warwoman Loc: NE Georgia Mtns.

I've heard this lens is a good one for shooting "action" shots, with it being a fast lens. Does anybody have it, and any tips for using it?
I am shooting a Canon XSi, and T3i.

bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

I have it, I like it, stays on my T1i a lot, or my T4i, handy indoors as it is shorter both physical and focal than the nifty fifty, not quite as fast, it's not as noticeable if you don't put a lens shade on it, all in all gets used a lot, travels in a small pocket if not on the camera, I do not see any special strengths for "action" , you'd have to be close, it is quite handy as "walk around".

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

My daughter has one she uses on her Canon T3i and I will be using it on my recently acquired 1D Mark III where it will look like I have a camera cover or no lens at all. It works out to a 52mm equivalent on the 1D Mark III and a 64mm on the T3i.

It would work fine for sports if you can get in close to shoot, but isn't going to reach very far. It is a very sharp lens for the money especially at the edges. For the money it is worth having in your bag in my opinion.

I recently purchased a 85mm 1.8 to rather than the 50mm 1.4 to shoot portraits, volleyball and up close drag racing until I can afford the 70-200 in a few months. This is a 110mm equivalent on my 1D and 135mm on the T3i so it gets into the sports a little more than the 50mm or 40mm. It is also very sharp and fast focusing and better built than the 40mm or the 50mm 1.4.

Good luck with your decision.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

I have been thinking of getting one. I have a few friends who use it a lot. They tell me it is their default prime. Shorter than the 50 longer than the 35.

I think I might borrow one for a week and see how it feels.

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

Well worth the money in my opinion unless you already have a fast lens that covers the 40mm focal length. Then it might just be duplication of an option you have.

cameranut Loc: North Carolina

I have this lens but it is too short for most shots I'm taking (birds & wildlife) I bought it mainly to use for digiscoping since it is short enough to attach to camera & scope with an adapter.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

The "pancake's" main feature is its size... it's very compact.

As most have suggested already, 40mm would be an unusually short focal length for a lot of "action" photography. But it really depends upon what you mean by "action" photography.

It also is not "fast" by any definition of the term.

It is an f2.8 lens, not bad, but no better than a lot of zooms. There are primes with f2, f1.8 and f1.4 apertures that are more what I'd call "fast" in terms of aperture.

It is an STM lens, meaning that the focus drive is Canon's relatively new "Stepper Motor", which is very quiet and not as slow as micro motor focus drive, but not as quick as USM (ultrasonic motor) focus drive. A short focal length is reasonably fast focusing anyway, since the focusing mechanism hardly has to move to achieve focus. But for action photography, if you need fast focus as well as top notch focus tracking, you generally should be looking at USM lenses instead. STM focus' main benefit is it's silence, helpful for videography.

If I were looking for a very short telephoto (moderately wide angle on full frame) "action" lens, instead I'd probably look at the Canon EF 35/2.0 IS USM or the EF 35/1.4L.

If looking for a moderately priced, extremely compact lens and the 40mm focal length works for you, the pancake is a really nice lens.