Canon EOS M6 (Black) EF-M 15-45mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM Lens Kit

Canon EOS M6 (Black

EOS M6

The EOS M6 is an interchangeable-lens camera that puts advanced technologies like Dual Pixel CMOS AF with phase-detection in a compact and lightweight size. Ready at hand to help capture photos and videos the instant the moment happens, it focuses quickly and precisely to help ensure you catch the shot you want. The 24.2 Megapixel CMOS (APS-C) Sensor helps ensure your results are clear, incredibly detailed and vibrantly colorful. Once you’ve captured your most precious memories, you can easily share them with friends, family and the world through built-in wireless connectivity including Wi-Fi1, NFC2 and Bluetooth3. Advanced technology and stunning image quality combine inside the stylish, highly portable EOS M6.

The Canon EOS M6 is a compact 24MP APS-C mirrorless digital camera with twin dial controls and a touch screen interface. Starting at $779 for the body, it takes the guts of the EVF-equipped EOS M5 and puts them in an updated version of the M3 body. It sits in Canon's M lineup between the M3 and M5, and is sold with the 15-45 and 18-150mm lenses as kit options for $899 and $1,279 respectively.

Key Features:

24MP APS-C sensor with max ISO of 25600

Dual Pixel on sensor PDAF

Electronic video stabilization combines with in-lens IS to give 5-axis IS

7 fps continuous shooting (9 fps with focus and exposure locked)

Wi-Fi with always-connected Bluetooth

As usual, Canon has a different view of the market from everybody else, leaving the M6 as either an expensive, better-built alternative to entry-level mirrorless rivals or as a mid-level/enthusiast model shorn of a viewfinder. Either way, it looks a bit pricey. Its level of build and controls puts it up against the throwback style of the Olympus PEN F, Panasonic's 4K-capable GX85/80, Sony's value-tastic a6000 and Fujifilm's rather aged X-E2s.

It's also interesting to compare it with Canon's own Rebel series. With its twin control dials and very similar underlying hardware, the M6 is essentially an EOS 77D but without the bulk/utility of an optical viewfinder and with a smaller choice of lenses (unless you forfeit some of the size benefit and use an adapter). The difference in list price is $120 or you can get an M6 kit for the price of a body-only 77D.

Nikon D5500 DX-format Digital SLR Dual Lens Kit w/ - Nikon AF-P DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR & Nikon AF-P DX NIKKOR 70-300mm f/4.5-6.3G ED Lens

Nikon D5500 DX-format Digital SLR Dual Lens Kit 

The Nikon D5000 series has long been a good choice for photographers who wanted a very capable compact DSLR that offer a higher level of enthusiast features than the D3000 series that sits below it. Nikon's latest model - the D5500 - continues that trend, though the differences between it and the D5300 that came before it aren't enormous. The D5300, introduced in the fall of 2013, impressed us with its image quality, flip-out LCD, and feature set. We were less enthused about its menu system and live view performance.

So what's changed? In brief, the D5500 has a smaller and lighter body with an improved grip, a faster processor, touch-enabled LCD, 'flat' picture control, and built-in Wi-Fi. We'll see later if the company addressed some of the issues that we encountered with the D5300.

To say the D5500 sits in a crowded field is an understatement. On the DSLR side it competes against the Canon EOS Rebel T6i (750D) and Pentax K-S2, as well as the Fujifilm X-T1, Olympus E-M10, Panasonic DMC-G6, and Sony a6000 mirrorless cameras.

Nikon D5500 key features

• 24.2MP CMOS sensor with no optical low-pass filter
• Ultra-compact and lightweight body
• Multi-CAM 4800DX 39-point autofocus system
• 2,016-pixel RGB metering sensor, used for 3D subject tracking in AF-C
• Sensitivity range of ISO 100-25,600
• 5 fps continuous shooting
• 1/4000 sec maximum shutter speed
• 3.2", 1.2M dot fully-articulating touchscreen LCD display
• 1080/60p video with clean output over HDMI and Flat Picture Control
• Built-in Wi-Fi

The D5500 appears to use the same 24.2MP CMOS sensor as the D5300, though it is interesting to note that its top ISO setting of 25,600 is no longer an 'extension', as was the case previously. There's continues to be no optical low-pass filter in front of the sensor, which maximizes resolution, though moiré may be an unwanted side effect. The D5500 also features Nikon's latest Expeed 4 image processing engine.

The design of the D5500 has changed for the better. It uses what is known as a monocoque design which allows the body to be a single unit that also 'increases durability without weighing it down', according to Nikon. Indeed, the camera is very light and compact - even more than the D3300. The grip is also much deeper than on the D5300, making it a whole lot easier to hold onto. Nikon has also added touch functionality to the already-nice 3.2" fully articulating LCD, making menu navigation a bit less tedious.

In the video department, the D5500 continues to support 1080/60p recording but now offers a 'Flat' Picture Control, which allows for easier color grading in post-production.

Something has disappeared though, and that's the built-in GPS that was featured on the D5300. It's probably a safe bet that Nikon is assuming that people will use their smartphone app to handle geotagging on the D5500.

  Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens

• Canon celebrated the 25th year anniversary of the EF 50mm f/1.8 II Lens with ... the announcement of its replacement, the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens. The 50mm f/1.8 II was an extremely popular lens, primarily because of its introduction-to-prime-wide aperture and good stopped-down image quality at a very low price. Many had long been waiting for a new 50mm lens from Canon and the 50mm STM Lens appeared to be a significant upgrade while retaining essentially the same ultra-small size and weight. That the new lens remained Canon's lowest-priced definitely produced smiles.

The poorly-constructed 50mm f/1.8 II left many opportunities for upgrades and the 50mm f/1.8 STM addressed a substantial number of them. Here is a list of some differences between these lenses:

• 7 rounded aperture blades vs. 5 non-rounded (no more pentagonal bokeh)
• Metal lens mount vs. plastic
• Improved overall build quality (my original 50mm f/1.8 II broke in half for an unknown reason)
• Super Spectra Coating
• A much improved manual focus ring
• STM vs. Micro Motor (smoother and quieter)
• FTM (Full Time Manual) focusing (as long as shutter release is half-pressed)
• 13.8" (350mm) MFD (Minimum Focus Distance) vs. 17.7" (450mm)
• 0.21x MM (Maximum Magnification) vs. 0.15x
• 49mm vs. 52mm filter size (though not much of an advantage from my perspective)
• Narrower f/22 aperture available vs. f/16
• Accepts normal bayonet-mount lens hood vs. threaded adapter