Im a BIG noob when it comes to lenses. Im going get the Black Magic Cinema camera soon. Which lens size would be the best to get for the best all around looking shots?
Which size lens do professionals use for film look?
- Thread starter RealJasonBourne
- Start date
If they ever get their production numbers up... haha
Professionals, and just about anyone with any budget hire a range of lenses dependent upon the film. Usually you rent a set of prime. A standard set of four is usually 25, 35, 50, 85, sometimes there may be an 18 as well (for a set of 5). These are not set - ie old Zeiss standard speed sets replace the 18 and 25 with a 16 and 24mm.
Then sometimes zooms are hired, often in addition to primes, either for certain shots and effects or for certain logistical reasons. Then there are also the different physical sizes of lenses - ie The Hobbit used Zeiss Ultra Primes as they are small and light compared to their Master Prime big brothers.
The largest budget movies tend to rent out comprehensive kits of Ultra Primes, Master Primes or Cooke Primes (s4/i or 5/i). These can be hired in sets of 7, 10, or more, depending on focal lengths needed. It really comes down to the DP and his discussions with the Director.
There's no way I could recommend one lens for any application, the answer is always: it depends. On the story, on your own needs, on the camera's sensor, on what other lenses you are getting, on what cinematic effects you want to employ etc. etc. etc.
Professionals, and just about anyone with any budget hire a range of lenses dependent upon the film. Usually you rent a set of prime. A standard set of four is usually 25, 35, 50, 85, sometimes there may be an 18 as well (for a set of 5). These are not set - ie old Zeiss standard speed sets replace the 18 and 25 with a 16 and 24mm.
Then sometimes zooms are hired, often in addition to primes, either for certain shots and effects or for certain logistical reasons. Then there are also the different physical sizes of lenses - ie The Hobbit used Zeiss Ultra Primes as they are small and light compared to their Master Prime big brothers.
The largest budget movies tend to rent out comprehensive kits of Ultra Primes, Master Primes or Cooke Primes (s4/i or 5/i). These can be hired in sets of 7, 10, or more, depending on focal lengths needed. It really comes down to the DP and his discussions with the Director.
There's no way I could recommend one lens for any application, the answer is always: it depends. On the story, on your own needs, on the camera's sensor, on what other lenses you are getting, on what cinematic effects you want to employ etc. etc. etc.
Isnt it better to have a lens on your camera at all times, instead of just shooting all stock with no lens? Renting sounds good, if its not too expensive. Which lens is best to buy to keep on my camera instead of shooting just with the stock lens?
On my HV40 when I shot some garbage short films, the actors are taking up most of the screen space, so wouldnt it be better to have a non-stock lens on there to fit more scenery into the shot?
On my HV40 when I shot some garbage short films, the actors are taking up most of the screen space, so wouldnt it be better to have a non-stock lens on there to fit more scenery into the shot?
The HV40 doesn't really have a very angle lens built in.
By stock lens do you mean kit lens, or am I currently demonstrating ignorance? :/
I'm not sure what you mean - the Canon HV40 is a handycam, and therefore the lens isn't interchangeable. You'd need an adapter such as a Pro35, though whether a Pro35 or similar would work on such a camera I'm not sure.
Cinema cameras, and (D)SLRs come with a lens mount which is not a lens in itself, it is simply a mechanism for attaching a lens. In that way there is no lens at all, a 'stock' lens as you mention. You must attach a lens to be able to shoot, which is why lens sets are rented (or purchased, as is often the case with (D)SLR shooters). You cannot shoot anything without first mounting a lens on these cameras.
this is a newb question, but would it be dumb to have a 35mm canon lens on my camera at all times for every single shot that i do? or is that better than the stock lens (no lens).
to the other guy: i mean stock as in straight out of the box no lens at all
Not entirely tree, lens whacking is done without attaching the lens .. But is for more advanced or comfortable dslr users..
But agreed with everything else you need a lens would you ride a car with no tires
You cannot shoot without a lens. Out-of-the-box, cinema and (D)SLR cameras cannot shoot an image. I'll try and explain:
The Canon HV40 has an 'in-built' lens - one that cannot be changed. You do not have to mount or buy a lens to see an image, but you also cannot remove the lens - you cannot swap it out for a 35mm. For a camera to register an image, a lens must be attached. The difference with camcorders, is they have lenses attached out of the box. Your camera does actually have a lens, it's just in-buit, and cannot be changed or removed. Cinema camera or (D)SLRs sometimes come with kit lenses, but the camera bodies themselves do not have in-built lenses, so they cannot be used unless you mount a lens onto it.
In your situation, to get a second lens onto the camera, you could purchase a Pro35 adapter and purchase a lens to go with it, but the cost of the adapters are often ~$600 without even buying the lens, which could easily buy you a DSLR body.
