Canon EOS M10: Serious gear for casual photographers

But purists should note the camera has no viewfinder

Canon last week launched two mirrorless cameras - the EOS M3 and the EOS M10. Since I was going on a short holiday to Jaipur, I decided to take the M10 along.

The M10 is a svelte affair at about 300 g and comes with a collapsible 15-45mm (equivalent to 24-72 mm in the 35 mm format) kit lens. Purists should note the camera has no viewfinder and no hotshoe to attach an external one. One has to peer into the touchscreen to compose shots. While seasoned photography enthusiasts might find this feature wanting, those looking to step up from a basic camera or cellphone would find this comforting.

The camera is very easy to use - point, compose and shoot. But before that, there's something you must do. As soon as you switch on the M10, it asks to set the lens to the shooting position. This involves pressing a small button and then sliding the lens out. Because of this, one loses precious moments if the lens is retracted. Powered by Canon's DIGIC 6 image processor, the 18-megapixel M10 captures excellent outdoor shots, with the true-to-life colours and sharp images. It came into its own at the Jaigarh fort. There wasn't much to choose from between the wide-angle shots clicked by my old dSLR and the M10, but when I zoomed in for a closer look, the 15-45 mm lens on the M10 beat my dSLR's 18-55 mm lens hands down.

Another area the M10 scores in is the touchscreen flipping out for those selfie shots. As soon as the screen is in that position, the camera automatically goes into selfie-mode, that is, one can compose and click pictures using just the touchscreen. But the focusing became slower when I clicked photos in low-light rooms. While image stabilisation ensured the shots came out sharp, there was way more noise than could be spotted while composing the shots.

At Rs 39,995, the Canon EOS M10 is for those looking to step up from a basic point-and-shoot or cellphone to the big league. The absence of a viewfinder and hotshoe might lessen its appeal to more seasoned photographers looking for a backup camera.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Image sensor: 18.0 mega-pixel APS-C CMOS sensor
• Imaging processor: DIGIC 6
• ISO speed: 100-12,800 (expandable to 25,600)
• Continuous shooting speed: 4.6 fps
• Maximum video quality: 1,920 x 1,080 (Full HD)
• AF: Hybrid CMOS AF II
• LCD: 180 / 45 degrees tilt type touch screen, approx. 1.04 million dots
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi, NFC-enabled
• Dimensions: 108 mm in length, 66.6 mm in breadth and 35.0 mm in depth
• Weight: 301 g approximately