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Thinnest pancake lenses?
  • QuickHitRecordQuickHitRecord

    Which lenses require the smallest flange distance (i.e. the thinnest MFT adapters?) And secondly, what are some of the thinnest manual lenses?

    I've tried both the Konica 40mm Pancake and the Nikon Series E 50mm Pancake, but I'm curious to see if I can go thinner.

  • 6 Replies sorted by
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    Thinnest for m43 is Olympus BCL-15mm

    image

    Thinnest outside is Pentax 40mm XS, kit lens for K-01

    http://www.amazon.com/Pentax-DA-40mm-XS-Lens/dp/B0078KOEMA/

  • QuickHitRecordQuickHitRecord

    Thanks, Vitaliy. It doesn't look like there is a manual aperture, right?

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @QuickHitRecord

    You just need Pentax DA adapter, it allows to adjust aperture on such lens.

  • ShaveblogShaveblog

    Can I save you some time? I know a guy who knows a guy who's me and this is what he did:

    1. Decided a cool old manual focus pancake lens would be the perfect walk-around glass;

    2. Went postal on eBay, scoring old Nikon/Konica/Rooskie pancakes and assorted m43 adapters;

    3. Realized that all of these old manual pancakes (mancakes?) (don't even think about, I just registered the domain for my mail-order erotic bakery) were/are optically compromised even when just the sweet spot's in play on an m43, besides the fact that they're not all that compact once fitted onto the adapter;

    4. Bought the tiny, featherweight, awesome Lumix 14mm on eBay for $170;

    5. Sold all my mancakes and lived happily ever after.

  • QuickHitRecordQuickHitRecord

    @Shaveblog

    Mancakes.com... Hilarious. I realize that optically I'd be taking a hit, but I just want to explore my options to pair with a heavy anamorphic lens that will be softening up my image a fair amount anyway.

  • ShaveblogShaveblog

    In that case the best of the pancakes I tested was the Konica 40mm f1.8, but be advised that this lens is effectively a tele on m43, and is quite soft and glowy till stopped down to f2.8 (at least my sample was, but I have read other reports which also note this).

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