Canon Lens EF 40mm 1: 2.8 STM review

According provided by lens Canon Lens EF 40mm 1: 2.8 STM and extension rings huge thanks to the online store 'Photolavka', where you can buy a lens in Sevastopol.

Canon Lens EF 40mm 1: 2.8 STM review

Canon Lens EF 40mm 1: 2.8 STM review

The Canon EF 40mm f / 2.8 STM is one of the first lenses from Canon to feature the extraordinary 'STM' stepping motor technology. STM - STepper Motor - stepping motor or focusing stepping motor. STM was supposed to improve the quality of focusing when shooting video, special attention is paid to smooth focusing. Focusing is really smooth and smooth. To my surprise, the STM in the Canon EF 40mm f / 2.8 is noisy. The noise level is negligible, but still easy to hear. It is stated that STM is a special technology that allows you to get silent focusing, which is very important when shooting video, in fact this is not entirely true.

View of the tiny front lens of the lens, as well as the view of the lens enlightenment.

View of the tiny front lens of the lens, as well as the view of the lens enlightenment.

The lens has an AF / MF focus mode switch. In auto AF mode, instant manual focus compensation is available. The focus ring of the Canon EF 40mm f / 2.8 STM is not rubberized and is not mechanically connected to the focusing system. The lens uses electromechanical manual focus (electronically-driven in Western literature). This means that in manual MF focusing mode, the lens can only be focused on the camera.

It seemed strange enough to me:

  1. The Canon EF 40mm f / 2.8 STM lengthens the trunk when focusing. The lens trunk cannot be hidden manually on a detached lens. In the removed position, or on the camera turned off, the lens focus ring does not focus :)
  2. There is a microscopic lag of the focusing ring (reaction delay) when the ring rotates in one or the other direction.
  3. Manual focus speed directly depends on the STM system, and not on the speed of the photographer’s hand movements :).
  4. In manual focus mode, the STM system buzzes significantly louder than in AF mode. The noise also has a different character when you rotate the focus ring of the Canon EF 40mm f / 2.8 STM, it buzzes like a transformer :)
  5. In manual mode, the lens consumes camera energy, since the focus ring is not mechanically connected to the lens block, and an electric drive is still used to move it.
  6. In auto focus mode, manual focus compensation is only available in certain camera focus modes (on my Canon 350D - One Shot, Ai Focus) and only when the focus button on the camera is pressed. In fact, due to the fact that manual focus adjustment can only be made when the shutter button is pressed halfway, talking about the constant possibility of manual focus correction is simply impossible. All this focusing gimmick spoils the impression of the lens a little.
  7. The STM system can reach its full potential only on cameras with a hybrid focus system. When I wrote this review, only Canon 650D, 700D, 70D и 100D had specially designed sensors for improved focus when shooting video.
  8. The lens does not have a focus distance scale, a trifle, but still.
Rear view of the lens. Metal bayonet mount.

Rear view of the lens. Metal bayonet mount.

The front lens does not rotate when focusing. The focusing speed is above average, but I can not say that it is fast. If you slowly rotate the 'electronic' focusing ring, then its step will be 360 ​​degrees. The minimum focusing distance is only 30 cm, while you can take macro pictures with a magnification of 1: 5.5. By and large, the 'Macro 0.3m / 0.98ft' lettering on the lens simply speaks of MDF, not true macro capability. Canon Lens EF 40mm 1: 2.8 STM uses a 7-blade aperture.

This is what the lens looks like on the Canon EOS 350D. Lens with maximally protruded trunk focused on MDF

This is how the lens looks on Canon EOS 350D. Lens with maximally protruded trunk focused on MDF

The Canon EF 40mm f / 2.8 STM lens is called 'pancake' (or 'Pancake') and is very small and lightweight. The most amazing thing is that this baby is suitable for full-length 'fat' cameras. The lens weighs just 130 grams and uses a standard 52mm filter diameter. The lens does not have a mount for a modern “snap-on” hood, so you can only install a hood that is screwed into the thread for the light filter. The Canon EF 40mm f / 2.8 STM is manufactured in Malaysia and began production in the summer of 2012. The build is good - the lens barrel is made of plastic with metal mount. Impressions from the Canon EF 40mm f / 2.8 STM are much nicer than from Canon EF 50mm F / 1.8 IIbut worse than from SMC Pentax-DA 1: 2.8 40mm Limited.

