Compact, lightweight, always on the go: Canon 24mm 2.8 is a small and inexpensive, yet powerful fixed focal range for APS-C cameras. It is a classic reportage focal – and thus versatile.
It is not easy for street photographers. Whoever walks around with a thick lens and, for example, photographs unasked in a beer garden, can almost assure that at least one will demand the immediate deletion of the pictures. A recording, in which people are only decorating accessories, is legally not even a problem. But most people do not know.
In addition, they still suspect press photographers behind large cameras and lenses and do not want to find themselves as ornamental accessories in the newspaper or a news portal. Canon 24mm 2.8 delivers the right equipment for photographers on the road.
Price: The Canon 24mm 2.8 – Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM Lens costs $ with the 10% off Coupon Code: 10PRIMENOW (coupon only for 1st order).
Canon 24mm 2.8 Tiny lens, Great Effect:
A pancake lens is a particularly flat lens, flat “flat as a pancake”. It is relatively unobtrusive and thus less threatening. The resulting psychological trick is simple, but effective: While a large lens automatically suggests professional photographers, a pancake acts on most people as harmless toys, which soothes the minds.
For the inconspicuous street photography is a Pancake thus obligatory – and the only 125-gram light Canon 24mm 2.8 is very discreet. Attached to an APS-C camera such as the Canon EOS 60D, it just protrudes 2.3 centimeters from the body – and thus does not threaten anyone.
At the same time, however, it reaches an effective focal length of 38 millimeters with its 24-millimeter focal length at the Canon APS-C sensor – and is thus a classic reportage focal range, which is often used by photojournalists and professional photographers.
The Canon 24mm 2.8 image section is similar to that of a smartphone and corresponds relatively precisely to the human field of view. This allows particularly appealing shots and makes this focal length perfect for all-round use on the road.
Light fast, fast and accurate
As with all Canon lenses, the mounting of the lens, which is available for well under $149, is a child’s play: unpack, unscrew the connector cover, place the lens on the camera, and finish it. The lens is immediately ready for use, as is the case with Canon 24mm 2.8 lenses. If you have several lenses, you will notice how fast and confident the autofocus works even in poor light.
This is also possible due to the high light intensity: With an aperture of ƒ = 2.8, it is not in the professional range – but significantly more powerful than the zooms with Canon cameras in the kit. Furthermore, due to the simpler design of the Canon fixed focal range, the optics are largely distortion-free and distortion-free.
Even with the aperture open, the Canon 24mm 2.8 lens is already very sharp, the focus is fast and reliable, which makes the lens ideally suited for road photos shot from the hip. The lack of zoom compensates good shoes as with all fixed focal lengths, whereby their use in the practical reportage focal is not often necessary.
Macro-usable, but no macro lens
With the corresponding megapixels in the camera, the small lens can work as a macro lens, albeit less for professional macro photography than for holding small details Such as insects or flowers at the edge of the path.
The image size of 0.27 quarters is the original size, but modern cameras with 18 or more megapixels are resolution-high enough to enlarge sections of the image – small beetles, butterflies or other animals come out quite big. The same applies to portraits, for which the lens is also suitable, but with limitations due to burning: If you go close enough to the subject and open the aperture, a wonderfully soft bokeh results which one would not really trust the flat lens.
Problematic: Canon 24mm 2.8 vignetting and STM motor
All in all, Canon’s small lens is a perfect addition to APS-C photographers who are looking for a handy, powerful, and flexible range of burns when traveling or at home. The lens is a cheap and practical alternative to the large zoom and fits in every jacket or camera case.
In the street photography, it can also simply remain on the camera. However, the price ensures for some minor restrictions. Anyone who uses the lens for the first time will notice a significant vignetting (edge shading).
However, this can be corrected with the lens registration tool included with every Canon digital camera: the corresponding lens profile must be loaded onto the camera and then the vignetting correction should be activated in the camera itself. Then the EOS camera calculates the vignetting directly at the recording.
Also not ideal: The STM engine is not quite as quiet and fast as Canon’s high-priced USM engines, which makes it only suitable for filming. Especially since the lens, although fundamentally quiet, in the focus search nevertheless a quiet but constant buzzing out and gives more adjustment than good ultrasonic motors.
Price: The Canon 24mm 2.8 – Canon EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM Lens costs $ with the 10% off Coupon Code: 10PRIMENOW (coupon only for 1st order).
Conclusion: A great lens for everyday life
Despite these small disadvantages, the Canon 24mm 2.8 is an excellent lens – especially for the low price. The flat design and low weight make it a perfect everyday lens that can always remain on the camera.
Street photographers also benefit from the inconspicuous lens, which hardly carries on more than a comrade’s eye and thus allows quick shots to excite without notice. But also on hikes, parties and actually on any other occasion is the small Canon 24mm 2.8 lens thanks to its reportage burning range a big little help – and should therefore be missing in no camera bag.
Editor’s Choice: With the EOS M10, Canon 24mm 2.8 is offering a low-cost entry-level system camera with its own M lens system. With a touch-screen, WLAN and APS-C sensor, the camera is ready to shoot even in the D-SLR area. We have a closer look at the small Canon.