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Canon EF-M - A manual focus camera that takes only Canon EOS EF lenses


JDMvW

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<p>Thanks for the good write-up of the EF-M, <strong>JDM</strong>.<br>

I have one bought to use with my M-42 lenses (needs an M42-EF adapter, works with lenses that have manual stop down).Compared with my Praktica MTL-5, the EF-M:<br>

Weighs less (490g vs 560g).<br>

Gives aperture priority AE.<br>

Has a built in winder.<br>

Has a more accurate meter.<br>

But in the event, due to my interest in the now inexpensive old Prakticas , the EF-M has not had much use.</p>

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<p>Thanks all, especially for the ads and pricing information. I guess that I'll have to bring my photo magazine reference library up to post 1989, if I keep this up.</p>

<p>In my case, the Prakticas came first, but I've now got at least one representative of each generation of them, and now this EF-M sort of completes my accumulation of the mainline EOS film cameras.</p>

<p>One thing about my collection(s), in ten years time -- I am convinced -- they will mostly be worth just as little as when I bought them. I've had fun shooting them all, though.</p>

<p>I've considered going for the earlier digital cameras, but there are very few of those that you can pick up for $30.</p>

 

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<p>I nearly bought one last year, thinking it was a old Canon EF.<br>

After searching the web and seeing pictures of it I saw that it was a manual EF mount camera.<br>

I hesitated but didn't buy it because I thought that it would be to difficult to focus manually with such small focus rings on the EF lenses.</p>

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<p>One thing you have to givbe the EF-M is that the focus screen is as good as any they ever had in the MF era. I think it's better than the ones made for MF on the Canon EOS 5D. for example.</p>

<p>I think the confusion with the older FD-mount EF camera is a common problem, insofar as anything about this camera is common.</p>

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<p>By the way, in addition to this post here on Classic Manual, here are the links (for the record and future searches, if any) to my earlier reports on EOS film cameras - mostly on the EOS forum, but also on Modern Film Cameras:</p>

<p><strong>EOS 650</strong> http://www.photo.net/canon-eos-digital-camera-forum/00Vlot<br /> <strong>EOS 620</strong> http://www.photo.net/canon-eos-digital-camera-forum/00Vv2v<br /> <strong>EOS 630</strong> http://www.photo.net/modern-film-cameras-forum/00YFVd<br /> <strong>EOS-1</strong> http://www.photo.net/canon-eos-digital-camera-forum/00WvBD<br /> <strong>EOS 10S</strong> http://www.photo.net/canon-eos-digital-camera-forum/00WxgJ<br /> <strong>EOS 700</strong> http://www.photo.net/canon-eos-digital-camera-forum/00Wn8K<br /> <strong> EOS 5 =A2e</strong> http://www.photo.net/canon-eos-digital-camera-forum/00Wrxy<br /> <strong> EOS-3</strong> http://www.photo.net/canon-eos-digital-camera-forum/00WyuM<br /> <strong>EF-M</strong> - http://www.photo.net/classic-cameras-forum/00Zyz7 (this post)</p>

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<p>It is interesting which similar EOS888 .which aim S.East Asian low income market. EOS 888 no Av Mode just shutter dial.the kit lens is 38~76mm.<br>

In 90's other similar cameras have Pentax MZ-M ,Rioch XR ,minolta a 101 (base entry camera and X300s made in China for MD lens since MD and PK lens much user by Seagull is MD lens) </p>

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  • 4 months later...

<p>I just bought one of these from ebay for £30, with the 35-80mm zoom lens included. It's compact (compared to an EOS 3) and very neat. The screen for focussing is very good - especially so far as the micro prism collar is concerned. With the 50mm F/1.8 lens it's a nice light little package.<br>

I'll be shooting the second half of a roll of film today (the 'first' half was used in an Nikon F4S) and am looking forward to seeing the results.</p>

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  • 6 years later...
<p>Nikon made a similar camera, the N6000. Even with manual focusing, the EF-M still took lenses which had no aperture rings. You had to make those settngs on the camera body. I have thought about getting a N6000 but N90S bodies cost so little, have so many more features and have interchangeablee focusing screens. Pentax made the ZX-M, another manual focus camera which worked with AF lenses. I think these cameras were made because the camera companies did not want to retool to make mechanical manual focus cameras for the student markert. The EF-M had a standard screen which was easier to focus manually with than the one usually found in an AF camera. With a Nikon N2020 or N90S you can just change the screen and turn off the AF. Today, if you want a reliable manual focus camera it's easy to buy a Nikkormat or Minolta SRT or Canon FTb and just have it serviced. </p>

 

The EF-M isn't the same as the N6000. The N6000 can use Nikon manual focus lenses and older Nikon can use AF lenses provided that they have the aperture ring. I don't think the N6000 can use G lenses either. On the other hand the EF-M requires EF lenses to work, it won't work with FD lenses. The EF-M can control the aperture with the EF lenses which have no aperture ring.

