Exploring The Unusual 40mm Focal Length
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- Опубліковано 2 сер 2024
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Since everyone is jumping into the bandwagon of 40mm focal length, with Sony, Nikon, Olympus releasing 40mm or equivalent prime lenses, and then there was Ricoh GR IIIx, I thought it would be fun to explore this focal length and take a closer look at what the fuss is all about. I always thought 40mm is a little unusual and awkward, being the typical 28mm and 50mm shooter. I found a cheap used Canon 40mm F2.8 pancake lens and I could not resist trying it on my Canon 5D full frame. Here is my POV street photography video showing you guys how I got some of the shots during a photowalk session.
0:00 Intro
0:29 Why 40mm?
1:20 POV Street 1
2:13 Canon 40mm F2.8 Pancake
3:10 POV Street 2
4:21 Amir Shariff
4:59 Azul Adnan
5:44 POV Street 3
6:15 Focal Length For Street
6:33 Fuji X100V or Ricoh GR IIIx?
6:58 POV Street 4
7:34 Coffee Time
8:08 RexKL
9:07 Conclusion/END
9:53 Outro
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Check out Amir and Azul's amazing street photography work on their IG!
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Azul Adnan @azuladnan
40mm is my favorite focal length, especially with cheap and great pancakes available: EF 40mm, EF-S 24mm, Lumix 20mm F1.7
Glad the 40mm works for you!
I did not realize that 40mm is a trend. Personally, I love the 40mm (or equivalent). I discovered it by accident long ago, since my Rollei 35 film cameras came with a 40mm and I discovered over time that I liked its perspective. I currently use the Panny 20mm f1.7 on my Olympus cameras. Shots on the classic 50mm can look a little bland and I find that the slight wide angle perspective of the 40mm solves this problem.
Hi Robin. I think ppl used to shoot most of the time at around 40mm on many
rangefinders that came with fixed 40mm lenses.. I guess in the 40's and 50's,
before 35mm cameras came out.
Thank you again for all you have done. Your presence I'm Sure has been so welcoming to
so many people, and some of those I bet needed to see an encouraging smile, and beautiful
examples of awesome pictures to boot. I know I did! Take Care!!
Thanks Mike for sticking around, and appreciate the kind words!
Thank you Robin for your video. I especially liked the video and the immediate link to your shots as it helps me understand how you find cool shooting subjects and framing / composition of the area you are exploring during your street photography walk. Great channel ;-)
I actually have the Z 40mm f2 lens you showed, and love it. When mounted on my Z5 the 40mm makes for a relatively small and light combo and is great for street photography. I enjoy all of your videos, but I think your street photography while focusing on a lens or body might be my favorite.
I can't wait to see what you come up with going forward. Thanks Robin👍
28 and 40 are my favourite. 28 is very contextual, I basically set up street landscapes and capture people like they're trees. 40 is great for more context portraits being between that 35 and 50. More isolation, but not claustrophobic.
Robin, thanks again for the interesting content, and for bringing some cheer into our day!
Thanks Don, appreciate that. More POV style video coming for sure
Great video. I’m looking forward to the 2nd part. 👍
Thanks for the scenes of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia being one of only two Asian countries I've visited. Magnificent hospitality! 40mm became my favorite focal length as my standard walk-around lens, using a Sony A7r3. If I anticipate wanting to frame tighter or do portraits, I also take a Canon FDn 85mm/1.8. I've been trying to decide which 40mm is my favorite between a Schneider Xenon 40mm/1.9 (from a Robot camera) or a Yashica DX 40mm/1.7 (extracted from a Yashica Electro GX). Compared to 50mm, I find the focus plane to be much more "forgivable" at equivalent apertures. Both 40mm are substantially more compact than their equivalents in 50mm. In my sharpness tests, the Schneider Xenon is at least as good as my Summicron-R 50mm. I tried a Leitz Wetzlar Summicron-C 40mm, but I didn't like the focusing tab, and it didn't seem to "pop" as much as my other Leica, Zeiss or Yashica-Tomioka lenses. My 40mm seems to have distortion under control and can be used for fairly close portraits without making noses look enormous. The Swedes have a word for the sweet-spot, Goldilocks zone: lagom. Just right, not too much this or too much that. 40mm on 24x36 is lagom for me.
