Ultimate Pancake Lens Comparison List - 52 Pancake Lenses for Street & Travel Photographers with focal lenghts from 15mm to 105mm.
For the Ultimate Pancake Lens Comparison List we looked at and compared 52 interchangeable pancake lenses.
Street & Travel Photographers are in love with tiny gear that weights little but still delivers good quality results. Pancake lenses are right at home in this kind of gear catergory.
Those who look for the smallest possible Cameras with decent image quality should check out our comparison list with 31 Large Sensor Prime Lens Cameras.
With few exemptions pancake lenses are constructed as prime lenses with a single focal lenght. Most of them are based on simple optical formulas and use only few glass elements. This saves weight and allows them to be much thinner than an average sized prime lens. On the other hand, because of the reduction they appear to be more prone to optical aberrations such as fringing. Nonetheless, when used correctly a pancake lens can still provide exceptional, sharp image results!
Together with a nice sized camera body a well picked pancake lens has the potential to become the “everyday”, “always on” lens. Something street and travel photographers seem to long for in the long run.
When is a lens a Pancake Lens?
To sort out the sheep from the goats we looked at a broad set of lens sizes and decided to call it a pancake lens when it is less than 30mm thick.
Pancake Lens Comparison List
The table below lists 52 interchangeable pancake lenses, basic characteristics including Fov, Aperture, Available camera mounts, weight, lenght and links to (video) reviews.
Sort & Filter-able Table!
- Sort the entries alphabetically or numeric by clicking on a Column Title.
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- Enter “Full Frame” and only Full Frame compatible lenses will be displayed.
| Manufacturer | Name | FoV | Aperture | Mount(s) | Focus | Weight (g) | Height (mm) | Sensor | FoV (FF equiv.) | Picture | (Video) Reviews | Shop | Lens Features | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sony | PZ OSS | 16mm-50mm | f/3.5-f/5.6 | Sony E | AF | 116 g | 30 mm | APS-C | 24mm-75mm |  | Review on Ken Rockwell | |||
| Neewer | E | 28mm | f/2.8 | Sony E | AF | 102 g | 29 mm | APS-C | 42mm |  | Video Review by Arthur R Customer Reviews on Amazon | |||
| Voigtlander | Color Skopar SL II | 20mm | f/3.5 | Canon EF Nikon F Pentax K | MF | 205 g | 29 mm | Full Frame | 20mm |  | Review on Photozone Video Review | Aperture Ring Manual Focus | ||
| Panasonic | Lumix G Vario X | 14mm-42mm | f/3.5-f/5.6 | mFT (m4/3) | AF | 095 g | 27 mm | m4/3 | 28mm-48mm |  | Review on Imaging Ressource | |||
| Pentacon | Prakticar MC | 50mm | f/2.4 | Praktika B | MF | 160 g | 27 mm | Full Frame | 50mm |  | Discussion on Zeisskonveb (in German) | |||
| Pentax | SMC-FA Limited | 43mm | f/1.9 | Pentax K | AF | 155 g | 27 mm | Full Frame | 43mm |  | Review on Pentax Forums Review on Ephotozine | Buy on Amazon Find on Ebay | Aperture Ring Auto Focus Manual Focus | |
