The Phoblographer

The Leica 50mm f1.2 Noctilux is an incredibly stunning lens according to Reviews Editor Hillary Grigonis.

Why would you pay over $7,000 for a lens? Well, that’s what The Phoblographer Reviews Editor Hillary Grigonis was trying to figure out. She’s spent a while with the Leica 50mm f1.2 Noctliux lens shooting street photography, portraits, and documenting her life. It’s also her first Leica. Hillary is a seasoned Nikon shooter, and doing things with the Leica M system is much different. It’s a manual focus camera system. So what did she think?

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5 Minute Review: Leica 50mm f1.2 Noctliux Video

Leica 50mm f1.2 Specs

6 elements in 4 groups

2 aspherical elements

1-meter close focusing

16 aperture blades

Leica M mount

49mm filter thread

Vignettes wide open and mostly disappears by f2.8: true to classic lenses.

Rare silver edition limited to 100 units

$7,695

Thoughts

When the Leica 50mm f1.2 Noctilux launched, we lusted over it. We wrote:

“Yes, the Leica 50mm f1.2 Noctilux has 16 aperture blades. Comparatively speaking, the Sony G Master lens lineup has 11 aperture blades, and the 7Artisans 50mm f1.1 has 13 aperture blades. But this Leica lens will have the smoothest bokeh and by far the most character. For the passionate photographer with over $7,000 to burn, you’ll enjoy great portraits. In fact, I’d argue that this could be Leica’s best portrait lens. Leica also has the 75mm f1.25 Noctilux, but that’s not as versatile as a 50mm lens.”

And indeed, it sure is doing something different. Is it innovative? Not necessarily. But it’s doing something far different from the rest of modern lenses right now. Not many lenses have as many aperture blades, and most wouldn’t dare even try to get vignetting wide open. Most manufacturers have fought against that. Lots of professional photographers want that clinical look, but there are those who also want a signature look that we can’t get out of camera elsewhere. And that’s part of what makes this lens so special.

Of course, it’s also $7,000. But ,Hillary said it’s got a ton of character. She’s in love with the bokeh. And the build quality is top-notch. Even without the lens hood, she notes that the flare is well controlled. That’s an interesting one! Lots of folks love their lens flare, but it’s kept in check here.

Lenses like this will probably become less unusual as time goes on. Creatives are begging for unique looks. They like character and many of them go for that vintage look. But currently there isn’t much on the market that caters to this genre. As cameras and lenses become more expensive, we can expect this to come back into the norm.

Hillary is still working on her full review, and she’s been having a lot of fun with the lens so far. What do you think? Would you get it? Did you know that the original lens this is a reissue of is over $40,000? What would you shoot with this lens? Do you believe that lenses like this really have a future? We’d love to hear from you.

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We’ll leave you with some image samples. A few of the portraits are shot wide open at f1.2. Hillary is using the Leica M10R with its 40MP full-frame sensor. She edited her photos in Adobe Lightroom.

All images by Justino Lourenço. Used with permission.

First of all – my congratulations on the quality and resilience of your website. I decided to send some of my photos: some photographic work is on 35 / 120 mm film—my first experiments on photography started with my grandfather’s impulse. I was a teen near to an old medium format Kodak in the ’80s. My grandfather was an outdoor family shooter, always using direct and natural light. Perhaps that is the reason why I still shoot daylight, always running away from flash or any artificial lighting.

In the ’90s, I was shooting on digital, as everyone did by that time. In 2002, after my son was born – I shoot hundreds of digital photos on a Canon EOS 400D. Later, when he started practicing soccer – I had the father pleasure of shooting around 200 photos per week game. But the digital medium was speedy. It was a time when I was, like most people, living and working at the speed of light. The principal impulse was to click first and afterwards search the ideal photo in the panoply of digitally saved files.

