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Canon 22mm f/2 STM
EF-M
Pancake (2012-today)

Intro   Specs   Performance   Recommendations   More

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Canon 22mm f/2 STM

Canon EF-M 22mm f/2 STM (43mm filters, 0.5'/0.15m close-focus, 3.6 oz./101g, about $250.) enlarge. I got mine at Adorama. I'd just as well have gotten it at Amazon, at Crutchfield or at B&H.

 

Canon 22mm f/2 STM, silver

Also comes in silver. enlarge.

 

November 2015   Canon Reviews   EOS-M   Lenses   Flash   All Reviews

Why Fixed Lenses Take Better Pictures

 

Sample Image Files

Jewlery OC

Jewelry, 31 October 2015. Canon EOS M3, Canon EF-M 22mm f/2, f/5.6 at 1/1,000 at ISO 100. bigger or camera-original file to explore on your computer (portable devices usually can't show the complete resolution).

 

VIP Room, 01 November 2015

ISO 800: VIP Room, 01 November 2015. Canon EOS M3, built-in flash ON, Canon EF-M 22mm f/2, f/8 at 1/125 at ISO 800. bigger or camera-original file to explore on your computer (portable devices usually can't show the complete resolution).

 

Aviara Balcony at Sunset, 01 November 2015

Balcony after Sunset, 01 November 2015. Canon EOS M3, Canon EF-M 22mm f/2, f/5.6 at 1/3 hand-held (rested on railing) at ISO 100. bigger.

 

Walkway in sunlight, 01 November 2015

Walkway in afternoon light, 01 November 2015. Canon EOS M3, Canon EF-M 22mm f/2, f/7.1 at 1/400 at ISO 100. bigger or camera-original file to explore on your computer (portable devices usually can't show the complete resolution).

 

Palm 14 Jan 2013

Palm. Canon EOS-M, f/8 at 1/250 at ISO 100, STANDARD Picture Style with 6 sharpening and +3 Saturation. Camera-Original © 7 MB LARGE JPG File.

 

Palm 14 Jan 2013

Palm Frond. Canon EOS-M, f/2 at 1/2,000 at ISO 100, STANDARD Picture Style with 6 sharpening and +3 Saturation. Camera-Original © 5 MB LARGE JPG File.

Pretty darn sharp for wide-open at f/2, especially considering that this palm frond isn't flat!

 

Fabric Lunch 16 Jan 2013

Fabric. Canon EOS-M, f/8 at 1/250 at ISO 100, STANDARD Picture Style with 6 sharpening and +3 Saturation. Camera-Original © 10 MB LARGE JPG File.

Pretty darn sharp, especially considering that this chair seat isn't flat.

 

Introduction       top

Intro   Specs   Performance   Recommendations   More

Adorama pays top dollar for your used gear.

B&H Photo - Video - Pro Audio

This Canon EF-M 22mm f/2 STM is a tiny lens with superb optical performance. This tiny thing isn't much bigger than a lens cap, and has fantastic optics.

It has a metal barrel and mount, but the filter ring and the insides are all plastic. It's made in Taiwan.

It has no Image Stabilization.

 

Compatibility and Formats

As an EF-M lens, it only works on Canon's EOS-M series of cameras.

 

Specifications         top

Intro   Specs   Performance   Recommendations   More

 

Name

Canon calls this the CANON LENS EF-M 22mm f/2 STM.

EF means "electronic focus," meaning that there is an autofocus motor in the lens itself. All Canon lenses since 1987 have been EF.

-M means that it's a different, smaller mount, so it only works on the EOS-M cameras.

STM means that the autofocus motor is a stepper motor.

 

Canon 22mm f/2 STM

Canon 22 2 STM. enlarge.

 

Optics       top

7 elements in 6 groups.

One aspherical element.

Multicoated mostly in green and magenta.

 

Focal Length

22mm.

Used on an EOS-M 1.6x camera, it will see about the same field of view as a 35mm lens sees on full-frame.

 

Angle of View (on EOS-M 1.6x cameras)

63.5º diagonal.

37.8º vertical.