| Panasonic | Lumix G ASPH | 20mm | f/1.7 | mFT (m4/3) | AF | 100 g | 26 mm | m4/3 | 40mm |  | Review on Imaging Resource Video Review | Buy on Amazon Find on Ebay | Auto Focus Manual Focus | |
| Pentax | SMC-DA Limited | 70mm | f/2.4 | Pentax K | AF | 130 g | 26mm | APS-C | 105mm |  | Review on Pentax Forums Video Review | Buy on Amazon Find on Ebay | Auto Focus Manual Focus | |
| Samsung | EX-F10ANW | 10mm | f/3.5 | Samsung NX | AF | 072 g | 26 mm | APS-C | 15mm |  | Imaging Resource Review | Auto Focus Manual Focus | ||
| Voigtlander | Color Skopar LTM | 28mm | f/3.5 | M39 (screw mount) | MF | 163 g | 26 mm | Full Frame | 28mm |  | Review on 35mmc | |||
| Industar | 50-2 | 50mm | f/3.5 | M42 (screw mount) | MF | 065 g | 25 mm | Full Frame | 50mm |  | Review on Vintage Camera Lenses Video Review | Find on Ebay | Aperture Ring Manual Focus | |
| Konica | Hexanon AR | 40mm | f/1.8 | Konica AR | MF | 140 g | 25 mm | Full Frame | 40mm |  | Review on The Weekend Lens | Buy on Amazon Find on Ebay | Aperture Ring Manual Focus | |
| Minolta | Rokkor-X | 45mm | f/2.0 | Minolta MD | MF | 125 g | 25 mm | Full Frame | 45mm |  | Review on ERPhotoreview Video Review | Buy on Amazon Find on Ebay | Aperture Ring Manual Focus | |
| Olympus | AUTO-S ZUIKO OM | 40mm | f/2.0 | Olympus OM | MF | 140 g | 25 mm | Full Frame | 40mm |  | Info on Mir Review on Photography Review | Find on Ebay | Aperture Ring Manual Focus | |
| Pentax | SMC-DA Limited | 21mm | f/3.2 | Pentax K | AF | 119 g | 25 mm | APS-C | 31mm |  | Review on Photozone Video Review | Buy on Amazon Find on Ebay | Auto Focus Manual Focus | |
| Olympus | Zuiko Digital | 25mm | f/2.8 | mFT (m4/3) | AF | 095 g | 24 mm | m4/3 | 50mm |  | Review on Imaging Resource Video Review | Buy on Amazon Find on Ebay | Auto Focus Manual Focus | |
| Panasonic | Lumix G Vario | 12mm-32mm | f/3.5-f/5.6 | mFT (m4/3) | AF | 070 g | 24 mm | m4/3 | 24mm-64m |  | Review on Ephotozine | |||
| Samsung | EX-W16NB | 16mm | f/2.4 | Samsung NX | AF | 072 g | 24 mm | APS-C | 24mm |  | Review on Photozone Video Review | Buy on Amazon Find on Ebay | Auto Focus Manual Focus | |
| Samsung | EX-W20NB | 20mm | f/2.8 | Samsung NX | AF | 089 g | 24 mm | APS-C | 30mm |  | Review on Photozone Review on The Phoblographer | Buy on Amazon Find on Ebay | Auto Focus Manual Focus | |
| Voigtlander | Color Skopar SL II | 28mm | f/2.8 | Canon EF Nikon AI-S | MF | 180 g | 24 mm | Full Frame | 28mm |  | Review on ePhotoZine | |||
| Voigtlander | Ultron SL II | 40mm | f/2.0 | Canon EF Nikon F Pentax K | MF | 200 g | 24 mm | Full Frame | 40mm |  | Review on F-Stoppers Video Review | Buy on Amazon Find on Ebay | Aperture Ring Manual Focus | |
| Fujifilm | Fujinon XF R | 27mm | f/2.8 | Fuji X | AF | 078 g | 23 mm | APS-C | 40mm |  | Review on Findingrange Video Review | Buy on Amazon Find on Ebay | Auto Focus Manual Focus | |
| Fujifilm | Fujinon XF R WR | 27mm | f/2.8 | Fuji X | AF | 084 g | 23 mm | APS-C | 40mm | |||||
