Photo: Ashley Pomeroy (CC BY-SA 4.0)
EF 40mm f/2.8 STM
- 40mm
- f/40.0
- Prime
- 130 g
- Min focus 0.3 m
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Quick answer
A pancake-style standard prime with a stepping motor. Very short and light, working on full-frame EF and APS-C EF cameras.
Pros
- Extremely compact
- Light (130 g)
- Quiet STM focusing
Cons
- f/2.8 is not fast
- No stabilization
- Little background blur
Verdict
A light option for casual shooting that barely adds to the camera body.
About this lens
This 40mm f/2.8 standard prime lens from Canon fits Canon EF mount cameras, with stepping-motor autofocus. An ultra-slim "pancake" prime that adds very little size and weight to a camera.
Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM specifications
- Brand
- Canon
- Mount
- Canon EF
- Focal length
- 40mm
- Maximum aperture
- f/40.0
- Lens type
- Prime
- Format coverage
- full-frame
- Released
- 2012
- Optical construction
- 6 elements in 4 groups
- Aperture blades
- 7
- Autofocus motor
- STM
- Minimum focus distance
- 0.3 m
- Filter thread
- 52 mm
- Weight
- 130 g
- Length
- 22.8 mm
- Diameter
- 68.2 mm
Specification source: global.canon
What can you shoot with the Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM?
- Travel
- Street
- Light carry setups
- Everyday photography
Its smaller maximum aperture favours daylight shooting and keeps the lens compact.
Full-frame equivalent and field of view
Calculated from the focal length and crop factor. Not measured.
| Sensor | Crop | Equivalent | Horizontal FOV | Diagonal FOV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full frame | 1.0x | 40mm | 48.5° | 56.8° |
| APS-C | 1.6x | 64mm | 31.4° | 37.4° |
Frequently asked questions
How thin is the Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM?
It is a pancake design, only about 23mm long, so it adds very little to a DSLR.
Is the EF 40mm f/2.8 STM compatible with full-frame cameras?
Yes. It covers full-frame sensors and also works on APS-C bodies, where it frames like a 64mm lens.
EF 40mm STM vs EF 50mm f/1.8 STM?
The 40mm is smaller and has a slightly wider view. The 50mm opens to f/1.8 for more blur and low-light ability.
Alternatives for Canon EF from other brands
All Canon EF lensesSame mount, overlapping focal range, closest maximum aperture first.
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SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di LD Aspherical (IF) Macro
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SP AF 24-135mm f/3.5-5.6 AD Aspherical (IF) Macro
24-135mm · f/24.0 · Canon EF
