My Gear: Lenses
I've included some screen shots from two of my short films to go along with the lens descriptions and opinions - from both Reverie and Nocturne. I've also included some still images from my website/ still portfolio so that you can get a better idea of the lenses I chose to use for each shot. I recommend that you load both films (linked above) and watch them to see how the lenses were used within each cut. Every photographer and cinematographer has some pretty specific opinions about their lenses- and no two will ever agree on which three they'd choose if they were forced to pick a maximum of 3-4 one day. These are the lenses I most commonly use - and I'll try to explain when and why I use them. Your choice of lens is one of the most important decisions you'll ever make as a photographer, cinematographer or director.
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7.5mm f/5.6 - FishEye Lens | ||
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VL: This is a specialty lens that makes a circular image on your rectangular frame / sensor. You use it once or twice a year- and it always leads to stunning images. Description (from Canon): This lens is one of the most compact circular-image fisheye lenses available today... Focusing is unnecessary because of the inherently great depth-of-field of this focal length.
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14mm f/2.8 - Series II Lens | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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VL: This is a gorgeous lens - and perfect for cinema - especially for interiors offering an incredible field of view without any circular distortion. It is a must have for any 1D MKIV or 7D owner who need to go wide (whereas a 5D MKII user can rely on the 16~35mm to get the same frame given the larger sensor on the camera.) Be careful with this lens - distortion is your enemy on tilts up or down - it's a dangerous lens when you don't pay careful attention to minimizing distortion. Description (from Canon): This new lens features completely redesigned optics including 2 high-precision Aspherical elements and two totally new UD-glass elements. The result is superior image quality: better contrast and sharpness at the outer edges, and a reduction in chromatic aberrations that can sometimes be seen with high-resolution digital SLRs. Its diagonal angle of view is an impressive 114"-anything larger would be a Fisheye lens.
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15mm f/2.8 - FishEye Lens | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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VL: I have a love/hate relationship with this lens. It's a great lens for a 7D - but on a 5D MKII can quickly become very gimmicky all too quickly. That being said - if you use it very carefully (see below) you can minimize the circular distortion so that most won't notice it. That being said - a lot of people use this lens FOR the distortion - it makes things look more "hip" or "young" - but PLEASE never take a portrait with this lens or anything wider than a 24mm! Description (from Canon): Fisheye lens with a 180º angle of view for unique and intriguing effects. The wide depth of field makes it even more interesting. The short minimum focusing distance of 8 in. (20 cm) gives new meaning to close-up shots. The lens has a fixed petal-type hood and a gelatin filter holder at the rear.
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16-35mm f/2.8 - Series II Lens | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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VL: When I used to shoot with 1D series camera (with the 1.3x crop factor) this was a go to lens. Then I switched to full frame sensors and put this lens away for quite awhile in favor of the 24~70mm 2.8. Now this lens is a new favorite for wide shots on the full frame sensors in cinema. Description (from Canon): The EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM is a high performance, water-resistant, and ultra wide-angle Canon L-series lens. It has been specifically designed for improved edge-to-edge image quality that will meet the strict requirements of professional and high-end amateur photographers. It features 3 high-precision aspherical lens elements, each of a different type: ground, replica and GMo for even better image quality than the original EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM.
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17mm f/4 - TS-E Lens | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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VL: This is an incredible lens for architecture - and if you need to minimize distortion in a wide field of view. It is a bit too wide to obtain a nice "miniature" tilt-shift effect. Description (from Canon): The widest tilt-shift lens in Canon's lineup, the new TS-E 17mm f/4L lens expands shooting possibilities exponentially on EOS Digital cameras. Designed with UD glass to minimize and compensate for chromatic aberrations, with a specially coated aspherical element for the highest possible glare-free image quality, this tilt-shift lens offers a diagonal angle of view of 104° on a full-frame SLR camera. |
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24-70mm f/2.8 Lens | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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VL: If you need to buy ONE lens to start your still or film career.. well this is it. End of story. This range (on a full frame sensor) covers almost every single "classic" focal lenght - from 24mm, 28mm, 35mm, 50mm and 70mm (which is the only non-standard one...) It's the perfect travel lens, the perfect sports lens, the perfect aerial lens, the perfect photojournalism lens, the perfect full body portrait lens - I think you get the picture - along with the 70~200mm 2.8 it's one of two lenses that almost every single photographer in the world owns. It's a great range for the beginning filmmaker as well - but is quite difficult to focus or set marks with given about a 1-2 inch rotation between macro and infinity. It is a GREAT macro lens too by the way - making it even more versatile. Description (from Canon): This new lens does what many pros thought couldn't be done - replace the previous L-series 28-70 f/2.8 lens with something even better. Extended coverage to an ultra-wide-angle 24mm makes it ideal for digital as well as film shooters, and the optics are even better than before with two Aspherical elements and a totally new UD glass element. It's now sealed and gasketed against dust and moisture, and a new processing unit makes the AF faster than ever.
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24-105mm f/4 - IS Lens | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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VL: This lenses is basically the 24~70mm 2.8 that is 35mm longer making it a much better portrait lens but with a 1-stop loss in light (f4 vs f2.8.) That being said it has Image Stabilization built in - which is nice. Personally - I'll take the f 2.8 24~70mm over this lens any day. But I have many photographer friends (including Walter Ioss Jr.) who SWEAR by this lens. Description (from Canon): This easy-to-use standard zoom lens can cover a large zoom area ranging from 24mm wide-angle to 105mm portrait-length telephoto, and its Image Stabilizer Technology steadies camera shake up to three stops. Constructed with one Super-UD glass element and three aspherical lenses, this lens minimizes chromatic aberration and distortion. The result is excellent picture quality, even at wide apertures. Canon's ring-type USM gives silent but quick AF, along with full-time manual focus. Moreover, with dust- and moisture-resistant construction, this is a durable yet sophisticated lens that meets the demands of advanced amateur photographers and professional photographers alike. |
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24mm f/1.4 - Series II Lens | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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VL: This is a very nice bright wideangle lens - that will allow you to photograph with almost two more stops of light than most zooms. A great photojournalism lens. Description (from Canon): Professional wide-angle lens with an ultra-large maximum aperture of f/1.4. This is the first EF lens to employ both a replicated Aspherical lens element to suppress distortion and spherical aberration, and a UD lens element to correct lateral chromatic aberration. Thanks to the floating construction, excellent corner-to-corner delineation is attained from 10 in. (25 cm) to infinity.
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24mm - TS-E Lens | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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VL: This is one of my favorite two Tilt-Shift lens. I use it to obtain a "miniature effect" and rely on this lens and the 45mm Tilt-Shift lens for the most part. I love this lens. Remember - NO AF though! Description (from Canon): A superb refinement to a true Canon classic, the new TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II offers enhanced functionality and image quality in its most popular tilt-shift focal length. Designed with UD glass to minimize and compensate for chromatic aberrations and a specially coated aspherical element for the highest possible glare-free image quality, this tilt-shift lens features an angle of view of 84° on a full-frame camera. |
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35mm f/1.4 Lens | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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VL: The 35mm is THE CLASSIC photojournalism lens - as defined by Henri Cartier Bresson. You can spend you entire career with this lens set at f 2.0 and a 50mm 1.2 set a f 2.0 and roam the globe (and shoot at f 2.0 in BROAD DAYLIGHT - not just at dusk or at night.) You won't have the versatility of a zoom lens of course - but your images will stand out from the rest. See the work of Tyler Hicks, Damon Winter, Todd Heisler (all of The New York Times) & Mario Tama (of Getty Images) and how they use these lenses with this technique to separate the way their images look relative to the competition. You need to nail the focus and position yourself perfectly - but when you do - you SMOKE the competition. This is of course a fantastic lens in low light of course - giving you nearly two more stops than the 2.8 wideangle zooms. Description (from Canon): L-series professional f/1.4 wide-angle lens with an Aspherical lens element to correct aberrations. The floating system enables high picture quality to be obtained over the entire focusing range. Autofocusing is quick and quiet with rear focusing and ring USM. Full-time manual focusing is also possible.
