Which lens would give me the most action? I often just rent out lenses depending on what I will be doing, but I need something other than the stock that I can go to whenever I need to.

A great walk around lens that will cover most common focal lengths on a budget is the Tamron 17-50mm. It can be had brand new for about $450, or you can spend more for the "VC" version which has Image Stabilization. It's a very popular lens for this camera.

Please bear in mind however, while this lens is excellent optically, it's not as quiet as a Canon USM lens during autofocus, and mechanically it focuses backwards from Canon lenses. Lastly it has a short focus ring rotation, making manual fine focus adjustments a bit more difficult.

Nothing you can't adjust to, but things to consider. Good luck.

Depends on what you're doing. If you need wide angle, that Tamron is excellent. I have a Tokina 16-50 that I like, but it's not quite long enough for tight closeups when shooting interviews, so I also have a Tamron 28-75, which is perfect for that. Both are 2.8 lenses. Both have a short focus throw, with the Tokina being a bit better.

Lastly it has a short focus ring rotation, making manual fine focus adjustments a bit more difficult.



This can be a real issue with video work since AF is useless.

Was also wondering if anyone had any ideas on lenses for the 7D? So far I've found these two:

Amazon.com: Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG Macro Telephoto Zoom Lens with Opteka 58mm UV Filter for Canon EOS SLR Cameras Including the 10D, 20D, 30D, 40D, 50D, Digital Rebel XT, XTi, XS, XSi, & T1i: 47th Street Photo (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B002CX16WO/ref=ord_cart_shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=A1P9QRDRYY6FXL&v=glance)

Amazon.com: Sigma 18-50mm f/3.5-5.6 DC AF Wide Angle Zoom Lens for Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT, XTi, XS, XSi, T1i, 7D, 10D, 20D, 30D, 40D, & 50D Digital SLR Cameras: Camera & Photo (http://www.amazon.com/Sigma-18-50mm-3-5-5-6-Digital-Cameras/dp/B002DGXUQK/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=photo&qid=1266406395&sr=1-8)

I'm willing to spend a couple hundred more if need be...

Cheers

The kit Canon EFS-18-55 with IS would be better, and still very cheap.

I think the Tamron 28-75 would be the best for me. I know the other __-55 lenses are far superior to the stock 28-55 lens, but I feel the close up potential of the Tamron is worth it.

I think the Tamron 28-75 would be the best for me. I know the other __-55 lenses are far superior to the stock 28-55 lens, but I feel the close up potential of the Tamron is worth it.

I own this lens and use it as my walkaround lens. I like it. but it also suffers from short focus ring travel. I think with a follow focus you might get adequate ring travel though. I'm thinking you might get about 180 degrees of travel with a FF.

Amazon.com: Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG Macro Telephoto Zoom

I'm willing to spend a couple hundred more if need be...


Stay away. The manual focus on that lens is sloppier than a dog's lunch. I had the "APO" version ($50 more) for a while, and the contrast/resolution was fantastic at 70mm, but other than that, you get what you pay for.

For The Canon EF-S 55-250 for only $90 more ($250) has is a much better image quality and I.S. on top of that, but the focus ring is still pretty poor.

At that price range, I can't think of any telephoto zoom lenses that have nice focus rings. You might consider looking for older used lenses -- hopefully you can find one with a focus ring that's smooth, well-damped, with long rotation. Unless you also want to use it for still photography, in which case the 55-250 is the best value around.

what do you guys think of the Canon 50mm 1.8? Very good price point and as a noob, seeing the 1.8 got me excited.

what do you guys think of the Canon 50mm 1.8? Very good price point and as a noob, seeing the 1.8 got me excited.

Okay for stills but nearly impossible to get manual focus. Lousy for video.

One of my personal interview spaces is in my editing studio (how original, eh?) and t is very dark. Since this is an interview spot and the subject would be sitting, would the 50mm be suitable then? Obviously, this is straying from my "versatile lens" topic, but the test videos im watching are jaw dropping.

Since this is an interview spot and the subject would be sitting, would the 50mm be suitable then?

Yes, as long as the subject sits perfectly still and you don't need to follow focus, it should be fine. The 50mm f/1.8 focus ring moves with even the slightest vibration -- such as when the mirror slaps up at the start/stop of liveview/video. After you dial it in with manual focus, switch it to autofocus to lock it in position.

Contrast, flare, vignetting, and resolution all really improve if you stop down to f/2.8, but the downside is that bokeh changes from ugly harsh circles to even uglier harsh pentagons. Out of all Canon lenses, it's still the best value by far.

The kit Canon EFS-18-55 with IS would be better, and still very cheap.

Did you know if this would be better? Canon EF-S 17-85 mm F4-5.6 IS USM Lens Review: 1. Introduction: Digital Photography Review (http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/canon_17-85_4-5p6_is_usm_c16/). Article says it seems to be quite a good lens, just not sure about low light performance?

