SHORTY FORTY - Canon EF 40 f/2.8 Pancake

acetone said:
The 50 f/1.4's 8-blade aperture creates a good foreground/background blur quality
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Cheers Acetone. As the UK price is crazy high for the 40mm , might as well spend the extra bit and get the faster 50mm.
Any thoughts on the difference between USM and STM?
 
The whole point is the size.. You can always have this in a pocket. And the MTF charts look excellent.
 
Just found this from Canon UK: "Canon's USM lenses are a better choice for stills photography because they focus more quickly, but their movement tends to be too jerky for video recording. That's not to say that STM lenses can't be used when shooting stills, but their slower movements mean they are not the ideal choice for shooting sport scenes."
 
arentol said:
Canon's MTF charts are internally consistent. In other words as long as you are comparing them to other Canon charts they are an accurate measure of relative performance between the lenses being compared. Comparing them to other MTF charts is not recommended though.
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Thank you.. But I knew that. But you probably knew that I knew that. ;)

I was actually confused by onform's apparent disbelief that the mtf charts were real when it was pretty obvious that they were. :)

But maybe you knew that as well and I'm still confused. ;)
 
IIRC Canon's MTF charts are synthetically generated from the computer software they use to design the lenses rather than being data sampled from real-world testing of production samples.
 
acetone said:
Just a shame that a $200 lens is going to cost $355 here in the UK.

Definitely one to get a friend in the US to buy and post to you.
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Oh dear :help: $200 is pretty bad given it is only 2.8 not 2.0, but $355 over here is a complete joke. Remember Nikon has a superb and affordable 50mm /1.8G which I would happily buy today if it was compatible. (and 35 1.8 G Dx for those with small sensors).

It looks like it has no focus scales, and MF accuracy may be as great as the plastic fantastic 50mm. I wonder if the filter thread also rotates :shrug:
 
POAH said:
looks like a photoshop of a lens onto an extention tube TBH but not to say its not real though
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Isn't that the idea of the 'pancake' lens, so called as its relatively flat?

Edit - looking at the image I see what you mean, ignore me I thought you meant something else!
 
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I'm quite interested - I mainly use my 5D with the 85 1.8 but have been looking for something shorter, and this looks like it might do the trick and will be nice a light to carry with me.
 
Would someone be kind enough to explain what on earth a Pancake lens is I've heard the phrase a few times before but always thought that it sounded like marketing gimmick so what makes this different from any normal prime :thinking:

Matt
 
Maybe it's just me but I think this lens is clearly aimed at video users. It's aperture of f2.8 is about as wide as you want to go when shooting FF video because of limited depth of field, it's autofocus has clearly been designed for video use as it is silent and smooth rather than noisy, fast and jerky like stills lenses. It also fills in nicely with the two other f2.8 IS video primes that Canon released (I forget but are they not 21mm and 24mm). It's minute size would also make the 5DMKIII, C300, C500 super compact and portable, ideal for documentary and travel work.
 
Irritable_Rabbit said:
Thank you.. But I knew that. But you probably knew that I knew that. ;)

I was actually confused by onform's apparent disbelief that the mtf charts were real when it was pretty obvious that they were. :)

But maybe you knew that as well and I'm still confused. ;)
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Sorry, responded to the wrong person. :bonk:
 
jacob12_1993 said:
Maybe it's just me but I think this lens is clearly aimed at video users. It's aperture of f2.8 is about as wide as you want to go when shooting FF video because of limited depth of field, it's autofocus has clearly been designed for video use as it is silent and smooth rather than noisy, fast and jerky like stills lenses. It also fills in nicely with the two other f2.8 IS video primes that Canon released (I forget but are they not 21mm and 24mm). It's minute size would also make the 5DMKIII, C300, C500 super compact and portable, ideal for documentary and travel work.
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Exactly what I was thinking. It would be good of Canon made/refreshed some lenses for people who want to capture stills.
 
jacob12_1993 said:
Maybe it's just me but I think this lens is clearly aimed at video users. It's aperture of f2.8 is about as wide as you want to go when shooting FF video because of limited depth of field, it's autofocus has clearly been designed for video use as it is silent and smooth rather than noisy, fast and jerky like stills lenses. It also fills in nicely with the two other f2.8 IS video primes that Canon released (I forget but are they not 21mm and 24mm). It's minute size would also make the 5DMKIII, C300, C500 super compact and portable, ideal for documentary and travel work.
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This may be true but I imagine those features (small, smooth af etc) also make it an enjoyable stills lens.

For video use on anything that isn't the 650d the manual focus ring would be horrible to use.

Those other two lenses are 24 and 28mm I think.
 
I still like the idea of this lens.
Put it on a hulking big camera and it would be a slim easy to store point and shoot lens.
They could actually do a case that's more of a shell, due to the fact that a lens cover and mount cover would double the depth of this...lol
Still, needs to be faster
 
whom said:
This may be true but I imagine those features (small, smooth af etc) also make it an enjoyable stills lens.