Robin always sunshines like a star, love your smile mr photographer
40 mm is a really good focal length for street photography
I'd usually use something much longer!
Nice video, good to see you out and about Robin!
40mm is definitely an interesting focal length. I think like you I didn't really get along well with the 35mm focal length finding it too wide a lot of the time. Then I managed to pick up a Panasonic 20mm f1.7 and I found I really enjoyed that focal length. It's just about tight enough to make nice compositions but allows a bit more of the scene than a 50mm lens. I tend to use it a lot for casual environmental portraits but I think it works well for street photography too!
For environmental portraits I'd go much wider, like 28mm! I also use 50mm for environmental portraits, which can work really well if you have the space for it.
Bravo, Robin 👏
Thanks
I had that lens for my Canon 5D IV... truly an underrated lens for its time. It is amazing!
Thanks for sharing bro. Full Frame and 40mm, you are progressing😅Awesome photos as always, even though you are using unfamiliar lens. I saw some suspicious faces in the video, be careful out there😀
This was filmed back in December 2021, before Christmas! I have some serious backlog issues haha. I have given the 40mm away to a friend, and now I am using a 35mm F2 lens on my Canon 5D.
@@robinwong What, a 35mm. That FF camera is taking you off the rails😀
@@robinwong I have both the 35mm f2 and 40mm f2.8. can't seem to part with either. Enjoy them both. Tend to use 35mm indoors for IS and larger aperture and 40mm outdoors for portability.
I first got into photography 4 years ago with a Pen E-PL8 and a used Panasonic 20mm f1.7 -- and that combination still rocks. I got used to 40mm and so I never bought the famous 17 f1.8 or 25 f1.8; I felt I could take a couple of steps either way and have both. My kit jumps from the 12mm f2 to the 20mm f1.7 to the 45 f1.8; for street photography that covers all my bases!
Glad you got into photography! No better ttime than now, so many possibilities and options!
Exactly the same with me, only that I started with The Pen Lite E-PL3. I guess if you've used that focal length for such a long time, you just develop an eye for the right shots with this lens subconsciously in mind.
Enjoyed! Thanks Robin.
Thanks! Appreciate that
Great video as always!!!
Absolutely great street photography, Robin. When I bought my first Oly (em5ii) I shot with a used Pany 20 mm 1.7
So great to see you out on the streets enjoying your shutter therapy again. I'm interested to see how you feel about this focal length for your street photography. I've been swinging back and forth between buying a 17mm or the new 20mm myself. I've always loved 50mm from my film days but I sometimes want something a bit wider. I'll probably go with the 17mm but there's no harm in looking at other options. Looking forward to your next video.
thanks for the effort and the sharing. i am currently exploring the 40mm with the EOS R + RF adapter. i have a family event coming up-graduation-and i am going to need something wider than my 50/1.4. i played with my very old 35/2 EF and just did not love the sharpness on the EOS R and thus, the EF 40/2.8. i did a short walkabout, kept everything at 2.8 and was surprised by how well the images turned out. thumbs up.
I always love your "shutter therapy" episode Robin. Please keep making this kind of video. 👍
Thanks. More POV style video coming for sure
I took the 40mm on a vacation trip to Vietnam (from the US) not long after I bought it some time ago. It is cheap, very small and very light, so why not. I mainly used 35mm back then and when I got back I kept thinking the 40mm images looked like a cropped 35mm image and I didn’t like that. Now, I have a much better appreciation of the 40mm focal length. I am even using 50mm lenses, something I never did before. So it’s a matter of what you like and what you are used to. I bought my copy used and the manual focus ring is not smooth but the image quality is fine. Great combo with a 5D, 6D or RP.
