Canon EF-M

The Canon EF-M was released in 1991. It was sold in Europe and the US as an overseas model. It is a simple design that does not have AF, but it is an easy-to-use camera with well-thought-out operability. It is risky and not recommended, but the body alone is sold for around 10,000 yen on overseas private sales sites.

Among domestically produced cameras, there are some that are not sold in Japan, but only in other countries. Most of these are based on cameras sold in Japan, with different names than those for the domestic market, or with some functions or mechanisms changed or omitted. However, there are also exotic cameras that are made entirely for overseas markets. One of these is the film SLR “Canon EF-M” (hereinafter referred to as EF-M), which was released in 1991 and is introduced here.

The biggest feature of the EF-M is that, although it is a single-lens reflex camera that uses EF lenses, which are essentially autofocus lenses, it only has manual focus mode. It is a very simple camera that does not even have a focus aid function that visually notifies you when the focus is achieved, and does not have any autofocus-related functions. Incidentally, the camera’s name reflects this well, and since it does not have any mechanism related to autofocus, it does not have the name “EOS” (is it usable?). The “EF” in EF-M is thought to indicate EF lenses, and the “M” indicates manual focus.

Looking at the details, the first thing that differs from the EOS is the viewfinder screen. Whereas the EOS basically only has a full matte finish, this model has a full matte finish as a base, but has a round microprism in the center, and in the middle of that is a round split image prism. This is a type of screen that is considered standard for manual focus SLRs. At the time, the EOS matte screen was bright but unpopular because it was difficult to find the focus peak, but the same was true for the EF-M matte screen, and as a result, it is likely that many users chose the split image prism in the center, which makes it easier to focus.

The other method is to set the aperture and shutter speed using dials. Looking at the back of the camera, the aperture dial, which also doubles as the power switch, is located on the right shoulder, and the shutter dial is located on the left shoulder; each is an analog dial with the aperture value and shutter speed marked on it. Both dials are equipped with an A mark, and when both dials are set to the A mark, it is in program AE, when only the shutter dial is set to the A mark, it is in aperture-priority AE, when only the aperture dial is set to the A mark, it is in shutter-priority AE, and when both are unmarked, it switches to manual (metered manual). It is a simple way to set the exposure mode, but it feels very easy to understand. It is also convenient because you can see the exposure setting status at a glance, and you can see the status even when the power is turned off.

　 　　

　 　　

The aperture dial is located on the right shoulder strap because it allows you to quickly set the aperture value using the thumb and index finger of your right hand while holding the camera. This is probably the result of considering the convenience of Aperture-Priority AE, which is easier to use in terms of composition and is a more frequently used exposure mode than Shutter-Priority AE. This is the only model since the release of the EOS that offers a method of setting exposure using analog dials for aperture and shutter speed, but I can’t help but think that it would have been a good idea to adopt this method in the EOS series as well.

　 　　

The body is built in the same way as the EOS 1000 QD, an entry-level model from the same era. The exterior of the body has a shiny, plastic finish, which is unfortunately far from a luxurious feel. The body weighs only 390g, but this is likely because it does not have a metal chassis. The mount is also made of plastic, which feels cheap. However, the shape and molding of the body are relatively refined, which I personally find pleasing. Incidentally, the EOS 1000 QD was released in 1990, the year before the release of the EF-M, so structurally it is likely that the EF-M and this camera share many common parts.

　 　　

Looking back, I’m amazed that they were able to release a camera with such a concept. It’s been four years since the release of the first model of the EOS series, the EOS 650, and the autofocus would have been stable in terms of performance and the cost would have been reasonably low, so I can’t find a clear reason not to adopt autofocus. I imagine that at the time, the yen was much stronger against Western currencies than it is now, so there was a desire for a camera that could be enjoyed with EF lenses at a cheaper price, or there may have been voices that thought that autofocus was unnecessary and that it was fine to enjoy shooting with manual focus (the description of the EF-M on a certain Internet encyclopedia says that it was “sold for people who are not familiar with autofocus operation,” but I personally have doubts about this statement). Considering the year of release, the development period was around 1990. Although Japan was at the end of the bubble economy at the time, it seems certain that the company had the financial means to develop and manufacture such a camera. The EF-M is rarely lined up in used camera shops in Japan, so it is a very rare camera to come across. If you come across it, I hope you will take it in your hands.