Pancake lenses

Pancake lenses get their name due to the thin and flat size. The other distinctive features are fixed focal length and light weight.

First pancake lenses appeared in the 1950s and were standard prime lenses based on the famous Tessar design – a brilliantly simple design which was developed by Paul Rudolph in 1902, patented by Zeiss company and provided a good optical performance.

With the improvement of optical technologies in the 1970s the optical design of pancake lenses became more complicated and the latest generation has overcome the limitations of traditional designs. As a result, pancake lenses are now also available in wide-angle and even short telephoto variations.

Due to the increasing demand for cameras with a compact form factor, pancake lenses are experiencing a second wave of popularity while having reasonable prices, which makes them accessible to a wide range of photographers. Such lenses are especially useful for those who enjoy travel photography.
Asahi Fisheye-Takumar 18mm F/11 [356, 43560] • Pancake lens 1963 ●
Asahi Takumar 50mm F/3.5 Type 1 • A32 • Pancake lens 1952 ●
Asahi Takumar 50mm F/3.5 Type 2 • A32 • Pancake lens 1953 ●
Canon EF-S 24mm F/2.8 STM • ⌀52 • Pancake lens 2014 ●
Canon EF-M 22mm F/2 STM • ⌀43 • Pancake lens 2012 ●
Canon RF 28mm F/2.8 STM • ⌀55 • Pancake lens 2023 ●
Canon EF 40mm F/2.8 STM • ⌀52 • Pancake lens 2012 ●
Canon FL 19mm F/3.5 • ⌀58 • Pancake lensPro 1964 ●
Canon FLP 38mm F/2.8 • ⌀48 • Pancake lens 1965 ●
Canon 25mm F/3.5 LSM • S.VI • Pancake lens 1956 ●
Serenar / Canon 28mm F/3.5 [I] LSM • S.VI • Pancake lens 1951 ●
Canon 28mm F/3.5 [II] LSM • ⌀40 • Pancake lens 1957 ●
Canon 28mm F/2.8 LSM • S.VI • Pancake lens 1957 ●
Serenar / Canon 35mm F/3.2 LSM • S.VI • Pancake lens 1951 ●
Serenar / Canon 35mm F/2.8 [I] LSM • S.VI • Pancake lens 1951 ●
Carl Zeiss Hologon T* 16mm F/8 • Pancake lens 1994 ●
Carl Zeiss Tessar T* 45mm F/2.8 [AE, MM] • E49 • Pancake lens 1982 ●
Cosina Cosinon Auto 40mm F/2.5 MC • ⌀49 • Pancake lens
akaBauer Neovaron 40mm F/2.5 Multicoated
akaPorst Color Reflex Auto 40mm F/2.5 MC
akaVivitar Auto 40mm F/2.5 VMC		 1978 ●
Fujifilm Super EBC Fujinon XF 27mm F/2.8 Aspherical • ⌀39 • Pancake lens 2013 ●
Fujifilm Super EBC Fujinon XF 27mm F/2.8 Aspherical R WR • ⌀39 • Pancake lens 2021 ●
Konica Hexanon AR 40mm F/1.8 • ⌀55 • Pancake lens 1978 ●
Leitz Wetzlar Summicron-C 40mm F/2 [11542] • S.5.5 • Pancake lens 1973 ●
Minolta M-Rokkor 40mm F/2 for CL • ⌀40.5 • Pancake lens 1973 ●
Leica Elmarit-TL 18mm F/2.8 ASPH. [11088, 11089] • E39 • Pancake lens 2017 ●
Leica Summaron-M 28mm F/5.6 Classic [11695, 11712] • E34 • Pancake lens 2016 ●
Leitz / Leica Summicron-M 35mm F/2 [IV] [11310, 11311] • E39 • Pancake lens 1980 ●
Minolta M-Rokkor 40mm F/2 for CLE • ⌀40.5 • Pancake lens 1981 ●