Meanwhile, I started searching for new photographers, visiting exhibitions, and searching for calm and plenitude in my hobby of photography. The analog call out was there in the next corner. I run into eBay and search for an Olympus OM-10, and I buy one. A digital photographer should start analog with some automatic exposure help over film photography. Then I got a Lomo fisheye, Holga 120, Lomo Sprocket rocket, Rollei 35 SE, Canon FTB QL, Zenith 11, Minox 35 EL, Holga 135PC, Minolta 16 Model P, and a few more. I also bought several filters, colored and gradient filters, and half colored filters (red and blue and red and transparent). My lens choice (Canon FD, M42, an OM mount) falls most of the time in the 50mm or less, except for a 135mm and a zoom lens.

My favorites films are slide film and Kodak (Gold, Color Plus) for color and Ilford HP5 for B&W.

I tend to believe in perpetuating a moment while shooting. I am a portrait photographer when I am near my family, and I am an urban photographer for most of the time. Always searching for peculiar patterns and different views of things and places.

My photographic work is totally unpretentious. I believe that my combination of several analog techniques enables creating different perspectives about scenes that are there in front of everybody’s eyes. My freedom of being a photography hobbyist free my work from any constraints that may have conducted the photographic process. I think that I managed to show over the lens eye very different perspectives that are not easy to spot in a naked eye form. Some interesting colored effects act as positive distortions for a scene and intense B&W forms and perspectives of a city.

Why did you get into photography?

With the positive influence of my grandfather. We lend me his camera. We took several pictures and lead me in my first steps in photography.

Which photographers are your biggest influences? How did they affect who you are and how you create?

I still remember the incredible impact of one of my first photography books about Henri Cartier-Bresson. I love his spontaneous capacity to transform the photo scene into something better or unexpected – than before the camera presence.

Ansel Adams is also a significant influence. All its work inspires me whenever I travel when I shoot a landscape or move into nature photography.

And I could also mention many others such as Robert Capa, Philippe Haslman, Eve Arnold, and some current Instagram photographers.

How long have you been shooting? How do you feel you’ve evolved since you started?

My first experiments in photography happened in the 80s. Started as a hobby, but nowadays in something more profound: a sort of plenitude or meditation process while shooting. Sometimes in more disoriented or stressed moments – I feel the need for shooting. Besides personal and professional things, my bag always has a camera for that spec...

If you love bokeh and like your subjects to pop out of the image, these telephoto primes should be on your camera.

There are many lenses for portraits on the market. You have 35mm primes, 50mm primes, and 85mm primes. All of these are fantastic and can help you capture the human form nicely. However, if you want maximum sharpness and bokeh, you should not overlook 135mm lenses. These telephoto primes offer fast apertures, incredible optics, and levels of compression that produce flattering images. They’re just about the perfect portrait lens. After the break, we’ll take a look at five telephoto primes that will help you produce jaw-dropping portraits.

Sony 135mm F1.8 G Master

In our review, we said:

“Bokeh-hungry photographers will find lots to love about the Sony 135mm f1.8 G Master. Thanks to its 11 bladed circular aperture design, the 135mm G Master is capable of producing beautifully creamy bokeh that helps to isolate your subjects from the rest of the frame.”

Buy now: $2,078

Fujifilm 90mm f2 R LM WR (135mm Equivalent)

In our review, we said:

“The bokeh is creamy as ever here, which makes this an excellent lens for headshots and portraits. In fact, that’s what it was designed for. With all of this said, photographers of all types will love this lens for the bokeh. Professionals will value that they can photograph their clients with a lens wide open and get their perfectly in focus while the enthusiasts will sit there and cuddle with the lens day after day until they can’t do so anymore.”

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

Buy now: $949

Sigma 135mm f1.8 DG HSM Art

In our review, we said:

“The bokeh of the Sigma 135mm f1.8 DG HSM Art lens is arguably the best of any Sigma prime lens designated for portraiture. At all times, it is very creamy. Then when you consider how close this lens can focus, it’s no contest.”

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

Buy now Canon EF: $1,159

Get yours for Nikon F: $1,149.95

Buy now Sony E: $1,349.99

Pro Tip: Whether you’re new to portrait photography or you’ve been in the game for a while, learning new tips and tricks of the trade is always a good thing. It’s easy to become stale when it comes to posing your subjects. So, having a resource that can help you change things up is a godsend. This posing guide from Lindsay Adler will help you pose your subjects perfectly. Learn how to make men, women, and children of all body sizes and types look their absolute best and get the most out of your new telephoto primes.

