Review: Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM Pancake

[Dfunk99]

Don't own Any ef-s lenses, & don't ever plan on getting one, ever. Just my opinion.

 

[rrcphoto]

This lens makes perfect sense for my setup. I have a 5d3 with a sweet suite of L glass but I also own the 40 pancake (which I LOVE). So when I picked up an SL1 getting the little brother pancake was perfect sense. Fantastic little kit. I'm thinking it's my perfect Disney kit. Leashed onto a Black Rapid Cross Shot, it's an all day walk around setup that my back thanks me for.

My only regret with the pancake is that it's an EF-S mount. I'd love a wide AF pancake for my 5D3.

- A

it wouldn't work.

you'd have vignetting (already 2EV at the APS-C image circle), resolution loss, more distortion and CA - project it out from where you see it tailing off and keep on going.

it also sits in I do believe the farthest of any EF-S lens (I could be wrong - but it's sitting way back) - which also helps cheat - because canon is lowering the real registration distance - to get it close to able to use tessar design without too many compromises.

that's why it's a pancake, because canon could compromise the outer part of the image circle because it's only meant for crop.

anything else you're looking at the 24mm 2.8 IS as your smallest size.

 

[rrcphoto]

A poster on dpreview macro forum brought up an interesting point - 24mm as ultra-macro lens on a bellows?

you could use it with extension tubes even.

 

[Maximilian]

Nice to note that the Digital Picture review mentions the preposterous pricing in Europe and the UK. Here we pay £179 - the equivalent of $280 including tax. It's worth it, but it isn't the bargain that it is in the USA!

£179? Yikes!
Man, thats mean.
German retailers sell it right now for 160 to 170 € including tax. See here:
http://www.idealo.de/preisvergleich/OffersOfProduct/4587334_-ef-s-24mm-f2-8-stm-canon.html
I don't need it right now, but I want it. I feel pretty much tempted to buy but maybe I can wait if the next cashback includes this tiny one (The actual winter promotion doesn't).

Maybe you should order from the continent...

 

[Joey]

Nice to note that the Digital Picture review mentions the preposterous pricing in Europe and the UK. Here we pay £179 - the equivalent of $280 including tax. It's worth it, but it isn't the bargain that it is in the USA!

£179? Yikes!
Man, thats mean.
German retailers sell it right now for 160 to 170 € including tax. See here:
http://www.idealo.de/preisvergleich/OffersOfProduct/4587334_-ef-s-24mm-f2-8-stm-canon.html
I don't need it right now, but I want it. I feel pretty much tempted to buy but maybe I can wait if the next cashback includes this tiny one (The actual winter promotion doesn't).

Maybe you should order from the continent...

It's too late for me and the 24mm - I already bought it. But my next lens purchase will be the 100-400mm mk II and 1.4x mk III - and that's a big investment and it looks like I could save a couple of hundred pounds by buying from Germany or elsewhere in Europe. Of course I could buy from a grey importer but I think I'd rather have the reassurance of Canon UK warranty support for a lens like the 100-400.
Interestingly my local dealer is Calumet. Calumet UK charge £179 for the 24mm pancake. Calumet Deutschland charge €179...

 

[Maximilian]

Calumet UK charge £179 for the 24mm pancake. Calumet Deutschland charge €179...

Yeah! That's something I really don't unterstand.
I can understand that there are differences buying in the states or in asia.
But UK and rest of the EU? There is absolutely no reason for that kind of price difference.
Not the Pound nor the Euro.

 

[casperl]

Just curious for people who put a big tele on the camera and have the pancake in the pocket. When you switch the pancake on to the camera where do you put the tele lens now? It won't fit it the pocket would it ?

 

[Random Orbits]

Just curious for people who put a big tele on the camera and have the pancake in the pocket. When you switch the pancake on to the camera where do you put the tele lens now? It won't fit it the pocket would it ?

It's hanging on a strap (i.e. BlackRapid) connected to the lens foot or on the tripod.

 

[dhr90]

Just curious for people who put a big tele on the camera and have the pancake in the pocket. When you switch the pancake on to the camera where do you put the tele lens now? It won't fit it the pocket would it ?

Mine hands from a Sunsniper strap attached to the tripod collar.

Nice to note that the Digital Picture review mentions the preposterous pricing in Europe and the UK. Here we pay £179 - the equivalent of $280 including tax. It's worth it, but it isn't the bargain that it is in the USA!

