Is a Pancake Lens the Right Choice for Travel?
This essay is part of an ongoing journal connected to my gallery of limited-edition photographs.
Every ounce and every inch counts when packing for a trip. I've found the hard way that carrying a big camera bag can make a fun walk a chore. And that's where pancake lenses come in. They offer quality without the bulk. There isn't a pancake lens that's good for every type of traveling photographer.
In this post, I'll review what a pancake lens is, how it compares to a zoom lens, and whether or not you should consider bringing a pancake lens with you. I'll break down the pros and cons clearly, so you can determine which pancake lens fits your travel style.
What Is a Pancake Lens?
Pancake lenses are ultra-thin prime lenses. They're called "pancake" because of their shape. They look like pancakes, and most pancake lenses are very compact and sit flush against your camera body. Most pancake lenses are fixed-focal length lenses (e.g., 24mm, 28mm, 40mm).
Their fixed nature keeps the optical design straightforward and compact. That simplicity allows manufacturers to make these lenses both light and extremely thin. When you attach a pancake lens to a camera, it usually adds no depth.
Why Do Travelers Love Pancake Lenses?
Travel photography involves a lot of time spent on your feet. Whether you're walking city streets, climbing stairs, or weaving through crowds, a pancake lens is designed to help keep your camera small and portable.
Small Size and Lightweight
The first significant advantage of a pancake lens is obviously its compactness. Pancake lenses fit perfectly in a jacket pocket or a small pouch and are lightweight enough to carry around comfortably all day. Additionally, attaching a pancake lens to your camera creates a balance between the two that eliminates fatigue when holding your camera.
If you prefer to always have a camera with you, this is important. The less your camera weighs, the more likely you are to take photos.
Discreet and Less Intimidating
Smaller lenses attract less attention. Depending on the situation you're photographing (e.g., in a crowded city or in a rural village), people react more naturally when you're using a non-intimidating lens. Because pancake lenses are slender, they're perfect for capturing candid travel shots and street photographs.
Additionally, because a pancake lens appears to be less expensive than a large zoom lens, you'll feel safer carrying your equipment in crowded areas.
Better-than-Expected Image Quality for the Size
While the vast majority of pancake lenses are prime lenses, and most prime lenses are sharp, most pancake lenses deliver high-quality images with excellent contrast and clarity, given their small size. Additionally, most pancake lenses provide acceptable low-light performance (especially when compared to compact zoom lenses with relatively small max aperture values).
Downsides of Pancake Lenses
Like everything else, pancake lenses have downsides. While they're incredibly appealing, some of the limitations you experience with a pancake lens depend on how you shoot.
Fixed Focal Length
A pancake lens is a fixed-focal-length lens. Therefore, you can't zoom in and out with a pancake lens. Instead, you must use your feet to frame a shot (which is fine for wide-open spaces but can be difficult in confined areas).
Some photographers enjoy the creative constraints of a fixed-focal-length lens. Others feel restricted by it, especially when it comes to a rare opportunity to visit somewhere new.
Limited Creative Range
Since a pancake lens has a single focal length, you'll get your variety from composition, not from different lens options. While some photographers appreciate the creativity offered by limited options, others find them limiting, especially during rare, once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.
You'll miss distant details, animals/wildlife, and architectural features that a zoom lens can capture easily.
Handling and Controls
Because pancake lenses are so small, manual focus rings are often very narrow. Sometimes pancake lenses rely entirely on menu items accessed via the camera rather than physical buttons or dials.
While this is not necessarily a dealbreaker, it will slow you down if you like using the hands-on controls of a lens.
Pancake Lens vs. Zoom Lens for Travel
Ultimately, choosing a pancake lens versus a zoom lens depends on what is most important to you.
Zoom lenses offer flexibility. With a zoom lens, you can start with a wide-angle shot for landscape photography and then quickly zoom in to close-up detail shots without having to swap lenses. This flexibility makes zoom lenses ideal for travel photography, as they let you cover a range of situations with a single lens.
However, zoom lenses require more space and weight than pancake lenses. Compact travel zoom lenses are larger and heavier than pancake lenses, so they add more bulk to your backpack and attract more attention when you're taking photos.
On the other hand, a pancake lens forces you to think about your perspective in advance. You must plan your shoots carefully, focusing on the moment and the photo's composition rather than relying on the flexibility of a zoom lens. However, if you're looking to shoot with a small, unobtrusive camera at all times, a pancake lens offers freedom.
If you want maximum versatility with minimal effort, a zoom lens may be a better choice.
When a Pancake Lens Makes Sense
Several types of trips are best suited for pancake lenses:
• Trips that involve a lot of walking, such as city breaks or street photography
• Photography at museums or galleries
• Casual daily photography
Pancake lenses also work well as a secondary lens. Use a pancake lens for general strolling/photography, and use a zoom lens for times when you need extra reach or versatility.
The Bottom Line
A pancake lens is an excellent tool for the right traveler. It encourages a mindset of simplicity, patience, and mobility. In return, it keeps your camera light, small, and enjoyable to carry.
If you value being able to carry a light load and want to create natural-looking travel photography, a pancake lens might just be what you need. If you want to have the ability to take flexible, versatile photos, a zoom lens is still worth considering.