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45mm TS-E Lens | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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VL: This is one of my favorite two Tilt-Shift lensese. I use it to obtain a "miniature effect" and rely on this lens and the 24mm Tilt-Shift lens for the most part. I love this lens - it's incredibly sharp as a standard lens too btw. Remember - NO AF though! Description (from Canon): Normal lens featuring tilt and shift movements. The floating system and rear focusing give sharp and stable delineation from 1.3 ft. (0.4m) to infinity. The 45mm focal length is ideal for obtaining a natural-looking perspective.
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50mm f/1.2 Lens | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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VL: This is pretty much a MUST have lens for any HDDSLR filmmaker - I'd recommend it as part of any standard kit. The 50mm range in film on a full frame sensor is perfect for tighter wide shots, and for loose portraits. Perfect for dialogue scenes. Used with care it can be an incredible photojournalism lens as well - not to mention portrait lens (see the 35mm 1.4 description above.) Obviously - it's a fantastic longish lens to shoot in very dark areas... Description (from Canon): The EF 50mm f/1.2L USM is a peerless new standard lens featuring an ultra-large aperture for a narrow depth of field and soft background blur so loved by photographers everywhere. The EF 50mm f/1.2L USM is suitable for any shooting situation; its lens coating and construction are optimized to minimize the ghosting and flare that frequently occurs when lenses are used with digital cameras. This high-performance, weather-resistant lens delivers all the superb image resolution and contrast you expect in a Canon L Series Lens.
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70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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VL: This is another one of the mainstay lenses - along with the 24~70mm 2.8 lens. This is the second MUST HAVE lens for any photographer and filmmaker. With these two lenses - you can literally cover the world. I've made a high percentage of my best images of my career with this lens and would recommend it to everyone. Buy the 24~70mm 2.8 first - and then this one. And then you can start buying the specialty lenses you see that surround these two lenses on this page. This is one of the sharpest zoom lenses in the world. Description (from Canon) : The pinnacle in Canon's constant-aperture telephoto zoom lenses, the 70-200mm f/2.8 L "IS" lens is an incredible optic with robust design and tacksharp results. Second-generation Image Stabilization responds in as little as 0.5 seconds, while providing stabilization that is three times as handholdable as a normal lens. IS now automatically deactivates when on a tripod by sensing non-movement of the camera and lens, also conserving battery power. An entirely new optical formula produces images that are superior to even its highly regarded predecessor, the 70-200mm f/2.8 L, despite having more reflective surfaces within the lens.
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85mm f/1.2 Lens | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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VL: This is a jewel - not a lens. Shot wide open or at f 2.0 - it leads to stunning portraits or "cowboy" shots in film. It's simply stunning and you should never shoot it over f 2.0 (if you shoot at f 2.8 you might as well have the versatility of the 70~200m 2.8 above and faster AF speed and range not to mention IS.) I try to never leave for an assignment without this lens. If you want to make stunning portraits of your children or family - let alone professional headshots - this is the lens for you. It's a bit of an indulgence - but like I said: it's a jewel. Description (from Canon): Retaining the impressive optical performance and large aperture of the original EF 85mm f/1.2L USM, this new medium telephoto lens uses a Ring-type USM, high-speed CPU and optimized algorithms to achieve an autofocus speed approximately 1.8x faster than the original. The high-speed AF and circular aperture create a shallow depth-of-field that brings attention to the subject and blurs the background, which is ideal for portraits and weddings. The floating optical system, which includes an aspherical lens element, suppresses aberrations and ensures excellent imaging performance.
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90mm f/2.8 - TS-E Lens | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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VL: I don't use this Tilt-Shift lens as often as the 24mm T/S or 45mm T/S - but when I do - it leads to some stunning images. It's also a great portrait lens - w/o autofocus - so keep that in mind. Description (from Canon): This is the world’s first 35mm-format telephoto lens with tilt and shift movements. Gaussian optics give high-quality delineation and true background blur. The lens is suited for a variety of subjects, from products to portraits.
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100mm f/2.8 - Macro Lens | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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VL: This is a stunning Macro lens. Incredibly sharp and stunning. BUT the REAL secret with this lens is that is is the only lens to date that has the new "hybrid" IS stabilization system - which is almost like having a built-in gyro. It's the only lens that I can operate an HDDLSR 100% handheld - the Image Stabilization is stunning. I wish they would put this new system in EVERY upcoming Canon lens. But saddly I haven't seen this happen yet... Description (from Canon): Canon's newest "L" series lens is its first mid-telephoto macro lens to include Canon's sophisticated Image Stabilization. With the highest quality optics available, combined with near-silent Ultrasonic focusing and life-size close-up capabilities without an adapter, the EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM is simply unrivalled.
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135mm f/2 Lens | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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VL: This is yet another "Jewel" lens. It's the perfect full headshot portrait lens -and it allows you to close in a bit more closely to your subject than the 70~200mm 2.8 - which allows you to make some pretty special portraits. For filmmaking - it's one of my secret tools: not just for the obvious tight portrait - but also for great scenics where you blow out the background. I shoot this lens at f 2.0 pretty much exclusively - it is one of the sharpest lenses Canon makes. This is a lens that is optically stunning and the AF speed is excellent (and quite a bit faster than the 85mm 1.2) Description (from Canon): The fastest 135mm telephoto lens in its class. Ideal for indoor sports and portraits with background blur. Two UD-glass elements correct secondary spectrum for outstanding sharpness and color. Compatible with Extender EF 1.4x II and 2x II.
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200mm f/2L IS USM Lens | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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VL: Description (from Canon): This ultra-fast telephoto, a new member of Canon legendary L-series lenses, has totally new optics to provide better image quality. It uses fluorite and UD lens elements for excellent chromatic aberration correction and consists of 17 elements in 12 groups. The built-in Optical Image Stabilizer gives it up to 4 stops of stabilization correction. The inner USM and optimized AF algorithms result in fast and quiet autofocusing, and the circular aperture can even produce beautiful out-of-focus images. This ultra-high-performance lens also improves its durability - better dust- and water-proofing. The EF 200mm f/2L IS USM is outstanding for many available-light applications, including indoor sports, theater work, fashion, and candids at events. |
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300mm f/2.8 Lens | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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VL: This is a mainstay sports lens - and a go to lens for super telephoto shots in film. When I have any job that might require long lenses - I bring this and the 500mm with me everywhere. In fact I take both of them with me on every single aerial shoot. Description (from Canon): Telephoto lens newly equipped with an Image Stabilizer enabling hand-held shooting for easier movement. The fluorite element and two UD-glass elements effectively correct the chromatic aberrations prone to occur with telephoto lenses. With the EOS-1v and EOS-3, the AF speed becomes the world’s fastest. To reduce the overall weight and enhance portability, the lens barrel and many other exterior parts use a magnesium-alloy. Also, the detachable tripod collar revolves smoothly and locks securely.
