Canon EOS 5D Mark II camera -- Image via Wikipedia
Canon DSLR Camera
By Filmmaker Joseph Ort
As a filmmaker, if you’re interested in buying a Canon DSLR camera, I would go with the Canon T2i. If you have the budget to buy the Canon 5D Mark II – hold off. Canon will be making an announcement at the end of this month and then another camera announcement on November 3rd.
So if you’re on a budget – T2i. If not, hold out to see what Canon is going to announce.
Lenses
The lens that comes with the Canon camera is not really geared to DSLR filmmaking. Sure it will do the job, but there are better lenses out there. The main problem with the stock lens is that they’re not that fast of a lens (at least 3.5) and it’s not a fixed aperture, so if you zoom in it’s going to go to 5.6.
Just buy the camera body and go with a 50mm prime. The reason I like this lens is that it’s very fast and it’s an easy way to achieve that shallow depth. Canon has a 50mm 1.8 that’s around $100, which is a really great deal. They also make a 1.4 that’s built a bit better, but it will cost more.
If you’re on a budget go with the Canon 50mm 1.8. If you’re looking for the best glass to own – go with a Zeiss ZE 50mm 1.4 lens.
Another lens is something that has a good amount of zoom and is a good walk around lens. Canon has an L lens that is 24-70 and is a 2.8. Very sharp and a pretty fast lens. This lens is around 1,500 so it’s very expensive. If you were to own one lens, this would probably be it. However, rumor has it that Canon is going to replacing this lens in the next couple of months. So even if you have the budget, maybe hold out until version 2 is released.
Another way to go is with an another brand – Sigma or Tamron. Tamron has a good 28-75 2.8 lens. This sells for around $400. It’s sharp and a pretty awesome for the price point.
Some other lenses to look into would be a 70-200 and then something wide, a 10-20 or 11-16.
Filters
One of the last things to stock up on is filters. A UV filter is going to protect your lens and it is good to keep on at all times.
Another one to get is a variety of ND filters. This will help keep your lens fast and give you the ability to shoot at 2.8 in sunlight. There’s another option when it comes to ND filters and that is with variable ND filters. They will take way some of your sharpness but if you’re in hurry and need to film something fast, this is a better way to go.
So that’s pretty much my rundown of what lenses to get and why.
About Joseph Ort
Joseph Ort is an independent filmmaker who has spent the last decade working on his own independent film projects. He is also co-owner of the Los Angeles based production company – Shadowmind Productions. More filmmaking articles can be found at: ShadowmindProductions.com/blog
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