The one thing that I dread but also love most about travelling is packing. I always get jitters the night before I’m due to travel, mentally ticking off my checklist and trying to make sure that I haven’t forgotten the most crucial items. Sometimes, when a mental checklist isn’t enough, I write them down.
I used to not worry about packing a camera because I was a firm believer that my smartphone was enough. Having to pack an extra gadget is just too much of a hassle because that means an extra item to scan at airport security, extra weight, extra wires, and an extra battery to charge. Plus, the more pro the camera, the heavier/bulkier the travel. Ain’t nobody got time for that!
But after travelling with the Canon EOS M10 on my recent work trip to South Korea, things changed. Wait, hear me out.
Let me just say upfront that I was in South Korea during its really unforgivingly cold winter season. This means that I’m hardly without my thick, wooly gloves. And while “touch gloves” are great for helping you use your smartphone, it still requires some fumbling and constant jabbing at the screen. Believe me when I say that there’s no greater fear than dropping a precious gadget because you were holding it with gloves.
So, here are my honest opinions on travelling with the Canon EOS M10:
Size does matter, it does!
The first and most important thing about the Canon EOS M10 that appealed to me was its size. Because it is a mirrorless camera, it is smaller, lighter, and mechanically simpler than a DSLR. I was going to be out and about all the time over the duration of my working trip, I needed something that I wouldn’t need to lug around. Luckily, this camera fits perfectly in my backpack as its collapsible design means it takes up fairly little room when not in use. And at only 301g (including batteries), it’s even light enough to sling around my neck! Aherm, that’s very important, if you asked me, because it saves me the horror of misplacing it and losing it altogether. Something that I’m prone to doing (it’s embarrassing, I know).
Minimalistic-ly & quietly pro
Just because it’s small enough to fit in my backpack, it doesn’t mean that it’s “just another compact camera” i.e lacking in features. In fact, the Canon EOS M10 packs a punch for something that size! Sporting an 18-megapixel resolution (the same resolution as the original EOS M and M2) with interchangeable-lens*, it’s capable of producing DSLR-quality shots. Better than most smartphone cameras and for the price of only RM1,999 (Lazada Malaysia is selling it for as low as RM1,588 and with an instalment plan of RM132.33 x 12). Besides, not all of us can afford the iPhone 7 Plus, famed for its built-in telephoto lens, priced at RM3,799 to RM4,799 in Malaysia.
*Interchangeable-lens basically means that you can invest in/use other lenses.
Easy transfer for updates
I know what you’re thinking – “But if I use a separate camera, it’s a hassle because I’ll have to wait until I get to my laptop at the end of the day to upload the pictures. I need to post my picture up on Instagram ASAP!” I hear you. Ain’t nobody be lugging his/her laptop around all day anyway. And that’s why the Canon EOS M10 is great! It has a nifty Near Field Communication (NFC) function that is compatible with the Canon Camera Connect app (iOS and Android) and allows you to seamlessly download your files into your smartphone. If your smartphone is anything like mine (a Google Nexus 6P, just putting it out there), it’s also easier to view the pictures because of the screen size (as compared to the Canon EOS M10 LCD screen) and to make edits on a smartphone app (cough VSCO cough).
Powering through an entire day
On my work assignment, our call time was as early as 6am and the activities, which include being shuttled to multiple locations all day, don’t end until after dinner. Despite that, I find that the Canon EOS M10’s battery consumption is impressively low for a gadget that does not come with a viewfinder! At the end of each day, the battery bar has hardly gone down by half. So it’s designed for long use on a single charge. Personally, I found it comforting because this means that I didn’t need to drain my smartphone battery taking pictures and videos, and also saved myself the hassle of needing to charge my camera’s battery every night when I’d rather crash. Ace 🙂
With beautiful photos to boot
As promised, the Canon EOS M10 takes gorgeous pictures. I can’t say this enough although I’m no photography pro, but don’t just take my word for it. Check out some of the pictures, 100% unedited (save for the Hype Malaysia watermark), that were taken with the camera in the gallery below. Psst. These were quickly snapped with the standard 15-45mm kit lens that comes with the camera:
BONUS: Quick tip for lone travellers
Can’t go without talking about the Canon EOS M10’s full HD video (1920×1080) and its capability of shooting continuously up to 4.6fps. This is especially handy for lone travellers, and I’ll explain why. Having travelled on my own before, I fully understand how hard it is to take pictures of yourself without having to ask a random stranger for help and probably subject yourself to a horribly taken picture or the embarrassment of having to pose for a picture in front of a stranger or, touch wood, subject your camera to being stolen. So here’s a quick tip! Attach a tripod, position your shot, and video away. Strike multiple poses (but please move slowly to avoid blurry frames) then screenshot your desired pose. The full HD video will ensure that your screenshot is of high quality.
Tadah. Neat trick, eh? 😉
Intrigued? Excited to see what else you can do with the Canon EOS M10? Check out the hashtag #My10Story on Instagram. Don’t say we didn’t share!
For more information, hit up Canon Malaysia’s website or Facebook page.