| Sony | SEL16F28 | 16mm | f/2.8 | Sony E | AF | 070 g | 23 mm | APS-C | 24mm |  | Review on Imaging Resource Video Review | Buy on Amazon Find on Ebay | Auto Focus Manual Focus | |
| Canon | EF STM | 40mm | f/2.8 | Canon EF | AF | 260 g | 22 mm | Full Frame | 40mm |  | Review on Imaging Resource | Buy on Amazon Find on Ebay | Auto Focus Manual Focus | |
| Leica | Summicron-C | 40mm | f/2.0 | Leica M | MF | 126 g | 22 mm | Full Frame | 40mm |  | Review on 35 MMC | Find on Ebay | Aperture Ring Manual Focus | |
| Nikon | Nikkor | 10mm | f/2.8 | Nikon 1 | AF | 077 g | 22 mm | CX | 27mm |  | Review on Photographyblog | |||
| Olympus | M.Zuiko | 17mm | f/2.8 | mFT (m4/3) | AF | 071 g | 22 mm | m4/3 | 34mm |  | Review on Photography Blog Video Review | Buy on Amazon Find on Ebay | Auto Focus Manual Focus | |
| Samsung | EX-S30NB | 30mm | f/2.0 | Samsung NX | AF | 081 g | 22 mm | APS-C | 45mm |  | Review on Photozone Review on Imaging Resource | Buy on Amazon Find on Ebay | Auto Focus Manual Focus | |
| Voigtlander | Color Skopar P II | 35mm | f/2.5 | Leica M | MF | 134 g | 22 mm | Full Frame | 35mm |  | Review on 35mmc Video Review | |||
| Industrar | 69 | 28mm | f/2.8 | M39 (screw mount) | MF | 064 g | 21 mm | Full Frame | 28mm |  | Review on Imagination-works | |||
| Panasonic | Lumix G | 14mm | f/2.5 | mFT (m4/3) | AF | 055 g | 21 mm | m4/3 | 28mm |  | Review on Imaging Resource Video Review | Buy on Amazon Find on Ebay | Auto Focus Manual Focus | |
| Canon | LTM | 28mm | f/2.8 | M39 (screw mount) | MF | 160 g | 20 mm | Full Frame | 28mm |  | Mini Review on 35mmc Review on legacycamera | |||
| Cosina Rebranded as: Vivitar & Porst | Cosinon Auto MC | 40mm | f/2.5 | Pentax K | MF | 110 g | 20 mm | Full Frame | 40mm |  | Review on Pentaxforums Discussion Thread on MFlenses | |||
| Sony | SEL20F28 | 20mm | f/2.8 | Sony E | AF | 069 g | 20 mm | APS-C | 30mm |  | Review on The Phoblographer Video Review | Buy on Amazon Find on Ebay | Auto Focus Manual Focus | |
| Chinon | Auto Revuenon | 45mm | f/2.8 | Pentax K | MF | 110 g | 19 mm | Full Frame | 45mm |  | Review on Pentaxforums | Find on Ebay | Aperture Ring Manual Focus | |
| Contax Zeiss | Tessar T* | 45mm | f/2.8 | M42 (screw mount) | MF | 090 g | 19 mm | Full Frame | 45mm |  | Review on Photography Review | Buy on Amazon Find on Ebay | Aperture Ring Manual Focus | |
| Ricoh | XR Rikenon | 28mm | f/3.5 | Pentax K | MF | 055 g | 19 mm | Full Frame | 28mm |  | Review on Medium | Aperture Ring Manual Focus | ||
| Ricoh | XR Rikenon | 45mm | f/2.8 | Pentax K | MF | 052 g | 19 mm | Full Frame | 45mm |  | Review on mannyquinto | |||
| Leica | Summaron | 28mm | f/5.6 | Leica M | MF | 195 g | 18 mm | Full Frame | 28mm |  | Review on macfilos | |||
| Pentax | SMC-M | 40mm | f/2.8 | Pentax K | MF | 110 g | 18 mm | Full Frame | 40mm |  | Review on Casual Photophile | Buy on Amazon Find on Ebay | Aperture Ring Manual Focus | |
| Avenon Rebranded as: Kobalux, Pasoptik | Wide | 28mm | f/3.5 | M39 (screw mount) | MF | 099 g | 17 mm | Full Frame | 28mm |  | Review on cameraville | |||