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400mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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VL: Description (from Canon): The stellar combination of superlative optics, astonishing performance and brilliant construction, the EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM super telephoto is the professional's choice for a long lens, and perfect for nature and wildlife photography. Over 28% lighter than its predecessor and now the lightest lens in its class, the EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM features Fluorite optics that deliver sharper images with less chromatic aberration, a completely redesigned Image Stabilization system that offers up to four extra stops of performance, a newly-developed Fluorine coating that keeps soiling, smears and fingerprints to a minimum, plus new construction in line with only the best that Canon has to offer. With a third Image Stabilization mode (Mode 3) that activates IS only when the shutter button is fully pressed, and giving the equivalent effect of a shutter speed four stops faster, the EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM allows for easy panning and is ideally positioned for professional action photography. With a new security slot for wire-type security locks, buttons and switches are redesigned for intuitive, deliberate operation, and dust and water sealing keeps the lens functioning flawlessly in even the most challenging environments. |
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500mm f/4 IS Lens | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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VL: If I had ONE long lens to pick (a super telephoto of course) this is it. The 400mm 2.8 is a bit too heavy to handhold - especially from a helicopter. The 500mm is the perfect size and weight to ship, shoot and travel with. I'm pretty much in love with this lens - and if you're going to buy one long lens - I recommend this one hands down. I don't think you need to worry about the 1-stop loss relative to the 400mm 2.8 as you did a few years ago - given how well the new Canon cameras perform in low light. Description (from Canon): Next-generation super telephoto L-series lens with an Image Stabilizer, it's one of the world's best lenses for wildlife and nature photography. The optical system is newly designed with a maximum aperture of f/4. One fluorite element and two UD-glass elements effectively correct aberrations resulting in sharp and excellent delineation.
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CP.2 Distagon 18mm T/3.6 | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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| Description: The Zeiss Compact Prime CP.2 18mm/T3.6 Cine Lens (EF Mount) is part of the second generation of CP cinema lenses that were the first to offer full-frame 35mm coverage of large sensor DSLRs (such as the Canon 5D Mark II). | ||||
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CP.2 Distagon 21mm T/2.9 | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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| Description: The Zeiss Compact Prime CP.2 21mm/T2.9 Cine Lens (EF Mount) is part of the second generation of CP cinema lenses that were the first to offer full-frame 35mm coverage of large sensor DSLRs (such as the Canon 5D Mark II). | ||||
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CP.2 Distagon 25mm T/2.9 | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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| Description: The Zeiss Compact Prime CP.2 25mm/T2.9 Cine Lens (EF Mount) is part of the second generation of CP cinema lenses that were the first to offer full-frame 35mm coverage of large sensor DSLRs (such as the Canon 5D Mark II). | ||||
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CP.2 Distagon 28mm T/2.1 | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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| Description: The Zeiss Compact Prime CP.2 28mm/T2.1 Cine Lens (EF Mount) is part of the second generation of CP cinema lenses that were the first to offer full-frame 35mm coverage of large sensor DSLRs (such as the Canon 5D Mark II). | ||||
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CP.2 Distagon 35mm T/2.1 | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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VL: Were I forced to start with a set of four CP.2 lenses - this would be one of the 4 that I would choose. Description: The Zeiss Compact Prime CP.2 35mm/T2.1 Cine Lens (EF Mount) is part of the second generation of CP cinema lenses that were the first to offer full-frame 35mm coverage of large sensor DSLRs (such as the Canon 5D Mark II). |
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CP.2 Distagon 50mm T/2.1 | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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VL: Were I forced to start with a set of four CP.2 lenses - this would be one of the 4 that I would choose. Description: The Zeiss Compact Prime CP.2 50mm/T2.1 Cine Lens (EF Mount) is part of the second generation of CP cinema lenses that were the first to offer full-frame 35mm coverage of large sensor DSLRs (such as the Canon 5D Mark II). |
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CP.2 Distagon 85mm T/2.1 | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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VL: Were I forced to start with a set of four CP.2 lenses - this would be one of the 4 that I would choose. Description: The Zeiss Compact Prime CP.2 85mm/T2.1 Cine Lens (EF Mount) is part of the second generation of CP cinema lenses that were the first to offer full-frame 35mm coverage of large sensor DSLRs (such as the Canon 5D Mark II). |
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CP.2 Distagon 100mm T/2.1 | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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| Description: The Zeiss Compact Prime CP.2 100mm/T2.1 Cine Lens (EF Mount) is part of the second generation of CP cinema lenses that were the first to offer full-frame 35mm coverage of large sensor DSLRs (such as the Canon 5D Mark II). | ||||
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CP.2 Distagon 50mm Macro Cine Lens T/2.1 | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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VL: Description: With the CP.2 50mm Makro you can go closer to the object you want to capture while still having a sharp image. The closest distance to the object with a CP.2 50mm Makro is 10" (24cm). |
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LWZ.2 15.5-45mm T/2.6 | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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VL:While this lens will only work on a Canon 7D (it will vignette on the 1D MKIV and not cover the 5DMKII's full sensor) I have come to love it for documentary / run and gun shooting where you don't have the time to change lenses. I shot an entire television pilot over a 2 week period and never changed this lens a single time off of my 7D - and that says it all. Unlike a Canon EF Zoom lens - this lens is clearly marked on the focusing ring and accurate. Make sure to check your flange distance with your camera to make sure the focus stays constant as you zoom in and out. While most won't be able to afford this lens as part of their standard kit - it's a wonderful rental item for almost any production. This is one of the few EF lens mount zooms out there today (08/2010) and the optical quality if of course superb. Description (from Zeiss): The new Lightweight Zoom LWZ.2 is the first on the market to combine outstanding optical image quality with an interchangeable mount. The LWZ.2 is a cine lens designed for use with HDSLR as well as traditional cine cameras. The interchangeable mount guarantees high flexibility for present and future use in any situation and for a wide range of camera platforms. You can see me talk about the the CP.2 lenses in the video below and specifically about this zoom at the 4:12 mark: |
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Distagon T* 18mm f/3.5 ZE Wide Angle Lens | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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| Description (from Zeiss): The Zeiss Distagon T* 18mm f/3.5 ZE Wide Angle Lens is designed floating lens elements that deliver consistent high-quality over the entire distance range from 0.98'(0.3 m) to infinity. The Zeiss T* anti-reflective coating yields images with depth, contrast and brilliance even under a difficult lighting situations. Optimal color correction yields images with contrasting edges, delivered without color fringing. This ultra-wide provides the photographer with a tool that enables dramatic perspectives and creative possibilities. When combined with a digital SLR using a DX type sensor, this lens has an effective focal length of 27mm. | ||||
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Distagon T* f/2.8 21mm ZE Lens | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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| Description (from Zeiss): The Zeiss Distagon T* f/2.8 21mm ZE Lens for Canon EF Mount EOS DSLR cameras is a precision wide angle lens built with a Carl Zeiss T* anti-reflection coating that yields accurate color and professional-quality, high contrast images without any color fringes. It delivers exceptional results under all lighting conditions. With close focusing of only 8.64" (0.22 m) it is useful for landscape photography and other subjects with dramatic perspectives. The Distagon T* f/2.8 21mm comes with an EF bayonet (ZE) mount for Canon film and digital full-frame SLRS. The large front filter diameter (82mm) allows for the use of standard screw-in filters when combined with a standard lens shade (included). | ||||
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Distagon T* f/2 28mm ZE Lens | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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| Description (from Zeiss): The Zeiss 28mm f/2.0 Distagon T* Lens with a ZE Mount for Canon EF mount SLRS is a moderate wide-angle lens based on the renowned Distagon design of the 1980s for the Contax system. The modern Distagon T* has been optimized with current, higher performing and eco-friendly glass and incorporates a floating lens element design to optimize image quality across the entire focusing range. This high performance lens captures very detailed scenes with high accuracy and information content. Its fast f/2.0 aperture allows for hand-held photography under difficult lighting conditions and is well-suited for landscape, nature and commercial photography. This manual focus Carl Zeiss SLR lens is for use with both analog and digital single-lens reflex cameras that are compatible with the ZE lens mount. | ||||