Every ounce and every inch counts when packing for a trip. I've found the hard way that carrying a big camera bag can make a fun walk a chore. And that's where pancake lenses come in. They offer quality without the bulk. There isn't a pancake lens that's good for every type of traveling photographer.
In this post, I'll review what a pancake lens is, how it compares to a zoom lens, and whether or not you should consider bringing a pancake lens with you. I'll break down the pros and cons clearly, so you can determine which pancake lens fits your travel style.
What Is a Pancake Lens?
Pancake lenses are ultra-thin prime lenses. They're called "pancake" because of their shape. They look like pancakes, and most pancake lenses are very compact and sit flush against your camera body. Most pancake lenses are fixed-focal length lenses (e.g., 24mm, 28mm, 40mm).
Their fixed nature keeps the optical design straightforward and compact. That simplicity allows manufacturers to make these lenses both light and extremely thin. When you attach a pancake lens to a camera, it usually adds no depth.
Why Do Travelers Love Pancake Lenses?
Travel photography involves a lot of time spent on your feet. Whether you're walking city streets, climbing stairs, or weaving through crowds, a pancake lens is designed to help keep your camera small and portable.
Small Size and Lightweight
The first significant advantage of a pancake lens is obviously its compactness. Pancake lenses fit perfectly in a jacket pocket or a small pouch and are lightweight enough to carry around comfortably all day. Additionally, attaching a pancake lens to your camera creates a balance between the two that eliminates fatigue when holding your camera.
If you prefer to always have a camera with you, this is important. The less your camera weighs, the more likely you are to take photos.
Discreet and Less Intimidating
Smaller lenses attract less attention. Depending on the situation you're photographing (e.g., in a crowded city or in a rural village), people react more naturally when you're using a non-intimidating lens. Because pancake lenses are slender, they're perfect for capturing candid travel shots and street photographs.
Additionally, because a pancake lens appears to be less expensive than a large zoom lens, you'll feel safer carrying your equipment in crowded areas.
Better-than-Expected Image Quality for the Size
While the vast majority of pancake lenses are prime lenses, and most prime lenses are sharp, most pancake lenses deliver high-quality images with excellent contrast and clarity, given their small size. Additionally, most pancake lenses provide acceptable low-light performance (especially when compared to compact zoom lenses with relatively small max aperture values).
Downsides of Pancake Lenses
Like everything else, pancake lenses have downsides. While they're incredibly appealing, some of the limitations you experience with a pancake lens depend on how you shoot.
Fixed Focal Length
A pancake lens is a fixed-focal-length lens. Therefore, you can't zoom in and out with a pancake lens. Instead, you must use your feet to frame a shot (which is fine for wide-open spaces but can be difficult in confined areas).
Some photographers enjoy the creative constraints of a fixed-focal-length lens. Others feel restricted by it, especially when it comes to a rare opportunity to visit somewhere new.
Limited Creative Range
Since a pancake lens has a single focal length, you'll get your variety from composition, not from different lens options. While some photographers appreciate the creativity offered by limited options, others find them limiting, especially during rare, once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.
You'll miss distant details, animals/wildlife, and architectural features that a zoom lens can capture easily.
Handling and Controls
Because pancake lenses are so small, manual focus rings are often very narrow. Sometimes pancake lenses rely entirely on menu items accessed via the camera rather than physical buttons or dials.
While this is not necessarily a dealbreaker, it will slow you down if you like using the hands-on controls of a lens.
Pancake Lens vs. Zoom Lens for Travel
Ultimately, choosing a pancake lens versus a zoom lens depends on what is most important to you.
Zoom lenses offer flexibility. With a zoom lens, you can start with a wide-angle shot for landscape photography and then quickly zoom in to close-up detail shots without having to swap lenses. This flexibility makes zoom lenses ideal for travel photography, as they let you cover a range of situations with a single lens.
However, zoom lenses require more space and weight than pancake lenses. Compact travel zoom lenses are larger and heavier than pancake lenses, so they add more bulk to your backpack and attract more attention when you're taking photos.
On the other hand, a pancake lens forces you to think about your perspective in advance. You must plan your shoots carefully, focusing on the moment and the photo's composition rather than relying on the flexibility of a zoom lens. However, if you're looking to shoot with a small, unobtrusive camera at all times, a pancake lens offers freedom.
If you want maximum versatility with minimal effort, a zoom lens may be a better choice.
When a Pancake Lens Makes Sense
Several types of trips are best suited for pancake lenses:
• Trips that involve a lot of walking, such as city breaks or street photography
• Photography at museums or galleries
• Casual daily photography
Pancake lenses also work well as a secondary lens. Use a pancake lens for general strolling/photography, and use a zoom lens for times when you need extra reach or versatility.
The Bottom Line
A pancake lens is an excellent tool for the right traveler. It encourages a mindset of simplicity, patience, and mobility. In return, it keeps your camera light, small, and enjoyable to carry.
If you value being able to carry a light load and want to create natural-looking travel photography, a pancake lens might just be what you need. If you want to have the ability to take flexible, versatile photos, a zoom lens is still worth considering.