Minolta W.Rokkor-PI 21mm F/4.5 • ⌀55 • Pancake lensPro 1962 ●
Minolta W.Rokkor-QH 21mm F/4 • ⌀55 • Pancake lensPro 1963 ●
Minolta Rokkor-TD 45mm F/2.8 • ⌀46 • Pancake lens 1964 ●
Nippon Kogaku Nikkor-O 21mm F/4 • ⌀52 • Pancake lensPro 1959 ●
Nippon Kogaku / Nikon GN Nikkor[·C] Auto 45mm F/2.8 • ⌀52 • Pancake lens 1968 ●
Nikon AI-S Nikkor 45mm F/2.8P • ⌀52 • Pancake lens 2001 ●
Nikon Series E 50mm F/1.8 Type 1 • ⌀52 • Pancake lens 1979 ●
Nikon Series E 50mm F/1.8 Type 2 • ⌀52 • Pancake lens 1981 ●
Nikon Nikkor Z 26mm F/2.8 • Pancake lens 2023 ●
Olympus OM Zuiko Auto-S 40mm F/2 • ⌀49 • Pancake lens 1983 ●
smc Pentax-DA 21mm F/3.2 AL Limited • ⌀49 • Pancake lens 2006 ●
HD Pentax-DA 21mm F/3.2 AL Limited • ⌀49 • Pancake lens 2013 ●
smc Pentax-DA 40mm F/2.8 Limited • ⌀49 • Pancake lens 2004 ●
HD Pentax-DA 40mm F/2.8 Limited • ⌀49 • Pancake lens 2013 ●
smc Pentax-DA 70mm F/2.4 Limited • ⌀49 • Pancake lens 2006 ●
HD Pentax-DA 70mm F/2.4 Limited • ⌀49 • Pancake lens 2013 ●
smc Pentax-M 40mm F/2.8 • ⌀49 • Pancake lens 1976 ●
smc Pentax-FA 43mm F/1.9 Limited • ⌀49 • Pancake lens 1997 ●
HD Pentax-FA 43mm F/1.9 Limited • ⌀49 • Pancake lens 2021 ●
Ricoh XR Rikenon 28mm F/3.5 Aspheric • ⌀52 • Pancake lens ●
Ricoh XR Rikenon 45mm F/2.8 • ⌀52 • Pancake lens 1994 ●
Samsung 10mm F/3.5 Fisheye • Pancake lens 2013 ●
Samsung 16mm F/2.4 • ⌀43 • Pancake lens 2011 ●
Samsung 20mm F/2.8 • ⌀43 • Pancake lens 2010 ●
Samsung 30mm F/2 • ⌀43 • Pancake lens 2010 ●
Sony E 16mm F/2.8 [SEL16F28] • ⌀49 • Pancake lens 2010 ●
Sony E 20mm F/2.8 [SEL20F28] • ⌀49 • Pancake lens 2013 ●
Third party 35mm full frame lenses (48)
Cosina Voigtlander Ultra Wide-Heliar 12mm F/5.6 Aspherical SL • Pancake lensPro 2003 ●
Venus Optics Laowa Cookie 15mm F/5 FF II LM • ⌀39 • Pancake lensPro 2024 ●
Cosina Voigtlander Super Wide-Heliar 15mm F/4.5 Aspherical SL • Pancake lensPro 2003 ●
MS Optics Ultra Wide Perar-R 17mm F/4.5 MC • Pancake lensPro 2017 ●
7Artisans 18mm F/5.6 • ⌀49 • Pancake lens 2025 ●
MS Optics Hipolion 19mm F/2.8 Soft • Pancake lensPro 2020 ●
MS Optics Super-Wide Triplet Perar 21mm F/4.5 MC • Pancake lensPro 2015 ●
Cosina Voigtlander SC Skopar 21mm F/4 • ⌀43 • Pancake lensPro 2001 ●
Cosina Voigtlander Color-Skopar 21mm F/4 P II VM • ⌀39 • Pancake lensPro 2007 ●
Ricoh GR 21mm F/3.5 LSM (1700 units) • ⌀40.5 • Pancake lensPro 1999 ●
Samyang Remaster Slim 21mm F/3.5 • ⌀49 • Pancake lensPro 2024 ●
MS Optics Super-Triplet Perar 24mm F/4 MC • Pancake lens 2014 ●
MS Optics Aporia 24mm F/2 MC • Pancake lens 2020 ●
TTArtisan 28mm F/5.6 M • ⌀37 • Pancake lens 2021 ●
TTArtisan 28mm F/5.6 LSM • ⌀37 • Pancake lens 2023 ●
Viltrox AF 28mm F/4.5 ASPH ED VCM • Pancake lens 2024 ●
MS Optics Super-Triplet Perar 28mm F/4 MC (180 units) • Pancake lens 2012 ●
Avenon 28mm F/3.5 [MC] LSM • ⌀43 • Pancake lens
akaKobalux Wide 28mm F/3.5 LSM