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Distagon T* f/2 35mm ZE Lens | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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| Description (from Zeiss): The Zeiss Distagon f/2 35mm ZE Lens classic focal length with a moderate wide-angle perspective, that is perfectly suited for commercial, location and nature photography. This Distagon T* lens is designed to provide very high image quality over a wide range of apertures and focusing ranges. The fast f/2 aperture enables hand-held photography under difficult lighting conditions and the short focus rotation is well-suited for fast action photography. The lens is designed for use with full-frame SLR and DSLR cameras. Combined with a DSLR with a 1.5 crop factor, the lens has an effective focal length of 53mm and can be used as a standard focal length for a natural viewing perspective. | ||||
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Distagon T* f/1.4 50mm ZE Lens | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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| Description (from Zeiss): The Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 ZE Planar T* Lens is a high-speed standard lens for the exacting 35mm SLR photographer. Considered by professional photographers to be one of the world's best SLR lenses (if not the best), this "ZE" lens is now available for the Canon EF (EOS) bayonet SLR system. All existing exposure programs (P, AV, TV, M) and the AF verification function of the camera are supported, and lens information (focal length and speed) is passed on to the camera. Certain functions that require the use of AF lenses (various subject programs, A-DEP) are partially unavailable. The Planar lens with its front-and-back symmetry was invented by Dr. Paul Rudolf and is one of the best-known Carl Zeiss T* lenses. It is remarkably effective in eliminating aberrations and possesses very high definition allowing contrast in the subject to be faithfully reproduced. | ||||
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Distagon T* f/1.4 85mm ZE Lens | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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| Description (from Zeiss): The Zeiss 85mm f/1.4 ZE Planar T* lens is a short, high speed telephoto lens built for the exacting SLR photographer. It provides an unusually bright and clear image in the finder. Even at full aperture, it delivers top image quality. Its angle of view and exceptional performance make the Planar T* 1.4/85 ZF the lens of choice for portraiture on location or in the studio. Now offered as a "ZE" type lens, which makes it compatible with any camera that uses the Canon EF bayonet lens mount. All existing exposure programs (P, AV, TV, M) and the AF verification function of the camera are supported, and lens information (focal length and speed) is passed on to the camera. Certain functions that require the use of AF lenses (various subject programs, A-DEP) are partially unavailable. | ||||
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Distagon T* f/2 100mm ZE Lens | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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| Description (from Zeiss): The Zeiss Makro-Planar T* 100mm f/2 ZE Lens for Canon EF Mount EOS DSLR cameras has superior quality optics, combining sharp macro performance and a very fast maximum aperture. A 'floating element' optical system enables the Makro-Planar T* to deliver superior quality images even at f/2, from infinity to the close-focus (1.4', 0.44 m) distance. Users can employ selective focusing on important details with the clarity required for close-up photography, effectively isolating the subject from distracting surroundings. Applications for this lens making this lens is ideal for use in a wide variety of shooting scenarios including, but not limited to, industrial, scientific, nature, and product photography applications. Its superior and unique image quality also makes it a great choice for portraits. | ||||
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1.4x Series II Teleconverter | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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VL: If you're bringing your 70~200mm 2.8 or anything longer with you on any shoot - NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT THIS CONVERTER. It turns your 200mm in a 280mm, your 300mm into a 420mm, and your 400mm into a 640mm - basically you get to one-up your lens to the next size up - while sacrificing only one stop of light - and extremely minimal sharpness. If you take good care of these converters - most would never be able to tell that they were ever used by judging the final image quality- and that's exceptional. Description (from Canon USA): This tele extender can be used with fixed focal length lenses 135mm and longer (except the 135mm f/2.8 Softfocus lens), and the EF 70-200 f/2.8L, 70-200 f/2.8L IS, 70-200 f/4.0L, 70-200 f/4.0L IS USM, and 100-400 f/4.5-5.6L IS zoom lenses. Superb optically, it preserves the image quality of the lens it's mounted to and multiplies its focal length 1.4x. Effective aperture is reduced by one f-stop; autofocus is possible on any EOS camera when combined with a lens having an f/4 or faster maximum aperture. The new version II maintains the outstanding optics of the previous version, and adds enhanced weather-resistant construction, and improved anti-reflective surfaces in the barrel. |
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2x Series II Teleconverter | B&H | Mfr. Site |
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VL: This is an excellent converter. But more often that not I'd rather crop into the 1.4X converter than lose the two stops of light. Description (from Canon USA): This extender has been re-designed optically and offers excellent performance with compatible EF lenses (same as the Extender EF 1.4x II). Features a new seven-element design, and same weather-resistant design and anti-reflection internal construction as the new EF 1.4x II. The EF 2x II doubles the focal length of any lens it's mounted to, and reduces its effective aperture by two stops. With the EF 2x II, AF is possible with any EOS body if the lens has an f/2.8 or faster maximum aperture, and compatible Image Stabilization lenses maintain the IS feature when used with any current EOS camera. |
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V. Can you go into a little more depth regarding the 24-70 vs the 24-105. I have heard both opinions (some who swear by the 24-105 forsaking the 24-70 for it), but no opinion from anyone who has used both lenses for still and cinema purposes. In your opinion what makes the difference that leads you to say “Personally – I’ll take the f 2.8 24~70mm over this lens any day.”? Is it something tangible or is it just an intangible factor?
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
August 30th, 2010 at 5:48 am
@Brett Flashnick, Well I own both – and ONLY use the 24~70mm 2.8… truth be told: outside of the 500mm f4 – I find f4 lenses too dark… I’ve also found that the 24~105mm can vignette wide open at 24mm a little bit – whereas the 24~70mm is flawless wide open at all focal lengths – so I’m sticking w/ the 24~70mm 2.8 myself – but as mentioned – others SWEAR by the 24~105mm 4 – so I think there might be some bias on my part for liking to shoot at f 2.8 – especially w/ low light in video mode with the HDDSLRs.
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Brett Flashnick Reply:
August 30th, 2010 at 11:57 am
@Vincent Laforet, Thanks for additional information about those to lenses. From what I have discerned it seems to come down to a matter of personal preference. I guess its time to get both lenses in hand simultaneously and formulate an opinion of my own.
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Nice rundown on the Zeiss lenses, they are fascinating lenses, I just hope that some of the rental spots will start getting them in stock soon.
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
September 9th, 2010 at 12:02 am
@Joshua, Me too!
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I’ve been considering purchasing a 500mm f/4 IS for some time now and am about to jump in. You and others mention the ability to hand hold it for photography, but I’m curious what your experience on how to best support this beast for video? Any thoughts on what would be most portable but still allow for smooth video movement? Does a Wimberly head and some high quality carbon fiber Gitzo sticks do the trick?
I’ve done a lot of searching and can’t find the answer for video.
Thanks for taking the time to put all of this together and leave it open for comments. You are, and have made, an amazing resource.
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
September 9th, 2010 at 12:03 am
@Kyle W., A solid tripod will work – but a Wimberly will NOT work well for Video in my opinion.. I’ve tried – and w/ a 500 mm – forget it… v
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Vincent,
Excellent review of lens, camera and gear. Can you also cover typical vendors you have/will use…for example helicopter outfit, edit houses, rental gear houses, etc.
Once again thank you for inspiring, sharing and taking the time to document it!
-Sandrino
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your pockets are deep vincent
… what a budget…
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
September 9th, 2010 at 12:04 am
@pixelmixture, I rent! I don’t OWN all of this stuff… but I do own most of the glass and cameras…
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I thought you had Canon’s 200 f/2 — have you stopped using it, or is the 300 f/2.8 a more versatile option?
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
September 9th, 2010 at 12:04 am
@Charles, Need to add that one…
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Very useful information, thanks for sharing your knowledge. We shoot a lot of TV spots on the 5D, and still most cinematographers in Brazil have no clue how to master it, they should check your blog.
