Lens retraction rant

[Kit Lens Jockey]

Why does my $150 40mm 2.8 conveniently retract the part of the lens that extends during focusing back into the body of the lens when I turn off my camera, and yet my $1900 85mm 1.2 just hangs out where ever it happened to be when it last focused? :

Yes, I know there are many relevant answers... The 40mm is a much newer design, the 40mm is designed to be compact whereas the 85mm is a big grapefruit on the front of your camera whether it's retracted or not...

But come on Canon, at least give me the option of having such an expensive lens retract at power-off to lessen the chance of it getting whacked on something and damaged. The 40mm does it so nicely! The software to do this cannot be that complicated. If lens = 85mm 1.2, set lens to infinity focus when power turns off!

 

[Ryananthony]

Which body? I was under the impression the 1dxii and I think the 5d4? Retract the 85l II when powered off.

 

[Kit Lens Jockey]

5D4. Retracts the 40mm I just got, not so with the 85mm 1.2. And it is the II version.

I always wondered what the heck that option in the menu was for, because the 85 never retracted. Now I know, it only applies to the 40mm for some reason, and I think the 50mm 1.8 too. I think the menu mentions something about any lens that has an STM motor. But again why on earth does that have anything to do with it?

 

[BillB]

Page 492 of the 5DIV manual refers to C.f4 which needs to be enabled. Other than that I have no idea what is going on.

 

[Kit Lens Jockey]

Yes, but it also notes that this only applies to "gear driven STM" lenses, which, admittedly, the 85L II is not. So it does clearly say that this only works with certain lenses. But I just wonder why that even matters. Why not do it for any lens that has a focusing piece that extends out from the body of the lens? Perhaps STM lenses are particularly susceptible to damage from impact to the front of them?

I dunno, just kinda bugs me, now that I see how nicely it works with the 40mm I just got. It's just nice to have the lens tuck away its delicate parts whenever I shut off the camera, and I wish the 85 did it too. Usually with the 85 I just make sure to focus on something far away before I shut off the camera so it doesn't stick out so far, especially if I had just been focusing on something up close so the barrel of the lens is sticking way out there.

 

[Loswr]

Maybe Canon figures if you're smart enough to spend >$1500 on an 85/1.2L II, you're smart enough to spin the focus ring before unmounting the lens?

Personally, it became a habit for me to do so with my 85L II, although it's no longer an issue since I switched to the 85/1.4L IS.

 

[BillB]

Yes, but it also notes that this only applies to "gear driven STM" lenses, which, admittedly, the 85L II is not. So it does clearly say that this only works with certain lenses. But I just wonder why that even matters. Why not do it for any lens that has a focusing piece that extends out from the body of the lens? Perhaps STM lenses are particularly susceptible to damage from impact to the front of them?

I dunno, just kinda bugs me, now that I see how nicely it works with the 40mm I just got. It's just nice to have the lens tuck away its delicate parts whenever I shut off the camera, and I wish the 85 did it too. Usually with the 85 I just make sure to focus on something far away before I shut off the camera so it doesn't stick out so far, especially if I had just been focusing on something up close so the barrel of the lens is sticking way out there.

My guess is that the gear driven STM lenses have some firmware that responds to the 5DIV, while the older 85mm lens does not.

 

[YuengLinger]

Maybe camera firmware simply wasn't capable back when the 85mm 1.2L II was released, so the function wasn't built into the lens.

Chill.

 

[Ozarker]

AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! Come ON Canon!!! First world problemssss.

Released March 2006.

Maybe there will someday be an 85mm f/1.2L III that does. It will probably be internal focusing. I wish the 24-70 was internal focusing. Oh well.