Last Updated on 10/05/2019 by Mark Beckenbach
The Canon M Mount needs help, and third party lens manufacturers might give the platform the boost it needs to succeed.
The Canon M Mount has been snickered at by just about everyone except those in Asia. Cameras like the M100 and the M50 have made Canon’s first Mirrorless platform a raging success in Japan, but it has not been well received elsewhere. This is partly because Canon dropped the ball on M Mount lenses. Until the new M6 II was announced, things were super quiet on the M Mount front. Sigma has just shaken things up by announcing that three of their popular APS-C lenses will be coming to the platform. The trio of lenses (the 16mm f1.4, the 30mm f1.4, and the 56mm f1.4) are available now at bargain prices. Join us after the break for all the details.
The trio of Sigma lenses that just launched for the Canon M Mount are not new. These three pieces of glass have actually been around for some time and have become firm favorites with those who use Sony’s APS-C Alpha 6xxx cameras as well as those rocking Panasonic and Olympus Micro Four Thirds cameras. Their fast apertures, excellent build quality, and affordable prices make them must-haves. Their release on Canon’s almost forgotten M Mount just may be able to breathe new life into the system.
The 16mm f1.4, which we reviewed, will give Canon users a lens with an equivalent reach of 25.6mm. The wide aperture and weather sealing will make this an excellent lens for street photography and environmental portraits. The 16mm 1.4 DC DN Contemporary is available for just $449.
The 30mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary will be the equivalent of a nifty fifty on any of Canon’s M Mount APS-C cameras. The lens should be great for general photography and portraits. It has the same excellent build as the 16mm and will cost just $339. The 56mm 1.4 DC DN Contemporary will have an equivalent focal range of 89.6, which means it will be a beautiful portrait lens for anyone using this system. The fast f1.4 will also give you the buttery bokeh so many seem to chase these days. The 56mm 1.4 will be priced at just $479.
Do these three lenses really have what it takes to kick start the M Mount system outside of Asia? Actually, now that Sigma has started backing the platform with some of their lenses, we might find others following suit. The reason why there has been so little third party support is that there was no first-party support until only recently. Why would third-party lens manufacturers make lenses for a system that had no support from its creators? The tables have turned now, though.
Canon is beginning to show that it is committed to the platform, which makes it more appealing to others. When third-party lens manufacturers start throwing their support behind the system, the future for the Canon M Mount becomes bright. If Canon themselves market the system so that it appeals to those in the US and Europe, they may have something that could compete with Sony’s line of Mirrorless APS-C cameras. If you’d like more information about the trio of lenses Sigma has just launched for the Canon M Mount, head on over to the official Sigma website.