Upgrade Canon M3. What should I get? £1k budget

topcat07

topcat07

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I currently have a Canon m3 with a kit lens. One of the main struggles I have is taking photos inside of my son as I can not get a fast enough shutter speed without the ISO being pumped high. The other issue is with the autofocus being very slow.

I did wonder about getting the Canon EF-M 22mm f/2 lens and that would help with getting a faster shutter speed but will still have the autofocus being slow. Another option would be to pick up a used Canon M50 ii and buy the ef-m 22mm f/2 lens for it but as far as I know, the m system is dead so might just be a stopgap. (Think I could get the body used around £320 and the lens for £120)

I need the camera for:

  • Family photos including a very wiggly infant
  • Travel and landscapes
  • Recording me playing guitar
Need to be compact and portable.

The Canon R50 looks good and I could pair it with Canon RF 35mm F1.8 MACRO IS STM? Would that meet my needs? It is very expensive though £669 for the body and £529 for the lens taking it to just under £1.2k, will there be big discounts with the upcoming November sales or does camera gear not drop much? Are there any better alternatives under £1k or is worth spending a bit extra on this setup?

Have only been using my phone for photos for a few years with the M3 thrown in here and there but enjoying taking family photos now and want to make sure the images are top quality where I can.

Look forward to what you experts have to suggest!
 
The AF speed of the last generation of EOS-M cameras was a big improvement over their earlier cameras, so from that point of view the M50ii would be better than the M3. Other than the change of lens mount, the R50 isn't much of an improvement over the M50ii - the sensor is the same size and resolution: https://www.dpreview.com/products/compare/side-by-side?products=canon_eosr50&products=canon_eosm50ii
And the M lenses are really rather good - especially that 22mm. Yes the M series is "dead" but any camera is a stop-gap until the next upgrade ;)
Camera prices rarely drop much in the sales until a new model is released, so it's unlikely you'll see any big discounts this year.

It's always advisable to try each camera in a shop if you can - the R50 and lenses will be quite a bit bigger than your current M3 which you may prefer, or may find it too big.
 
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I am still loving my EOS M6 mk2, despite or perhaps because they have been discontinued, the price of a good used one remains around what I paid for mine three years ago.

The M6 mk2 takes the same batteries as your M3 BTW.
 
you obviously like small cameras with a good crop factor so why not look at the olympus range , there are some really good deals on used bodies at the moment and most general purpose lenses are dirt cheap compared to other brands .
 
The EOS-M system is dead and buried, but if you're mostly happy, getting an M50-II could be worthwhile - maybe someone can comment whether the A/F system was better on this than the earlier version.

Otherwise its switching systems. The Canon RF system will feel very similar - similar menus and so on. Other systems out there to consider, each with their own pros and cons.
 
andrewc said:
maybe someone can comment whether the A/F system was better on this than the earlier version.
Click to expand...
I already did that in post #2 above. I went from the M3 to M6 to M6ii. My M6ii was a huge improvement over the M3 and the M50ii was released after the M6ii so could potentially be better still. Also the kit lens topcat07already has for the M3 will work just fine on the M50ii, whereas going to an RF body would mean starting from scratch with lenses, so for the £1k budget I'd stick with the M system.
 
Thank you for everyone's replies

If I stayed with the m3 should I get the 22mm efm f2 or the ef 50 mm f1.8 for infant photos indoors and outdoors

I can get the 22mm for £120 used

50mm I can get for £70 and optical adaptor in used condition for £60

Or should i get both for a versatile setup? Would they cover me in most scenarios

Concern I have with 50 mm is I would have to stand a long way back indoors for photos?
 
Also consider the Sigma 30 and 16mm 1.4's, outstanding lenses, and you should to be able to pick up cheaply In canon m mount
 
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