With Canon’s EOS M100 mirrorless camera, you can capture beautiful photos easily by simply operating the LCD touchscreen, making it a wonderful choice if you are looking to buy your first interchangeable lens camera. Compact and lightweight, it also has many high-performing features. Here, we introduce the 3 most powerful, and share some tips on how to make the most of them. (Reported by Reina Kanamori)

EOS M100/ EF-M22mm f/2 STM/ FL: 22mm (35mm equivalent)/ Aperture-priority AE (f/2.0, 1/60 sec, EV±0)/ ISO 1000/ WB: White fluorescent light

Lightweight and compact, the EOS M100 fits into the palm of your hand and is excellent for capturing images of those keepsake moments. The camera performs well even at high ISO speeds, making it possible to capture lovely handheld shots of glittering festive lights.

 

#1: Dual Pixel CMOS AF—Near-instant autofocusing to capture those blink-and-you-miss-it moments

EOS M100 uses the Dual Pixel CMOS AF system, which combines phase difference AF with contrast AF to enable high-speed focusing under any condition. The camera also comes with a variety of AF modes and methods that can be further customised to suit different scenes. All you need to do is to choose the best AF method or mode for the scene.

To change the AF method, press the [Q SET] button and the AF method icon indicated in the screenshot above.

 

For example, Face + Tracking AF detects the faces of human subjects, and the AF frame “locks” on these faces and tracks them continuously. This ensures that you will not miss out on that memorable facial expression that you hope to preserve in pictures forever!

For scenery and subjects that are still, the most suitable AF mode to use is the One Shot mode, which continues to lock onto the same spot once focus is established.

Meanwhile, The Smooth Zone AF method is a good choice for keeping focus on moving subjects as the AF frame will move smoothly along with the subject. For best results while capturing fast-moving objects, use it in combination with the Servo AF mode, which will keep its focus on a subject once you half-press the shutter button.

For more about different combinations of AF methods and modes, check out:
EOS 6D Mark II: What You Should Know About Dual Pixel CMOS AF and Live View AF

 

EOS M100/ EF-M22mm f/2 STM/ FL: 22mm (35mm equivalent)/ Aperture-priority AE (f/5.6, 1/400 sec, EV±0)/ ISO 100/ WB: White fluorescent light

The penguins here may look like they are paddling about at a leisurely pace, but they are actually more agile than you would expect! I managed to establish focus properly on them and capture a sharp image of them swimming thanks to Dual Pixel CMOS AF with its extremely quick focus acquisition. This image was shot from below the aquarium, but the penguins look like they are flying in the sky, don’t they?

 

#2: Continuous shooting—For the luxury of choosing the best shot from that shutter opportunity

When photographing a moving subject, another great mode to use is the Continuous Shooting mode. This allows you to shoot up to 6.1 frames per second when combined with One Shot AF, and up to 4 frames per second when combined with Servo AF, ensuring that you will not miss out on that shutter opportunity regardless of whether it is a restless child you are photographing, or an unpredictable animal.

When using Servo AF with this mode, one tip is to zoom to the wide angle range of your lens to get a slightly wider field-of-view. Subject tracking may be reset if your subject moves out of the frame in Servo AF mode, but you can prevent that by using a wider composition.

If your subject moves extremely quickly, you will also need to choose a fast shutter speed to ensure that you get good shots of it. Try using Shutter-priority AE (Tv) mode, which lets you define the shutter speed.

To switch to Continuous Shooting mode, press the [Q SET] button and select the Drive Mode icon indicated in the screenshot above.

 

EOS M100/ EF-M15-45mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM/ FL: 20mm (32mm equivalent)/ Shutter-priority AE (f/4.0, 1/500 sec, EV+1.7)/ ISO 1250/ WB: Auto

My cat playing with its toy. It was whirling around in a flurry of motion as I photographed it, and the images were sharply captured with a combination of Face + Tracking AF and Continuous Shooting mode. The EOS M100 was light enough to shoot easily even with one hand—I was holding on to cat toy with the other.

 

#3: High ISO speeds with minimal noise—For pretty handheld shots of decorative lights

Camera shake is a very real concern when shooting in dark or dimly-lit places. One way to avoid it is to increase the ISO speed, but that brings along with it the issue of noise. However, the EOS M100, which is equipped with a 24.2-megapixel CMOS sensor and Canon’s latest DIGIC 7 image processor, is able to provide clear images even at high ISO speeds. You can now shoot away with a higher ISO speed for steadier indoor shots and nightscape photos.

To change the ISO speed, go to the menu screen and select "ISO speed" on page 5 of the Shoot menu.

 

If you use a lens that allows you to shoot with a long focal length, such as the EF-M55-200mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM, you can capture decorative lights as circles of defocused light, also known as bokeh circles. There are just 2 key points to remember when creating bokeh circles: 1. Set the camera to the maximum aperture (lowest f-number), and 2. Make sure that the light sources that you want to turn into bokeh circles are some distance away from the main subject of your picture. Go ahead and try it out!

Click here to learn more about creating bokeh

 

EOS M100/ EF-M55-200mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM/ FL: 200mm (320mm equivalent)/ Aperture-priority AE (1/250 sec, f/6.3, EV-0.3)/ ISO 6400/ WB: White fluorescent light

I turned the fairy lights wrapped around a tree trunk into foreground bokeh to add some extra sparkle to the shot. The foreground bokeh also helps to add a sense of depth to the entire image. The image is clear and has minimal noise, even at ISO 6400.

 

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