Is it safe to store the Canon EF 40mm pancake lens while extended?

Asked 11/27/2012

3 views

2 answers

My Canon EF 40mm pancake lens extends slightly when focused close. Since the lens uses focus-by-wire, I can’t retract it by turning the focus ring once the camera is off or asleep. Do I need to make sure the lens is retracted before powering down and storing the camera, or is it generally fine to store it extended?

canon lenses storage 40mm focus-by-wire

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

13y ago

2 Answers

Yes.

I imagine you'll be storing it in a bag or somewhere its not going to get bumped around, so there's no reason a lens needs to be in a special configuration for storage, other than to minimise space, but its not exactly taking up a lot of space either, even fully extended.

Originally by user889. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user889

13y ago

AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

Generally, yes—it’s fine to store the lens extended, especially if the camera is in a bag or other protected place where it won’t be bumped.

That said, retracted is usually safer than extended on any lens, simply because an extended barrel can be a bit more vulnerable to impact. Some lenses are known to be more susceptible to damage when extended, but the main concern is physical knocks, not normal storage itself.

So the practical answer is:

If the camera/lens will be stored safely and not jostled, you usually don’t need to worry.
If you want maximum protection, retracting it before storage is preferable.
The key issue is avoiding bumps to the front of the lens while it’s extended.

In short: you don’t need to treat the Canon 40mm as requiring a special storage position, but retracted is marginally safer if convenient.

Is it safe to store the Canon EF 40mm pancake lens while extended?

2 Answers

Your Answer

Related Questions