I remember when the Canon 40mm f2.8 hit the market so many years ago. Photographers were super excited because of the small size, the focal length, and the overall image quality. Canon found a way to make a lens that they all wanted. And actually, we’re surprised that it hasn’t come yet. However, a Canon RF 40mm f2.8 could be exactly what they need for a slew of reasons.
Canon Has a Size Problem
One of the biggest problems with Canon products has to be the size. Their really good products, specifically within the L-series lineup, are all very big. Not only are they physically large, but they’re also very heavy. The Canon RF 40mm f2.8 is bound to not be as large or heavy if it’s made. But it’s bound to render image quality that lots of photographers will be happy with too.
And all that is dependant on size. No one will want to carry around a huge camera and an equally large lens — that is, if the Canon RF 40mm f2.8 is big and heavy. But it most likely won’t be if it’s real. It gets even more complicated though.
Why Not Remake a Legend?
Back in 2012, we reviewed the 40mm f2.8. It was such a great one because of the autofocus motor being so incredibly quiet. Of course, it also had a big problem where if you pushed the front element back into the lens, it would break the motor. Here were our conclusions:
To sum things up, I was extremely surprised with the Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM lens, the image quality delivered was beyond what I expected from a lens at this price point. I do wish the manual focus feel was a bit more responsive, and the AF speed just a touch faster, but I can certainly live with it as-is and have no issues. For $150 (as of Nov’ 2012) I feel like this should be a no-brainer purchase if you want the smallest lens that Canon currently produces. It does dramatically reduce the physical size of your rig which is quite useful for street photography applications, also, let’s not forget how cute and tiny it is! As always, thanks for reading, and I hope you find some of this information useful in your decision-making process.
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Considering what Canon has done thus far, it’s pretty likely that the 40mm f2.8 is likely to return. But it’s also likely that the overall quality won’t be the same as some of Canon’s newer lenses. And that, more than anything, saddens me.
Canon likes to leave weather-resistance for their higher end L lenses. That same level of build quality should be given to their lower end glass, but it isn’t. Yet every other brand does it without any problems.
To work around this, Canon is bound to focus the Canon RF 40mm f2.8 on photographers and content creators that want to travel lightweight. They’re also bound to give it incredible image quality for that it is and the price point point. That finally bring us to our last point.
Oh, Also, The Price!
If the Canon RF 40mm f2.8 indeed comes to the market, it’s most likely going to be very affordable. Canon does this with all their non-L lenses. And with lots of photographers out there complaining that camera gear is too expensive, it could be a great answer for them. At the same time, photographers also demand better built camera gear. Why can’t Canon do both?