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Thanks for this info on the Zeiss glass. do you find the “breathing” of these CP lenses during big focus pulls as significant as the other Zeiss cinema glass (like the Super Speeds, for example)?
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
September 9th, 2010 at 12:06 am
@Gregg, Haven’t done side by side tests…
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Hi Vincent,
Excellent review. I can only drewl at those Zeiss compact primes – for $24000 and up they’re a bit out of my league.
You called the 85 F1.2 a jewel. I have it, but I find the focus ring way too loose, which is why I rarely reach for it. How’s your experience with that aspect? Should I just throw it into my bag more often?
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
September 9th, 2010 at 12:06 am
@Richard van den Boogaard, If anything – I find the focusing on the 85mm 1.2 a bit SLOW… is that what you mean by loose? That’s a good thing – but hard for rack focuses unless you can use a geared Follow-Focus rig…
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Richard van den .. Reply:
September 10th, 2010 at 8:54 am
@Vincent Laforet, no, just loose… as in not tight to handle. I heard Philip Bloom say the same thing about this lens…
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Vincent,
As you are person who uses almost every good glases . How do you think the quality between zoom’s and primes in general . Is there a significant difference if you take 2 lenses lets say canon 24 2.8 vs canon 24-70 2.8
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
September 9th, 2010 at 12:08 am
@Rupak Anto, Yes – on the edges – if you’re making large prints you’ll definitely notice. In general the primes are much sharper in general – BUT – there is software out there that does some pretty amazing stuff to sharpen the softer zooms… so it all depends on what you need…
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Hi Vincent, I enjoyed watching your video on the gears! What would you say would be budget for the gears you have recommended above. Appreciate your willingness to share your knowledge. Thanks. John
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Hi Vincent,
HUGE fan of your work and the wisdom you share. Thank you!
Quick question about lenses — I really trust you and would love to get your thoughts on the Schneider Cine Xenar lenses:
http://www.abelcine.com/store/Schneider-Cine-Xenar-5-Lens-Set/
I don’t think they cover the full frame sensor of the 5D — but designed for S35 size like the 1D …
Anyway, Mitch at Abel said they are “Leica-like” in their style and quality, and many DPs like Shane are very big on Leica lenses.
Would love to hear your thoughts if you ever try them!
Anthony
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I loved reading through this page. I have seen some of your work, and have always been awestruck.
One question – it says that the 1.4x converter makes the 400mm into 640mm. I always thought that it makes it 560mm. Just checking to make sure that I haven’t been doing something wrong.
Thank you.
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Paul Reply:
September 29th, 2010 at 8:54 pm
@Vaibhav, yes, it’s 560mm. Vincent probably did the math real fast in his head when writing, because a crop camera like the 7D is 1.6x which would give you 640mm. I’m sure he’s thought of the crop conversion so often that 400–>640 is burned into his memory! NOW, mount that 400mm on a 7D with a 1.4x and you get the equivalent of 896mm at f/4! WOW!
BUT, I still prefer the full frame of my 5D Mark II user… no more math on the lenses! 24mm is 24mm, 200mm is 200mm, no thinking about it, lol!
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Hello Vincent
I was wondering-have you ever tried the new 70-200/f4IS? (not the first generation f4 but the latest f4IS)
I have been carrying the old 2.8 for many years (since the Fuji RVP50 days), but after the new f4IS I think that I no longer need it. I shoot professionally with the 1D (1.3 sensor), I don’t shoot video, and I use the 70-200 a lot. Am I missing something?
Costas
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Dear Vincent,
I was wondering how you would use a mattebox with the 24-20, because its end extends when you zoom. Is the little change insignificant?
Thanks in advance,
Pau
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Pau Reply:
September 28th, 2010 at 9:10 am
@Pau, Sorry, I meant 24-70.
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Hi Vincent,
Great post, very helpful! I wanted to know if you had some gear tips for people on a budget. A few specific questions:
1. Would you rather spend more on a good camera and decent lens or decent camera and good lens?
2. With a 1,500 – 2,000 budget, how would you build around a 7D?
Thanks a lot!
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What do you think of using older canon or nikon fd lens’s on a 7d for shooting films? It seems to me like they would be good because they have hard stops at infinity and macro as well as he focus ring spins quite far compared to a newer USM lens.
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Vincent,
Not sure you’ll get around to answering this one, but I’m wondering which EF lenses lend themselves best to pulling focus for video. IE, which have the longest pull on the focus ring, bringing some of the advantage from the zeis CPs. The TS-90 for example has a long pull (and therefore finer focus control) compared to the 24-105.
–Ken
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Hey Vince. Quick question for you. I’m shooting on a Panasonic HMC-150 and want to migrate to the next Canon HDSLR whenever it comes out. I curious what lenses you would recommend someone to get when they are starting out with video?
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thank you sooo much….I am about to shoot a short movie with my 1d M4 and this page had helped me A L O T….
thank you & thank you
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Vincent,
I need your help please get back to me as soon as you can.
I cant decide. Just need you to pick one for me and give me a solid reason to keep it.
I have both the 24mm prime 1.4 and the 24-70mm 2.8.
However need to part with one or the other to financial reasons.
Which one should I keep?
Please let me know.
Thanks.
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Harmony Reply:
November 22nd, 2010 at 10:47 am
*due to
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[...] on the R… (27184)Been Busy lately… a little quiet on th… (27063)The RED CANON (24573)My Gear: Lenses (22349)NAB 2010 – Possible Turning point for HD… (22180)Behind The Scenes footage – 5D MKII on [...]
[...] My Gear: Lenses | Vincent Laforet Vincent Laforet is director and an award-winning photographer. I really enjoy his blog. [...]
Vincent your knowledge and gadgetry are unsupassable and its wonderful that you share ..I have recently started to using the 7D to shoot video, but find that the camera heats up pretty quickly due to the battery – what external battery would you suggest and how do you hook it up – thanks much for your help !
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
December 16th, 2010 at 9:12 am
@Brian Hendler, Thank you Brian! The truth is: there is nothing you can really do to attenuate this that much… and the 7D is the worse of the 3 Canon bodies (5D/1DMKIV/7D) in terms of over heating… Ideally you swap out bodies every hour – Shane Hurlbut does that – but I’ve never had to. I did have it overheat a few times – and I shut it down for a few minutes. I also put a bag of ice on the body once and it worked…
I do use the Viewfactor Contineo cage to power my 7D and 5D – I can’t make any claim as to the overheating issue (I think it’s a sensor issue not a body issue) – but it’s how I use these bodies and power them w/ Anton Bauer batts… check the “My Gear” section and you’ll find the cage and batteries there – v
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I’ve never noticed it before, but you suddenly look like Grissom from CSI. Great reviews! Love to see all the equipment you’re currently using. Very interesting.
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Vincent,
You’ve got a great selection of gear, but you miss out the two genuinely special Canon EF lenses: the 50mm f/1.0 and the 200 f/1.8, both discontinued now. I’m lucky enough to own both: the 50mm f/1 is finnicky all as hell to get good results with, but there is something about it that is genuinely magical and unique when you nail it. I have used the 1.2, and it doesn’t come close. Given your obvious large budget, I would really recommend you try and pick up one of each to play with.
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As good as the EF 500mm f4 is, with the introduction of the new lightweight EF 400mm f2.8 II and the new 1.4x III teleconverter the quality levels and application options will more than likely outperform the 500mm. 400mm x 1.4 = 560mm f4 with outstanding resolution according to the Canon lens charts; given that price is no object. Also try 800mm f5.6 with the new 2x teleconverter!