Everything is relative. Our pancake and Canon EF 40mm f / 2.8 STM

Everything is relative. Our pancake and Canon EF 40mm f / 2.8 STM

Canon EF 40mm f / 2.8 STM is not very large aperture f/2.8. For example, F / 2.8 is only 1.56 times better than F / 3.5 for 'regular' inexpensive zooms. When used on Canon full-frame cameras, the EF 40mm f/2.8 STM can serve as a standard fix. On Canon APS-C 1.6X crop EGF lens becomes 64mm. How convenient would it be to use EGF everyone decides for himself. EGF and good bokeh on cropped cameras allows you to shoot portraits. In my opinion, it is much more suitable for cropped cameras as a regular fixed lens Sigma AF 30mm f / 1.4 EX DC HSM, but his price is several times higher. Canon also has patents for 4 similar pancake lenses with focal lengths of 45, 39 (40), 35, 28mm and maximum aperture F / 2.8. I wonder why it was decided to produce exactly 40 mm fixes?

The Canon EF 40mm f / 2.8 STM is just a tad larger than its rear cover

The Canon EF 40mm f / 2.8 STM is just a tad larger than its back cover

On my camera Canon 350D the lens turned out to be sharp, with imperceptible distortion and vignetting. Chromatic aberrations weak and the lens tolerates back and side light well. In general, the lens has excellent image quality, which is not surprising for a fixed lens with a not very large aperture. Also, the lens has a good bokeh.

The parameters of the photo in the review:
All shot on Canon EOS 350D using protective filter Hoya HMC (UV) 52mm. On-camera JPEG L, high quality. Noise reduction at slow shutter speeds was turned off. Parameters: contrast correction - 0, sharpness - 0, saturation - 0, tone color - 0. Used white balance: 'Shadow' and 'Cloudy'. The size of the photos has been reduced to 3 MP.

Optical design of the lens - 6 elements in 4 groups, one aspherical element

Optical design - 6 elements in 4 groups, with one aspherical.

Since the Canon EF 40mm f / 2.8 STM has good sharpness, this lens can be used with macro rings for macro photography. Together with the lens they sent me a kit macro rings Meike Macro Extension Tube For Canon (such) with auto focus support. The rings are made up of 3 pieces of different lengths: 13mm, 21mm and 31mm. You can create 7 combinations of different lengths for different magnifications. The rings come with an A4 sheet with instructions in English. Meike rings are made in China and have a 'cheap plastic' feel. There are two covers with rings. The rings do not have very convenient retainers, but such rings are quite suitable for their tasks. I used a Canon EF 40mm f / 2.8 STM with only one shortest ring at 13mm:

Lens prices in popular stores can look at this link, or in the price block below:

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Conclusions:

Canon Lens EF 40mm 1: 2.8 STM - great lens... It's sharp, super-compact, fast, inexpensive, good for video shooting, fast enough focusing and good build. I would definitely buy myself such a lens for a 'baby camera' Canon 100D. Canon EF 40mm f / 2.8 STM can serve as a regular lens, it is easy to take it with you on vacation, camping, any event :). Among the shortcomings, I highlight a slightly strange manual focus mode and not very large aperture for a similar fixed lens.

Material prepared Arkady Shapoval. Training/Consultations | Youtube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Telegram

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Comments: 153, on the topic: Canon Lens EF 40mm 1: 2.8 STM review

  • Arye

    By the way, it is similar to Pentax 40mm 1: 2.8 Limited

  • Sergei

    Thank you a wonderful review for me as a trunk-boot)

  • Madness Scif

    build quality is terrible. in the second photo in the review you can see how the adhesive sticks out along the edge of the front lens (((

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Used a lens?

      • Madness Scif

        personally no. but I saw a friend on the camera. just like you in the second photo in the review - there are traces of glue on the front lens along the edge. and in general all Canon optics except for the L-series are terrible in terms of assembly and picture quality. in this nikon rule !!! it's a pity only nikon do not have a working line of optics with aperture ratio F1,2 as canon (((

        • Arkady Shapoval

          If you haven’t used it, then you can’t judge :)

        • Alexander

          Sorry, umazhiy, you generally understand what you are writing about! Such nonsense….

    • Oleg

      Build quality is excellent! More than its value!

    • Oleg

      What glue !? Great lens, super build. Sharp, bokeh like the more expensive glass.

  • Mark

    I apologize to the Author (you Arkady), but I dare to point out an error: STM system! gives! can reach its full potential only on cameras with a hybrid focus system. When I wrote this review, only the Canon 650D, 700D, 70D and 100D had specially designed sensors for improved focus when shooting video.
    ! ! - I think these signs contain an extra word. Not essential, but it hurts a little.

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Fixed

      • Mark

        Thanks again for your efforts! Very informative, although I am a fan of Nikon.

