[Douglas_of_Sweden]

Wikipedia: "A pancake lens is colloquial term for a flat, thin lens (short barrel), generally a normal or slightly wide prime lens for a camera."

Here we are offered two definitions: terminology - What is a pancake lens? - Photography - Stack Exchange:

"Pancake lens is a lens which is designed to be physically very thin and compact, relatively pocketable when combined with a slim body."

"Pancake lens" is a purely physical description. If the lens is significantly wider than it is long, it's a pancake lens. Actual overall size has nothing to do with it, and it has no implications about image performance, aside from the fact that it's generally very hard to pack a telephoto or fast prime into the pancake form-factor. It's worth noting that a "Pancake lens" does not have to be small or compact, and a small lens is not automatically a pancake lens. It's only a description of the lens form-factor."

You can guess that the scientist in me prefer the second of them since it is more exact and therefore more useful.

Strange enough, I cannot find a definition at camerapedia.

This blog, while not offering a definition, suggests that they should instead have been called "hockey puck" lenses. He has got a point there.

[Douglas_of_Sweden]

Got my DA21ltd back from repair recently and finally had time for some street shooting with it. This is a pancake with any definition.









This is an awesome street lens. Currently doing my street shooting mostly with the DA21ltd and the DA70ltd on the K-5 and the M40/2.8 on the ME Super. Both very pocketable.

[Douglas_of_Sweden]

Now this is definitely a pancake lens!

MS Super Triplet Perar 4/28


japan exposures | films and more (formerly Megaperls Japan Webshop)

[jimr-pdx]

Loving my old/new SMC-M 40! I had this in my film days but sold it off 5 years ago.. now it's back.

wide open -


my local color/contrast test -


Both cropped a bit harshly to remove wires & road signs.

[twitch]

Nice pancake pics.

I thought I read once that Pentax used the "pancake" description to describe any lens that is 1 inch long or less.

[starstuff]

What do you suppose are the chances of an ultra-wide (something in the single digits: I do know about the 15mm so-called ultrawide) in pancake/hockey-puck form? Craving....

[civiletti]

The DA70 at Zion Natl Park



1/6" @ f8

[Arjay Bee]

As stated above I always have my K20D with me and it almost always has the M40 pancake attached for ease of transport. I was flagged down by a neighbour this morning and treated to this sight.






The amethystine python had bitten off more than he/she could chew. After being extricated from the chicken coop it promptly regurgitated its meal. The snake was too tired after its efforts at swallowing the rooster to get away until it had a rest. It was allowed to escape and the bird buried.

[Douglas_of_Sweden]

What do you suppose are the chances of an ultra-wide (something in the single digits: I do know about the 15mm so-called ultrawide) in pancake/hockey-puck form? Craving....

I think it is very difficult if you also require good optical quality. There are the 17 and 18mm Takumar fisheye lenses of course, if you ever can call a fish eye good optically
Other than that, the 21mm limited is the widest pancake I know of. After that comes just the russian 28mm pancake, and the Rikenon XR 28mm f3.5 aspherical pancake lens. Most pancakes were/are produced in the 40-55mm range.

[pid]

The smc Pentax M 4/20 is definitly a Original Pentax Pancake Lens too!

[erwinsie]

hi im new with lenses, and wondering:

i like the pancake lens being so thin, but does it also offer functions like the super wide lens or fish eye lenses? can i have fish eye pancake lens for example?

[imdad]

Taken From Grand Indonesia Jakarta

[Cabessius]

M 40mm f2.8

[elpolodiablo]

DA40XS

[elpolodiablo]

Double the pleasure, spotted a Pentaxian with DA40Limited, and I was shooting him with DA40XS