Canon EOS M

The Canon EOS M is a mirrorless camera from 2012, built around an 18 megapixel APS-C sensor. The body measures 109 x 66 x 32 mm and weighs 298 g, so it carries like a compact while accepting interchangeable EF-M lenses.

There is no viewfinder, so every shot is framed on the three-inch touchscreen. That gives the camera its phone-like, screen-led character.

It suits anyone who wants an APS-C sensor in a compact body, provided the pace of shooting stays relaxed. The EF-M mount is a system of its own, so lens availability deserves a check before committing to the system.

Optics is a modest area here, scoring 42, and the EOS M sits in the bottom 9% of cameras in our database for Optics. Points were limited by the absent in-body stabilisation along with the maximum burst, shutter and ISO figures.

The core is an APS-C CMOS sensor with a Digic 5 processor. The APS-C format brings the depth-of-field character that crop-sensor photographers expect.

Speed is where the limits bite. The maximum burst rate of 4.3 fps and a 1/4000 s shutter ceiling suit portraits and static subjects better than sport or wildlife, and the autofocus system offers 31 points.

Two absences shape technique. With no in-body stabilisation, camera shake is not corrected in the body, so shutter speed or support matters in dim light. And with no viewfinder, every frame is composed at arm's length on the screen.

Video is a modest part of this camera, scoring 43, and it suits occasional clips more than a main video tool. Recording tops out at Full HD resolution, and the fastest frame rate offered is 30 fps, a ceiling that rules out slow-motion capture. For family footage and casual web projects, that is often enough.

Files record as MPEG-4, a standard video file format. There is no built-in timelapse mode either, so time sequences are not an option inside the camera.

Practical habits matter here too. The screen does not flip away from the body, so high and low camera angles have to be framed from wherever the camera sits. Checking the framing after the shot becomes part of the routine.

The features score of 57 is modest, with the touchscreen among its strongest elements. The three-inch LCD carries 1,040,000 dots and touch control, and live view provides a clear preview of the frame before each shot.

Connectivity is minimal. There is no Wi-Fi, no Bluetooth and no GPS, so images leave the camera on the memory card, and there is no wireless remote control from a phone.

Lighting and protection are equally basic. No flash is built in, though an external flash can be fitted for indoor portraits. The body has no weather sealing, so it needs care around rain and dust.

Storage and battery is this camera's weakest area, with a score of 13 rated limited. A single SD, SDHC or SDXC slot means one card at a time, so long sessions call for spare cards and regular offloads.

The LP-E12 battery is rated at 230 shots per charge, a figure that will vary with how the camera is used. For anything longer than a short outing, a charged spare is worth packing.

USB charging is not supported, so topping the battery up from a laptop or power bank is not possible. The practical habit is to charge a second battery in advance.