ephotozine review of 40mm f2.8 STM

[paul13walnut5]

http://www.ephotozine.com/article/canon-ef-40mm-f-2-8-stm-lens-review-19464

They are still asking 'but what is it for?' but whatever it is, it appears to do it rather well...

 

[AvTvM]

Thanks for the link!

I do not understand this sentence in the review:
"Unlike Canon's USM lenses, full time manual override is possible by keeping the shutter button half depressed whilst focusing, rather than just grabbing the focus ring at any time."

What does this mean? Is it FTM or not? And if not, in what way is it different? And what, if I am using back-focus (AF-On button) rather than half-press on shutter button to autofocus?

 

[spinworkxroy]

It's not FTM because it uses electricity to focus.. even by turning it to MF and having your camera turned OFF you won't be able to manual focus it either..the camera has to be turned ON.
So when it is in AF mode, turning the focus rings doesn't do anything..having the shutter half pressed i guess "activates" the electricity needed to focus so you can actually turn the focus ring and still be able to manual focus that way…kinda like a "hybrid" manual focus

 

[paul13walnut5]

Does this only apply to T4i and 5D3 users?

What happens if you mount it on a body that was launched more than 3 months ago? Will it AF? will it MF? Will it allow this pseudo FTM?

 

[TrumpetPower!]

They are still asking 'but what is it for?'

Anybody asking that has no imagination.

This lens, mounted to a 5DIII, is the mirrorless / Leica X2 / Fuju X100 killer that everybody's been dreaming about. It's got all the photographic goodness everybody keeps saying they want in a compact body and then a whole hell of a lot more, and the combo is hardly bigger than a compact. It's eminently pocketable (in a way that a 5DIII with the Plastic Fantastic isn't), and non-photographers will look at it and only see a high-end P&S -- especially if you shoot with Live View at arm's length.

It's the ultimate street / reportage / event / party / whatever setup. Get right in there in the thick of things in the middle of the crowd and act like one of the crowd...and come away with 5DIII-quality images!

Every wedding photographer will want one of these...imagine shooting the dance with this, from the middle of the dance floor, while you're yourself dancing with the guests.

Cheers,

b&

 

[AvTvM]

It's not FTM because it uses electricity to focus.. even by turning it to MF and having your camera turned OFF you won't be able to manual focus it either..the camera has to be turned ON.
So when it is in AF mode, turning the focus rings doesn't do anything..having the shutter half pressed i guess "activates" the electricity needed to focus so you can actually turn the focus ring and still be able to manual focus that way…kinda like a "hybrid" manual focus

aha ... Thanks! I had not read that the shorty 40 is "focus by wire".

Do these characteristics equally apply to the focus-by-wire EF 85/1.2L? Or is it just a strange "side-effect" of the STM-motor in the pancake?

And does the other STM-lens 18-135 II STM behave in the same way?

If so, then I may stay well clear of STM lenses, even though I hardly ever ever use manual focus anyway.

 

[Hector1970]

Hi All,
Mine arrived in the post yesterday and I'm quite happy with it. I can confirm it autofocuses very well on a Canon 500D. I wasn't sure about the new STM and what impact it would have on a camera which can't use it.
I'd say no impact. I understood it not to have FTM but I couldn't confirm that it can with the shutter half pressed. I'd never thought of trying that. It can manually focus as it has a switch.
The photos so far are sharp at F2.8 and the bokeh is nice and pleasing.
It is small but for some reason I thought it might be even thinner. It's quite solid to hold not heavy by feels substantial for it's size.
I'd agree with E-Photozine as in what it is for? I'm not sure why I bought it. I think I like the idea of a Prime Lens between the 28mm and 50mm ones I have. I think it would suit a full frame better and it would be wider.
64mm is an odd focal length.
Still so far I really like it. I haven't taken any spectacular photos with it but it's given me no worries in terms of the photos that are coming from it.
I feel primes force me to think more about the shot and where I am positioned which improves the photograph.
When I get around to it I will post some examples on my Flickr Page www.flickr.com/fergalocallaghan

 

[paulc]

Bokeh is vastly superior to my eye versus the 50/1.8. Highlights have a strong ring to them, but absolutely worth the price of admission.

 

[neuroanatomist]

Do these characteristics equally apply to the focus-by-wire EF 85/1.2L? Or is it just a strange "side-effect" of the STM-motor in the pancake?

And does the other STM-lens 18-135 II STM behave in the same way?

It's the STM motor. The 85L can be manually focused without pressing AF-ON or half-pressing the shutter. The 18-135mm STM is the same as the 40/2.8 pancake in that regard.

 

[preppyak]

This lens, mounted to a 5DIII, is the mirrorless / Leica X2 / Fuju X100 killer that everybody's been dreaming about. It's got all the photographic goodness everybody keeps saying they want in a compact body and then a whole hell of a lot more, and the combo is hardly bigger than a compact. It's eminently pocketable (in a way that a 5DIII with the Plastic Fantastic isn't), and non-photographers will look at it and only see a high-end P&S -- especially if you shoot with Live View at arm's length.

You're stretching the truth with the bolded parts. For starters, this thing is only 3/4" smaller than the 50mm, its negligible as a combo. Especially when you consider that even my rain jacket pockets would struggle to fit my 60D, and that's smaller than the 5dIII. Nobody is gonna confuse a 5dIII for a P+S. An NEX with a pancake is pocketable, but it's literally half the height and depth.

I agree that this would be a great combo as a prime, but lets not make it the game-changer that it isn't.

 

[briansquibb]

- manual focus is only possible when the camera is turned on and the focus switch moved to MF
- it is supported by old cameras - such as my 1D4, 1DS3 and 7D
- it is about half the length of the 50 f/1.4
- IQ is very good
- bokeh/blur seems about average for a f/2.8 (bottom picture was taken with 1DS3 + 40)

 

[Wideopen]

Thanx or sharing the link. Can't wait to get mines