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Noise and JPEG processing, low ISO sensitivities

The EOS M produces JPEGs that look quite clean up through ISO 800, and good as high as ISO 1600.

Updated:June 3, 2013Caption:Lori GruninPhoto:Lori Grunin/CNET

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Noise and JPEG processing, high ISO sensitivities

Above ISO 1600, detail degrades rapidly and there's a lot of color noise.

Updated:June 3, 2013Caption:Lori GruninPhoto:Lori Grunin/CNET

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ISO 100 JPEG

The EOS M fares pretty well on image sharpness -- not too soft and not too crunchy.

(1/125 sec, f8, spot metering, AWB, ISO 100, 18-55mm lens at 18mm)

Updated:June 3, 2013Caption:Lori GruninPhoto:Lori Grunin/CNET

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ISO 100, raw vs. JPEG

Even at ISO 100, however, you can improve upon the JPEGs by shooting raw. Note especially the edge artifacts.

(1/125 sec, f8, spot metering, AWB, ISO 100, 18-55mm lens at 18mm)

Updated:June 3, 2013Caption:Lori GruninPhoto:Lori Grunin/CNET

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Bokeh, 18-55mm lens

The 18-55mm kit lens displays some nice out-of-focus highlights.

(1/800sec, f6, spot metering, AWB, ISO 100, 18-55mm lens at 35mm)

Updated:June 3, 2013Caption:Lori GruninPhoto:Lori Grunin/CNET

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ISO 400 JPEG

The camera resolves details very nicely at ISO 400.

(1/100 sec, f2, spot metering, AWB, ISO 400, 22mm lens)

Updated:June 3, 2013Caption:Lori GruninPhoto:Lori Grunin/CNET

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ISO 800 JPEG

The camera maintains crisp edges as high as ISO 800. Well, if you don't count the fringing of the 22mm lens.

(1/40 sec, f2, spot metering, AWB, ISO 800, 22mm lens)

Updated:June 3, 2013Caption:Lori GruninPhoto:Lori Grunin/CNET

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ISO 800, raw vs. JPEG

Those fringy edges clean right up if you shoot raw, along with increased tonal range and less color noise.

(1/40 sec, f2, spot metering, AWB, ISO 800, 22mm lens)

Updated:June 3, 2013Caption:Lori GruninPhoto:Lori Grunin/CNET

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ISO 1600 JPEG

While it doesn't stand up extremely well to 100 percent viewing, ISO 1600 shots print well at 13 x 19. This is just a scaled-down reference for the cropped view on the next slide.

(1/80 sec, f2, spot metering, AWB, ISO 1600, 22mm lens)

Updated:June 3, 2013Caption:Lori GruninPhoto:Lori Grunin/CNET

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ISO 1600, raw vs. JPEG

Because the default Picture Style boosts contrast, once you get to higher ISO sensitivities you lose a lot of detail in low light. I didn't adjust the exposure of the raw file here.

(1/80 sec, f2, spot metering, AWB, ISO 1600, 22mm lens)

Updated:June 3, 2013Caption:Lori GruninPhoto:Lori Grunin/CNET

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ISO 3200 JPEG

ISO 3200 JPEGs look OK scaled down by about 50 percent.

(1/40 sec, f4, spot metering, AWB, ISO 3200, 22mm lens)

Updated:June 3, 2013Caption:Lori GruninPhoto:Lori Grunin/CNET

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Color

Canon really pushes the saturation on some of the colors.

Updated:June 3, 2013Caption:Lori GruninPhoto:Lori Grunin/CNET

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Picture Styles

Canon's default Picture Style (Auto) never delivers the best results.

(1/80sec, f5, spot metering, AWB, ISO 100, 18-55mm lens at 27mm)

Updated:June 3, 2013Caption:Lori GruninPhoto:Lori Grunin/CNET

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Picture Styles, neutral vs. raw

The Neutral profile seems to be flat rather than accurate. There's also Faithful (not shown), which is a little better.

(1/80sec, f5, spot metering, AWB, ISO 100, 18-55mm lens at 27mm)

Updated:June 3, 2013Caption:Lori GruninPhoto:Lori Grunin/CNET

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