Canon 40mm f/2.8 Lens: Thoughts? Reviews? Is it worth getting?
- Thread starter cayenne
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For now, the pancake is a good deal for FF. It has great overall IQ for its focal length on FF unmatched for its size. That might change, though, once the 50mm f/1.8 IS is released. That lens will have close focal length, IS, and faster speed... Might not be that much bigger than the "nifty fifty" either based on other IS consumer primes recently released, and if that is the case it might be worth carrying over the pancake. But, who knows when that will be released for sure and it may turn out significantly larger than the nifty fifty.
On crop, the pancake is a weird focal length to use - too long for normal, too short for portrait. So for APS-C I would not recommend it at all. A better option would be the 28mm f/2.8 IS USM for crop - which is almost as small as the pancake.
On crop, the pancake is a weird focal length to use - too long for normal, too short for portrait. So for APS-C I would not recommend it at all. A better option would be the 28mm f/2.8 IS USM for crop - which is almost as small as the pancake.
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Although I don't own it, I had the chance to use the 40mm a bit and really liked it. It's sharp, compact and cheap. However, I have got to say that I personnally really disliked the STM focus ring. I used it in manual focus and found it inefficiant and imprecise. Still, maybe it's because of a lack of practice with an STM lens (it was my first and only time using one). I would recommend you to at less try it before you buy if you plan on using it in manual focus; I guess an STM fous ring is something you either love or hate working with. Otherwise, it really have a great quality/price ratio!
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On a 5D3, a great little lens. For its price and size, super sharp wide open, and great contrast. It's replaced my 50mm f1.4 as my standard lens (great for general landscape/walk around, as others have mentioned). On a recent trip, I probably used this one for 40% of the images.
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Ditto...great little lens but for me an unwise purchase, seduced by novelty value and launch-time hype. Bought it when they first shipped in 2012, had a one week love affair with it on a vacation down the coast, and it's been gathering dust ever since. This is no reflection on its quality. It's GOOD!mackguyver said:
Go ahead and get one, it's a perfectly fine, fun, very compact lens. 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.
-pw
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Sporgon said:Dylan777 said:The best $130 I ever spend on Canon lens. It's compact and sharp @ wide open. It feels like FF mirrorless when you attach to your 5D III. Maybe I should cancel my A7 and stay with this combo ::
I've seen this picture when you posted it a whole ago. Can't remember it I posted a comment then, but the qualities of this picture really reminds me of the Ektachrome transparencies my father shot of us when we were kids, using his Pentax Spotmatic and 50mm takumar f1.7.
So that's a complement
Thanks Sporgon.
I just got into photography 5-6yrs ago, I need to google "Ektachrome" now.
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I love mine, it's essentially glued to my 6D.
It does have some quirks though.
Its motor is noisy, kind of squeals when it's running, you can even feel the steps it takes while focusing as a subtle vibration in the camera body.
Many lenses, you can grab the manual focus ring at any time and take over, not on this one, unless you take auto focus away from the shutter button, as in back button focusing, probably other combinations too.
If you do set to back button focusing and set the lens switch to MF, you do get focus confirmation while BBF is held, I like how that works.
Manual focus also goes to sleep after 20 seconds or so of inactivity, a tap of the shutter button wakes it back up.
I also considered the Voitlander 40mm Pancake which got some rave reviews, others not so rave. Turns out the Voitlander is more susceptible to flare, has a bit of barrel distortion and a fairly repulsive onion skin bokeh, never mind no auto focus at all.
Bokeh on the Canon is smooth, somewhat oval shaped, under normal conditions, just about flare proof though I did get some extreme flare from streetlights above and just behind me to the sides during night shooting recently.
With the 6D's high ISO performance, the Canon's f2.8 maximum is a non-issue speed wise, no worries about dealing with razor thin DOF either.
Auto focus speed seems fine to me, but I've little experience with high line lenses to compare.
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It does have some quirks though.
Its motor is noisy, kind of squeals when it's running, you can even feel the steps it takes while focusing as a subtle vibration in the camera body.