54.5º horizontal.

 

Close Focus       top

0.5 feet (0.15 meters) from the image plane, specified.

 

Maximum Reproduction Ratio       top

1:4.76 (0.21x).

 

Minimum Subject Field        top

2.83 x 4.29 inches.

72 x 109 millimeters.

 

Diaphragm       top

Canon 22 2 STM

Front, Canon 22mm f/2 STM. bigger.

7 rounded blades.

Stops down to f/22.

 

Focus Scale       top

No.

The ring turns without stops; it's just an electronic encoder.

 

Depth-of-Field Scale       top

No.

 

Infra-Red Focus Indices       top

No.

 

Filters        top

43mm thread, plastic.

Does not rotate, but moves in and out with focusing.

 

Size       top

Canon specifies 2.40" (60.9 mm) diameter by 0.93" (23.7 mm) long.

 

Weight       top

3.575 oz. (101.3g), measured.

Canon specifies 3.7 oz. (105g).

 

Hood       top

Plastic screw-in EW-43, $29.

I wouldn't bother with it; it looks quite useless.

 

Caps       top

New 43mm E-43 front cap, included.

EB rear "dust cap," included.

 

Case       top

LP811 sack, $24.

I'd use a tube sock instead.

 

Quality       top

Made in Taiwan.

 

Canon Product Number        top

5985B002

 

Introduced       top

23 July 2012.

 

Shipping Since       top

Late 2012.

 

Price, USA        top

2012 July - 2015 November: $250.

Canon EF 22mm f/2 STM Box

Box, Canon EF 22mm f/2 STM.

 

Performance       top

Intro   Specs   Performance   Recommendations   More

Overall    Autofocus    Breathing    Coma    Distortion   

Ergonomics   Falloff    Filters     Flare     Lateral Color Fringes

Macro   Mechanics   Sharpness   Sunstars

 

Overall     performance      top

The Canon 22mm f/2 STM is the smallest and lightest lens ever made by Canon for its EOS system, however it only works on the tiny EOS-M cameras.

 

Autofocus     performance      top

 

AF Speed

It's fast on the EOS M3.

It's slow but sure on the original EOS-M of 2012. It's fast enough for scenic shots, but nowhere near fast enough for people or action shots. Use the M3 for those.

 

AF Noise

The 22mm f2 hums like a stepper motor as it focuses: a quiet, precise hum.

 

AF Accuracy and Consistency

AF accuracy is dead-on.

 

Auto/Manual Switching

There is no switch; you have to screw with in-camera menus.

 

Manual Focus

Manual focus is awful; don't bother trying to use the manual focus ring.

The ring is merely an input to a computer, which in turn controls the lens motor — if you have everything else set properly.

It only works if the camera is both on and awake.

There is little direct relationship between the motion of the ring and the motion of the lens, and there is some time delay.

 

Focus Breathing     performance      top

Focus breathing is of interest to cinematographers who don't want the image changing size ("breathing") as the lens is focused among different subjects.

The image of the Canon 22mm f/2 STM gets larger as focused more closely; it's a unit-focusing lens.

 

Coma     performance      top

Coma, or saggital coma flare, is when points of light in the corners turn into batwing-shaped blobs. This is often a problem with fast normal or wide lenses.

I didn't expect to see any on this modern aspherical lens, but lo and behold, there is some in the far corners at f/2. It's much better at f/2.8, and gone by f/4.

 

Distortion     performance      top

This Canon 22/2 STM has no visible distortion at 10 feet (3 meters) as shot on the EOS-M.

For more critical use, use a factor of -0.5 in Photoshop's Lens Distortion tool to remove the slight pincushion distortion.

 

Ergonomics     performance      top

Canon 22mm f/2 STM

Canon 22/2 STM.

Ergonomics are drab: There are no controls on this lens.

There is a manual focus ring, and it responds poorly.

It's easy to mount and unmount from a camera, however the index dot is merely painted, so it won't be felt in the dark.

 

Falloff (darkened corners)     performance      top

Shot on EOS-M with correction enabled, there is no visible falloff at any aperture.