Glad that you found the 40mm working for you! I still love 35mm and 50mm.
I have this lens still in my cabinet!!! hahah but I don't have a DSLR now, only film camera bodies. Nice lens and I actually did a written review on it years ago!
You can do a "fun" comparison with the OMSystem 20mm F1.4 PRO!
Enjoyed the video (especially seeing a bit of the city and the cameos from your photography friends).
Thanks. More POV style street photography videos coming for sure
Good to see you walking around the city, Robin. Great drone shots from KL as well! As someone who on the other side of the world, I love to see other places. Also, the shutter sound of a DSLR can't be beaten.
Thanks Gabriel for the kind words. I do have a lot more drone shots in my second Vlog channel.
Nice shots. Must have been fun.
The flower bed looks nice 😁
Nice to see you again, with not a Olympus gear but it is not so important, the important is to make photos and to continue visiting Kuala Lumpur. See you. Bernard from France.
I have many many videos before not using Olympus! But thanks for being here, appreciate the support
You're absolutely right to put forward this beautiful lens. I bought my daughter one in addition to her Canon 5dii for her once in a lifetime trip to the Gambia, and the results were wonderful- from the street markets to the throngs of fisherman on the beaches. Perhaps the fly in the ointment is that they're not as robust as Zuiko lenses, and it lost the ability to autofocus.
I always thought that forty is weird . It's not fifty or thirty five mm. But when I got it occasionally with a new full frame camera I was amazed how it looks and works. What's funny that I started my photography journey when I was a kid with a rangefinder film camera that came with a 40mm lens but I found that focus range quite wide for my snaps since I was shooting one or two persons portrait mostly.
Happy to see you back. Nice photos with 40mm and Malasia its a powerfull colour country. All the best from Portugal.
Uma pena ver o que a OM fez a este grande ex embaixador da Olympus! É das pessoas mais simpáticas e profissionais que eles tinham a representá-los
I never left. Thanks for the kind words
Thanks for sharing your thoughts about the 40mm, Robin. To me, the 40 may be the new "Goldilocks" focal length between wide and standard. Thanks also for giving us a peek at Kuala Lumpur and your fellow photographers. Glad the iced latte was good! Until next time, all the best!
Thanks for sticking around Victor! More POV style street video coming for sure
I love the EF 40mm f/2.8! It’s not the brightest lens but it’s pretty sharp in the center wide open. And of course, small form factor. The focal length is just right for me - if I need 50mm or 35mm, I’ll just zoom in and out with my feet. I hope you keep it, they’re actually recently discontinued, and I’ve been seeing them sold for $300 on eBay , which is ridiculous! It was retailed at around $199 brand new.
I have given it away to a friend who deserves it. I am now using 35mm and 50mm.
Same here, I think this is a fantastic lens. It created wings when I upgraded from a original 5D to a 5D Mark IV. (in costrast when I tried the Z 40mm f/2 and Z5 combo I didn't like the rendition at all)
There is just something about this lens I cant quite put my finger on, but its great.
Fun video, and cool to hear you speaking Malay
Thanks! The locals here speak mostly Malay
I thought you quit? Well, welcome back. 😸
I think this is the first video I've seen where you didn't use Olympus. Still great photos which proves your great photographic skill. Thnx
There are soooooooo many videos I made which did not feature Olympus!
Dont forget about the 27mm 2.8 (40mm equivalent) Fuji pancake lens!!
I've missed your street photography vlogs. I love 40~45 as a standard on 3:2, on 4:3 I'm more okay with 35 or 50 equivalents. Much wider than 40 on 3:2 and there starts being all sorts of stuff I wasn't even aware of in the frame.
Thanks, more POV style videos coming for sure. I never considered the aspect ratio of photo and the focal length framing, that is indeed interesting.