Many lenses, you can grab the manual focus ring at any time and take over, not on this one, unless you take auto focus away from the shutter button, as in back button focusing, probably other combinations too.
If you do set to back button focusing and set the lens switch to MF, you do get focus confirmation while BBF is held, I like how that works.
Manual focus also goes to sleep after 20 seconds or so of inactivity, a tap of the shutter button wakes it back up.
I also considered the Voitlander 40mm Pancake which got some rave reviews, others not so rave. Turns out the Voitlander is more susceptible to flare, has a bit of barrel distortion and a fairly repulsive onion skin bokeh, never mind no auto focus at all.
Bokeh on the Canon is smooth, somewhat oval shaped, under normal conditions, just about flare proof though I did get some extreme flare from streetlights above and just behind me to the sides during night shooting recently.
With the 6D's high ISO performance, the Canon's f2.8 maximum is a non-issue speed wise, no worries about dealing with razor thin DOF either.
Auto focus speed seems fine to me, but I've little experience with high line lenses to compare.
.
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I love mine. I first got it for the 7D and used it for family events when I didn't want the heft of the 17-55. Now that I have the 5D3, I find it even handier. Tomorrow, I'm shooting my kids basketball game with the 5D3 and the 70-200 f2.8L II. I'm bringing the 40 in case there's a chance for a group shot. It's very easy to travel light with this lens. Also, IQ is great, corner-to-corner, and wide open. I prefer the 40 2.8 over the old 35 2.0 and the 50 1.8.
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drmikeinpdx
Celebrating 20 years of model photography!
kennephoto said:
That's a good description!
Combined with the high-ISO capabilities of the 5D3, it makes a pretty good indoor walk around camera for museums, art shows, etc... It would be fun to try this combo for candid street photography too, using zone focus.
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drmikeinpdx
Celebrating 20 years of model photography!
distant.star said:
A two day motorcycle show in Portland last January. Here's another one taken with the 40 pancake at F/3.2, 1/200, ISO 3200. The vignetting is courtesy of Lightroom.
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.
I've done some bicycling around Portland so I know it's a great place for that. Didn't know they favored motorcycles too.
That Honda brings back some memories. I used to road race -- and once rode a Honda (in the days when Yamaha ruled the circuits). Almost killed myself on the first turn when I started downshifting as if it were a two-stroke!
I've done some bicycling around Portland so I know it's a great place for that. Didn't know they favored motorcycles too.
That Honda brings back some memories. I used to road race -- and once rode a Honda (in the days when Yamaha ruled the circuits). Almost killed myself on the first turn when I started downshifting as if it were a two-stroke!
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Have to strongly disagree with you on the CV 40mm Ultron. I think its the best 40mm on the market. Sharper than the Canon at 2.8 and only slightly bigger (have owned both). AF confirmation works like a charm. See pic below, no onion bokeh but it does have some distortion in some of my other pics.
tolusina said:
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arize84 said:
I have not personally compared the two lenses, I own only the Canon 40mm.
I did read multiple reviews while seriously considering the Voitlander, finally deciding against after seeing these two pages side by side.
photozone.de 2nd page tests of
Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM
http://www.photozone.de/canon_eos_ff/752-canon_40_28_ff?start=1
and
Voigtlander Ultron 40mm f/2 SL II (Canon EF)
http://www.photozone.de/canon_eos_ff/712-voigtlander40f2ff?start=1
Also this page.....
http://photopensieve.blogspot.it/2012/06/canon-40mm-f28-vs-voigtlander-40mm-f20.html
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I have observed the cat eye bokeh from the Canon as described at photozone.de, but I don't find it objectionable.
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Hmm....... first time trying an attachment here, if it shows, it's night time flare in the Canon 40mm as described in my post above. Image is straight from camera jpg, only edit was down sizing.
1/20 at f2.8, ISO 25600, handheld, Av, -2/3 exposure compensation.
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distant.star said:
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... :-\
http://www.dylanphotography.phanfare.com/5991989#imageID=182346297
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