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DSLR Video: Canon 24mm 1.4L II vs 24mm 2.8 IS

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Photo Gazelle:
Hi everyone,

I'm a first time poster and long time reader of this forum.

I would like to know your thoughts on whether I should wait to purchase the new Canon 24mm F2.8 IS lens or go ahead with the currently available 24mm F1.4 II L lens?

The main point of consideration being the video performance of these two lenses; specifically, the impact of the IS ability of the soon to be released 24mm 2.8 compared to the non-IS 24mm 1.4L.

I will be doing a mixture of indoor and outdoor recording of friends and family during everyday and special events - nothing professionally.

I am using a Canon 60D and planning to one day move to a FF camera.
My lens set consists of:
Voigtlander 40mm F2 Ultron SL II
Canon EF 50mm F1.8 II
Canon EF-S 15-85mm
Canon EF-S 55-250mm


Thank-you

bp:
IMHO, IS is almost completely pointless at 24mm, at least for video.   IS reduces basic camera shake, but you just don't notice it much when you're shooting that wide.  At 70mm or higher, IS becomes a huge asset (at 200mm, it's invaluable).  I wouldn't trade the extra stops I have available to me with my 24L 1.4 for IS, and I do shoot a lot of video.   ...that said, I do also have a lot of good stabilization gear

DB:
IS is overrated for video. Get the L glass, however you're rarely going to shoot video wider than f2.8 anyway, unless you're doing close-in family stuff e.g. birthdays and that kind of thing. I tried handheld a lot on my T2i then on my 7D with IS lenses, but gave up, bought a Manfrotto 561BHDV fluid head monopod and now all my videos look great. I even switch off the IS on my 70-200mm cos' it really drains the battery + makes clicking noise that even my external Zoom H4N audio recorder picks up.

Seriously though, use some support - DSLR rig, tripod or monopod, especially if you're shooting personal stuff, and forget IS which is really only important for stills where you want to drop down from 1/60th to say 1/15th of a second. When you'll be shooting video you're going to set your shutter speed to at least 1/50th anyway.

Photo Gazelle:
Thanks @DB and @bp... you both state that IS is not effective at wider FL and the research I've done seems to say the same. My question then is, why do most people in reviews/forums seem to praise these soon to be released Canon 24mm and 28mm 2.8 IS lenses as for the 'dslr video' crowd? Am I missing something?
Otherwise, the better photographic qualities of the 24L seem to make the two IS lenses a non-factor.

With regards to stabilization gear, I will be working handheld the majority of the time with no more than a monopod when more stabilization is required. Anything larger (i.e. tripod or rig?) will be impractical as i'm trying to be as mobile and less obtrusive as possible. While i'm primarily concerned with picking the more appropriate lens in this post - any recommendations for improving the quality of my videos while keeping my kit as streamlined as possible would be appreciated.

Thanks

bp:
Why?  I could only hazard a guess - which would be that they're trying to entice more amateurs at the low end of video, on a couple of fronts.  Adding continuous autofocus to the new Rebel is a brilliant move because for Uncle Bob's, that's one of the primary reasons they don't see DSLR's as a viable camcorder.  Pro shooters, for the most part, couldn't care less about continuous AF because it's usually herky-jerky and you lose control over what you're focusing on.  Someone walks across frame in front of your subject, and everything goes to hell. 

Similarly, while most pros and semi-pros have already invested in good stabilization gear, the low-end crowd usually shoots exclusively handheld, and camera shake is another frequent gripe.  Any added IS can only help.   Most newbies don't realize that IS really won't help that much when you're shooting that wide, but the fact that it has it can only help sell more lenses.

As far as recommendations go, you mentioned perhaps using a monopod.  I can't think of anything that would be a better bang-for-your-buck purchase than the Manfrotto 561bhdv-1 fluid head monopod.  Fantastic for adding some serious stabilization while staying mobile and without adding too much bulk.  Its real strength is the tiny feet and rotation drag at the bottom.  You'll find that a standard photo monopod won't really help all that much, but the 561 is amazing.

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