£179? Yikes!
Man, thats mean.
German retailers sell it right now for 160 to 170 € including tax. See here:
http://www.idealo.de/preisvergleich/OffersOfProduct/4587334_-ef-s-24mm-f2-8-stm-canon.html
I don't need it right now, but I want it. I feel pretty much tempted to buy but maybe I can wait if the next cashback includes this tiny one (The actual winter promotion doesn't).

Maybe you should order from the continent...

It's too late for me and the 24mm - I already bought it. But my next lens purchase will be the 100-400mm mk II and 1.4x mk III - and that's a big investment and it looks like I could save a couple of hundred pounds by buying from Germany or elsewhere in Europe. Of course I could buy from a grey importer but I think I'd rather have the reassurance of Canon UK warranty support for a lens like the 100-400.
Interestingly my local dealer is Calumet. Calumet UK charge £179 for the 24mm pancake. Calumet Deutschland charge €179...

The 24mm pancake is now available as a grey import for £129, which is about $202. Just a few £'s more than the 40mm. The difference in pricing is tempting me...

 

[Ryan85]

I don't get the whole pancake lens thing. There so small on a dslr. Taking shots with them feels weird to me trying to use good form. To me why not just use a 24mm, 35mm or 50mm prime. I may be in the minority but there just not cup of tea

 

[slclick]

I don't get the whole pancake lens thing. There so small on a dslr. Taking shots with them feels weird to me trying to use good form. To me why not just use a 24mm, 35mm or 50mm prime. I may be in the minority but there just not cup of tea

My main kit has all that you mention what with balance and weight and ergonomics. But when I want to be able to take an alternative image of the same scene, it's nice to whip out the SL1 with a pancake or Sweet 35 and not to have taken up too much space in my bag or change lenses. YMMV but the SL1 and the pancakes have really opened up opportunities and convenience for me. And to boot they preform incredible well!

 

[Ryan85]

I don't get the whole pancake lens thing. There so small on a dslr. Taking shots with them feels weird to me trying to use good form. To me why not just use a 24mm, 35mm or 50mm prime. I may be in the minority but there just not cup of tea

My main kit has all that you mention what with balance and weight and ergonomics. But when I want to be able to take an alternative image of the same scene, it's nice to whip out the SL1 with a pancake or Sweet 35 and not to have taken up too much space in my bag or change lenses. YMMV but the SL1 and the pancakes have really opened up opportunities and convenience for me. And to boot the preform incredible well!

I'm glad it works for you and I like that there so compact. I've heard they preform very good which is awsome. For me I have really big hands and after shooting with a 5d3 or 7d and a 70-200 or 400mm it just feels ackward to me. I'm glad a lot of people like them. Maybe I need to spend more time with one.

 

[slclick]

I don't get the whole pancake lens thing. There so small on a dslr. Taking shots with them feels weird to me trying to use good form. To me why not just use a 24mm, 35mm or 50mm prime. I may be in the minority but there just not cup of tea

My main kit has all that you mention what with balance and weight and ergonomics. But when I want to be able to take an alternative image of the same scene, it's nice to whip out the SL1 with a pancake or Sweet 35 and not to have taken up too much space in my bag or change lenses. YMMV but the SL1 and the pancakes have really opened up opportunities and convenience for me. And to boot the preform incredible well!

I'm glad it works for you and I like that there so compact. I've heard they preform very good which is awsome. For me I have really big hands and after shooting with a 5d3 or 7d and a 70-200 or 400mm it just feels ackward to me. I'm glad a lot of people like them. Maybe I need to spend more time with one.

I have pretty large hand as well, one of the reasons, besides no OVF that I didn't like the balance and ergonomics of the M system. But for some reason the SL1 plays by different rules for me, perhaps it's the familiarity of the common dslr layout and the fact it doesn't need an adapter. I also like to wear it with a BR Cross Shot strap and I am not as concerned about it as I would a $5k body and lens combo at my side. I find I can get a bit more adventurous with the little combo.I just use it with less fingers, akin to pinky out with the cup of tea...not that I drink tea like that

 

[Joey]

I don't get the whole pancake lens thing. There so small on a dslr. Taking shots with them feels weird to me trying to use good form. To me why not just use a 24mm, 35mm or 50mm prime. I may be in the minority but there just not cup of tea

To me a pancake lens looks and feels odd - too darn small. Also I can't get on with the rebel cameras because the grip is too small and I find them awkward to hold. But I like to put the pancake 24mm on my 7DmkII and take the camera out on the streets. Limiting myself to a single angle of view and being able to shoot relatively unobtrusively (the pancake doesn't look like it's being 'pointed at' a subject like a longer lens does) I find exhilarating and it sometimes gets me great shots.