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The EF-M isn't the same as the N6000. The N6000 can use Nikon manual focus lenses and older Nikon can use AF lenses provided that they have the aperture ring. I don't think the N6000 can use G lenses either. On the other hand the EF-M requires EF lenses to work, it won't work with FD lenses. The EF-M can control the aperture with the EF lenses which have no aperture ring.

 

Hello. Yes I have an EF lens with image stabilization and great focus ring. I like simplicity. I have one lens. But I also miss my manual focus camera. I was thinking of getting an EF-m just for fun as I assume they cost about the same as a McDonalds meal for 2. If the IS on an EF lens worked on the 1/2 press that would be very very cool for no other reason that its a bit unique (even though I know the AF wont obviously). If it didnt, I probably would pass. But, if no one knows, I might buy anyway for fun and report back :)

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Aren't some EF lenses "focus by wire?" (I know Nikon has started doing that in the past few years with AF-P lenses). If so, can this camera focus with such lenses?

I dont think my 40mm pancake lens (which I no longer have) would have worked on the EF-M as the focus ring in electronic. I assume for lenses where the focus ring actually moves the lens (i.e. you can focus them camera manually through the viewfinder when it is turned off), it would be fine.

 

I am hoping someone who knows a bit about canons AF circuit may chime in here though.

 

If the AF circuit has been disabled that absolutely mean the IS would be as well as a consequence? Or are they separate?

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The instruction manual only details use of the camera with Canon EF lenses.

To use it with M42 lenses with an M42 - EF adapter, set the lens to manual and stop down to the required aperture ,set the left hand dial to A and the right hand dial to the number 1.The camera then provides aperture priority shooting.

Almost uniquely it provides auto winding with M42 lenses

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  • 5 months later...
I dont think my 40mm pancake lens (which I no longer have) would have worked on the EF-M as the focus ring in electronic. I assume for lenses where the focus ring actually moves the lens (i.e. you can focus them camera manually through the viewfinder when it is turned off), it would be fine.

 

I am hoping someone who knows a bit about canons AF circuit may chime in here though.

 

If the AF circuit has been disabled that absolutely mean the IS would be as well as a consequence? Or are they separate?

 

I also have the EF-M and it works just fine with my 40mm 2.8 STM and 50mm 1.8 STM lenses. Just as with a DSLR, you do need to half press the shutter to get the metering started before the electronic STM focus will work. It works with the lens set to either AF or MF.

 

Once it starts working the AF or MF will continue to work indefinitely as long as you keep turning the focus ring. This continues even after the cameras metering as stopped. If you stop focusing, the STM will lose power after about 4 seconds of idle time. A half-press tap of the shutter button brings it back to life again.

 

Image Stabilization is a different story as it does not appear to work at all.

Edited by mike_sowsun
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One more discovery about the EF-M....

 

There are currently 2 types of Canon STM lenses: Fast and silent Lead-Screw Type STM and slow and noisy Gear-Type STM.

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The Gear type STM lenses (40mm 2.8 STM and 50mm 1.8 STM) work fine in manual focus with the EF-M, but the Lead screw type lenses (10-18mm STM and 18-135mm STM) will not manually focus.

 

I also tried the new 18-135mm Nano USM and it also does not manually focus.

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  • 1 month later...
I bought an EFM at a table top sale many years ago, and was impressed by the simplicity of the two-knob control system. Set aperture and shutter speed on both knobs for manual exposure. Set the left knob to A and use the right to set aperture (aperture priority). Set the right knob to A and use the left to set shutter speed (shutter priority). Set them both to A for programmed exposure. It led me to acquiring more Canon gear although Canon never took over from my favoured (at the time) Minoltas. I soon realised however that the twin knobs are unique to the EF-M amongst EOS cameras.
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