# 40mm stm verses 35mm IS lens?



## Jeff (Oct 17, 2014)

looking at either the 40mm pancake with the stm focus or Canon's 35mm f2 lens with IS. I don't have a Dual Pixel Auto-Focus camera at the moment, but I imagine the next ff upgrade I will. My question is the 40mm pancake with the stm focus a better option than having image Stabilization found in the 35mm IS for video work? 

I have also read that stm (40mm) is not great with a follow focus unit?

any insights or opinions would be appreciated.

thanks, jeff


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## NancyP (Oct 17, 2014)

I can't say about follow focus, but the 40 STM is annoying (but adequate) to focus manually because of the focus-by-wire and because the focusing ring is about 2 millimeters wide. So I can't imagine that it would be all that great for follow focus setup. I use mine on stills, and manually focus for landscape shots - light weight makes this a desirable lens when hiking with primes.


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## yorgasor (Oct 18, 2014)

The 40mm f/2.8 lens is a heck of a deal, but the 35mm f/2 IS is in a very different league. When my 8 yr old daughter wants to go out and explore the joys of photography, I send her out with my old 5D classic and the 40mm pancake. The body is a bit big for her hands (I don't have a smaller, cheaper model for her to use), but the pancake is small, light, and easy to use. I don't personally have much of a use for it, but the 35mm IS would be something I'd use often. That whole f stop advantage the 35mm lens has makes a big deal in low light environments.


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## cellomaster27 (Oct 18, 2014)

yorgasor said:


> The 40mm f/2.8 lens is a heck of a deal, but the 35mm f/2 IS is in a very different league. When my 8 yr old daughter wants to go out and explore the joys of photography, I send her out with my old 5D classic and the 40mm pancake. The body is a bit big for her hands (I don't have a smaller, cheaper model for her to use), but the pancake is small, light, and easy to use. I don't personally have much of a use for it, but the 35mm IS would be something I'd use often. That whole f stop advantage the 35mm lens has makes a big deal in low light environments.



yes. they are both very very different lenses. Personally, I don't use my 40 pancake that much. even if you don't need the IS, I'm very particular on ergonomics. it's going to be much easier to use for manual focusing and USM is faster than the STM motor. and the wire-focusing thing... I really don't like that much. It's small, light, and cheap. If you don't need the smallest of lenses, the 35mm is really a great lens.


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## Etienne (Oct 18, 2014)

I don't know how you would follow focus with the 40mm STM ... there's not much of a focus ring.
I have both of these lenses. I rarely use the 40, but the 35 f/2 IS is a great little lens and I use it a lot.


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## aroo (Oct 18, 2014)

The shorty forty is awesome for photographs. But since you're asking in the video section, of course the 35 IS is the better lens. And since you know what "follow focus" is, you should buy both.


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## Busted Knuckles (Oct 18, 2014)

40 is not a vid lens. 35 much better.

it is a great lens for $$, like like mine alot.


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## Hjalmarg1 (Oct 18, 2014)

Jeff, 
I had the 40mm and I was very happy with its performance until I used the 35mm f2 Is. Sharper, faster AF and 1 more stop of light. Then, I sold the 40mm


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## wyldeguy (Nov 17, 2014)

One bonus for the 40mm STM is that you can use the movie servo on the 7D2 to control AF transition speed. But if you want manual focus control then the 35 f2 is the better choice just for the focus ring size and the IS will be handy for run and gun filming or even a nice plus for steady cam work.


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