Camera Labs

Hi folks,

There is a picture of a Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 Pancake circulating on the Net. Who's it for?

The reason I ask is that it's a little longer, at 64mm FF equivalent FoV, than is usual for a walkaround lens on an APS-C body. Is there a demand for a pancake lens from many of Canon's full-frame camera owners?

Bob.

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OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.

I guess it's just a lens "for those who want it". It's small, it won't be too expensive, F2.8 is not great but OK and if the lens is sharp it's a good one. Until nor my "smallest walkaround kit" is the 500D without battery grip and with the 50mm 1.8 attached. Sometimes the lens is too long (physically) to get it into my pocket - the 40mm could do that job. 40mm are close enough to 50mm so I guess it won't be too much of a problem for me, although portraits might be getting slightly harder. I even thought of getting an Industar 50mm 3.5 M42 mount pancake lens but the Canon lens has AF, F2.8 and a focal length that's a bit wider than my 50mm lens I already have.


I'm not sure if I'd use it on a full frame camera as it's close to 35mm and the last time I was walking around with a 35mm lens on an analog camera the lens was either too wide (for portraits etc.) or too short (for architecture stuff when walking through the town). I kinda found no good use for that focal length. In short: yes: I like 50mm on a crop frame body and I hope 40mm will be OK, too.

I'm interested in this lens of it's not too expensive.

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Canon EOS 500D + Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Canon EF 24-105mm 4L IS USM + EF 100-400mm 4.5-5.6L IS USM + EF 100mm 2.8L Macro IS USM + Sigma 12-24mm 4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM + Canon Speedlite 580 EX II + Nissin Speedlite Di 466

People do use 50mm lenses on crop, so why not 40mm also? I think the key thing is it has to be cheap.

40mm was probably a requirement for the lens physical design, as it is close to the flange to sensor distance. Shorter means retrofocus design, longer means... it'll be longer, give or take.

I used the Panasonic 20mm pancake on the E-P1 a lot during the old days (40mm effective). I think 40mm effective is a better focal length than 50mm as it opens things up a bit over a 50mm.

I'm going to throw a wildcard out here. Pentax did a "SLR mount mirrorless", could Canon be thinking the same here? It wont be small, but it could be full frame. Something to think about?

Even if you don't like the focal length, it'll make an interesting body cap replacement

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

When I take a look at my 50mm 1.8 lens and where its front lens element is, I think they could make it smaller, too.* Still I guess the 40mm is still smaller.

*They should start thinking about a 50mm 1.8 III. Smaller, metal mount, just a little bit more expensive... people would buy it.

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Canon EOS 500D + Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Canon EF 24-105mm 4L IS USM + EF 100-400mm 4.5-5.6L IS USM + EF 100mm 2.8L Macro IS USM + Sigma 12-24mm 4.5-5.6 EX DG HSM + Canon Speedlite 580 EX II + Nissin Speedlite Di 466

The smaller the lens, the more likely you are to take it with you.
The less expensive the lens, the more likely you are to purchase it.

Considering that this lens is expected to cost somewhere between the 50mm f/1.8 II and the 50mm f/1.4 USM, I can see some people opting for it over the 50mm f/1.8 II.
It looks like it has a better build quality than the 50mm f/1.8 II, and it is more compact.

What would be really neat is if Canon released a CSC that you could used EF lenses on. That would probably make this lens extremely popular.

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Canon Rebel XTi, BG-E3 Grip
Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II, 24-105mm f/4L, 50mm f/1.4, 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DO, 85mm f/1.8
Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX Macro
Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX, Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II
Canon 430EX II
Opteka 13mm, 21mm, and 31mm extension tubes

More info on the pancake and the 650D + 18-135 STM at Canonrumors.

Pancake is apparently 22.8mm to the mount, compared to 41mm for the 50mm f/1.8 II. Almost half the size... 6 elements in 4 groups, one of which is... green whatever that means on Canon lens charts which I can't remember right now.

I'm sure there'll be a ton more info tomorrow when it's supposed to go official.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

Seems like it's gonna be an interesting lens, looking forward to see what this stepping motor (STM) will be capable of. The new 18-135 IS STM lens is rumored to have a special video mode to make the lens quieter and smoother to autofocus during video. Looking forward to seeing that in action.

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Cameras: Canon EOS Rebel T2i, Canon S90
Lenses: Tamron: SP70-300mm F/4-5.6 Di VC USD, Canon: EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens, 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 III, and EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Retired camera: Fujifilm Finepix s700

Elephants?

Seriously, I'm also confused as to the target audience because a mirrorless system should have a shorter flange distance which would mean that you'd need an adapter for this lens which defeats the purpose of a pancake. Also, what's the max aperture of the current 18-135mm lens at 40mm? f4-ish? So the pancake is only one stop faster?

That said, I am so buying the T4i + 18-135mm STM kit! - Mark

People who might consider the pancake will be primarily attracted by size first, the rest of the spec second.

Anyway, it's official now. List price a fraction under $200.

I think it more interesting the 650D has been confirmed as having continuous AF in movie/live view modes with a new hybrid AF system. Be interesting to see how that actually performs as that would also make an obvious foundation for a future mirrorless system. 650D body only $850, regular 18-135 kit $950, STM lens kit $1200. New EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens by itself lists a tad under $550. Available end of June.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

.
Probably best if I lock this thread now and request that the conversation continues in the Rebel T4i/650D and 2 new lenses thread.

Bob.

_________________
OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.