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Vince could you please recommend an ideal lense choice for a 7D for documentary work that will be on a steadycam merlin arm & vest
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Hi Vincent,
I currently have a 5D Classic, a 50 1.8, 100 f/2, and a 70-200 f/4. I’m looking to get into magazine work or photojournalism after college, and since I’m a big admirer of your PJ and video work, I figured I’d ask you about lens choices. I’m thinking of a 24-70 to fill the wider/standard length. Would you recommend this or something else?
Also, I was wondering if you had any suggestions in regards to building a good portfolio for either of these outlets (photojournalism/magazines) I was thinking of seeking out stories throughout the city(baltimore), but I currently don’t have any means of publishing them.
Thanks for any advice!
-Joe
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Fanstastic point of view. I may msg about it my to friend! Grafik Komputerowy.
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Hello Vincent!
I have a question that is hendering me from a purchase. The 50mm 1.2 is obviously the best choice out of the 50mm 1.4 and 50mm 1.8. However, I don’t have the money to purchase it. Between the 1.4 and 1.8, which is better in video quality?
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I have 2 questions for you real quick –
1) I’m looking for lense to start shooting video
with and I currently have the 17-40L, the 50 1.4 and the 200 2.8 prime, I’ve been debating if I should get the 70-200 2.8 or the 100 2.8 macro – which one do you find more useful in the video aspect of shooting?
2) Have you come across any anamorphic lenses that work with the 5d MKII (either EF or FD compatible)?
Thank you for any insight
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Vincet howe are you? I know you might be busy preparing for the workshop with Chase, but i have a quick question to ask.
What is different between Zeiss CP2 85 f2.1 and canon EF 85 1.2?
I want it for video and we already planned to buy the Zeiss 35 CP2.
Do u have any video sample shot comparing both of them or sth?
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Hi Vincent,
If using a 7D, would you still recommend the 24-70 over a 16-35?
Cheers
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do these lenses have to be made by canon if u want to use them with a canon 7d camera?
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I’ve used some older Zeiss primes on my 7D and they produce amazing still images, but ironically, I think the video footage is noticably inferior to the stuff I get with my Canon lenses.
Any thoughts as to why this might be? Haven’t tried these new Zeiss CP.2 lenses yet. I’m sure they’re more adapted to video work.
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don’t quite have the budget and just starting out,,, any thoughts on the Canon EF-S 18-200? I bought a 50 1.4 for my first lens( again budget preventing me from getting the 1.2),,, and thought the 18-200 would be a good walk around camera? i want to shoot a lot of video with both of them
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Vincent,
Have you experienced focus shift problems with the Zeiss 50mm 1.4? And if so, What is your assesment of this? I am looking into perhaps buying one of the distagon wide angle lenses of theirs for my 5d mkii and have read that the focus issues can be annoying.
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
April 27th, 2011 at 11:42 am
I worked with a set of Zeiss ZEs for 2-3 months and never experienced the problem. I have since shifted entirely to CP.2 lenses – so I can’t give you a long term opinion on it as a result. Fair enough?
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Hi Vincent,
You should try some of the Hasselblad lenses [Zeiss] with EOS adapter. My go-to is the 50mm/2.8 [equiv to 35mm], absolute favourite is 110mm f2 [will blow your mind with actors head/portraits], the 150/180mm are great for fashion runways. I find they give a more “organic” look with the 5d and 60d[need the swivel screen for filming restaurants].
rgds
Kostas Metaxas
http://www.exero.com
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Hello Vincent,
I have the old 5D and have a couple of lenses (28mm 1.8 and 85mm. 1.8). I am just starting to learn these lenses. What f/stop should I use to get the sharpest image possible? Thanks.
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
April 29th, 2011 at 2:13 pm
Close the lenses 1 stop from the minimal f stop and you’ll generally be good. F4-8 is often the sharpest area for most lenses.
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Really an impressive list of gear. The best thing is that you use it in a creative and interesting way.
I really appreciate your work.
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@Vincent Laforet, Hi…I have had this overheating problem several times…not only 7D but also 5D. The only camera that it doesn´t even starts to give any signals of over heating is the 1D MKIV. The problem seems to be not only the battery drainage but also and specially because we “force” the mirror to be up too long…of course together with the sensor the heat buiolds up quite fast. Another reason is that being a weather proof camera the heat doesn´t come out as the dust and moisture don´t get in…
We can´t have both things on the same camera. If Canon adds a cooler some ventilation etc…etc…we will loos the weather pfoof seal but also we will have a mucher higher price on these cameras.
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Thank you.
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A few months ago, I came across a video where you were speaking to a technician in regards to adjusting – fitting lenses to one of your cameras. I have a couple of Hasselblad lenses that I would like to have fitted to my 5D II and would like to see if that is doable.
Can you provide me with the contact info of that person. I can no longer find the initial video.
Thanks for sharing your work and experience
I really appreciated.
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
May 4th, 2011 at 1:48 pm
http://ducloslenses.com/Duclos_Lenses/Main.html
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Hi Vincent
Thank you for posting the gear you use. I have a question, I’m about to go out and spend $5000 on lenses for my my 60D, witch do you think I should spend my money on?
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Dare Reply:
May 8th, 2011 at 10:02 pm
Vincent sort of answered this already if you have a look under each lens and I can confirm them to be good choices:
1. 24-70
2. 70-200
Buy the highest quality in each series you can afford.
After that it sort of depends on what you plan to shoot…
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Thanks a lot!. I’ll look into it.
Appreciate the quick response
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Hi Mr. Laforet,
I am trying to view the lens page in your gear section and all that comes up are the comments.
Seth Shaffer
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Hey Vincent,
I was wondering what happened to the content on this page? The run down of your lens list and the examples of how you’ve used them was a great reference.
Any thoughts that it will be back on the site?
many thanks!
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Thanks for the 24-70 and 70-200 lens recommendation. However 24-70 is a bit tight on the wide end. Will you suggest the 17-55 f2.8 IS as the replacement of the 24-70 for crop body like the 7D?
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
June 10th, 2011 at 9:52 pm
Yes – but I haven’t used that lens! I recommend the range. The 24~70 is perfect on a full frame 5D MKII – but as you said too tight on the wide end on the smaller chipped 7D
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Awesome list of lenses, Vincent. Out of curiosity, what are your thoughts on other alternate lenses such as the Leica R line? I realize these are old lenses, somewhat difficult to find and limited it what can and can’t fit the 5D2. I’ve been experimenting with several Leica Rs modified with Leitax adapters and the images are ethereal.
Thank you for your continued evangelism of DSLR filmmaking.
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@Vincent Laforet, How do you figure out what a stop is in terms of fstops. for example how many more stops is f1.4 than f1.8.
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
July 15th, 2011 at 12:03 am
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-number#Standard_full-stop_f-number_scale
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Awesome stuff here. My major concern is that you targeted it at those with deep pockets. There is this category of DSLR filmmakers that want to buy a set of 3 fast primes for $1000 (not minding using adapters). In my opinion, this category constitutes almost 65% of DSLR owners.
They also need some advice.
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
July 15th, 2011 at 12:02 am
I’m trying to share things I’m playing with – high end and low end and mid end – something for everyone. But I don’t want to try to write for only one market – I’m simply trying to share what I work on with people out there. I haven’t forgotten DSLRS… there just hasn’t been a big development in awhile now. If and when there is one – you can expect me to write about that too!
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What about the 17-40mm f/4 for a crop-sensor as as starter-lens next to the 50mm f/1.4 ?
At 600 bucks the 17-40mm is quite tempting.
Or do you really need more light when you want to do a lot of lowlight/night shots?
(Man, I want to have your gear, dude…)
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
July 21st, 2011 at 10:33 pm
Hey Frank! I don’t own all of the gear on these pages! But – yes – I think you’re going to find it too dark… I’ve never liked an f4 lens shorter than 300mm… you always want to shoot in low light when you have shorter glass.. THAT BEING SAID: the newer bodies are giving you 1-2 more stops of light in terms of ISO performance… so this might not be as bad as I think…
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[...] wondered what lens is fit for purpose? Here’s Vincent Laforet’s guide to Canon lenses. I can’t help wondering what the total cost of [...]
