Film starter lens?

[jam3sn]

Hi all,

So I'm about to get my self a canon 600D body, primarily for shooting shorts and corporate videos. So what lens you you recommend, nothing more than £400. I was looking at the 28mm f2.8 IS, but what would you recommend?

Thanks,
James

 

[privatebydesign]

There isn't a 28 f1.8 IS lens is there?

 

[jam3sn]

OK looking again, its the 28mm f2.8 that has IS, my bad.

 

[privatebydesign]

Well I don't do video so my opinion is probably next to worthless, but I'd have thought a zoom would be a better buy, panning and zooming being so important, but, if I was on a budget I'd do what every other film maker seems to be doing, buying old manual focus lenses with an adapter. Just a thought.

 

[sjschall]

I'd start with a kit zoom lens (18-55 or 18-135) and a 50 1.8 and work up from there. The 50 will be a little more dramatic than the 20 2.8, and give you a nice look for interviews.

 

[m]

Not a recommendation, but I never heared anything bad about this lens, except the manual focus, so this should be nice for video:

The 35mm samyang seems to fit the budget.
There's a cine version with geared rings.

 

[jam3sn]

Not a recommendation, but I never heared anything bad about this lens, except the manual focus, so this should be nice for video:

The 35mm samyang seems to fit the budget.
There's a cine version with geared rings.

Oooh that's nice lens, will definitely have a look into that, thanks!

 

[jam3sn]

There's a cine version with geared rings.

What's the difference in geared and normal then? Is it worth that bit more?

 

[Jay Khaos]

There's a cine version with geared rings.

What's the difference in geared and normal then? Is it worth that bit more?

The cine version lets you manually adjust aperture with a physical ring. But if youre on a budget and shooting relatively simple things with a DSLR (no rig, stabilization, follow focus, etc), the IS of the 28 2.8 is probably way more useful for you—plus its really lightweight compared to the samyang 35 cine lens. If you're shooting scenes were lighting is changing, a variable ND filter might be useful. Id feel comfortable shooting a corporate vid handholding a lightweight IS lens... not the cine lens unless i have a rig and/or tripod...

I havent used the 28 with IS but I just got the 35 f2 with IS (released around the same time) and I'm loving it.... havent shot video with it yet.

You can find a 24-105 IS pretty cheap. If I wanted to accomplish as much as possible handholding with one lens and no extra gear, this is the lens I would go with hands down.

 

[surapon]

There isn't a 28 f1.8 IS lens is there?

Yes, Yes, Yes.

http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/cameras/ef_lens_lineup/ef_28mm_f_2_8_is_usm

 

[privatebydesign]

There isn't a 28 f1.8 IS lens is there?

Yes, Yes, Yes.

http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/cameras/ef_lens_lineup/ef_28mm_f_2_8_is_usm

Surapon, there is a 28mm f2.8 IS, as your link, there is also a 28mm f1.8 here. But there isn't a 28mm f1.8 IS.

 

[jam3sn]

OK then, well I just bought the 600D and the guys thrown in a canon 18-135mm EF-S for £85, so I think I'll stick with that and when I get a but more cash I'll splash out on a 28 or 35mm.