Olympus 75mm f1.8 (150mm Equivalent)

In our review, we said:

“As a 75mm f1.8 lens, it is capable of extremely shallow depth of field, even despite the smaller Micro Four Thirds sensor. Out of focus elements are creamy and smooth at all apertures and have proven to be some of the most pleasing bokeh of any Micro Four Thirds lens on the market today. In fact, I found it to be more pleasing than even some Leica glass costing several thousand dollars more.”

Buy now: $719

Rokinon 135mm f2 ED UMC

In our review, we said:

“Most of the times that I review a Rokinon lens, I find the image quality to be incredibly, superbly razor-sharp and overall quite unique and beautiful to what Rokinon themselves are trying to do. Indeed, for well under $1,000, you’re scoring yourself a super sharp, bokeh filled lens with very little contrast.”

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

Buy now Canon: $479

Grab one now Nikon: $599

Buy now Fujifilm: $449

Get yours M4/3: $449

Buy now Pentax: $599

Pick one up for Sony E: $499

Don’t for one second think that the popularity of Smartphone cameras is dwindling.

The smartphone market took a massive hit a few years ago. Overpopulation in the marketplace and consumers being content was the reason. Now, though, Smartphone sales are on the up in a big way. A big reason for this is because of the cameras they house. Smartphone cameras are better than ever before. They can tap into powerful AI. The quality of lenses is increasing. Smartphone sensors are also becoming more powerful. However, last year Sony smartphone sensor sales went south. Is this something for smartphone photographers to worry about? Let’s talk about this after the break.

In a recent post, Vladimir Koifman of Image Sensors World talked about a huge decrease in sales for the Sony Smartphone sensor division. The article cited a Sony earnings call transcript. Sony execs talk about how operating income had dropped by 24.8 billion yen (roughly $236 Million). Also discussed, year on year sales, which had dropped by 10%. Hold on, though. While this sounds like a huge tank in business for the Sony smartphone sensor division, there were a couple of solid reasons for this.

One of the main reasons is because Sony stopped supplying a major Chinese smartphone manufacturer. I will assume that they are talking about Huawei here. Still, there was a legitimate decrease in sales, as well as an increase in research and development expenses. The loss also takes depreciation into account as well. Yes, it sounds bad on the surface, but Sony has rectified any issues they had.

Breathe Easy, the Sony Smartphone Empire Will Be Fine

So, as you can see, the reasons Sony gave during their earnings call show that there’s nothing to worry about. Sure, the look still isn’t great for Sony. We’re sure the masterminds over at Samsung were grinning from ear to ear when they heard this. However, the moneymen think that the Sony Smartphone sensor aspect of their business will bounce back in a big way. Of course, they do. They have to project positivity to their shareholders. Still, it doesn’t take a genius to see that the smartphone market is booming. It’s also clear that consumers see their smartphones as more than good enough to be their everyday cameras. By 2023, Sony believes that they will be back on track with their smartphone sensor plans.

Smartphone Photography Is More Popular Than Ever

Who are we to doubt them. We know that Sony has their own line of smartphones. The Sony Xperia 1 II and the new Sony XPERIA Pro 5G are excellent phones and cameras. Then tag on the fact that more and more smartphones are being sold each and every year, and you’ll soon start to understand that demand for Sony smartphone sensors will only increase.

We recently discussed this on an episode of our popular live talk show, Pro Camera Reviews. More and more consumers and even some professionals are ditching traditional cameras. Advances in technology make smartphone cameras hard to ignore now. Especially to those who only share their work in the social media space. We’re sure it’s not only the Sony smartphone sensor division who thinks that the money will continue to roll in over the coming years.

What do you think about smartphone photography? Do you think the likes of Sony have anything to worry about at all? Let us know what you think about this in the comment section below.

We’re streaming daily on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, and Spotify!

If you’ve looked at Fujifilm’s stable of films, you’re probably wondering what the next Film simulation will be. In our minds, there’s only one big one left: Natura. It’s nowhere as famous as the company’s other film emulsions. The reason for this is it was only available in Japan. But I’d argue that this is the most revolutionary high-speed color film ever made. I adore the look of Portra 800. And CineStill 800T is also pretty dope. But Natura 1600 was even better.