| Nikon Nikkor | Ai-P | 45mm | f/2.8 | Nikon F | MF | 120 g | 17 mm | Full Frame | 45mm |  | Review on Ken Rockwell | Find on Ebay | Aperture Ring Manual Focus | |
| Minolta | Auto Rokkor TD | 45mm | f/2.8 | Minolta MD | MF | 127 g | 15 mm | Full Frame | 45mm |  | Discussion Thread on Photo.net Photo Examples on Big Big Lens | Find on Ebay | Aperture Ring Manual Focus | |
| Pentax | SMC-DA Limited | 40mm | f/2.8 | Pentax K | AF | 090 g | 15 mm | APS-C | 60mm |  | Review on Photozone Video Review | Buy on Amazon Find on Ebay | Auto Focus Manual Focus | |
| Olympus | E.Zuiko Auto-S | 38mm | f/2.8 | Olympus PEN F | MF | 070 g | 14 mm | Full Frame | 38mm |  | Info on Allphotolenses | |||
| Leitz | Hektor | 28mm | f/6.3 | M39 (screw mount) | MF | 110 g | 13 mm | Full Frame | 28mm |  | Info on ldtomei | |||
| Asahi Pentax | Takumar Fisheye | 18mm | f/11 | M42 (screw mount) | MF | 098 g | 12 mm | Full Frame | 18mm |  | Review on Pentaxforums | Find on Ebay | Aperture Ring Fixed Focus | |
| MS Optical | Perar | 17mm | f/4.5 | Leica M | MF | 060 g | 10 mm | Full Frame | 17mm |  | Review on Japan Camera Hunter | Buy on Japan Exposures Buy on Amazon Find on Ebay | Aperture Ring Manual Focus | |
| Pentax | SMC-DA XS | 40mm | f/2.8 | Pentax K | AF | 052 g | 09 mm | Full Frame | 40mm |  | Review on Imaging Resource | Buy on Amazon Find on Ebay | Auto Focus Manual Focus | |
| MS Optical | Super Triplet Perar | 21mm | f/4.5 | Leica M | MF | 055 g | 05 mm (folded) | Full Frame | 21mm |  | Review on 35 MMC | Buy on Japan Exposures Buy on Amazon Find on Ebay | Aperture Ring Manual Focus | |
| MS Optical | Super Triplet Perar | 28mm | f/4 | Leica M | MF | 055 g | 05 mm | Full Frame | 28mm |  | Review on Leica Liker | Buy on Japan Exposures Find on Ebay | Aperture Ring Manual Focus | |
| MS Optical | Apoqualia-G | 28mm | f/2 | Leica M | MF | 070 g | 05 mm | Full Frame | 28mm |  | Review on Japan Camera Hunter | Buy on Japan Exposures Find on Ebay | Aperture Ring Manual Focus |
Pancake Lens – Best of Summary
Widest & Longest Pancake Focal Lenght
From the comparison data we summed up the number of available focal lengths (Full Frame equiv.) and plotted the chart below
- The pancake lens with the widest focal length is the Samsung EX-F10ANW 10mm f/3.5. The FoV is 15mm (Full Frame equiv.)
Note it is a Fisheye lens! - The pancake lens with the longest focal length is the Pentax SMC-DA Limited 70mm f/2.4 is. The FoV is 105mm (Full Frame equiv.)
- The typical field of view for a pancake lens is between 40mm and 45mm – 19 out of 49 pancake lenses provide a “normal” field of view.
Fastest & slowest Pancake Lens Aperture
From the comparison of 49 pancake prime lenses we added up the number of available apertures. and plotted the chart below.
- The pancake lens with the fastest aperture is Panasonic Lumix G ASPH 20mm f/1.7
- The pancake lens with the slowest aperture is Asahi Pentax Takumar Fisheye 18mm f/11
- The typical pancake lens aperture is f/2.8. 21 from 49 pancake prime lenses have a f/2.8 aperture.
