Canon EOS M5 greater than the sum of the parts (and better engineered than Sony A6xx), Thom Hogan states

Canon Eos M5 Mark Ii Mirrorless
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Canon EOS M5 at a glance:

  • 24.2MP APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • DIGIC 7 Image Processor
  • 2.36m-Dot EVF, Touch and Drag AF Control
  • 3.2″ 1.62m-Dot Tilting Touchscreen LCD
  • Full HD 1080p Video Recording at 60 fps
  • Built-In Wi-Fi with NFC, Bluetooth Smart
  • Dual Pixel CMOS AF
  • Up to 9 fps Shooting and ISO 25600
  • Digital IS 5-Axis Image Stabilization

Nikon shooter Thom Hogan posted his thoughts about the photo gear of 2017.

He has a positive opinion about the Canon EOS M5 (specs & price), and what he has to say about is something I second:

The Sony cameras tend to be technical wizards. That Sony packs all that they do in the little A6xxx bodies is remarkable, but that isn’t without consequences. We’ve had heat issues at times. The offset EVF makes for a strange and awkward hold on such a small body. We’ve got Sony’s Tiny Buttons to deal with again […]

Meanwhile, Canon made the smallest DSLR you’ve ever seen. It holds like a DSLR, it shoots like a DSLR (even has a DSLR sensor), and it is controlled like a DSLR. They just put the already small SL2 into a shrink ray machine, tweaked a couple of things, and ended up with what has to be the smallest APS-C camera that handles well.

No, the focus speed isn’t Sony wiz-fast. No, the frame rates aren’t Sony wiz-fast. No, the deep shadows aren’t Sony wiz-post processable. No, there isn’t 4K video. No, no, no.

And yet, the M5 is an example of where the sum of the parts is greater than the sum of the parts, while the Sony A6xxx bodies tend to be the sum of the parts coming up as  less than the sum of the parts […]

What Thom Hogan is saying is that the EOS M5 is better thought, designed and engineered than Sony’s A6xx cameras [specs & price] . He also points to the major issue Canon’s EOS M system has: the lack of quality lenses. Learn more about Thom Hogan here.

I own an EOS M3, not M5. I had a chance to play around with an EOS M5 for a few days. I was impressed by the ergonomics and had a lot of fun using it. It delivers DSLR image quality, no need to discuss that. It may have taken Canon a long time to jump on the mirrorless bandwagon, but with the EOS M5 Canon again showed that when they decide to make something they make it for good.

Canon EOS M5: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA

Canon EF 85mm f/1.4L IS review (highly recommended, ePhotozine)

Canon EF 85mm F/1.4L IS
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Canon EF 85mm f/1.4L IS at a glance:

  • EF-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format
  • Aperture Range: f/1.4 to f/22
  • One GMo Aspherical Element
  • Air Sphere and Fluorine Coatings
  • Ring-Type Ultrasonic Motor AF System
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • Dust- and Water-Resistant Construction
  • Rounded 9-Blade Diaphragm

ePhotozine posted their full review of the new Canon EF 85mm f/1.4L IS (price & specs). A lens that’s gathering a lot of attention, and many positive reviews for the right reason.

From ePhotozine’s conclusion:

Gorgeous and expensive, the Canon EF 85mm f/1.4L IS USM lens is [a] thing of beauty. There is no doubt that it performs superbly and produces exceptional images, efficiently and with outstanding ergonomics.

There are definite cost choices in that Canon offer a very low priced f/1.8 version, or, looking at the opposite argument, for only just under £200 more the f/1.2 comes into view.

Many may find it surprising that there has been a hole in the Canon range for this f/1.4 lens, which is certainly the classic offering for most other marques. It could be the perfect compromise between cost and speed, but in the end the choice will be a very personal one. What is quite certain is that the new Canon lens will not disappoint. Read the review…

The reviewer praises the excellent sharpness, low distortions and low CA, a great bokeh, fast and accurate AF. And all these goods come for a price, which is over $1,800.

More Canon EF 85mm f/1.4L IS coverage here. The Canon EF 85mm f/1.4L IS is in stock and sells for $1,599 at Amazon US,  Adorama, Canon Store, and B&H Photo.

