Canon EOS M100
WHERE SIMPLICITY AND MINIMALISM MERGE.
AIMED SQUARELY AT the Instagrammers, Facebookers and smartphone camera users, the Canon EOS M100 is for the selfie generation, made evident by the smartphone-style 180° flip-up touchscreen and minimalistic exterior design. This mirrorless camera comes with built-in Wi-Fi and NFC, with always-on Bluetooth, all to encourage sharing images to social media.
Under the hood, the M100 sports the latest 24MP Dual Pixel CMOS sensor featured in some of Canon’s DSLRs and bigger (and more powerful) mirrorless cameras. In combination with the DIGIC 7 image processor, not only is the autofocus (AF) fast, but the M100 also delivers DSLR-quality images.
The simplistic design makes the M100 look like a point-and-shoot, with all the tech buried inside, making it rather tricky to get the right settings for individual scenarios. The only way to access adjustments like exposure, white balance, shutter speed and aperture is through the touchscreen interface on the rear display, a rather fiddly process if all you want is a quick shot with all the right settings. And being the size and shape of a point-and-shoot, the M100 lacks a viewfinder. Plus, for an interchangeable lens camera, it has a limited range of lenses on offer as compared to other mirrorless options.
With an ISO range of 100–25,600, 6fps burst shooting and a 45-point AF system, the M100’s performance in well-lit conditions is par excellence but shows signs of fatigue in low light. And while it does capture 1080p video at 60fps, Canon still doesn’t offer 4K recording in its entry-level range.
Although Canon has kept the M100 simple for a reason — it will help you hone your artistic skills, but won’t do your technical skills any favours — chances are you’ll soon find yourself in the market for an upgrade if you outgrow it fast enough.