 

Filters, Use with     performance      top

43 mm is a huge filter size for the tiny optics of this lens.

It works without vignetting with many stacked filters, but watch it: Canon cautions to use just one so you don't damage the wimpy internal mechanics of the focus mechanism.

 

Flare and Ghosts     performance      top

The 22 STM has some ghosts if you push your luck shooting into the sun and putting dark things in place to see the ghosts, and giving enough exposure. It is much better than the 18-55mm STM.

Canon 22mm f/2 ghosts

Ghosts. Canon 22/2 STM, f/8 at 1/250 at ISO 100 on EOS-M, 6 sharpening +3 saturation. bigger.

 

Lateral Color Fringes     performance      top

There are no color fringes when shot on the EOS-M with correction ON.

 

Macro    performance      top

Macro is sharp and close:

Canon 22mm macro 09 July 2012

At close-focus distance, f/8 at 1/250 at ISO 100 on EOS-M, +3 saturation, 6 sharpening.

 

Canon 22mm macro

Crop from above image at 100%, 18 MP EOS-M. If this is 6" (15cm) on your screen, the complete image would print at 52 x 35" (135 x 90 cm) at this same magnification.

You can see all the dirt on my watch crystal.

 

Mechanics     performance      top

Canon 22mm f/2 STM

Rear, Canon EFM 22 f/2 STM. bigger.

The Canon 22mm f/2 STM is inside out from a modern pro lens: it's metal on the outside for show, and plastic on the inside for low cost.

 

Filter Threads

Plastic.

 

Hood Mount

None, you use the filter threads.

 

Front of lens

All plastic.

 

Focus Ring

Anodized aluminum.

 

Barrel

Anodized aluminum.

 

Internals

Seems like all plastic.

 

Moisture seal at mount

No.

 

Mount

Chromed metal.

 

Identity Ring

Paint on plastic.

 

Barrel Markings

Laser engraved.

Regulatory certifications are shallow enough to remain black-on-black, while the CANON and other white markings are engraved deeply enough to hit bare aluminum below.

 

Mounting Index Dot

Engraved and filled with white paint.

 

Serial Number

Laser-engraved into bottom of lens barrel.

Shows as silver on black.

 

Date Code

None found.

 

Noises When Shaken

Mild clicking.

 

Made in

Taiwan, hidden in black on the inside black plastic rear light shield.

 

Sharpness     performance      top

Lens sharpness doesn't matter much, but it sure distracts amateurs who confuse lens sharpness with picture sharpness.

The Canon 22mm is super sharp at all settings, however coma softens the far corners a little at f/2.

Here is Canon's rated MTF curve:

Canon 22mm MTF at 8mmCanon 22mm f/2 STM MTF.

 

Sunstars     performance      top

Canon 22mm f/2 ghosts

Sunstars. Canon 22/2 STM, f/7.1 at 1/200 at ISO 100 on EOS-M, 6 sharpening +3 saturation. bigger.

With a rounded 7-bladed diaphragm, sunstars have diffuse, not sharp, points.

They aren't often seen.

For the best sunstars, shoot at f/11 or smaller and pray.

 

Recommendations       top

Intro   Specs   Performance   Recommendations   More

This is a superb general-purpose lens for the EOS M series of cameras. It's ultra sharp, and has the same quality optics as Fuji's 23mm f/2 on their X100 series, or LEICA's SUMMICRON 35mm f/2 ASPH.

It's super-compact and performs excellently, so I'd strongly suggest it for the EOS-M cameras, since the whole point of the EOS-M is tiny size. This lens is tiny.

If you've found the time I've spent sharing this professional review helpful, this free website's biggest source of support is when you use these links, especially these links to it at Adorama, at Amazon, at Crutchfield or at B&H, when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live.

Thanks!

Ken

 

More Information       top

Intro   Specs   Performance   Recommendations   More

Canon USA's 22mm f/2 STM product page.

Canon USA's 22mm f/2 STM instruction manual.

 

© Ken Rockwell. All rights reserved. Tous droits réservés. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.

 

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August 2012