Nice POV, it was nice bumping into you that day 👍😊
Thanks, and likewise!
I’ve got it. That’s a great little lens.
Seeing your XF10 makes me wish it didn't have such a bad issue with it where the little ribbon on the lens would snap so it wouldn't work right. It'd be several hundred to fix, but I loved the heck out of it while I was able to use it!
Go Robin Go!
Going going
new sweet spot between 35mm and 50mm ....
To me the 40mm focal length is ideal for street photography. So much so that I own the Canon lens you are showing, as well as the Sony 40mm f/2.5 and the Lumix 20mm f/1.7. I use the first two on Canon and Sony mirrorless bodies, respectively, and the Lumix on Olympus bodies (of which I'm a big fan). For street I can also use 50mm lenses, but the 35mm focal length never worked for me. Can't explain why! (not because it's too wide because 28mm I love!)
I miss Kuala Lumpur… great video ✌🏾✌🏾
Great video! 40mm might not be for everyone. I've talked to many that don't like it. Funny thing is some whom discounted the 40mm focal length have never actually tried it. I was one of those individuals. Now I love it. Attached to my GX7 and walking about around my hometown of Vancouver Canada, I'm a happy shooter. Cheers
Edit: forgot to mention that I use the Panasonic 20mm 1.7ii
I have a 5dII and the 40mm 2.8. Absolutely wonderful lens. Not a big package for a full frame system. I use it all the time when I want to shoot some FF.
Glad that there are others who use this lens
Same for me. I really think it's a lens that punches above it's weight
Thank you.
Cheers
The Panasonic 20/1.7 is one of the sharpest micro4/3 lenses you can buy, and it’s cheap.
I like the focal length for walking around taking photos. For video it’s a bit tight.
nice to see you coming with fresh new content! ^__^
I really enjoy the 40mm focal lenght, but I'd like to see a comparison between this lens on a FF body compared to the Panasonic 20mm on m43 in real life: is there any difference in perspective?
not really, both will capture 57 degrees
I love this 40mm lens more than 50mm f1.8. focal length is just my taste.
Wow, you’re from Kuching! I was there a few weeks back in 2018 staying near the brand new Aeon Mall. Fantastic place but sadly didn’t have my 5D with me. So hot! Was there on the National Sarawak Day 😁
classic lens imo, happy shooting Robin
seems like the 40mm suits you, nice shots!
I like viewing your city walkabouts and all the people & activities. I’ve been favoring the 38mm-45mm focal range for over 50+years, beginning with 35mm film rangefinders. Recapturing that look today is with my OMD Pen-f & Lumix 20mm pancake, or my old Rokkor -C 40mm on a Leica film body. 6x6 TLR normal lens FOV leaned toward the 40mm look too, in my recollection…comfortable for snaps & prints etc. Back in the old days, a 50mm lens was in the realm of short telephoto for some photography. Like anybody else, your faves may differ. ☺️
Thanks Jeff for sticking around and thanks for the kind words. Interesting that your focal length preference is the "in-between" 35 and 50mm! I can work with wider 28mm or 50mm, I find the in-between focal lengths to be challenging to work with.
@@robinwong - 👋 “artists” talking tools! I vaguely remember when 35mm was “miniature” and now considered “full-frame!” Interesting times,eh?
This is your best video yet! That bearded guy should always be featured in your videos! 🧔🏻
Thanks Azul. Unfortunately this cannot be the best video because there was no mimi.
@@robinwong 😹
Robin you are going to have to work on your guns if you are going to carry heavy cameras around again! Smile glad to see you still producing videos! Always thought a 40mm on FF was a bit strange, not normal not wide angle not sure if it knows what it is.
I have made at least 2 videos about the Canon full frame before, and a few more blog articles in the past. The camera isn't new. Of course I am still here making videos! I am not going anywhere, and thanks for sticking around.
The glorious 40mm focal length! It combines the best parts from 50mm and 35mm focal lengths and creates an godly union!