        • Arkady Shapoval

          I think that soon Nikon will also release a similar lens.

          • Mark

            Yes, it would be interesting to shoot something like that. Can you tell me if there are Soviet analogues of this lens? (of course without autofocus).

            • Arkady Shapoval

              Pancake analogs? The same Industar-50-2, which is in the photo in this review.

          • i-hero-in

            In the meantime, there is a Voigtlaender 40mm f / 2.0 SLII Ultron Nikon F. The number of elements / groups of elements is 6/5. The number of aperture blades is 9. Dimensions (D x L) - 63 x 24.5 mm. Weight 200 g. Minimum focusing distance - 0.38 m. Just not autofocus ...

          • Vyacheslav

            There is the Nikon 40mm f / 2.8G AF-S DX Micro NIKKOR, though it is not suitable for full-frame and non-pancake, and the same thing actually.

            • Arkady Shapoval

              Nikon 40mm f / 2.8G AF-S DX Micro NIKKOR

              , what analog is it, if it is not a pancake, it is not suitable for full-format cameras, it is imprisoned for macro and its price is 2 times higher.

        • anonym

          Nikon has a similar lens. True, the manual is a 50mm 1.8 E-series. Very thin and sharp at the same time.

          • Arkady Shapoval

            If only I could finish the auto focus)

  • Dmitriy

    I bought such a lens 2 months ago, took it as a temporary one, but now I think I’ll leave it at least until the shutter or new camera is changed, the sizes aren’t annoying at all, its weight is a very big plus when the camera weighs one and a half kilos. Focusing is a jamb, but it doesn’t tangible compared to all the advantages of the lens, I recommend it to everyone ..

  • Artem

    Arkady, hello. I apologize for not being in the subject, I do not know where to write. Many resources write about the problem of handheld shooting with the multi-pixel D800. You also mentioned that when shooting with a 90 mm lens, you used a shutter speed no longer than 1/200 s. Although earlier it was considered acceptable for FF exposure = 1 / FR. Accordingly, on a crop, this "was considered acceptable" would be shorter (crop) times = 1 / FR * (crop) due to a decrease in the viewing angle (crop) times. As I understand it, the problem of increasing the shake is in decreasing the linear size of the pixel (or subpixels, as you have already explained to us, to be more correct :), but not about that). Consider: the long side of the 35,9 mm FX matrix is ​​divided by the number of pixels along the long side in the D800 i.e. 7360. We get 0,00487 mm. For D3200 we get 23,2 / 6016 = 0,00385 mm. The pixel size of 24MP cropped Nikon cameras is even 1,265 times smaller in length and 1,6 times smaller in area! If we assume that the dependence of the maximum shutter speed is linear on the pixel area, then we get that when shooting with the D3200 and FR = 60 mm (the angle corresponds to 90 mm with the D800), the shutter speed should be no longer than 1/320 s. Is that really so ?! If not, why not? The D7000 has a pixel length of 0,00478mm, +/- the same as the D800, but nobody complains. The conclusion suggests itself: the shake depends not only on the pixel size, or does not depend on it at all! Then from what? Why complain about D800 lubricants but not D7000? Arkady, please enlighten me, otherwise I'm going crazy!

    • Arkady Shapoval

      In the Nikon D800 review, I shot using a macro lens, when focusing on MDF, such a lens greatly reduces the angle of view (they say that the focal length changes, but this is not so, more details here - https://radojuva.com.ua/2013/01/interesting-about-f-number-and-focal-length/) so I used a fast shutter speed. The pixel size of the Nikon D800 is theoretically the same as the Nikon D7000. With multi-pixel cameras, there really is a micro-smear problem. In the review of the D3200, I pointed out that when shooting handheld at fifty, I used shutter speeds no faster than 1/80 of a second. In fact, 1 / 50s or 1 / 80s is not that important if the lighting allows it. If the lighting does not allow, then you just have to increase the ISO by 1/3 of a stop higher. On the one hand, the new cameras allow you to get huge details, on the other, you will need to raise the ISO a little. I would like to draw your attention to an important aspect: different lenses “feel” the shake in different ways. For myself, I concluded that a small amendment to the golden rule when shooting handheld is not as scary as they write. Therefore, you can safely take the D800 (or Nokia with a 41MP camera) and shoot for your own pleasure.

      • anonym

        At the expense of the lens, I somehow did not think. Thanks.

