I'm gonna be picking up a Canon 7d to shoot my first short. What reasonably affordable lenses would one recomend I get. Probably don't wanna spend more than $200 per lense. Any suggestions? Thanks guys!
Lenses for a Canon 7d
- Thread starter Bill_The_Butcher
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Vintage lenses are the only sub $200 lenses you can get that are worth anything.
For $80 more you can get a Rokinon 85mm 1.4 that is THE best bang for you buck lens on the market but it's telephoto.
How many sub-$200 lenses do you want to get? If it's one or two, vintage. If it's more, get one or two quality lenses for the same amount!
For $80 more you can get a Rokinon 85mm 1.4 that is THE best bang for you buck lens on the market but it's telephoto.
How many sub-$200 lenses do you want to get? If it's one or two, vintage. If it's more, get one or two quality lenses for the same amount!
I guess I'm not really sure what I will need. I want a nice wide angle lense for sure. If I would only need one more I would be willing to spend more.
But as far as primes go what are the essentials you would want?
But as far as primes go what are the essentials you would want?
Primes - Faster the better.
If you can live with manual focus for photos too, the Rokinon 35mm 1.4 and the 85mm 1.5 ($500 and $280 respectively)
With a little more money, I'd opt for something wider too. Might replace that 35mm with a Canon 24mm, but that's a lot more.
The Canon 50mm f/1.4 is a great lens too!
So many to choose from haha, it can be a hard decision. The fast zooms are great also. The Canon 24-70mm 2.8 is awesome, the Sigma 28-75 2.8 is pretty good too, a less expensive alternative. And the Tokina 11-16mm 2.8 is a killer ultra-wide.
Hope that helps, not an exact answer, but it really depends on what you want to shoot and what you want to spend.
Lot's of guys here love their vintage primes too. You can pick up an adapter for about $8 to make them work, and the lenses range from $30-150 usually for some fast primes. Just gotta scour eBay and pawnshops looking for a deal. I have a few, and they're good for what they're good for. I like the modern glass a lot better though.
If you can live with manual focus for photos too, the Rokinon 35mm 1.4 and the 85mm 1.5 ($500 and $280 respectively)
With a little more money, I'd opt for something wider too. Might replace that 35mm with a Canon 24mm, but that's a lot more.
The Canon 50mm f/1.4 is a great lens too!
So many to choose from haha, it can be a hard decision. The fast zooms are great also. The Canon 24-70mm 2.8 is awesome, the Sigma 28-75 2.8 is pretty good too, a less expensive alternative. And the Tokina 11-16mm 2.8 is a killer ultra-wide.
Hope that helps, not an exact answer, but it really depends on what you want to shoot and what you want to spend.
Lot's of guys here love their vintage primes too. You can pick up an adapter for about $8 to make them work, and the lenses range from $30-150 usually for some fast primes. Just gotta scour eBay and pawnshops looking for a deal. I have a few, and they're good for what they're good for. I like the modern glass a lot better though.
If you want to get decent quality Canon lenses, you'll have to spend about 400 per lens or about 1200 in total.
The best workhorse lens, imo, is the 24-70 2.8
Splitting it up into 3 primes: Something like a 24mm 2.8, a 50mm 1.4 and an 85mm 1.8. Again abt 1200 in total.
As far as wide to ultradwide for the 7D (1.6 crop) goes, the 10-22mm is the best choice if you're going with a Canon brand. It costs 900-1000. But i own it and can tell you it is a gorgeous piece of work.
The best workhorse lens, imo, is the 24-70 2.8
Splitting it up into 3 primes: Something like a 24mm 2.8, a 50mm 1.4 and an 85mm 1.8. Again abt 1200 in total.
As far as wide to ultradwide for the 7D (1.6 crop) goes, the 10-22mm is the best choice if you're going with a Canon brand. It costs 900-1000. But i own it and can tell you it is a gorgeous piece of work.
What do you think about getting a T3i instead of the 7d and using the extra coin on quality lenses?
I think that's a pretty good idea if you're going to use it only for video work.
Another question is how useful is an ultra-wide? I do have an epic outdoor opening shot in mind that would definately benefit from an ultra-wide.
But if those are the only shots it is useful for I cant see spening the money on it now. How would the 24mm handle this shot? Once again thanks for any help guys, you know your sh*t.
But if those are the only shots it is useful for I cant see spening the money on it now. How would the 24mm handle this shot? Once again thanks for any help guys, you know your sh*t.
Go on youtube or vimeo and type in the Canon 7D or t2i and then the focal length of the lens to see what a 24mm looks like. If that is wide enough for what you have in mind or not.
And whenever you see yourself not using a lens much except for a certain shot or project, look into renting that lens. You can rent a lens for under $50 with insurance for 3 days, give or take.
Buy the lenses which you think you will be using all the time.
But the thing is, for almost any film, one usually needs a wide, a standard and long lens. That's why those are the basic 3 lenses to get when starting out.
EDIT: Btw, i loved Lewis as Bill the Butcher.
And whenever you see yourself not using a lens much except for a certain shot or project, look into renting that lens. You can rent a lens for under $50 with insurance for 3 days, give or take.