Great pictures Robin!
Thanks, but I still think 35mm is 35mm, 40mm is 40mm, and 50mm is 50mm, they cannot be combined. they all have their places.
Love 40mm at f/2,8, I shoot there with my Panasonic gx800(20mm f/5)
Why not use the Panasonic 20mm F1.7?
Withaout OMS, you are independant. This is great.😂😁
When I started with photography, my first camera was an Olympus with a 42mm f2.8 lens. I still have that camera. I also have another vintage 40mm f2.8 Olympus lens. For me I think because I started with it, I have a soft spot for the 40mm lenses and the look they have. I'm happy how the 40mm is coming back. Nikon was never big with the 40mm lenses, and for a long time all they had was the 45mm GN-Nikkor and the 45mm f2.8 pancake, and neither of them were very popular. I think Olympus was bigger on that focal length, and many older Olympus cameras have 40 something mm lenses so I was surprised it took them a long time to come up with a 20mm lens for micro 4/3
Nikon has their 40mm lens now, and everyone is also jumping onto the bandwagon
@@robinwong I think they were the ones who started the revival of the 40mm. Somehow it's trendy again
😊🙏🏼💪🏼☘🌴🏵Thank you Robin
Glad to be able to share
Bought the Panny 20mm years ago purely because it was a pancake, and I just couldn't bring myself to love the Oly 17 2.8. I shot with the Panny as my only lens on a two week holiday and became a fan. Still one of my favorite lenses. Unusual at the time, but now 40mm (FF=) is very stylish. We'll see if it lasts, or is just another photography fad.
40mm is indeed unusual, but as someone who use old film camera, I am used to it. Plus, it was a popular focal length in the past that hit a sweet spot between 35mm and 50mm.
I wonder how it stands today. Will people still use it?
This Vlog image stabilisation very stable.
Kena beli lens ni, nampak ringan 😃
Take a readily available cheap 28mm and stick it on an old cropped dslr, what do you arrive at? Roughly 40mm equivalent cropped image.
Hey Robin, cool video. I have been seriously thinking of a FF. Would love your view on a 135mm Len’s for street. Cheers. Kee going strong. 💪
I don't use anything that long for street. The longest would probably be 85mm (I use Olympus 45mm F1.8, so equivalent 90mm). Anything longer than that does not suit what I am doing.
@@robinwong cool, I love using the oly 75 and hence my interest for the 135. You are very interactive and friendly with the people so I guess a wider fl works for you. Take care.
40mm is actually a VERY traditional, USUAL focal length. Many fixed lens rangefinder cameras from the 60s to 80s came with a 40mm fixed focal length lens. For both Minolta and Voigtländer, 40mm was the normal focal length on their M rangefinder cameras.
Not by accident has Panasonic decided to make the 20mm f1.7 one of the first lenses they ever designed for MFT. It's still one of the best prime lenses based on prize, size, image quality, usability etc. - after all these years.
I disagree about Panasonic 20mm being one of the best prime lenses. The rendering is harsh, the bokeh is bad, the AF is the slowest among all Micro Four Thirds lenses, the CA issues is problematic, the problem goes on. It is a good lens, don't get me wrong, compact, sharp, performs well, but it has a ton of issues, certainly it does not qualify to be one of the best.
@@robinwong First or second version?
Tajam gambartu pakcik! salam dari Jakarta
It would be interesting to compare this lens against OM's 20mm 1.4 Pro as the DOF of both lens (max. aperture) are theoretically the same.
Comparison is impossible, unless I bought the 20mm F1.4 PRO myself, which is a reckless way of spending money, we Malaysians earn a lot less here. And none of my friends bought one.
I am shocked and disappointed that Olympus has not re-instated you as an Olympus Visionary or Olympus Ambassador. They are probably upset because you were truthful about the way you have been treated after all these years of loyalty to Olympus. I hope they come to their senses.