Putting a 35mm lens on an adapter and then onto your camera would make it heavier and less portable. It would have an effect on the overall look of the image, you would get a more cinematic DOF, but for the cost of it you may as well purchase a DSLR. As well, a 35mm lens is not going to be what you want for all of your shots.
Also, as you say, lens whacking is not for the lens newbie
To continue with the tyre analogy - a handycam like the HV40 comes with a set of really cheap tyres when you buy it. These tyres are (essentially) welded onto the wheels, and cannot be changed, ever. Cine cameras and DSLRs come from the factory as if a car without tyres, and then you must purchase the tyres yourself.
At least, at a really basic level - there are of course exceptions, such as DSLRs with kit lenses, or 35mm adapters, but at a very basic level, I guess that's the difference
The Canon HV40 has an 'in-built' lens - one that cannot be changed. You do not have to mount or buy a lens to see an image, but you also cannot remove the lens - you cannot swap it out for a 35mm. For a camera to register an image, a lens must be attached. The difference with camcorders, is they have lenses attached out of the box. Your camera does actually have a lens, it's just in-buit, and cannot be changed or removed. Cinema camera or (D)SLRs sometimes come with kit lenses, but the camera bodies themselves do not have in-built lenses, so they cannot be used unless you mount a lens onto it.
In your situation, to get a second lens onto the camera, you could purchase a Pro35 adapter and purchase a lens to go with it, but the cost of the adapters are often ~$600 without even buying the lens, which could easily buy you a DSLR body.
Putting a 35mm lens on an adapter and then onto your camera would make it heavier and less portable. It would have an effect on the overall look of the image, you would get a more cinematic DOF, but for the cost of it you may as well purchase a DSLR. As well, a 35mm lens is not going to be what you want for all of your shots.
Yes, but for lens whacking you still need a lens though it's not technically mounted, and you still need to hold the lens as if it were mounted, albeit with a bit of light leakage. You cannot pull out your DSLR (or SLR) and shoot an image unless you attach a lens - indeed, you technically can shoot without a lens on an SLR or motion picture film camera, but all you'd see is white.8salacious9 said:
Also, as you say, lens whacking is not for the lens newbie
To continue with the tyre analogy - a handycam like the HV40 comes with a set of really cheap tyres when you buy it. These tyres are (essentially) welded onto the wheels, and cannot be changed, ever. Cine cameras and DSLRs come from the factory as if a car without tyres, and then you must purchase the tyres yourself.
At least, at a really basic level - there are of course exceptions, such as DSLRs with kit lenses, or 35mm adapters, but at a very basic level, I guess that's the difference
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A 35mm lens is a prime lens. Which means it cannot zoom, at all. If you want that close up, you must move up close to your actor, if you want a wide shot, you must move far away.
On an added note I just feel like putting in: never use digital zoom. Ever. Under ANY circumstance. If it turns out you have to zoom that little bit more in, do it in post. You possibly already know this but I just felt I should point it out
On an added note I just feel like putting in: never use digital zoom. Ever. Under ANY circumstance. If it turns out you have to zoom that little bit more in, do it in post. You possibly already know this but I just felt I should point it out
Zooming in post is digital zoom, and often has similar results to doing so in camera, at least when talking about handycams.
What you can do is crop to say, 720p, scale down most of the footage, but crop in the shots that need to be 'zoomed'.
I know of a few corporate shooters on RED who simply crop in their 4k mid shot to a 1080 close up (they're scaling down to 1080 anyway), rather than do a completely new setup on the day.
Yes I realise, I meant there is little point in doing it in camera. Sorry I should have made that bit clear
Canon HV40 --->
You can attach a step up ring on it's 43mm filter thread then attach some simple 2X or wide angle/ fish eye lenses to it, but that's about it.
Canon right outta the box --->
See? No lens.
You CAN'T SHOOT ANYTHING WITH THIS!
Canon with a lens on it --->
In this case, a 18-135mm, (it's printed there on the front of the circular filter area.)
Black Magic w/o lens --->
You can't do anything with this. It's an expensive paperweight, essentially.
Black Magic w/ lens --->
Hope that clears up some of the confusion.
You can attach a step up ring on it's 43mm filter thread then attach some simple 2X or wide angle/ fish eye lenses to it, but that's about it.
Canon right outta the box --->
See? No lens.
You CAN'T SHOOT ANYTHING WITH THIS!
Canon with a lens on it --->
In this case, a 18-135mm, (it's printed there on the front of the circular filter area.)
Black Magic w/o lens --->
You can't do anything with this. It's an expensive paperweight, essentially.
Black Magic w/ lens --->
Hope that clears up some of the confusion.
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There's some nice lens suggestions here: http://nofilmschool.com/2012/09/blackmagic-cinema-camera-getting-micro-43-mountt-this-year/
Here's Phillip Bloom's (rather lengthy) Black Magic review: http://vimeo.com/48956550