One could argue that if you shoot the Classic Negative film simulation, you can get the Natura look. But that’s not quite the case. Natura 1600 was a daylight film. It was also designed to be shot in low light. Specifically, Fuji wanted you to pair it with the Natura S point and shoot. The grain on it was pretty darn fine for a film this fast. And the colors were incredibly true to life.

It’s time to bring this film back. Now, I’m positive that Fujifilm won’t bring the actual film back, but it could enjoy a new life in the form of a film simulation. However, Fujifilm has to make this one truly special!

We’ve done some coverage of that film here on the website. Here’s our review. But by far, the best photographer I’ve known to use it is Simon Chetrit. We’ve interviewed him a few times. Here’s one, and another. It even came to RNI Films a while back.

So how could Fujifilm make the Natura film simulation very special? Here are a few ideas.

Lock it to only daylight white balance. If Fuji is brave enough to create the X Pro 3, then they can do this.

Like the Acros mode, let the photographer add a color filter effect. A warming filter, blue filter, or a haze filter could be VERY cool!

Grain built into it, similar to the way the Blue Chrome sky effect works. Otherwise, embrace digital and make this the cleanest high ISO simulation.

Embrace the characteristics of film and make a photographer have to expose completely different for this film simulation. For example, you’ll need to give it a stop more light to make it look better. Algorithmically, all you’d need to do is tell the processor if>Natura then>metering.

Using the In-Camera Raw development process, let a photographer do cross processing, bleach bypass, push/pull, etc. Fujifilm has these modes built into their cameras anyway.

I know lots of photographers have hated the limitations of X Pro 3, but there’s a cult that loves it. I’m in this cult. At the same time, I know many photographers who want to spend less time editing in front of a computer. Just think about how much time folks spent during the pandemic in front of devices. So, give us the tools in the camera to get the work we want.

To make this a true success, Fujifilm will need to work with photographers who’ve used the film a lot. So that would mean a ton of Japanese photographers get featured. But lots of others have worked with Natura too, and it would be a great way to push some sort of awesome sensor development with high ISO photos. Look at all the stuff folks have done with the film online!

Let’s hope for Natura!

Hasselblad, a once innovative company, has been left behind by almost everyone.

The name Hasselblad resonates with force throughout the Photography community. Rightfully so. The company is steeped in heritage and lore. Their cameras were so good at one point that NASA decided their cameras should be used in space. In fact, their 501 EL made it to the moon. This thrust the Swedish company into the limelight, and the rest, as they say, is history. For years Hasselblad was one of the top camera and lens makers. Seen by many as the ultimate craftsmen, photographers paid top dollar for Hasselblad gear. Step forward to 2021, and Hasselblad still has a mighty reputation. Their cameras and lenses are still meticulously crafted. However, in terms of performance, they’re a shadow of their former selves. Fujifilm has shaken up the Medium Format market so much that Hasselblad has been in a tailspin. Let’s talk about what they need to do to course correct.

Step Into the 21st Century Hasselblad

Hasselblad’s Medium Format Film cameras are still highly regarded. Look around the used market and you’ll see that the cameras still command a hefty sum. The cameras back then were built like tanks. Thankfully this is still the case today. Pick up an X1D II 50c, or the new 907X 50c and you know instantly that you have a product that has been crafted to perfection. Hasselblad are a boutique camera maker in the same vein that Leica is. Both of these companies pride themselves on the build of their cameras. This is where the similarities end though.

Leica knew they needed to bring their cameras into the 21st century. They have been hard at work adapting to the needs of modern photographers. They’ve used new sensors, new autofocusing systems, new processors, and much more. Their cameras are just as luxurious as they always have been, but they now pack a technological punch that makes their cameras relevant today. Hasselblad creates some truly gorgeous cameras, but they have fallen far behind the pack when it comes to tech. There’s still time for Hasselblad to catch up, though.

