# Wide Angle Pancake?



## Cory (Aug 7, 2013)

Would a wide angle pancake lens make sense on a Rebel and, if so, might one be in the works somewhere? I'm so smitten with my new 40mm lens that I would maybe give up my "normal" zoom for a corresponding 20mm (or so) lens. Or is that dumb and my 17-50 zoom is the perfect complement to the 40? I just really like the tiny package for general photography and deal with the bigger lenses for sports where I don't care.


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## Drizzt321 (Aug 7, 2013)

When you say wide angle, how wide? 

Part of the problem with designing a wide angle lens is because the focal length has to be _less_ than the distance from the sensor to the back of the lens. Thus, the lens design needs to incorporate a retrofocus design which allows the focusing plane to be moved back to where the sensor/film actually is.

Costs more, is more difficult to design and have a really good design. Pancakes such as the 40mm are generally very simple designs, and pretty easy to make. When they are paired with the small optics sizes, they become fairly cheap and more likely to be of higher quality because QA becomes easier.


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## Cory (Aug 7, 2013)

Drizzt321 said:


> When you say wide angle, how wide?



20mm-ish, but I wonder if the perfect setup might be the Sigma 18-35, Canon 40 and Canon 60.

:-*


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## moreorless (Aug 7, 2013)

The Voigtlander 20mm shows that it clearly can be done, as has been mentioned I'd guess its more of a question of at what costs.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Aug 7, 2013)

The 20mm is about as wide as they come right now, and that's not really very wide on a crop body.


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## Dylan777 (Aug 16, 2013)

Would be nice to have more pancakes  Currrent 40mm is a great side and provides GREAT IQ.

I'm looking for:
1. For FF, 14 or 16mm f2.8
2. For crop, 10 or 11mm f2.8


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## neuroanatomist (Aug 16, 2013)

Dylan777 said:


> I'm looking for:
> 1. For FF, 14 or 16mm f2.8
> 2. For crop, 10 or 11mm f2.8



I suspect the amount of retrofocus needed for the design precludes development of an ultrawide pancake lens.


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## MrFotoFool (Aug 19, 2013)

Voigtlander makes a 20mm
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/676633-REG/Voigtlander_BA295AC_Color_Skopar_20mm_f_3_5.html
and a 28mm
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/890581-REG/Voigtlander_bd296e_28mm_F_2_8_SL_II_Lens_Canon.html
(as well as a 40mm like Canon).

They seem to be well built and highly rated, but the downside is they are manual focus only.


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