  • nukemall

    In general, stepper motors have been used in the autofocus drive since its inception (and the invention of the stepper motor has been around for more than a hundred years).
    In terms of “innovativeness” in relation to advertising statements, everything is exactly the opposite: it was Canon who, in order to reduce the cost of lenses, was one of the first to use conventional electric motors with a speed sensor and a gearbox with a large gear ratio in the autofocus drive - other manufacturers then had “screwdrivers” in the camera ”With a drive just from a stepper motor.

  • Roman

    Arkady, what a pity that such an article did not appear 9 months ago! I then suffered to take, not to take. Reviews about him are only positive, which I was convinced of, because then took it. For crop better than fifty kenonovskie and alternative. Zerkazka as a mirrorless in size and weight with it. It is sharp and with bokeh. It is so cheap that there is no reason not to take (given its quality). Forgive me for singing so laudatoryly) Now a fly in the ointment: after switching to FF, I never even put it on camera, because Zeiss fifty dollars he will not beat and on FF and fifty dollars can be used)

  • Eugene

    When it appeared on sale, I really wanted to buy it, in the end it turned out so that I now have a nikon)

  • Dmitriy

    I myself am thinking to buy such a "pancake". I read mountains of reviews and reviews, you have a very good review, not just dry numbers. There is a Canon 50 1.8 II available so it very often smears with focusing. When you take a photo through the video finder, it often misses, but it doesn't blur so much through the live view (I don't know how to explain it), but it's not convenient to shoot like that. Everywhere they write that the pancake with focusing is doing better. I just want to compare 2 lenses on my camera. Fortunately, the price does not bite.

  • Yuriy75

    If, for such a pancake and with FR 28 or 30 mm, it would not have a price on the crop, and so 50 f1.8 is much more profitable and there is a margin for aperture and if you close the aperture to 2.8, you will not see the difference in the pictures. As the staff on the crop is useless, for portraits - the solution is ambiguous. In general, Canon has once again released crap that nobody needs!

    • Alexander

      I use both 40 / 2.8 and 50 / 1.8, the difference in the reliability of autofocus, 40 / 2.8 by 2.8, a 2.8% hit (well, for me), which is very important for responsible commercial shooting. at fifty dollars at 40 misses through one, i.e. getting a guaranteed result is more problematic. After acquiring 2.8 / 1.8, I wanted to sell a fifty dollars, but changed my mind, the picture on the open 2.0-85 is more interesting, so I left it for a leisurely creative shooting in manual mode, and the forty now costs as the main + 1.8 / 600 where it allows space. I use with XNUMXD.

    • Yuriy75

      I could not resist bought, now I do not want to shoot with other lenses, 50 1.8 now I want to sell, I can not look at the whale at all. :)

      • Alexander

        There is 24 mm for the crop.

  • Oleg

    Arkady, will there be a review of Nikon 45 / 2.8P? And then a pentaxist friend intrigued his pancake.)) But Nikon has only this option for today.

    • Arkady Shapoval

      Depends on whether anyone provides this lens for review.

  • Valery

    The lens is good, I use it for 7 months. Better than 18-55 or 17-85, at focal length 40.

  • Ewgez

    Actually ... I didn't see much sharpness in the presented pictures ... I didn't see the same sharpness in the reviews of this glass on PHOTO_RU. I want to say .. what is in comparison with cheap whale glass .. what was on the canon 350d-18-55. this pancake loses to the whale zoom in sharpness. Hence the conclusion .... by purchasing it. having a whale zoom .. you don't get anything new either in speed .. or in quality .. not in sharpness ..

    • anonym

      EWGEZ You are either blind or do not understand anything in photography

  • Ivan

    Also now the question is what to buy a 40-ku or fifty dollars, I don’t take whale at all as a lens, when I bought the first DSLR I immediately took a fifty dollars, I bought the whale later

  • andrey newbie

    Arkady, I’m faced with the choice of canon 100d 18-55 stm or Nikon 5200 18-55 bp, or canon 100d body + rev. 40 f / 2.8 stm, requirement and photos and video 50 to 50, mainly in the room and art. lighting (macro you have super-photos at 40 f / 2.8 stm)

    • Yuriy75

      Take both just make sure that the 18-55 was with STM - this is important, because the old kit 18-55 loses to the new STM in resolution and sharpness at an open aperture at the edges of the frame.

  • Ivan

    Andrei, I apologize for interfering, you asked Arcadia for advice, but still.

    Regarding what to take 18-55 or 40 mm, you need to take both if possible. )

    If you take only 40 mm, it will be rather narrow on the crop, from my personal experience, I first took 50 mm 1.8 with the first DSLR, and then bought a whale after a month, still I need a wide angle, although the whale loses much in quality and aperture.
    As for shooting indoors, it depends on what exactly, shooting at 40k with crop will be rather inconvenient, you will constantly run into walls)
    So still I advise you to get both lenses, if the budget allows. Of course, you can take fifty dollars instead of forty, but with his focusing problems and on diaphragms 2.0-1.8, he already noticeably lathers.