Problems Aplenty

To start, let’s talk about what Hasselblad gets right. The Hasselblad user interface is hands-down the best in the business. The menus are slick. They’re fast. The design is easy on the eye. Two screen taps, and you’re where you need to be. You can get into the menu system, get out, and get on with your life quickly. This is how it needs to be. Every other camera manufacturer needs to pay attention here. Bravo, Hasselblad.

Sit Down. Here Comes the Bad Stuff

Hasselblad needs to stop thinking they’re the bee’s knees because of their past. The past is the past. You’re now being judged on your present, and honestly, it’s not good. You’re charging $5,750 for the X1D II and $6,399 for the 907X. Cameras that both use a seven-year-old sensor. The sensor itself is not bad at all. It can render gorgeous images. Still, you haven’t bothered to try and get the most out of it in the same way that Fujifilm has. The GFX 50R, the 50S, and now the GFX 100S are light years ahead of your two competing cameras, and they cost less!

You could argue that using a Hasselblad is all about the user experience. Paying top dollar for a camera in 2021 that only looks and feels nice but doesn’t perform is just crazy. It would be like spending six figures on an Aston Martin to just look at and touch. You’d soon get pretty frustrated if that stunning sports car only had a 4 cylinder engine in it. This, I’m afraid, is the state that Hasselblad cameras are currently in. I get that you have a niche market that perhaps wants a ‘Hasselblad experience,’ but something has to give. It’s an injustice to photographers who are spending obscene amounts of money.

It’s Not Just Hasselblad Cameras That Need Help

Both Hasselblad X series cameras use truly awful contrast-detect autofocus systems. It’s one of the most inaccurate autofocusing systems I’ve ever used. The image above shows this...

Recently, we discussed why smartphones have taken over the camera market.

Let’s be honest. No one needs a camera these days. You buy one because you’re either passionate, or you’re a professional. Most cellphones can do everything that we need. So photography majorly needs to evolve and change. But the problem is that the manufacturers haven’t evolved much. And we discussed that in our recent episode of Pro Camera Reviews.

In This Episode:

Why Smartphones Have Rightfully Claimed Such A Large Chunk of The Camera Market

We’ve all seen the headlines that lament smartphones and their impact on the camera market. Just this week, Canon said that they expect camera sales to be only 8.2% of the sales from 2010 when 121.5 million cameras were shipped. There seems to be a lot of crying going on about this but not a lot of innovation that could bring the masses back to dedicated cameras and lenses. Just this week, a new company has announced some exciting new lens technology for smartphones. A single element lens that’s as good as muli element lenses when it comes to controlling CA, increasing sharpness, and contrast. Honestly, this level of innovation is why smartphones are in the position they’re in. Join us as we talk about this and why camera manufacturers should be scared.

On the Next Episode

We’re on break this week. But we’ll be back on February 21st!

About Pro Camera Reviews

Pro Camera Reviews happens every Sunday. Sign up to join us! Please Register here.

Pro Camera Reviews is a web show by the Reviews Team of The Phoblographer. Join them as they candidly discuss the products they’re actively reviewing and the gear they’ve just reviewed. Open Q and A from the audience towards the end of the show. Every Sunday at 7pm EST.

Please register here.

If you’re looking for a fun time while staying safe, we strongly recommend that you tune in for Pro Camera Reviews. It’s a weekly show where the staff tackles a couple of issues in the Photo World. They mostly pertain to cameras and lenses, but sometimes things get a bit more serious. This is partly because we still feel that we need to be educators and leaders in this space. Additionally, we also need to be responsible. Episodes are done on Zoom and are recorded. They’re Live Streamed to our Facebook Page, then shared on Flipboard TV and YouTube. We recommend that you subscribe to us on Youtube to keep up.

Smart-ISO Pro takes HDR photography and bumps it up a notch by using multiple conversion gains.

Samsung is continuing its mission to make smartphone photography hard to ignore. We already know just how good smartphone cameras are thanks to AI. Samsung, though, are pushing boundaries with their ISOCELL sensor technology as well. Back in 2010, Apple introduced HDR technology with iOS 4.1. Since then, smartphone manufacturers have been trying to come up with ways to introduce better dynamic range. Now, Samsung thinks it has the answer with its new Smart-ISO Pro feature. After the break, we’ll talk about what it is and if it’s as revolutionary as they claim.

