Step 3 - Setup of Canon EOS M

With all the hardware put in place, you want to put your camera into the manual mode of operation or aperture priority mode (depending if you lens come with a aperture ring).

You would also need to set focus mode to manual before enabling the “Release shutter w/o lens” in the custom function of the camera.

You are now all set to begin using your Nikkor lenses on the Canon EOS M! Remember, the Canon EOS M does not offer focus peaking and hence will require a brighter screen setting to enhance your ability to confirm focus.

My personal preference would also be to flick your Canon EOS M to the multi-shot mode to improve your images’ keep rate!

Not Out of the Wood Yet

There’s still a truckload of tests, adjustments to be completed on the Canon EOS M, if I am to be confident to bring her along my next shoot trip. As of now, some adjustments have been confirmed to work the way it should while others remain unclear.

If I have it resolved, this will be my second trip where I will be shooting with both a Nikon and Canon system.

What remains unclear is Canon’s EOS M fickle metering, ALO vs HTP, Metering Timer, AE bracketing and her custom function IV.

Step 2 - Select an Appropriate Nikkor Lens

As you might have guessed, I would prefer the sharper Nikkor glasses to shoot with the Canon EOS M. And what sharper Nikon lens can you use apart from Nikkor primes?

Allow me to present the Nikkor 135mm F/2.8 AIS with the Canon EOS M!

In a pre-visualized environment, this combination gives most pro Canon prime lens a run for their money, not to mention the portability of this combination.

Other suitable Nikon candidate lens that will now be used with the Canon EOS M will now include

  • Nikkor 50mm F/1.2 AIS
  • Nikkor 50mm F/1.4D
  • Nikkor 60mm F/2.8D

No “G” lens at this point of time for the fact I would need a new adapter that can accommodate the ass gasket of these glasses.

Step 1 - Mounting the Canon EF-EOS M Adapter

This step warrants some explanation as it entails the need to also incorporate the EF-NIK adapter in order to mount all my Nikkor lenses on the Canon EOS M.

As it turns out, it is highly recommended to first fix the EF-NIK adapter onto your Nikkor lens first, before attempting to mate it with the Canon EF-EOS M adapter. Doing the reverse may introduce uncalled scratches to the sensitive pins of the adapter, hence damaging the adapter.

And please ensure that your Canon adapter does not have a defective tripod screw thread by giving it a firm pull and nudge prior to an actual mount.

Canon EF-EOS M Mount Adapter Quality Issue

Perhaps, it is a one-off of these adapters, but mine has a serious thread issue on the tripod stand, which prohibit it to be securely seated on the mount! Talk about a fast car without proper brakes!

image

This set is returning back to the vendor today!

Horrific but true if you would confidently mount your lens only to have your entire system falling off the tripod because of this glaring quality defect!

O well, so much for Canon’s Quality Control.

Update - The entire unit has a defective screw thread and has been promptly replaced.

Canon EOS M Orientation

Thought it’s going to be a no-brainer session of pushing buttons and turning dials on the Canon EOS M to get what I want.

But how wrong was I to even let that notion convince me, of an otherwise, totally different animal! No matter how extensive the tweaks were carried out, the camera seems to operate in her own little world.

It’s both extreme of images I am seeing from the camera, and both requires extensive “rescue” to make those images remotely similar to what my eyes actually see.

The most interesting part of it all lies in the metering of the camera where images shot in a cloudy overcast all became just plain underexposed…every time. I would have to pop the EX-90 strobe to even see a small ounce of improvement on the overall. So, shooting outdoor with the Canon EOS M MUST be accompanied by an external strobe. Period.

I believe its still too premature to talk out loud how I can really depend on the Canon EOS M (especially come outdoor) but completing the first thousand images should help me draw that conclusion.

Optimizing Image Quality off the Canon EOS M

You want it, and so do I.

So, here’s what you need to do on the EOS M

  • Image Quality - Set to RAW
  • Auto Lighting Optimizer - Set to OFF
  • Highlight Tone Priority - Set to Disable
  • High ISO Speed NR - Set to OFF
  • Long Exposure NR - Set to Auto
  • Lens Aberration Correction - Set all to Disable
  • ISO Auto - Max.: 1600
  • Color Space: Adobe RGB
  • Shoot in M mode to drag your shutter for low-light condition to as low as 1/6 second (3 stops from 18mm wide open)
  • Avoid shutter in AWB and use a custom white balance whenever possible with an Expodisc