Digital Photography

Fabulous 40

I think my little 40mm pancake lens is my very favourite Canon lens. This is surprising because…

  1. it looks ridiculous. On my beefy Canon 5D Mk II it looks like I’ve forgotten to put a lens on at all.
  2. the actual glass lens bit of the lens is tiny – about the size of a 5p.
  3. it’s not super fast – it’s f/2.8
  4. it’s cheap – less than £100

However, when you use it it has special stardust inside that turns mediocre snapshots into magic – I can’t recommend it highly enough! This would be a great choice if you’re considering your first prime lens.

bright autumn leaves
double-yellow lines
scary face
rosehips
autumn light
grave stone

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4 Comments

  • Reply
    Adam
    12 November 2015 at 09:03

    I love my 40mm pancake. It’s become my default lens on the camera, because it can pull such great results from the most unpromising situations – and it makes the camera really easy to just throw in a bag.

  • Reply
    Andy
    1 December 2015 at 11:47

    It’s probably just my insecurity showing, but with pancakes I usually wonder if I would be taken seriously on a job if I were using such an odd looking lens, since client usually equate a large lens with being a professional.

    • Reply
      admin
      11 December 2015 at 12:51

      It does look a bit silly – maybe a giant lens hood would help :)

  • Reply
    Life with Kaishon
    25 March 2016 at 11:07

    My friend Julie Rivera swears by hers. I have never tried it. I tried the 16-35mm this week and LOVED it! I needed to take pictures for a realtor friend and my 50 wasn’t helping at all. The lens was perfect for interiors and also lovely for street photography. I am smitten!

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