40mm is too long for walk-around on aps-c... not bad for full frame, but even on a full frame I personally prefer a 24/30/35 over anything longer as a walk-around.
What's got into Canon? First the 24/2.8 IS and 28/2.8 IS and now this 40/2.8. Primes should be fast, not slow. I can understand f/2.8 in a macro lens, an UWA or a super-telephoto but in these FLs?
The keyword is SMALL. Can't have small and fast and cheap, the sensor size and flange distance require big glass to be fast, which is not small, neither is cheap.
Yakim Peled wrote:
What's got into Canon? First the 24/2.8 IS and 28/2.8 IS and now this 40/2.8. Primes should be fast, not slow. I can understand f/2.8 in a macro lens, an UWA or a super-telephoto but in these FLs?
Happy shooting,
Yakim.
Small and light is also a reason to pick a prime. The 40/2.8 on a rebel camera will reduce the depth of the camera/lens combo from 100 to 80 mm compared to the EF 35 mm F/2, and the weight with 100 g compared to the Voigtländer Ultron 40. Significant in by book for portability on this level. On a mirrorless camera the savings will be higher in percent.
chrisdee wrote:
The keyword is SMALL. Can't have small and fast and cheap, the sensor size and flange distance require big glass to be fast, which is not small, neither is cheap.
I know all these basics but the 50/1.8, 28/1.8 and 35/2 are small enough, light enough and cheap enough. They also have good IQ. At longer FLs one may think about the 85/1.8 and 100/2 which also share these traits.
Yakim Peled wrote:
Not convinced, sorry. The size and weight of lens and camera will not be significantly reduced than say, 35/2 or 50/1.8, which are faster.
Happy shooting,
Yakim.
And
Yakim Peled wrote:
I know all these basics but the 50/1.8, 28/1.8 and 35/2 are small enough, light enough and cheap enough. They also have good IQ. At longer FLs one may think about the 85/1.8 and 100/2 which also share these traits.
Happy shooting,
Yakim.
Can you clarify? Is there a point in a size reduction from these lenses or not, in your opinion?
I have / had all those lenses and the image quality across the frame could be much improved at f/2.8.
All I say is that these lenses are small and light enough, when one considers the overall size and weight of the lens and camera. IQ? I also had them all and while I did see improvement at 2.8 I never hesitated to use them wide open if EV or DoF required that. IQ was good enough wide open, at least IMHO.
I think 40mm would be a good focal length for video on APS-C. Most people are videoing their family, not artful wide angle compositions. It might also appeal to many people more than the zoom as being less confusing, but Canon give you that choice too.
The 50mm f/1.8 isn't cheap if you have to buy another lens 2 years later because it broke. I'm funny that way; I look at online reports about that lens and say to myself "even $50 would be too much". I may be atypical for a male, because a lot secretly hope it'll break so they can buy a newer toy, but I suspect many women think that way and the new T4i/650D camera with its STM lenses is mainly meant for women.
Surely the 35mm f/2 isn't even a starter because of the noisy AF motor, and it might even be ready for discontinuation.
Jun 08, 2012 at 03:54 AM
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p.4 #10 · cr3: canon to release 40mm f/2.8 pancake
Yakim Peled wrote:
What's got into Canon? First the 24/2.8 IS and 28/2.8 IS and now this 40/2.8. Primes should be fast, not slow. I can understand f/2.8 in a macro lens, an UWA or a super-telephoto but in these FLs?
Happy shooting,
Yakim.
Not every prime should be fast. Canon already have fast prime lenses in nearly every focal length. When Canon have the 24/1,4--35/1,4--50/1,2 do they really need another 3 fast prime lenses with nearly the same focal lenghts
p.4 #12 · cr3: canon to release 40mm f/2.8 pancake
garyvot wrote:
Interesting, but I wonder why they didn't make a 25mm pancake for APS-C? Such a lens seems tailor made for a small Rebel body.
Agreed .. 40mm is a bit long for an all purpose APS walkaround. But I like the smaller size and if they ever introduce a 20 or 25mm version I'd buy it. I always have a Rebel on hand for vacations, etc. and a 25 on an APS would be the perfect size & FL.
p.4 #14 · cr3: canon to release 40mm f/2.8 pancake
Found this on one writeup:
"New STM Lenses and Accessories
To leverage the unique, new shooting functions of the EOS Rebel T4i, such as EOS Full HD Movie with continuous AF, Canon is introducing two new unique lenses, the new EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens and new EF 40mm f/2.8 STM lens. Both new STM lenses include Canon's new Stepping Motor technology, which allows the lenses to smoothly and silently focus, and when used in combination with Canon's new EOS Rebel T4i Movie Servo AF feature, achieve continuous AF while recording video. The new stepping motor technology in both lenses quietly focuses allowing the EOS Rebel T4i's stereo microphone to only record the sounds of the scene being shot."
So there's that. Am I right that this won't autofocus with any of the older bodies that have HD video?
p.4 #16 · cr3: canon to release 40mm f/2.8 pancake
omarlyn wrote:
Except for the attrocious build quality of the 50/1.8! Despite the fact that the 50/1.8 II is generally well received for it's IQ, it is (IMO) not all that great. I will concede that it's very good for the money but "good for the money" doesn't mean it's actually that good. After 3 or 4 different copies over the past 16 years, I continue to have the same opinion of that lens...inconsistent focus, not incredibly sharp wide open, and incredibly flimsy build quality.
A full frame 'pancake' that is really sharp wide open (even if it's only 2.8) and sharp edge to edge that also has good/solid build quality and at a low enough price point would definitely be a 'Hot Seller' (IMHO). In fact, if the price point is closer to $200 (as some of the replies here have intimated) than I might be 1st in line to get one myself. In fact (well, maybe not a fact but conjecture)...it might be a cross-over lens for a new interchangable mirror-less camera!
p.4 #17 · cr3: canon to release 40mm f/2.8 pancake
So there's that. Am I right that this won't autofocus with any of the older bodies that have HD video?
I'm sure it will execute normal AF just fine on non-650D bodies but, of course, not Movie Servo AF feature as that is a body controlled feature. However, I expect a lot more still shooters will spring for this lens than dedicated HD video shooters. I have HD video on my 5D2 and have not used it once in the 3 years I have owned it.
p.4 #18 · cr3: canon to release 40mm f/2.8 pancake
Practically, I think the real use of this lens is as part of a set. For instance if I am doing mostly portraiture with the 85mm (f/1.8) prime, but I also want a slightly wide angle lens for small group shots, closer angles, or shots that show part of the background; this is a really nice one to have as part of my set that I carry around with me.
It might sound funny, but the biggest advantage of this lens is when it's off the camera, not on. Takes up less space, weighs less than the usual prime.
