what's your favorite lens for shooting video?

[Del]

Like many others here I've been using the 50 f1.4 on my crop body (T2i then later 7D), but have to admit that since I got my 24-70 L lens that it hasn't come off my camera. It arrived late evening on 21 Dec and the next morning I shot a short video (see below) in a hurry (literally met the guy, set shutter at 2x frame rate pressed AF then record, was gone in <10mins), edited it super quickly in Premiere Pro with zero-added effects + absolutely no color correction whatsoever and had it up on YouTube within 2 hours of being shot, which was a bit of a test for me to see how fast I could turnaround recording to fully uploaded HD video (half that time was traveling).

Government Liars

I recorded this at f2.8 so wide open + with WB = Cloudy as it was very overcast (despite occasional rays of sunshine from behind where I was shooting) and I was standing with my camera on a monopod in a doorway, but my main attraction to this lens is the color representation

Probably I'll still use the 50 1.4 for indoor interviews, is very sharp, great focal length 8)

 

[Minnesota Nice]

Considering the ergonomics of a DSLR, you shouldn't be shooting handheld at all.

Really? You can shoot just fine handheld depending on what lens you're using. 200mm? Hell no. Wide angle? Sure.
I shoot handheld with a 17-55 2.8 IS all the time. Granted, that's also with a Zacuto Z-finder but the footage is just fine.

I’ve been using the EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS for documentaries ...

I always advise people using DSLR for video to avoid the lenses that don't have a fixed aperture wide open. When you cross the zoom point where that aperture's max goes from 3.5 to 5.6 the lens will blink, or flash. This happens even if you're not wide open, but say at f8.
If that lens is all you got, then it'll have to do. Just beware of zooming while recording.

Handheld is fine wide angle, I use it for my fisheye all the time. I just am on an incredibly tight budget so even a nice tripod is a dream.

 

[bsr7]

24-105 is my favorite right now. Just a great versatile piece of glass.

Hopefully soon I can pick up some primes.

 

[UltraReef]

Been trying different lenses on my 5d MkII. EF 16-35mm f/2.8L, EF 70-200mm f/2.8L and a Zeiss 50mm Macro f/2.0, all work great but obviously have different looks and uses.

Beach Sunrise Padre Island DSLR HD 1080p Video 5d Mark II - Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L EF ZOOM USM LENS

DSLR Video Test - Canon 5d Mark II - Zeiss 50mm f/2.0 MAKRO PLANAR ZE Macro - Liberty Dog Cam


Thanks,
Earl

 

[UltraReef]

I shot some of this video with my 5d MKII with my EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM lens, if you watch the video, it's obvious which is the dslr footage and which is my Canon HF20 camcorder.


Mopar '10 Driving Video Time Lapse Corpus Christi Texas Harbor Bridge Lights Dodge Challenger

 

[JR]

My 24mm f1.4L II. Like it for its dept of field ...

 

[TheRoadcoyote]

If you are filming without tri- mono- whateverpod, you could use a lense with an image stabilizer. Sometimes I am filming with my 24mm - 105mm with IS. The problem is, the IS messes up the sound pretty much, because its pretty loud.
Honestly I really can recommend the samyang 14mm ;D

I shot this video mainly using the samyang 14mm with my 5D III:
Marks in the sand - Canon EOS 5D Mk III using glidecam and samyang 14mm