@Vincent Laforet, Do you think there will be a big update soon with the DSLRs, such as 5D3? Do you think it’ll be another revolution, (eg. RAW) or just minor update? Phillip Bloom says you have all the answers…
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I am shooting video on Canon 5DMk2 I want the Zeiss Compact Prime CP.2 85mm but the price is hefty and nearly twice the price of Canon EF 85mm f1.2L II USM. Can you explain the differences between these two lenses in regard to shooting video… please.
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
August 15th, 2011 at 6:43 pm
The Canon 85mm 1.2 II is a jewel of a lens. But it’s incredibly difficult to pull focus with it on a moving subject. The 85mm is wonderful (and a stop or so darker btw…) but I’d go w/ the Zeiss CP.2 hands down when you need to pull focus on an actor – nothing matters if everything is out of focus…
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Hi ,
Could you give your thoughts on the Canon L 70-200mm non IS lens- for stills is it still a competitor if you don’t need IS a far as Image Quality and sharpness?
Other than IS what would be the noticeable shortcomings compared to the newer IS versions please?
Thank you,
Hoon
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
August 19th, 2011 at 1:58 am
The IS version was sharper than the non IS – but the latest version (II) of the IS – is INCREDIBLY sharp relative to all previous lenses. So there is a definite optical performance difference – for sure.
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Hi Vincent,
Thanks for the all helpfull shares and answerss, I wanna make lens kit for my Canon5DMK2. I’m living in Turkey and here is hard to find cheap lenses from your packege (as you know taxes, shipping, etc.) thats why I wonder which brand must I have for lenses? Carl Zeiss or Canon ? I’m a videographer btw, for example first of I need a wide angle lens for low light (for indoor records) and what is the diffirence with this brands (canon and zarl zeiss) ? Color or sharpness ? what you prefer to me for video shooting?
PS: Actually I made introductory films for Hotels like this one “http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpLxdDNN9ow” and this is my first film with my Canon5DMK2 btw. I was use only Canon 24-70 USM L 2.8 lens in this video and I think I dont like this lens for my job. Cuz, it is so darker for indoor works and for outdoor when I use with Jimmy Jib I must use infinty sharpness for to see all of area with F22 but this time quailty is gone be bad as you see. Do you have any advice for me about lenses for my works? Thanks for the answer already… (and sorry for my english)
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Hi Vince,
A Big Thanks for the time and effort you put into sharing your huge knowledge and experience (when you could instead be making more money, or kicking back over a beer). Your generosity enables newbies like me to jump the gun and not waste resources on useless purchases and dead end experiments learning the hard way. The first movie I saw done HDSLR was your ground-breaking Reverie, which opened my eyes to a world of possibilities. I was hooked. Will definitely be purchasing your instruction vids and recommending them to all. Cheers mate! Paul Folley, Sydney, Australia.
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Hello Vincent,
Been following your work for a while and really enjoyed the format of “Visuals” on the iPad. Good stuff.
But am looking for telephoto. I have the 70-200mm f2.8 L IS and 2x teleconverter. There are times I want more length. Im torn between upgrading to 70-200mm f2.8 II L IS (is it worth it? Will cost about $1000 if I sell mine and buy new) Or plunge and take your 500mm f4 L IS advice? I know its not totally apples to apples but this is my priority dilemma. Im sure I will use 70-200 either I or II more but….
I use a 5DMII & AF100 (eagerly awaiting my Birger preorder
I appreciate any feedback and keep up the good work!
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Hello Vincent,
u r the godfather for all dslr video thx for u woork man u r inspiring and giving hope to others by u r work
iam a film director
i do features , i have 5d and 7d
canon:24-70 f2.8,70-200 f4 L “non IS.28 f1.8 and zeiss ze 50 f1.4,canon 85 f1.8,rokinnon 14 f2.8 .85 ff1.4, 500/100 f8/16
i traded alot of lenses for this set tried to match it as much as possible .
do u think i have problem in my list?
how is the ze should i sell it for canon f1.4 ” cant afford the f1.2″ or it is not that big issue
how is the rokinon manual lenses any use?
plz help i shoot with different dops so plz help me match and arrang” yes sorry, money is anissue”
but as everyone iam going upon silver screen soon thxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
sorry for being long and booring and”weak in english as its not my language”
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@Randy Noland, For what it’s worth, I sold my 70-200mm f2.8 L IS and bought the II version and extender 1.4III. Amazing image. Also added the 100mm f2.8 L IS macro. Longer range telephoto Will have to wait and rent if urgent. Nice work w/C300 btw!
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@Vincent Laforet:
Great reviews on the important lenses. Very useful for anyone looking to extend his lens portfolio. Couple of comments:
EF 15 mm/2.8 Fisheye — One of the biggest issues with this lens is the metal lens hood. I don’t know what the engineers thought when they designed that one. The hood sits rather loose on the lens, and it can easily happen that it slips off and -eeek!- slides on the glass. I had my own solution for that: I took an old sock and stuffed the entire combo into it, so that the hood always sits tight on the lens.
24-70/2.8L and 70-200/2.8L II IS — Every single word you write about these lenses is true. Readers starting the photography career should take a look at these lenses first, before looking at specific lenses that cater to niches.
85/1.2L — I love the images this “jewel” takes, but the AF is really slow, the manual handling of the focus ring is weird, and I hate the fact that you can only focus when the camera is switched on. Also, finding a correct focus point is surprisingly difficult (esp. on a 1Ds III).
And one suggestion for you. You seem the right person to take a look at the Hartblei Zeiss lenses. Hartblei uses Zeiss medium format glass for DSLR mounts. Incredible gear. More at http://www.hartblei.de
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Is the 24-70 good for 7D?
Or would it be a waste on it?
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
November 22nd, 2011 at 9:55 pm
Never a waste. One of the best lenses Canon makes.
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@Vincent Laforet, probably, but still wish I would have Full Frame and could use full coverage. Hopefully Canon will release some new kick-ass FFs next year with latest technology.
There is one major complaint about 24-70, though.
If it would have IS, it would be the best “allround” lens ever made.
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
November 24th, 2011 at 10:49 am
IS would be nice yes…
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Vince, hope you have the time to guide me..
im buying a 7d to be used for video… can u guide me wich option u would start with? or maybe a mix between these?
lens option 1
50mm 1.2
16-35mm 2.8
70-200mm 2.8
lens option 2
50mm 1.2
24-70mm 2.8
70-200mm 2.8
lens option 3
50mm 1.2
85mm 1.2
24mm 1.4
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
November 24th, 2011 at 10:48 am
Option 1. On a full frame 5DMKII I would go w option 2.
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Hi Vincent, lot’s of great lenses here. What do you think about the Canon 17-55mm IS F2.8 USM, i see that this lense is not listed, will you recommend it for video shooting? thank you very much.
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
November 24th, 2011 at 1:12 pm
It’s quite a nice lens for the smaller sensor cameras. I’m not a big fan of its focusing ring however… way too small and hard to focus
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Hi Vincent,
Thanks for all the great informations you gave here.
Very interesting. I’m a little confuse cos a lot of people suggest me to buy a IS lense especially for hand Filming… Is there anyone you would recommend with a great stabilization. Thanks
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
November 24th, 2011 at 1:12 pm
IS for video cameras is incredible. The IS for still lenses is not quite the same … it helps but not nearly as much as the video version of those lenses (that are only available with camcorders or high end video lenses.)