Thanks again

what do you guys think of the Canon 50mm 1.8? Very good price point and as a noob, seeing the 1.8 got me excited.

You may also consider Canon 35mm f2. Brand new, it retails about $300. I purchased a used one and I actually like it more than the expensive L lens (24-105mm f4) I have.

P.

I had the 35/2 and sold it. It's not a bad lens though. The downsides are the cheap focus ring and build quality (it's an older design). On the upside, the images aren't bad and it has a very close minimum focus distance. I personally prefer the 50/1.4, which I got for $350 new, or the 28/1.8, which was about $400 used. With those two lenses, I found that I never reached for the 35/2. Then again, the 50/1.4 and 28/1.8 don't focus nearly as close as the 35/2.

On a cheap budget I recommend the Sigma 1.4, Canon 1.4 and Tokina 11-16!

The lens I can't get off because I love it to much is an old nikon mount Sigma 50mm Macro 2.8. I removed the lens from a 1995 Leaf Lumina scanning back. It has a green IR filter that adds a bit a colour in a quirky way I love, so that stay on.

I used to carry the Canon 1.4 and compared to this even though it's a lot slower I love it. The sigma is much sharper on the edges even when the canon is stopped down.
The Bokeh is diffused as this is a macro lens.

Worth about £50 brass lens adapter £10

Here is the lens in action the other day.

On Sussex Downs on Vimeo

Crimson Skies on Vimeo

James

James. Your footage looks awsome and I do like that odd green cast that you mentioned from the filter. It gives this footage a "historical" or "dreamy" cast to it. I almost felt like I was watching old film footage from the seventies or something.

The second clip has an large amount of optical anomalies.....lens flares that really obstruct and diffuse the image in a unique way popping in and out. Now don't get me wrong, as an effect this was great....I felt like I was watching someone's memories and the optical cues made it feel nostalgic. The question I have it was this on purpose? Or were these just side effects of the filter and glass of the sigma?

Even though it looked great and fit the piece as you edited it, if this were a narrative I would find myself getting pulled out of the story and being reminded that there is a camera...and thus a camera man filming this. In fact, as I think of it, that is what makes your piece feel kind of magical....I feel as though I am the person filiming it or living it....it is obvious that it is a first person perspective. At least to me.

Anyway....any insight on this would be grand. Thanks!

Hi Marty,

Thanks, you put that nicely.

It gives me that nostalgic feeling too, In a way that its hard to put your finger on. but to me reminiscent of my grandfathers 8mm reels, I found it hard to cut as I loved looking at it uncut. If you've ever edited your own families 8mm films they are hard to cut as you want to watch and include everything, well it felt like that to me with this one, so I left them all in.

The optical anomalies were intentional, I've been messing around with nikon mounts and screw M42 lenses with lots of adapters, letting the light leak from behind as if on a translucent bellow. I set the lens to infinity and focus by moving the lens physically forward or backward and rocking side to side, as if in a hip joint motion.

Nothing worth showing at the moment but once I've mastered the construction and mounts of the bellow I'll post a pic.

..not sure if any of that made sense, but you get the idea.

The other flick 'On Sussex Downs' is with the sigma directly attached as normal, just keeping on the IR filter to give a cookie colour.

P.S. sorry for moving off topic.

James

Did you know if this would be better? Canon EF-S 17-85 mm F4-5.6 IS USM Lens Review: 1. Introduction: Digital Photography Review (http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/canon_17-85_4-5p6_is_usm_c16/). Article says it seems to be quite a good lens, just not sure about low light performance?

Thanks again

The 17-85 is _much_ better than stock 18-55 or the Sigma 18-55 (non-2.8 version).

Low-light stinks tho since it's f4-5.6. I have f2.8 lenses, but for video, I often come back to my Sigma 30/1.4.

Okay for stills but nearly impossible to get manual focus. Lousy for video.

Looking at this video:

YouTube - CANON EOS 7D TEST FILM LOOK (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_LZL6rkfwo&feature=channel)

It looks like he is not having much trouble with the focus. What is he doing differently?

I have the Canon 50mm f1.4 and love it, I'm new to Canon having been a long time Nikon user. I'm also going to get the Tokina 11-16 f2.8 I also use my old Nikon AI lenses with the Ebay adapter.

I have the Nikkor 200mm f4, 24mm f2.8, 75-150E f3.5. With the adapter I'm also using my Kenko extension tubes. All these type of lenses are availble used at very reasonable prices.

All these lenses on the 7D are giving great results, in comparison to my trusty Canon HV30.

Jem Schofield of the thec41.com is using old Olympus OM1 lenses with his 7D, giving very good results.

Just make sure you get an aperture ring on the lens.