Canon 40mm f/2.8 Lens: Thoughts? Reviews? Is it worth getting?

[distant.star]

I didn't know you into bike distant.star

I used to own couple bikes when I was in the 20ish. After getting marry, I sold one and still keep my fav Ducati 848 EVO. Now with two kids, I haven't touch the bike for while. I'm thinking selling it, but having hard time letting it goes... :-\

That's one gorgeous Ducati. I can understand why you want to hold onto it, but if you're not using it, seems like a shame to have it go unused.

I did a few years of motorcycle roadracing in the mid-1970s before I learned the people doing it well were far crazier than I was. So, I took to writing about it and did a lot of motorsports coverage for motorcycle publications like Cycle News. My first weekend of racing was at the legendary Bridgehampton track on New York's Long Island. My first practice lap Gary Nixon blew past about 80 mph faster than I was going and two inches from me -- just as a welcome to the track!

First money I ever made as a writer:

 

[rpt]

I used to own couple bikes when I was in the 20ish. After getting marry, I sold one and still keep my fav Ducati 848 EVO. Now with two kids, I haven't touch the bike for while. I'm thinking selling it, but having hard time letting it goes... :-\

Lovely bike! I can understand you are having a hard time letting it go. Mine is a baby comparatively. Just 150cc

 

[Dylan777]

I used to own couple bikes when I was in the 20ish. After getting marry, I sold one and still keep my fav Ducati 848 EVO. Now with two kids, I haven't touch the bike for while. I'm thinking selling it, but having hard time letting it goes... :-\

Lovely bike! I can understand you are having a hard time letting it go. Mine is a baby comparatively. Just 150cc

Kinda fun to ride as a group down to Pacific Coast High Way, In California. My friends still doing it in the weekend. Maybe one day soon : : :

If I sell it, I can always use the money to:
1. Rebuild my 1991 Acura NSX to make it looks like photo below - so I can be ready for my Midlife crisis

OR

2. Get a new Canon 300/400mm f2.8 IS II now

 

[Proffarm]

Do any of you have any experiences/insight with the 40mm 2.8 on the EOS M? I'm curious how that combo would work. I'm considering the 50mm 1.4, but I'd really like to keep the size/impact of the M to what it really is meant to be, and if the 40 is a good alternative I'd like to know.

Thanks in advance.

 

[hammar]

I bought mine just when it came out and I've been using it as a less conspicuous travel lens on my 5D3. I had it in Guatemala for 14 days last December. IQ is quite good - irrelevant of the price.

 

[TexPhoto]

It's fun. i like it. I think I paid $110 or so used.

 

[RustyTheGeek]

I like it. Yes, it has a manual focus ring - note that it's an STM lens, so it's 'focus by wire' (power is required for manual focusing).

It's quite sharp wide open. I find it most useful because of it's small size - when I'm primarly planning to shoot with a long lens, I can easily bring the 40/2.8 along. I often use the 70-200/2.8 for events, and since it's hanging from a Blackrapid strap, if I need wider I can switch to the 40/2.8 which I keep in my pocket, leaving the white zoom hanging from the strap. I could use my 24-70, but I'd have to carry that in a belt pouch - the pancake is very convenient.

Hmmm. Neat idea!

 

[Chosenbydestiny]

I call it my vacation lens. I'd almost never use it for work but when I want to travel for personal enjoyment and get better shots than a camera phone or better than a point and shoot I take the pancake lens. Sometimes I even pair it with an 85mm 1.8 for a small and light travel setup with a 6D.

 

[bainsybike]

Do any of you have any experiences/insight with the 40mm 2.8 on the EOS M? I'm curious how that combo would work. I'm considering the 50mm 1.4, but I'd really like to keep the size/impact of the M to what it really is meant to be, and if the 40 is a good alternative I'd like to know.

Thanks in advance.

There's a thread on this - http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=16213.0. I like using it with the M - handles nicely and pairs well with the 22mm.

 

[HankMD]

Anyway, for $150...I was thinking of playing with it...but wondering if so cheap, is it worth messing with at all?

Go for it! Obviously we've all had it for no more than a year or so, but the build quality seems surprisingly good for the price. Image-wise it's the best lens I have and the only one I have for my 6D. (OK, that says something about my meager collection ) I recently took it along on a trip to Macau and suffice it to say, I am happy with the results.

 

[HankMD]

Don't buy new. There would be plenty of impulsive photographers like mackguyver and me who used it for five minutes then pushed it straight out onto eBay/Craigslist/Gumtree. You should get a pristine one for under $100.

If getting it used, try to get one with the latest firmware to correct for loss of AF. I've run into the problem a few times.

 

[Loswr]

Don't buy new. There would be plenty of impulsive photographers like mackguyver and me who used it for five minutes then pushed it straight out onto eBay/Craigslist/Gumtree. You should get a pristine one for under $100.

If getting it used, try to get one with the latest firmware to correct for loss of AF. I've run into the problem a few times.

The firmware for the lens can be updated if you have a recent camera body.

 

[Sporgon]

Don't buy new. There would be plenty of impulsive photographers like mackguyver and me who used it for five minutes then pushed it straight out onto eBay/Craigslist/Gumtree. You should get a pristine one for under $100.

If getting it used, try to get one with the latest firmware to correct for loss of AF. I've run into the problem a few times.

At BP we've got two, both the lenses have a '2' as the third digit of the serial number. Haven't had any problems with either and I often accidentally push the barrel in when putting the lens cap on. We haven't updated either.

From what I understand pushing the barrel back into the body whilst the camera is switched on and still awake can give rise to the malfunction.

 

[mackguyver]

Don't buy new. There would be plenty of impulsive photographers like mackguyver and me who used it for five minutes then pushed it straight out onto eBay/Craigslist/Gumtree. You should get a pristine one for under $100.

I'm still trying to decide what to do with mine, but that's good advice. I think a lot of us got one for a good price, but haven't found a use for it. My main issues with it are the AF speed (I'm so spoiled by USM), the f/2.8 aperture doesn't get me anything over my zooms, and I find the EOS M + EF-M 22mm much more convenient. I don't love the focus by wire, either. I hate it on my 85 f/1.2 II and EF-M lenses already, but they offer so much in exchange that I don't mind the trade off for them. On the 40, I just find it annoying.

It's a fine lens, and it would be great for landscapes and relatively slow moving subjects, but I don't seem to be able to find much use for it other than as a small backup lens. Of course, I might was well carry the M + 22 combo so I have a backup body and lens.

Maybe it will find a place in my kit, but it has spent a lot of time on my shelf so far...and is in imminent danger of going up for sale.

 

[jarrieta]

Used to have the nifty fifty and the pancake is better in my opinion. Got the 40 using a T2i about six months ago, sold the lens (for around the same price I bought it). Got a 70D and missed the little lens so I got it again. It's so cheap it's practically a no-brainer to pick one up.

 

[dlheidemann]

I've had one for about half a year now and I totally love it. The weight is unbeatable and it's just so unobtrusive for stuff like street shooting. That plus the 2.8? Looooove it. I've actually heard about people using these lenses basically as body caps because they're so small. That way you've always got something on the body, and you can always get that one shot. Fun little thing to have and the price is totally worth it. Sharp, small, lightweight. Can't beat it.

 

[polarhannes]

It is also good for panoramas as the nodal point is not too much off. Of course a real setup is better, but the pancake does the job quite well compared to its price.