Buy the lenses which you think you will be using all the time.
But the thing is, for almost any film, one usually needs a wide, a standard and long lens. That's why those are the basic 3 lenses to get when starting out.
EDIT: Btw, i loved Lewis as Bill the Butcher.
Yeah depends where you're shooting. 24 is wide, but if you'e in a 10x10 bedroom then probably not wide enough.
Renting is a great way to go to!
Renting is a great way to go to!
I ll second that. I had to grab 18mm (or 28mm for t2i) to get enough of a wide shot.
Am I gonna need filters for these lenses too? Like a UV, polarizer, etc?
Ernest, thanks for the DDL shoutout.
The T3i I see comes with a 18-55mm lens. Will that lens get a wider shot on 18mm than the 24mm prime we discussed before?
If not I am just gonna buy the camera body only and save some more money.
The T3i I see comes with a 18-55mm lens. Will that lens get a wider shot on 18mm than the 24mm prime we discussed before?
If not I am just gonna buy the camera body only and save some more money.
Yes, 18mm is wider than 24mm. That lens is SLOW though. It's f/3.5 max aperture at 18mm vs 1.4 max of the 24mm. f/1.4 lets in about 71% of available light. 3.5 lets in 28%. If you only shoot outside or with lots of light, 3.5 is fine. In fact you'll probably be running between f/8 and f/20 if it's REALLY bright. But indoors, low-light a fast prime is the way to go!
One of the main shots in my short is a sunrise. What would you use?
I mean if I am gonna get use out of the 24mm for other shots than I will def get it and skip the kit lens. But the kit lens sounds like it might be more practical but less quality at this point?
I mean if I am gonna get use out of the 24mm for other shots than I will def get it and skip the kit lens. But the kit lens sounds like it might be more practical but less quality at this point?
A zoom is a lot more practical but not as high quality as a prime most of the time. If you were just going to get the 24mm by itself I'd say it's a bad idea, you need another lens or two along with the 24 to stay versatile. An 85mm probably.
24 still isn't crazy wide though, something to keep in mind. To go wider you usually have to go slower or way more expensive. Wide, just not super wide.
The Canon 24-70mm 2.8 is a great versatile zoom with high image quality and decent speed. There's a Sigma 24-70mm 2.8 zoom that costs a little less and those who use it rave about it (I haven't used it).
On the cheap, but still fast, side of things there's the Tamron 17-50mm 2.8. I have it, and it's a little soft and slow autofocus in photo mode, but it's a great-cheap-wide lens. Pick one up for $350 used, and I'd recommend it over the Canon 18-50 kit.
About the sunrise, you can use a slower lens for sure. And anything landscape usually does better wide.
Just a thought, you might rent these lenses for a weekend at borrowlenses.com or similar. Spend $100 in rentals and you'll have EVERYTHING for your short, then be a lot better equipped to make a purchase decision.
24 still isn't crazy wide though, something to keep in mind. To go wider you usually have to go slower or way more expensive. Wide, just not super wide.
The Canon 24-70mm 2.8 is a great versatile zoom with high image quality and decent speed. There's a Sigma 24-70mm 2.8 zoom that costs a little less and those who use it rave about it (I haven't used it).
On the cheap, but still fast, side of things there's the Tamron 17-50mm 2.8. I have it, and it's a little soft and slow autofocus in photo mode, but it's a great-cheap-wide lens. Pick one up for $350 used, and I'd recommend it over the Canon 18-50 kit.
About the sunrise, you can use a slower lens for sure. And anything landscape usually does better wide.
Just a thought, you might rent these lenses for a weekend at borrowlenses.com or similar. Spend $100 in rentals and you'll have EVERYTHING for your short, then be a lot better equipped to make a purchase decision.
What do you think of this for an ultra-wide?
http://www.amazon.com/Rokinon-FE14M...?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1324072824&sr=1-13
http://www.amazon.com/Rokinon-FE14M...?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1324072824&sr=1-13
Rokinon is a GREAT brand. Really high image quality. The only thing I don't like about this lens is the speed. 2.8 is slow for a fixed focal length. It's $360 which is a great price though. But, only $300 more (maybe less if you really shop) you can get that Tokina which is the same speed and gives you 11-16mm. 11-16 doesn't sound like a big difference, but you need to think of it in terms of ratio. The difference between 11mm and 16mm is similar to the difference between 110mm and 160mm.
I'm never going to give you a flat out "You should buy this lens" answer, just the best pro's and con's and my opinion on the lenses that will hopefully help you make a more informed choice. It's your money after all, you know?
I'm never going to give you a flat out "You should buy this lens" answer, just the best pro's and con's and my opinion on the lenses that will hopefully help you make a more informed choice. It's your money after all, you know?
Well, after some thinking I have finally made my decision.
I am going with that Tokina 11-16mm. And then I am also going to buy a medium to close zoom lens. Just don't know which yet. Need to do more research. Any suggestions?
I am going with that Tokina 11-16mm. And then I am also going to buy a medium to close zoom lens. Just don't know which yet. Need to do more research. Any suggestions?
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