More Canon EF 85mm f/1.4L IS order/pre-order links (if available in the respective countries):

America: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE

Canon EF 85mm f/1.4L IS full review by D. Abbott

Canon EF 85mm F/1.4L IS
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Canon EF 85mm f/1.4L IS at a glance:

  • EF-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format
  • Aperture Range: f/1.4 to f/22
  • One GMo Aspherical Element
  • Air Sphere and Fluorine Coatings
  • Ring-Type Ultrasonic Motor AF System
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • Dust- and Water-Resistant Construction
  • Rounded 9-Blade Diaphragm

Reviewer and photographer Dustin Abbott, one of the more serious and reliable gear reviewer out there, posted his full review and final verdict of what likely is the hottest Canon lens of 2017, the Canon EF 85mm f/1.4L IS (price & specs). Sample photos shot with the EF 85mm f/1.4L IS can be seen here. A very interesting interview with the developers and engineers od the lens is here.

In the 17 minutes video review below, Abbott also compares the EF 85mm f/1.4L IS with similar lenses from other manufacturers. Btw, the Canon EF 85mm f/1.4L IS is Canon’s first 85mm L-grade lens with image stabilisation.

More Ef 85mm f/1.4L IS coverage here. The Canon EF 85mm f/1.4L IS is in stock and sells for $1,599 at Amazon US,  Adorama, Canon Store, and B&H Photo.

More Canon EF 85mm f/1.4L IS order/pre-order links (if available in the respective countries):

America: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE

Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III review (impressively well-built and compact camera, DPReview)

Canon Powershot G1 X Mark Iii Dual Pixel Af
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PowerShot G1 X Mark III at a glance:

  • 24.2MP APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • DIGIC 7 Image Processor
  • 3x Zoom Lens, 24-72mm (35mm Equivalent)
  • Built-In Electronic Viewfinder
  • 3.0″ Vari-Angle Touchscreen LCD
  • Full HD 1080p Video Recording at 60 fps
  • Dual Pixel CMOS AF, Image Stabilizer
  • ISO 25600, 9 fps Continuous Shooting
  • Built-In Wi-Fi with NFC, Bluetooth
  • Dust- and Water-Resistant Construction

DPReview posted their full review of the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III (price & specs), the company’s first PowerShot camera with an APS-C sensor and Dual Pixel AF.

From their conclusion:

[…] Canon has really gone all-in on the G1 X III. The result is an impressively well-built and compact camera with a lot going for it. The controls are well thought-out, it’s capable of fantastic image quality and the autofocus and overall performance are excellent.

[…] The G1 X III is capable of outstanding image quality. Its latest-generation Canon APS-C 24MP sensor combines with Dual Pixel autofocus to produce detailed, accurately focused images with signature Canon color and great noise performance. Even better, default sharpening and noise reduction have been improved relative to previous Canon models with this sensor and processor, and so the G1 X III produces more impressive images right out of the box than some of its interchangeable lens cousins. Read the review…

DPReview’s PowerShot G1 X Mark III sample gallery.

Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III:

America: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE

Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II Review (DPReview)

Powershot G9 X Ii
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Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA

At a glance:

  • 20.1MP 1″ High-Sensitivity CMOS Sensor
  • DIGIC 7 Image Processor
  • 3x Optical Zoom f/2-4.9 Lens
  • 28-84mm (35mm Equivalent)
  • 3.0″ 1.04m-Dot Touchscreen LCD Monitor
  • Full HD 1080p Video Recording at 60 fps
  • Built-In Wi-Fi with NFC and Bluetooth
  • Extended ISO 12800 and 8.2 fps Shooting
  • Dynamic IS and Time-Lapse Video Function
  • In-Camera Raw Conversion, Picture Style

DPReview posted their full review of the ultra-compact Canon PowerShot G9 X Mark II. While they found a lot of good, some things did disappoint the reviewer.

From their conclusion (emphasis mine):

The PowerShot G9 X II is very appealing: it’s as small a traditionally styled camera with a 1″ sensor as you’ll find and its touch interface makes it easy to pick up and use. It has a broad feature set, generally responsive performance and shooting modes for both beginners and more advanced users.

[…] the G9 X II is let down by its lens, JPEG processing and battery life that requires buying at least one spare. If you’re set on a Canon, moving up to the PowerShot G7 X II is a smart idea, assuming that you have an extra $200 available. The Sony RX100 and RX100 II are also worth consideration, though we think that Canon offers a better user experience. Read the review…

It’s not all bad, the sensor produces “vivid, pleasing color” and there is “fast burst shooting with large buffer”. DPReview’s sample photos are here.