Advice: Looking to purchase 7D for client video testimonials- lens recommendations?
 

Hi! I've been researching the 7D for a few weeks now and am looking at different lenses to go w/ the camera. I will be using this for mainly filming patient testimonials for dentists who want to use the videos for their website, social media, and in office marketing (waiting rooms).

Initially, I bought a Canon Vixia HF 200 and quickly learned that the quality is not up to my standards. Then I rented a Canon XH A1 and vowed to never use tape again! DSLRs seem to really be a great option for what I'm doing.

I've looked at the lens kits from B&H and someone recommended I get an L lens like a 24-70.

Right now, that's a too rich for my blood. I currently have a Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS I use w/ my XTi (as well as a Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6).

Question- what lens would you recommend w/ the 7D for the type of work I am doing?

Thanks!

I think your current Canon lens might be fine for what you want to do. Often the more expensive lenses are partially so due to their speed - but for things like testimonials and similar interviews you'll probably want to shoot in the f/4-5.6 range. I'm using a 5D, so your DOF will probably be a little deeper, but at f/2.8 or larger and typical interview distances the DOF can be so thin that if your subject shifts in their seat their face or eyes may go out of focus. At f/5.6 if you focus so that their ears just start to come into focus you'll get enough room that their entire face should stay sharp if they move around a little.

Thanks Evan! That's good to hear that I could use my current lens. I plan on renting a 7D again next week. I will compare the lenses and see if I can tell a difference.

Look into some of the non L series prime lenses. 85 1.8 is a fantastic portrait lens. 50 1.4 also gets very good ratings. These will be essential in low light and give you more creative freedoms then your 3.5-5.6 zoom. Also range around $300.

I have the 7D with the Canon 50mm f1.4 and am very happy with it, I didn't buy the kit lens as I have experience with kit lenses and they are really a compromise.

This is a clip I did with the 50mm f1.4 Stock Video Footage: Female Doctor

I think your main concern for shooting testimonies should not be which lens to use but how to record the sound! There is a lot of effective ways to achieve it but this will be your principal workflow change going from a true video camera to the 7D.

I'd think a Canon 50mm 1.4 or 1.8 would do nicely!

Add a Zoom H4n for second system sound, and off ya go!

Go with a prime lens. Canon 50mm 1.4 is nice and can't go wrong with L series glass. Also check out the new Zeiss stuff. They are built like tanks and have hard focus stops. I tried a 28mm f2 and it looked great.

You really need a zoom lens for shooting interviews, unless you can always mount the camera on a dolly and have a clean move into or away from the subject. It's common to change focal lengths numerous times during most interviews, and you can't do that with a prime lens (unless you have plenty of time between questions, which is when I always do my focal length changes).

The problem with your 28-135 is that you always will have to shoot at a 5.6, otherwise when you zoom in you'll need more light. Also, I shoot most of my interviews at around a 2.8 because generally I want a shallow depth of field. In many cases there are things in the background I want to blur into non-recognition, or people will be walking by and invariable somebody will look at the camera, but if he's just a fuzzy shape going by in the background you can't tell what he's doing. You do have to watch your focus when shooting at 2.8, as mentioned above. If a person is, say, sitting at a table and leans forward, you're going to have to shift focus with him. If you want a deeper depth of field for your interviews and have enough lighting power to bring things up to a 5.6 without cooking the subject, or don't mind elevating your ISO, then that lens is good.

The 24-70 L is a great interview lens because it's wide enough so you can be in fairly close to the subject but long enough so you can zoom in to the ECU when necessary.

Bill took the words right out of my mouth. For what you are doing I IMHO, would definitely go with a tapeless camcorder. If, you insist on going the DSLR Route and purchasing a 7d, I would also advise you to purchase a T2i w a 50mm 1.4. That will give you multiple angles and low light. Believe it or not I have been very satisfied with the sound from my camera by hooking the lavalier recieved directly to the T2i.

GREAT INFO guys!!!!

Thanks for your help.


Chris