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@Vincent Laforet,
Thanks a lot Vincent! Surprised i got an answer from you, really appreciate it!
my idea was to buy the 7d meanwhile the 5dmark2 replacement comes out… would u still go same way? or would u rather have the 5dmarkII w option 2? instead of 7d w option 1?
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
November 25th, 2011 at 12:18 am
I’m a big fan of the full frame sensor personally… 7D is not a bad way to go though.
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Hi Vincent,
Canon 50mm f/1.4 or Distagon T* f/1.4 50mm ZE Lens? This would be used with the Canon 5D Mkii
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
December 12th, 2011 at 12:29 am
or video – Zeiss. For Stills Canon (AF is tough to give up.)
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This really means a lot to me, because I was really wondering about that 24-70mmf2.8It was either a 7d with 3 lenses or just the 5dmkii with that 24-70mm budget wise. I just starting off and would like to have something that can shoot weddings and do portrait and fashion too… Doing it with just ONE lens will have to do, but thanks to you, I believe i’ll have no buyers remorse! And, after I pay my bank loan that I’m trying to get to buy my stuff, I’ll definitely try and get that 70-200, I was looking in to that one as well….Thanks! Tweet you later!
ps.
Be on the look out for that Tijuana based Wedding/PortraitFashion Photographer!
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Vincent,
Love your work and dedication to inspiring young film makers like myself!
Need your help on making a tough decision. I’m currently trying to achieve the “film look” and really trying to be competitive at several film festivals with a great concept I have developed.
Would you rather:
1.) Buy the 5D mark II with the 24-70mm f/2.8 L
2.) Or Buy the 7D with the 70-200mm f/2.8 L II
Both with roughly cost the same amount but really want to achieve the best image quality in terms of film.
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
December 13th, 2011 at 10:31 am
Option 1 hands down.
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@Vincent Laforet, Even if I plan to upgrade to the 5D MarkIII in a year or so?
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@Jean-Francois, I also shoot a lot with the 17-55 F2.8… for shooting BTS I find it is a good range on my crop frame 7D.
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First let me say thank you for ALL the great information you provide. Heck the time involved in just this blog is greatly appreciated. Tons of great information. I am not a seasoned photographer If i have the chance to buy either 70-200mm f/2.8L vs 70-200mm f/4L IS for very little difference in cost what would be your suggestion. Or should I just continue to save for another month and get the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II. Thanks for all your great information.
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
January 19th, 2012 at 8:55 am
I think you’ll be fine w/ any of the 3. The 2.8 is a big advantage so I would go w/ that. The IS II is supposed to be incredibly sharp – but the others were too… so I don’t think it’ll change your life either way!
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Hey Vincent.. I ‘m a big fan of your work..
I’ve been debating in whether buying the Canon 60d now and buy some extra lenses or just wait a while more and buy the 7d and not as many lenses with it. I would be using it for both video and stills. What do you think? Thanks.
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
January 19th, 2012 at 8:54 am
think you’ll be fine w/ either to be honest!
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Hello,
I enjoyed your presentation immensely at BH Photo and Video- apologize I was asking the geek questions.
Between the Zeiss Makro 50 and the Zeiss 50 -almost twice in price……..Is there a superior optical quality which warrants this price difference? faster lens actually cheaper
Happy Holidays!
Thank you
Hoon
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
December 20th, 2011 at 12:01 am
Haven’t tried the Makro so I can’t speak from experience…. thanks for coming to B&H!
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Hey Vincent,
First off, thanks for this blog. It’s helped me tremendously already and I always look forward to new posts.
Quick question about a lens option with my 7D. I need something a little wider and I know you rave about the 24-70mm, but will that lens be too tight on the cropped sensor?
If so, any other lens suggestions in the “wider” range? Thanks again. Keep up the good work. We all appreciate your help.
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
December 22nd, 2011 at 5:50 pm
17-55 2.8 if you have a 7D – 16~35mm 2.8 II is the only FF zoom
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@Cameron Deutschendorf,
Vincent, you answered my question is today’s TwitterView. Thanks again for the great advice.
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Hello Vincent, what are your thoughts on protective filters on L-Series lenses, for example the Hoya HD Clear Protection Class Filter on the 24-70mm f2.8? I recently invested in the 24-70mm f2.8 and now I’m contemplating how to protect this lens from dirt and more specifically accidental scratches. Some individuals tend to advice against it since you’re placing a cheap piece of glass in front of several glass elements designed to work together. Do you believe that this type of filter would have a negative impact on the image quality? Thank you.
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
January 19th, 2012 at 8:49 am
I use B+W and Tiffen UV filters on all of my lenses + lens hoods. Never had a negative impact. Hoya has mixed reviews depending on the filter.
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@Joe, hi Joe, from my experience, the 24-70 L is the best zoom out there. It’s got optical quality as well as build quality. Go for it
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Hi vincent, nice job u ve done here,am director from Africa -Nigeria,hv got a set of carl zeiss lens that came wit my letus ultimate 35mm adapter,now am about to buy cannon 7d to use the same lens. plz are they. Compatible with out using any ring adapter or something and are this lenses good for musical videeo and commercials .
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
January 19th, 2012 at 8:48 am
Yes – depending on the mount you got they should be compatible and they are fantastic lenses! Check out the “my gear” section of the blog and the “lenses” subsection to see what I use and how..
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any thoughts about shooting with nikkors?
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
January 19th, 2012 at 8:46 am
A lot of people do and are very very happy.
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Vincent,
You say that you would choose four of the Zeiss CP.2 lenses, but only indicate three(35, 50, 85mm). Which would be the fourth? For filmmaking do you prefer the 24mm or the 28mm?
Carlos
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
February 1st, 2012 at 2:46 pm
25mm CP.2
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Hi Vincent,
I am a pro musician and producer just getting into video, mostly for music related documentaries.
I bought the 5Dm2 almost 2 years ago and it came the 24-105mm f/f4 L IS USM lens. I also bought the inexpensive Canon Normal EF 50mm f/1.8 II Autofocus Lens.
I really wanna get more and better better lenses also but also don’t want to spena a lot of money…I know this is relative.
Last week I bought the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens just to have a telephoto zoom.
But when I got home I started to read about oher lenses I realized I shot get a L lense and faster lenses.
I can still get my money back or trade it in for another lense.
I wanted to swap it for the Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L IS USM Lens cos te price is greatbut after reading your opinion I can’t decide. Please help.
Here are the candidates:
1- Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM Lens – here, the fact that it doesn’t have the IS feature will be a problem for shooting video?
2- Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens (this one is no nger available at B&H but costs around $3000 here in Cape Town).
3- Canon EF 35mm f/1.4 L USM Lens
If I can only buy one, which one should I get?
Regards
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
February 6th, 2012 at 9:05 pm
I’d get the 70~200mm 2.8 hands down if you’re shooting concerts. That lens and the 24~70 are incredibly versatile for just about every photography/film genre. The 35mm 1.4 is a beautiful specialty lens – and one that I would go with personally – but that’s because I prefer to shoot w/ a fixed lens “(and bright lens) over zooms – but you have FAR less flexibility. I welcome the challenge personally – but not everyone can afford to do so.
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Hi Vincent,
have you tried the Zeiss LWZ.2 on the Epic? Does it cover the 5K sensor completely? And maybe also on the C300? Any opinion on the Angenieux DP series zooms, which unfortunately aren’t available in EF mount… ?
Thanks and all the best,
martin
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Vincent Laforet Reply:
February 6th, 2012 at 9:02 pm
I’ve worked w/ the LWZ.2 quite a bit – but never on the Epic. My understanding is that it would work yes – can’t see why it wouldn’t. But I can’t speak from experience. Definitely would work on the C300. Have only worked w/ the Optimo and wide zoom from Angenieux. The Optimo is a dream… not yet w/ the DP series.
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