akaPasoptik 28mm F/3.5 LSM		 1981 ●
Minolta G-Rokkor 28mm F/3.5 LSM (2000 units) • ⌀40.5 • Pancake lens 1998 ●
Cosina Voigtlander Color-Skopar 28mm F/3.5 LSM • ⌀39 • Pancake lens 2002 ●
Samyang Remaster Slim 28mm F/3.5 • ⌀49 • Pancake lens 2024 ●
Ricoh GR 28mm F/2.8 LSM (3000 units) • ⌀40.5 • Pancake lens 1998 ●
Cosina Voigtlander Color-Skopar 28mm F/2.8 Aspherical SL II N • ⌀52 • Pancake lens 2012 ●
Cosina Voigtlander Color-Skopar 28mm F/2.8 Aspherical LSM • ⌀34 • Pancake lens 2023 ●
Cosina Voigtlander Color-Skopar 28mm F/2.8 Aspherical VM Type 1 • ⌀34 • Pancake lens 2023 ●
Cosina Voigtlander Color-Skopar 28mm F/2.8 Aspherical VM Type 2 • ⌀39 • Pancake lens 2023 ●
Brightin Star 28mm F/2.8 XSlim Pro MC M • ⌀25.5 • Pancake lens 2023 ●
MS Optics Apoqualia 28mm F/2 MC II • ⌀28 • Pancake lens ●
MS Optics Apoqualia 28mm F/2 MC III • ⌀28 • Pancake lens ●
MS Optics Apoqualia-G 28mm F/2 MC • ⌀28 • Pancake lens 2016 ●
MS Optics Apoqualia 28mm F/1.7 MC • ⌀34 • Pancake lens 2023 ●
Samyang Remaster Slim 32mm F/2.8 • ⌀49 • Pancake lens 2024 ●
MS Optics Super-Triplet Perar 35mm F/3.5 MC (200 units) • ⌀19 • Collapsible • Pancake lens 2010 ●
MS Optics Super-Triplet Perar 35mm F/3.5 MC II (450 units) • ⌀19 • Collapsible • Pancake lens 2011 ●
Cosina Voigtlander Color-Skopar 35mm F/3.5 Aspherical VM • ⌀34 • Pancake lens 2025 ●
Cosina Voigtlander Color-Skopar 35mm F/2.5 P MC LSM • ⌀39 • Pancake lens 2000 ●
Cosina Voigtlander Color-Skopar 35mm F/2.5 P II VM • ⌀39 • Pancake lens 2004 ●
Konica UC-Hexanon 35mm F/2 LSM (1000 units) • ⌀43 • Pancake lens 2001 ●
MS Optics Apoqualia-G 35mm F/1.4 MC • ⌀37 • Pancake lensPro 2015 ●
MS Optics Apoqualia 35mm F/1.3 II Slim MC • ⌀34 • Collapsible • Pancake lensPro 2021 ●
MS Optics Apollon 36mm F/1.3 MC • ⌀34 • Pancake lensPro 2022 ●
MS Optics H-Protar 40mm F/6.3 MC Macro • ⌀22.5 @ 0.60m • Pancake lens 2017 ●
MS Optics H-Dagonar 40mm F/6.3 MC Macro • ⌀22.5 @ 0.60m • Pancake lens 2018 ●
Cosina Voigtlander Heliar 40mm F/2.8 Aspherical VM • ⌀34 • Pancake lens 2022 ●
Cosina Voigtlander Heliar 40mm F/2.8 Aspherical LSM • ⌀34 • Pancake lens 2022 ●
Cosina Voigtlander Ultron 40mm F/2 Aspherical SL II • ⌀52 • Pancake lens 2007 ●
Cosina Voigtlander Ultron 40mm F/2 Aspherical SL II N • ⌀52 • Pancake lens 2012 ●
Yasuhara MoMo100 43mm F/6.4 Soft Focus • ⌀37 • Pancake lens 2016 ●
Third party APS-C lenses (8)
Venus Optics Laowa 4mm F/2.8 • Pancake lensPro 2020 ●
Venus Optics Laowa Cookie 10mm F/4 CF • ⌀37 • Pancake lensPro 2022 ●
Rockstar 14mm F/4.5 ASPH • ⌀55 • Pancake lens 2022 ●
Rockstar 14mm F/4.5 ASPH • ⌀62 • Pancake lens 2022 ●
Cosina Voigtlander Color-Skopar 18mm F/2.8 Aspherical X • ⌀43 • Pancake lens 2024 ●
Rockstar 27mm F/2.8 • ⌀55 • Pancake lens 2022 ●
Cosina Voigtlander Ultron 27mm F/2 X • ⌀43 • Pancake lens 2023 ●
smc Pentax-DA 40mm F/2.8 XS • ⌀27 • Pancake lens 2012 ●