Head on over to Samsung’s official YouTube channel, and you’ll be able to see a video all about the new Smart-ISO Pro feature. Smart-ISO Pro is a new feature that will be found in Samsung’s ISOCELL sensors. These sensors are, of course, designed for their smartphones. Now, smartphones have come a long way in regards to the amount of dynamic range they have. As much as they have improved, they can still struggle when it comes to highlight and shadow detail retention. This, according to Samsung, is where Smart-ISO Pro comes into play.

What Is Smart-ISO Pro?

Most sensors, when they receive light, turn that light into voltage. This voltage output is called conversion gain. Most sensors have a fixed conversion gain. Sensors do a good job generally, but we still have issues creating images with perfect shadows and highlights. This is because you can still only expose for the shadows or highlight separately. Expose for the shadows, and highlights get blown out due to the single conversion gain. Expose for the highlight, and the shadows crush due to the single conversion gain.

What makes Smart-ISO Pro different is that the ISOCELL sensor can output two different conversion gains. AI will look at your image and determine if your shot needs high or low conversion gain based on whether the scene is well lit or dark. The third option with this ISOCELL sensor is that it can use both high and low conversion gains. This should, in theory, give you perfect shadow and highlight detail. The phone will create two images simultaneously and will merge them in-camera. Pretty sweet, right? Well, read on.

Smart-ISO Pro Is Not As Fancy As It Sounds

The Samsung marketing team has done a fine job here of making Smart-ISO Pro sound like it’s something from the future. Photographers who have been around for a while will figure out what’s going on here, though. I’m not discrediting the tech at all. It’s still pretty cool. Still, what’s going on here is that the camera is basically taking two images. One that’s exposed for the highlights, and one that’s exposed for the shadows. The camera then automatically merges the images.

This is nothing more than what we call bracketing. Bracketing in traditional cameras will allow you to capture multiple images that can then be merged later. Once combined, you get a picture with an avg exposure that retains all shadow and highlight details. The more photos in the bracket, the better the results. Traditional cameras do this by changing the shutter speed of your camera to over and underexpose the scene.

Samsung’s Smart-ISO Pro works by changing the voltage output or conversion gain of the sensor itself. Conversion gain sounds too technical. Basically, the camera is just adjusting the ISO. So, it’s just a different way to create HDR images without messing with shutter speeds. This does have benefits, of course. One issue photographers will tell you about when bracketing is motion blur. As the camera changes shutter speeds to alter the exposure, there’s a chance that it may choose a slow shutter speed. This can introduce problems. So, Smart-ISO Pro is just automatic bracketing for smartphones. It’s still cool and does offer up a new way to bracket. So, Kudos to Samsung.

Samsung Are True Innovators

It’s announcements like this that make me wish Sam...

Recently, we looked closer at the Tamron 17-70mm f2.8 Di VC.

True innovation often skips lenses for APS-C cameras. But Tamron hasn’t skimped here at all. Calling on their past, the company recently released the Tamron 17-70mm f2.8 Di VC RXD lens. It’s designed for mirrorless APS-C cameras. Specifically, it’s for Sony E mount. But at the same time, it’s probably being wasted there. At under $1,000 you’re getting a lens that can do it all for you. And we discussed that in our recent episode of Pro Camera Reviews.

In This Episode:

Tamron 17-70mm f2.8 Di VC Review Video

Tamron has created what’s arguably one of the most innovative lenses this year. APS-C cameras and lenses need to try much harder to keep our attention. But so much of it is the same out there. This lens, however, is not. We’ve been testing it on the Sony a6600 for a while. and overall, we’re very impressed. It’s more than good enough for professional work. But the best thing about it is the image quality. In fact, it made us very nostalgic. If you’re an old-school Sony lover, you’ll like this! We’re excited to talk to you about this lens.

Be sure to subscribe to our Youtube and Flipboard TV channel for more.

On the Next Episode

Stay tuned, we’ll be back on February 21st!

About Pro Camera Reviews

Pro Camera Reviews happens every Sunday. Sign up to join us! Please Register here.

