New lens for NightLife Video
 

Hey guys.. Working with my t2i.. i do a lot of nightlife/club videos.. I use my 50mm 1.8 a lot and ive rented a few other lenses here and there.. However i'm looking to buy now.. I'd like to spend less than 600 bucks.. i want something that is fast but is wider.
I've been looking at the Sigma 30mm and maybe reaching out and getting the Tokina 11-16 2.8..
Has anyone tried to Sigma 30 or Tokina 11-16

Opinions and guidance would be amazing!

Andrew

Re: New lens for NightLife Video
 

There's some discussion of a few fast options in here

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/canon-eo...m-1-4-m-f.html

I give a little review of the Sigma on page 2 (if you view with default reply counts, I guess)
http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/canon-eo...1-4-m-f-2.html

The Sigma 30mm is a good little lens for the money. It's not flawless though and some people seem to insist on that. As the reviews generally state, the resolution isn't fantastic at the edges when its wide open. For 1080 video this isn't such a big deal though.
The Samyang 35 gets quite good reviews too though.

I can't speak to the Tokina. I do find it easy to forget just how big the difference between 1.4 and 2.8 is though. I've thrown on my Tamron 17-50 in a fit of pique at some dark venue, only to be harshly reminded. It's a good speed to have most of the time though.

Re: New lens for NightLife Video
 

It's two whole stops & in low light that's the difference between using ISO400 & ISO1600 or worse using ISO1600 with the F/1.4 but needing ISO6400 for the F/2.8 lens.

Re: New lens for NightLife Video
 

I have both the Sigma 30/1.4 and the Tokina 11-16/2.8 and I use them for completely different purposes.

The 30/1.4 is great for isolation in close quarters. It's too hard to try to maintain composition with a 50/1.8 unless you're on a tripod.

The Tokina 11-16/2.8 is great for shots in motion, but even at f2.8 there's little to no isolation.

Re: New lens for NightLife Video
 

I'm loving the Sigma 30mm 1.4 - I shoot a number of Jazz Bands (large and small) in clubs with horrendous combinations of lighting elements etc. - and this lens is just right for my work in those situations.

Re: New lens for NightLife Video
 

I've got the Canon EF 28mm f1.8 USM:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/102851-USA/Canon_2510A003_Wide_Angle_EF_28mm.html

I find it very crisp, has excellent contrast, and the f1.8 does very creditable low light work. At $484 (B&H today, I paid $549 when I bought mine a year ago) it fits your budget, the lens balances well on the T2i (fairly compact).

On our APS-C size sensor cameras this lens approximates "normal" perspective being neither wide nor telephoto, I find it a comfortable working perspective. You will get close to the same thing with the Sigma 30mm but I chose to stay within the Canon EOS "system" and I am very pleased with the optical quality.

I have 3 primes I use for most video work (T3i, 7D, and 60D); EF 24mm f2.8 (slightly wider perspective close to what we used to get in PJ situations with the 35mm on film cams), EF 28mm f1.8 for "normal" perspective and working distances, and the original EF 50mm f1.8 (with the focusing ring in the "right" place) for "portrait" tele perspective, and longer working distances.

I'll use the "kit" 18-55 for when I need wide angle (at the 18mm end) and am dealing with somewhat low light (f3.5 can be made to work if you have to) or the wide end of the 17-40mm f4L in better light.

Hope this info helps.

Re: New lens for NightLife Video
 

I love my sigma 30mm. I've shot lots of video with it, and it is fantastic for lowlights, I don't even set up my lighting half the time anymore because of it. I also use a Tamron 17-50 2.8 for anything that needs a bit more wide angle.
I hate to use my HMC40 now, unless I really have to.

Re: New lens for NightLife Video
 

2.8 just doesn't cut it with dark shots, even weddings. Go 24 or 28 or 30 1.4, 1.8 only if your budget is too tight

Re: New lens for NightLife Video
 

Well now it seems to be between the sigma 30 1.4 and the canon 28 1.8 ...
Like i said before i shoot at wide open a lot because i need as much light coming in as possible.
Let me know what you guys think! Im thinking of buying one of these lenses today!!

Andrew

Re: New lens for NightLife Video
 

I've never tried it personally, and there are other considerations, but I think I ended up going for the Sigma over the Canon 28mm because its resolution reviews were pretty bad at wide open (and the Sigma is faster so it might even have more glass to it. Good job Sigma).

Sigma 30 mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM review - Image resolution - Lenstip.com
Canon EF 28 mm f/1.8 USM review - Image resolution - Lenstip.com

The Sigma was even cheaper at the time too, but I got it in a bit of a price dip.

Yeah, lens shopping is hell.

Re: New lens for NightLife Video
 

I was also looking for a great lens for low light and it comes down to the Sigma 30mm f1.4 or the Samyang 35mm f1.4. I have seen great examples of both. The Sigma has the added advantage of auto focus but from what I have read the Samyang beats it on image quality.

We have to make compromises unless we wanted to carry a lens around which was the size of the Hubble :)

Re: New lens for NightLife Video
 

I own the EF 28/1.8 and it's one of my favorite lenses for video. Don't rely so much on the photo pixel peepers. They don't review lenses for video. (I don't own the Sigma, so I can't compare it.)

So, why is the EF 28/1.8 good for video?

1) Often we shoot photos to be studied, corner to corner. For video, we draw the eye to one point on the screen. The exception is the long duration wide view, such as in Lawrence of Arabia. But for, say, an action scene, we want the audience looking at the gun, the car, the fist, or the face. Also, we often shoot for shallow DOF. In this case, your corners aren't intended to be sharp. BTW, the video 16x9 frame crops the corners slightly.

2) Center sharpness on the 28/1.8 is quite good - certainly good enough for video. Remember, we're shooting 2MP, not 18MP.

3) My 28/1.8 breathes less than most photo lenses. It's on par with the 200/2.8L. Ironically, people rate the 85/1.8 well, yet it breathes like mad. The 100 macro is even worse. But photographers don't care about breathing, so they don't even test it.

4) The lens ring isn't great on the 28, but that's not so critical for wide lenses, except when shooting very close to the subject. It has similar throw and feel to the 85/1.8. On the other hand, an 85mm lens needs an excellent focus ring. I'll never understand why so many video people like the 85/1.8. Its focus is way too coarse for an 85mm lens, but that same throw on a 28 is just fine.

The EF 28/1.8 is no Zeiss ZE lens. It doesn't have that solid smooth metal focus ring. It's corner sharpness for photos simply doesn't compete with the EF 24/1.4L. But as a wide video lens, it's totally viable. I much prefer it to the 50/1.4 (meh), 85/1.8 (bad focus ring, breathes), 100/2.8 (breathes like mad, the aperture changes when pulling focus!), and 200/2.8L (too long for narrative) for video.

I even like the 28/1.8 for photos - specifically when getting close to an interesting object. Its weakness is for wide landscapes.

Re: New lens for NightLife Video
 

Well everyone! After much research and all of your great opinions.. I decided to go with the Sigma 30mm 1.4. It seem to be the best to fit all my needs. So here starts a lot of filming with this lens!!! Thank you again for all the input!

-Andrew

Re: New lens for NightLife Video
 

Congratulations... I think you're going to love it!

Re: New lens for NightLife Video
 

Good choice on the Sigma! I have had mine for about three months now and love it! I have the Canon 50mm f/1.8 and the first thing I loved about my Sigma was the substantial size and focusing ring. The fact that you can manually focus at anytime even while the lens is set to AF really gives the lens versatility.