For video use on anything that isn't the 650d the manual focus ring would be horrible to use.

Those other two lenses are 24 and 28mm I think.
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I don't think it's designed for manual focus, I'd imagine if you use this with say a C300 or 5DIII it would autofocus nicely for video use, mainly run-gun doc type work, but without trying it I'm just speculating
 
MWHCVT said:
Would someone be kind enough to explain what on earth a Pancake lens is I've heard the phrase a few times before but always thought that it sounded like marketing gimmick so what makes this different from any normal prime :thinking:
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I understand what a pancake lens is, i.e. one that's very 'flat' in design like the original picture in this thread.

What I've never understood is what is 'desirable' or 'advantageous' about a pancake lens compared to a more traditional design?
 
Vertigo1 said:
What I've never understood is what is 'desirable' or 'advantageous' about a pancake lens compared to a more traditional design?
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It's smaller
 
Craikeybaby said:
Exactly what I was thinking. It would be good of Canon made/refreshed some lenses for people who want to capture stills.
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Wished they'd updated the 24/28/35mm with improved optics and build
Maybe USM but not IS and...... not the high price tag!
 
£229 for a relatively slow prime! Canon UK just keeps pushing and pushing.
 
philshep said:
Wished they'd updated the 24/28/35mm with improved optics and build
Maybe USM but not IS and...... not the high price tag!
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add 50mm to that. All at least f/2, not necessarily faster, affordable, USM, no IS, sharp glass, 7 or 9 blades, 85mm-like build quality. It seems that won't happen.
 
daugirdas said:
add 50mm to that. All at least f/2, not necessarily faster, affordable, USM, no IS, sharp glass, 7 or 9 blades, 85mm-like build quality. It seems that won't happen.
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Think you could be right... it's a pity there's a big market out there for decent affordable primes.
I guess more money in zooms and video primes for Canon these days.
 
hollis_f said:
Only for the early adopters. If you have more sense than money just wait a few months and get it for around £175.
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The price is £229, if I wait 30 years' Ill get one in a flee market for less than a tenner, but that's irreverent, the current asking price is £229 we don't know what will happen in the future the Yen may collapse or so may sterling which will completely alter the price, we should only comment on what it cost at the current time.
 
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acetone said:
The price is £229, if I wait 30 years' Ill get one in a flee market for less than a tenner, but that's irreverent, the current asking price is £229 we don't know what will happen in the future
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We don't know, but we can extrapolate from past experience. That shows us that every single lens produced by Canon has, at launch, been sold at the MRSP. Experience also shows that the price drops to around 80% of MRSP after a fairly short time. Experience also shows us that some people find this whole concept totally beyond their capabilities of understanding.

Let's wait until September and see which of us needs to eat humble pie.
 
I'm fairly certain my brother paid less for a 1.4 50mm lens a few years ago than you would pay now so its no guarantee. Having said that yes the price will come down as the sellers will probably discunt the lens to make sales. BUT its going to have to drop a fair bit to make it interesting.

Will be interesting to see what the Hong Kong sellers can offer.
 
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onform said:
If true it could mean canon are looking at an eos mount interchangeable lens compact...

I would love them to release a full frame or even a crop compact that I can use my existing lenses on if I so chose!
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:)
 
Although it can be used as a still's lens it's mainly aimed at video users with the new 650D. The 650D has a new hybrid focus system for AF while videoing and this lens has a step motor focussing to keep smooth AF and it's also a silent AF motor so it can be used all the time with video and wont be heard.
I still don't know why it's costing so much over here when the list price for the US is $200 which should work out around £130. I recently got a 50 1.4 for a little less than this costs, but I've just ordered a new 650D for the wife so if I can find a cheap lens I might even do some videoing on a dslr at last.
 
hollis_f said:
Let's wait until September and see which of us needs to eat humble pie.
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In September we can discuss what it cost in September, but seeing the discussion is in June then we talk about the price in June
 
Why do people have to argue over such small things?

Yes the price is X now. And yes it will probably be less than X later. Why is there an argument?
 
whom said:
Why do people have to argue over such small things?

Yes the price is X now. And yes it will probably be less than X later. Why is there an argument?
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because price is important, otherwise we will have Zeiss cine prime collection, and the big white Canons
 
daugirdas said:
because price is important, otherwise we will have Zeiss cine prime collection, and the big white Canons
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Well that isn't what is being argued about really. It seems to be one person saying the price will come down so we should wait and let it settle, and the other saying well that doesn't matter.

Look at it however you want.


It's a nice little sharp lens. What makes me laugh about it is the whole "smooth" AF and STEPper motor doesn't sound logical! Steps are about as un-smooth as you can get... I don't need anyone to explain stepper motors though, I do understand them.
 
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