Pro Camera Reviews is a web show by the Reviews Team of The Phoblographer. Join them as they candidly discuss the products they’re actively reviewing and the gear they’ve just reviewed. Open Q and A from the audience towards the end of the show. Every Sunday at 7pm EST.

Please register here.

If you’re looking for a fun time while staying safe, we strongly recommend that you tune in for Pro Camera Reviews. It’s a weekly show where the staff tackles a couple of issues in the Photo World. They mostly pertain to cameras and lenses, but sometimes things get a bit more serious. This is partly because we still feel that we need to be educators and leaders in this space. Additionally, we also need to be responsible. Episodes are done on Zoom and are recorded. They’re Live Streamed to our Facebook Page, then shared on Flipboard TV and YouTube. We recommend that you subscribe to us on Youtube to keep up.

EOS M cameras from Canon will fight to live another day.

Canon’s EOS M cameras are, let’s say, interesting. There have been a couple of success stories from this line of cameras, but for the most part, the cameras have been forgettable. We will say that interest in the cameras is decent in Japan. (This is a country where small cameras are cherished.) In other parts of the world, the Canon EOS M line has faltered. However, this isn’t stopping Canon from forging ahead with them. If the noise from some insiders is true, there will be new EOS M cameras. On top of that, Canon is apparently ready to re-invent the line. Let’s talk about this after the break.

Canon Rumors, one of the more reputable speculation sites, recently discussed the possibility of new Canon EOS M cameras. While there’s no concrete information about the cameras, their source mentioned two things. First, the cameras will be announced or launched towards the end of 2021. Secondly, Canon knows they have to re-invent the wheel with this line of cameras. The word on the street is that Canon will ‘pivot the EOS M system in a new direction.’ Now, that does pique my interest. What direction could Canon take the EOS M cameras? Let’s discuss.

Where Will Canon Take the EOS M System?

Let’s start off by saying that we truly hope Canon reinvents the EOS M system. Right now, it makes no sense for photographers to buy into a system that has barely any lenses. Sure, you can adapt lenses, but why should you have to? Still, the cameras are okay. In fact, we really liked the EOS M6 II. We found it to be a great JPEG camera that would be nice to travel with. However, apart from the sensor, nothing about it screamed ‘buy me’. The Canon EOS M50 was questionable but still serviceable. And as for the Canon M50 II, well, the camera launched in November 2020, and we’ve yet to receive a review unit. To me, that’s quite telling.

You could jump up into a full-Frame EOS RP for almost the same price as the M6 II. For me, this is where the main problems with M series cameras are highlighted. The EOS M system is too expensive, it doesn’t have enough wow factor, and has too few lenses. It’s almost like an afterthought. I have often said that Canon would be better off by killing the system and releasing an RF mount APS-C camera for photographers. I still think this will happen to some degree.

Videographers Rejoice

So, what’s in store for Canon EOS M cameras? Not too long ago, some patents emerged that showed new Canon EOS M cameras with dual IBIS. IBIS has been sorely lacking in EF-M mount cameras, so this is nice to see. This, however, leads me to believe that Canon will shift the focus of M series cameras from photographers to videographers. Many Videographers use the M50. It has pretty great video output and can do 4K (with a huge crop), but still, it’s workable. The one thing really holding it back was the lack of IBIS. Now, we all know that many filmmakers love the small form factor of Micro Four Thirds cameras. So, it would not surprise me to see Canon making these small APS-C camera designed more for video work.

We’ve all seen just how fantastic Canon’s dual IBIS system is. Chris (our Editor In Chief) and I were blown away by this IBIS system’s performance in the Full-Frame EOS R5 and R6. Now, imagine this IBIS system powering a smaller 32.5MP APS-C sensor with Dual Pixel II autofocus. The results could be pretty spectacular. Canon would have a small form factor 8K video camera that would best any Micro Four Thirds camera currently on the market. Then there’s this exciting little patent that shows a camera that’s built into a gimbal. The lens mount and sensor sit up top, and around the back at the top of the handle is an LCD. Now, this is pretty genius. It’s just a further sign, to me, that Canon will push the EF-M mount toward video.

This is the direction I think Canon will take M series cameras. I believe there will then be an entry-level APS-C camera with an RF mount...