I enjoy the 40mm FOV but I think I like it the least on 3:2 formats. It's still pretty good, feels more flexible than a 50 on the street, but I like it most with my MFT's 4:3 and in square formats. I guess the closer to square, the more I like 40mm! I actually just picked up the new OM lens this past weekend.
Interesting that you brought up aspect ratio into the equation, it does change things a little. To me it does not make that much of a big difference, but it also depends on how you compose or see your shots.
40mm is just too wide. Need the Pentax 43mm Ltd! 😉
The one and only!
I have this lens for 3 yrs and seldom used because the aperture is not Hugh at f2.8
Olympus must crying. 😅😅😅
Why would they cry? I doubt they even care
Are you using a cf card or an adaptater cf to sd card?
I really found my way in mft with 17mm 25mm 45mm 75mm prime but not 20mm, I can even use lot more at 75mm.
CF cards. I have them since DSLR days.
แพนเค้กเลนส์
40mm is just fine and better than 50 in many regards . I prefer 55mm , but have found 40mm in the old film days . Today I use 30mm in MFT to get close to my favourite length . Fuji go one better with their 35 mm f2 lens that u is even closer . But I have legs and know that as soon as I raise the camera to shoot that I have the target in the frame : all I need do next is to ensure the subject is in focus : easy ( don’t be fooled - I’m a perfectionist and that drives me to work the scene to achieve the keepers .
I disagree. 50mm to me works much better than 40mm, it gives a more natural looking perspective, much closer to what the eyes perceive. I still find the 40mm to be somewhat.. in the middle of nowhere. But of course, if it works for you, go ahead and continue using it.
@@robinwong
Robin , one thing I learnt long ago was that we all have our favourite focal lengths and it comes about largely by the choice we feel most comfortable with at creating the images we like . I know somebody who likes using 35mm for portraits because it provides more of the scene than 50 , which is the point you were trying to make. I find 35mm a little too wide and found my 35mm was in fact 40mm and my 50mm is between 55-60. I put this down to the fact I wear glasses and how they sit on my nose distorts my view of normal .
Robin , I nevertheless found the video very interesting and your thoughts on the matter informative as ever. Looking forward to your next video very much .
Hold the front page. Someone doesn't like a particular focal length.
5D that is good for video? ?
It has no video
hahaha 人才 这个头是 佳能全画幅定焦里面，画质最次的，没有之一
轻是最大的优点，放到网上压缩过之后，画质的差别，其实也看不出来。
It looks as though Canon is just trying to keep up with Ricoh and OM Systems with their 20mm. No Canon shooter is going to just have that lens only, so its compactness in a 'system' does not go much further. I will stay with my Oly system and overall small form format. Going back in time , didn't Canon do the Canonet 35mm rangefinder with a 40 mm lens? Also Contax with a 40mm Tessar?
You do know that Canon 40mm is an old lens, right? Also this video isn't about Olympus vs Canon or any comparison. It was exploring what the 40mm is possible, and I am showing examples!
Weird??? I discovered 40mm back in the real OM days (f2 pancake). It's the most natural lens there is! 50mm is just boring as f&*k... anything wider fun but risks being gimmicky.
I find 40mm to be really weird. 50mm was natural to me, it just works. Some of my best works were made with 50mm.
@@robinwong Hmmm... I remember hearing many years after discovering the 40mm that it apparently best represents the angle that the human eye sees, for me this made sense,as 50mm seemed restrictive but without the perks of a telephoto... in the end, I guess I'm just a 'wide-boy'
Do you still have that Zuiko 40mm f2? Its worth good money now days.
@@0action847 Alas no, just before my move from London to Argentina in 2002 someone burgled my flat and stole my camera bag (which also had my passport in it (this was more stressful than losing the cameras).
I remember when I bought it; back in the mid-90s, I got it second hand and even then it was considered somewhat special and rare.. the thing was tiny. the aperture ring took getting used to and with a polariser, you had to be careful.