olcoach Loc: Oregon

Hi, I just got the Canon forty pancake lens. It is a fun lens but I have a concern in that it is really tight putting it on. I have never had a lens that required any force to put on but this one does. I have seen this issue mentioned by others too, so my question is: could this cause a problem on my camera's electrical hook-ups etc. This is a bit of a sensitive area and I don't want to foul up a 1500. camera for a 149. lens. Any thoughts

LGilbert Loc: Earth

The lens requires a bit of force, but not overly, until it locks with a click. The gold plated contact pads on the lens skate over rounded gold plated contact nubs until they are aligned at the moment of clickage. The only way they would be misaligned is if you did not progress the lens onto the mount until it clicked. Mine goes on easily the first half of the rotation and then firms up nicely. It doesn't seem overly tight, not like the lens on a '70s era Topcon in which a distinctive grinding noise was heard.... Unless you hear a gruenchy noise rather that just a smooth, seemingly calibrated, tightening, I wouldn't worry about it. Be sure it clicks, of course.

You should like this lens. It's light and takes extremely sharp pictures,even wide open to the edges and even a little better down a stop. Very difficult to induce flare, very quiet motor and manual suppliments when button is half pushed.

The biggest problem is other photographers touting poundage sometimes stare at my camera to see if there is anything there at all.... regardless, this lens is worth carrying in a ziplock in your pocket if you are on safari with a wide angle or a telephoto. Plan the back/foreground distance carefully and it produces excellent fuzzyness. And, it produces nice macro at about 3:1. Haven't tried macro with an extension tube yet nor considered a party setup of the pancake with a 1.4 doubler compared to running my Tamron 17-50 F/2.8 of similar range. I'm confident the prime, even with the doubler, will out perform the zoom. But, I could be wrong.

LGilbert Loc: Earth

The lens requires a bit of force, but not overly, until it locks with a click. The gold plated contact pads on the lens skate over rounded gold plated contact nubs until they are aligned at the moment of clickage. The only way they would be misaligned is if you did not progress the lens onto the mount until it clicked. Mine goes on easily the first half of the rotation and then firms up nicely. It doesn't seem overly tight, not like the lens on a '70s era Topcon in which a distinctive grinding noise was heard.... Unless you hear a gruenchy noise rather that just a smooth, seemingly calibrated, tightening, I wouldn't worry about it. Be sure it clicks, of course.

You should like this lens. It's light and takes extremely sharp pictures,even wide open to the edges and even a little better down a stop. Very difficult to induce flare, very quiet motor and manual suppliments when button is half pushed.

The biggest problem is other photographers touting poundage sometimes stare at my camera to see if there is anything there at all.... regardless, this lens is worth carrying in a ziplock in your pocket if you are on safari with a wide angle or a telephoto. Plan the back/foreground distance carefully and it produces excellent fuzzyness. And, it produces nice macro at about 3:1. Haven't tried macro with an extension tube yet nor considered a party setup of the pancake with a 1.4 doubler compared to running my Tamron 17-50 F/2.8 of similar range. I'm confident the prime, even with the doubler, will out perform the zoom. But, I could be wrong.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Not many Topcon users here I'll bet.
Which model did you use?
I had a Unirex (leaf shutter) and played with an RE Super a few times.

bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

Bought one , like it so far, esp for indoor kid shots, great at short distances and moving targets, I refer to it as a "Sporty Forty" more upbeat, Bob.

Jer Loc: Mesa, Arizona

Ask a camera store about the tight fit.

pigpen

Yes. I use it with the T2i and a battery grip!! I'm use to holding my camera with the left hand on the lens, this will take some getting used to.

Bill Emmett Loc: Bow, New Hampshire

I bought one of these "shorty, forty" lenses a few months ago. When it was brand new, it was a little tight, but no more than my 70-200mm L lens. If you think it takes to much above and beyond pressure to mount the lens properly, I would either take it to a camera store, and try one of their display lenses, explaine what is going on with lens you have, and either keep it, or send it back where it came from. But, do not ruin your contacts in your camera trying to make it work. It should not take extreme pressure to mount the lens.

olcoach Loc: Oregon

Hi, Thank you all for your responses. I appreciate all of you. I have also seen a reply on another site where a guy contacted Canon about the tight lens and their reply was "no problem". I think some of the replies here are more complete but at any rate it appears it isn't a problem. I'm thankful as it is really a fun little lens. Thank you all again.Have fun and keep shootin'. Mike

LGilbert Loc: Earth

I don't remember. I was actually my brother's 35mm camera in the middle sixties. It was very large, very heavy duty and the lenses went on very tightly.

nat Loc: Martha's Vineyard, MA

A pancake lens allows you to shoot syruptitiously!

jbslord Loc: Coventry UK

It sounds a bit like accumulated tolerances. the pluses and minuses of tolerance in manufacture mean that every so often you try to join up something that should work and find it either loose to the point of thinking you got sold the wrong kit OR so tight that you think you'll wreck something.
Years ago I was playing paintball (And attempting to video some without getting shot...another story) and I'd picked up a trick bolt which was supposed to be like shooting laser beams. Not for me but for my friend. So while he visited the toilet, i switched his bolt and mine. The result? Two pain markers that were shooting pure laser beams. I never did tell him about the switch; we don't always play on the same side... but the technician explained it was a case of accumulated tolerances.