    On the account of what to choose Nikon or Kenon, in my opinion there is no difference, if you already had several lenses, for example, for Kenon, each of which costs twice as much as a carcass, then yes, this is important

  • fotodima

    I especially liked the phrase, then I bought a whale anyway. Che so completely sucks with money? What are you guys about?

  • fotodima

    Thanks to my great-grandfather for taking the whole village to Russia. And so, I would have run along Pervitov with a whale until retirement.

    • anonym

      Bullshit ... it still smacks of politics.

  • Ivan

    Dear Dima!

    Here, different people communicate with different financial situation and different levels of training, many beginners, for many, photography is just a hobby.
    A question was asked, I answered.
    Specifically, to such major types as you can only say one thing, you go to the same place where your grandfather and your whole village from which you got out.

    • anonym

      I agree.

  • Anatoly

    But I bought a hood for this pancake, it’s hard to get it. I’m very happy with this lens, you can’t compare the econom with a half-drive, there’s no control. focusing allows you to use only fast lenses.

  • anonym

    And as for people with different financial capabilities, I think there is still some minimum that is worth investing in. A new canon was given to me on Avito for 1000 rubles. What other financial opportunities do I need to afford it? It's an expensive hobby, and if there is no money, you need to do collecting butterflies and bugs

  • Alexander

    I use this lens for half a year, as for me, in sharpness 50 1.8 loses in all cases, bokeh is good at 1.8 and 2.0 if you use current for creativity and leave it to it.
    Well, that 40 mm about focus is very good, fast, accurate and light, after which lenses weighing 800-900 seem to be a fluff, but there will be no blur like on 1.8 bokeh, of course, its own, in my opinion not soft, very sharp, with lekhvoy compensate for mobility and you shouldn't worry about getting wet or not, on the full frame it's already another fun ... on the full I think it's not even worth comparing it with 50.
    - the whale is not sharper
    - who does not want to sweat about focusing, I advise you to buy

  • Pastor

    I have been using this lens for over a month now and can draw several conclusions. I'll start with the minuses - the aperture for fixing such a focal length is too small, if Nikon's soroket also has a macro, then this one is devoid of such joy. True, Nikon's forty climbs only on crop carcasses, it costs more, and he himself is larger. On the Canon forty, the focus sometimes dulls - rarely, but still it should be noted. Moreover, more often at a distance of half a meter to the subject. In the dark it focuses better than 50 1.8, but according to my feelings it is still worse than Nikon's 35 1.8 and 50 1.8. Basically, the cons end there. Further, only pluses.
    Firstly, if focusing does not dull, which is extremely rare, then it is quite fast. For me, the standard of speed is the Nikon 70-300, and this 40mm fix is ​​almost as fast.
    Secondly, it gives a high-quality image, which, by and large, is the main thing in the lens. There is no chromaticity, there is no vignetting at all, the angles are hellishly sharp!) Even at 2.8, the sharpness is impressive, but at 4 it is already perfect.
    Third, what is surprisingly most important to me about this lens is that it has a small size. If at 400d it just looks like a small lens, then at 50d with a butblock it looks absolutely ridiculous. Only the Industar 50-2 mentioned by Arkady, which I also have, looks funnier. The advantages of the small size with 50d are not particularly noticeable - the device still cannot be put in your pocket. But 400d fits into the pocket of a jacket with this forty without problems. And on the neck, they are not felt at all (although, in the heat of shooting, two cameras with telephoto cameras are not felt :)). So now, when I take a small backpack of fast photoreaction with me, the 400d with the forty-coat put on always lies there, along with the Nikon 5100 with 35 1.8. If the Nikon on crop and 35 1.8 and 50 1.8 are quite worthy glasses, then the Canon 40 2.8 obviously came out more successfully than the 50 1.8, which often has problems with focusing. So the 40 2.8 is an excellent glass that I would recommend buying. By the way, the simplest filters are suitable for it - 52 mm. So take it - you won't go wrong :)

  • Vladimir

    I have 50mm / 1,8 and now I'm thinking. Does it make sense to take this STM for video shooting without AF, only in manual mode? According to the description, I understand that it is NOT worth taking it. subject shooting = it is like that, you can't do everything yourself with your hands, and you can't fix it - you shouldn't rely on an automatic machine, it (automation) will certainly interfere with your creative process and make a business. Or am I wrong and STM wow and ah !?

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