Mount cameras. There is no need for EF-M APS-C cameras anymore. Why have 2 separate incompatible Mounts when one works for both. No to mention different communication protocols between the RF Mount and the EF-M Mount.

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One big selling point for the M Series bodies has been the compact size.  The M Series bodies are arguably the same size as the M100.  It is almost as if Canon put an RF mount on the next generation of M Series bodies.

That’s great, except for one problem.  The R100 is not a full featured camera body like Sony A6xxx bodies.  I think everyone drawing comparisons to smart phones are looking the wrong direction.  The Sony A6xxx is still selling pretty strong, and the M Series sales are strong in all of those demographics, except for in the US.

[deebatman316]

Yes that is true the EOS M series cameras are small. So is Sony E Mount (NEX now Alpha). But the Sony E Mount was only an experiment. It wasn't originally intended to be Full Frame. Infact it was only meant to be experimental for APS-C. Sony's E Mount is infact smaller than the Minolta A Mount which was released in 1985. Which they purchased to be in the camera market. Most content creators aren't using phones or tablets to make videos. My coworker that does video work on the side uses Sony E Mount. Most content creators think Sony for video work. Not that Canon, Nikon, Panasonic and Fuji aren't around. But Sony markets there E Mount cameras to content creators more. While every other manufacturer is pushing the stills side of the camera. But there's been more of a push on the video specs now. I don't do video work only stills. So video features in a camera aren't important to me. So It won't matter if a camera can shoot 1080p vs 8K. That's a feature that I wouldn't be using anyway. I would be looking at sensor dynamic range, megapixels, AF system, dual card slots, lens selection & fps. 

[Doormat]

Sorry I’m late to the party

I’ve just purchased the M200 and that completes my canon M inventory 

I now have all 11 models 

plus all ef-m lenses, plus the sigma 1.4 trio, plus a dozen or so Chinese primes plus all the other bits I could find, cages, leather cases etc etc

For me the canon M system is/was perfect. I used to shoot the heavy FF 5diii and a whole host of L glass, but it all became too much. The M system was such a welcome, I hoped canon would have continued.. more fast primes, a M7 following the footsteps of the 7d/7dii series. Maybe they could have recreated a Leica clone built on the M6ii chassis, forget the pop up flash and hot shoe and instead fit a built in EVF a’la lLeica m6 configuration??

But No, instead they dump the whole system and try to force the R upon us m, all that’s done is made me dig my heels in and vow to keep using my M stuff until it all dies.. then if I’m still around (and care) I’ll be off to Fuji land.

I’ve handled the R100, R10, R50 didn’t care for any thought they were a huge step backwards from the M idea.. but we know those R models above are just low hanging fruit, canon wants you to buy, become frustrated at the poor lens offerings and subsequently move up to FF R models.

Nope, ain’t gonna happen. 
Canon, you’ve just lost a loyal canon user of 30yrs, nothing in your current line up will tempt me back. Luckily my 5diii’s and dozen L’s are all sat patiently by.

Biggest and most stupidest move ever by canon. 

Adios