Lightest and thinnest Pancake Lens Body
- The lightest pancake lens is the Pentax SMC-DA XS 40mm f/2.8. It weights 52g only.
- The thinnest (non-folded) Pancake Lens is the MS Optical Super Triplet Perar 28mm f/4. Its lenght measures only 5mm.
Pancake lens not listed?
Share a comment if you find your favorite pancake lens missing in the list, thank you very much!
Samsung also has a 10mm Fisheye pancake lens. The only of its kind aside from the noted 18mm Takumar (which I also own, funnily enough). The 17mm Fish Eye Takumar is at the borderline of what I would consider a pancake but maybe it could be included too.
Thanks for pointing to it Jose. After a long time I added the lens to the list.
Samsung also has a 10mm Fisheye pancake lens. The only of its kind aside from the noted 18mm Takumar (which I also own, funnily enough). The 17mm Fish Eye Takumar is at the borderline of what I would consider a pancake but maybe it could be included too.
Thanks for pointing to it Jose. After a long time I added the lens to the list.
Olympus also has a 38mm f:2.8 pancake lens for their half frame Pen series. You can use this lens with APS-C and micro 4/3sensor cameras with a proper adapter. Some of that Pen lenses can also support full frame too. But I don’t know if it is possible for this lens.
Thanks for contributing I added the lens. Its special, there is not much info about it.
Olympus also has a 38mm f:2.8 pancake lens for their half frame Pen series. You can use this lens with APS-C and micro 4/3sensor cameras with a proper adapter. Some of that Pen lenses can also support full frame too. But I don’t know if it is possible for this lens.
Thanks for contributing I added the lens. Its special, there is not much info about it.
there also is Ricoh XR Rikenon 28mm F/3.5 Aspherical Pancake len for Pentax, quite rare, just one year of producing, in the 90’s.
https://medium.com/@yuen_42348/review-of-ricoh-xr-rikenon-28mm-f-3-5-aspherical-pancake-lens-for-penax-dslr-703a5d41c080
there also is Ricoh XR Rikenon 28mm F/3.5 Aspherical Pancake len for Pentax, quite rare, just one year of producing, in the 90’s.
https://medium.com/@yuen_42348/review-of-ricoh-xr-rikenon-28mm-f-3-5-aspherical-pancake-lens-for-penax-dslr-703a5d41c080
Thanks Seb! I added it to the list and moved the blog entry to a new home on streetphototip.com
I think you should add the Voigtlander 28mm f2.8 SL and/or SLII pancake lens. It is a lovely lens and unfortunately discontinued. But I believe worth to mention.
Now I remember that Industar-69 is another 28mm 2.8 pancake lens too. You may want to add your list.
Hi,
I would add the Pentacon Prakticar 50mm 2,4 lens. (as good as I know there were two versions… one metal and one more plasticky)
I don’t know whether it was marketed as a pancake but by form factor … if Konica 40mm 1,8 or the Nikon 50mm 1,8 Pancake is a pencake than this should be considered to be one, too.
Thanks Can! I added it to the list and moved the blog entry to a new home on streetphototip.com
Great added it a and more M39 pancake lenses as well.
Thanks Casba. I added the DDR Lens. It rally is special with its mount.
Hi Michael,
Another little contribution on my part :)
I managed to hunt down a Chinon 45mm 2.8. maybe it is the same lens as the one you already have in your list (Maker: Chinon/ Name: Auto Revuenon 45mm f2.8)
Here is the pentaxforums link
https://www.pentaxforums.com/userreviews/chinon-45mm-f2-8.html
…though on my one the “Auto Chinon” text is with white letters, not yellow as pictured in pentaxforums
Thanks for contributing to the Lis Csaba! I kind of suspect that it is a rebranded Auto Revuenon. I will check and add the lens if it is unique.