T2i 35mm Moviemaking through T2i and 18-55, 55-250 n 50mm f1.8?

M

malidishbunty

Member
Hi there, I am form RAJASTHAN, INDIA and going to make a movie for 35mm film projection. I am really in low-budget. Till today I consider the canon cameras are good at image quality and enough for a low-budget movie making. I used a Panasonic handy-cam for years to make doc movies and stuff like that. I am going to purchase a canon t2i with 18-55 kit lens and also one 50mm f1.8 and 55-250 is lens which is in my budget. I will use DIY gears like dolly and track system. The movie I am going to make is a horror comic film, which has many low-light scene and some lighting and spl effects. The film will be released through 50 BR-DVDs and 25 35mm film prints in RAJASTHAN only. Is anyone experienced as well as kind there to tell me that what I selected (Lens Specially) is enough for 35mm film or digital projection or not?
 
Considering that people were making theatrical features on XL1s and DVXs up until a few years ago, you should be good as long as you've got a good story to tell!
 
A lot of the time i really wonder how much the difference between the standard kit lens and some expensive L glass is for the Canon video quality. I use the kit lens all the time and it's great as long as you know it's limits. The 50mm 1.8 is great for the depth-of-field shots though it's too close for most stuff on crop-frame, i think. Usable and cheap if you have some space, though. I think a 30mm or something (like the sigma 30mm 1.4) would be the most practical lens for a lot of uses.

As for the quality of the camera itself; i myself tend to cry about the quality a bit. If you closely look at it, especially highly detailed shots, there's just not much resolution there. Depth-of-field masks a lot of that, though. I saw T2i (well, 60D actually, but /same) on a HUGE screen and it looked absolutely ok. Not as good as real film or red - at all - but totally, TOTALLY ok. I wouldn't worry about it. If you have a good story, even the most pixel-peeping people will forget about cameras and resolutions.
 
malidishbunty said:
I am going to purchase a canon t2i with 18-55 kit lens and also one 50mm f1.8 and 55-250 is lens which is in my budget.
Click to expand...

I had the 18-55 kit lens and the 50mm 1.8. The 18-55 is pretty good in the wide range and the 50mm 1.8 is very sharp and fast enough to make up the difference at 50mm. I also bought the 55-250mm which according to the focus charts on The-digital-picture looks pretty bad, but in the real world it's actually quite good for the low price. I needed an IS lens for a shoot from a moving car.
I rarely shoot at 250mm trying to keep both the center frame and the corners in focus. I also rarely shoot wide open (mostly f11 to f16) with it seeing that it's place is usually in full daylight, so sharp focus is less of a problem.

I replaced the 550D and kit lens with a 60D and Tamron 17-50 2.8 non VC, which is somewhat better and no longer use the 50mm 1.8 often.
You may consider going that route as apposed to buying 2 lenses to do the job one should cover. When you combine the price of the 2 cheap lenses the additional cost of the Tamron shouldn't be much more.
The 55-250 as much as I want to sell it and get a Canon 70-200 f4L, for now it still seems to shoot good images. If I had it to do over again I would not have bought the 55-250mm. Since I shoot all manual and over 50mm I'm on a tripod with a loupe I think it's better to go with vintage lenses like Nikon of even cheaper Olympus Zuiko OM Manual lenses.
I have this OM 85-250 zoom which is ultra sharp and has better contrast than the Canon 55-250 f4.5/5.6. At f5 it sounds slow but it's constant aperture and exactly in the middle of the Canon. For $60 bucks plus a $22 adapter can't go wrong.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Olympus-85-250m...10931467?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item3cb98afd0b
 
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My last movie was the first feature to be shot with just a kit lens on the T2i. Yes there were times where it would've been nice to have some other glass, but if you're good with lighting, it's definitely doable
 
Kit lens .. doable. Not great.

Cheating yourself a bit.


Better advice would be use atleast a
30mm 1.4 sigma
85mm 1.8 canon
11-16mm Tokina
and your nifty 50mm 1.8

That would make a decent set. All for less than 2g's.

I would say realistically for a feature get some good glass and if you can afford a step up try
add to the kit something with IS such as the Canon 17-55 2.8 constant aperture.

If you can afford it grab an L lens.


Not saying a feature can't be shot on Kit lenses but try some better glass.
 
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El Director said:
My last movie was the first feature to be shot with just a kit lens on the T2i. Yes there were times where it would've been nice to have some other glass, but if you're good with lighting, it's definitely doable
Click to expand...


This is a clear example of no matter the camera you use, you need a good and interesting story + believable actors. From what I seen of your short Movie I would say lacks everything I mentioned.
 
Why does this always turn into a technical vs theory thread when someone asks about shooting a film with a kit lens?

Are we here to talk one or the other? I hate when someone asks something technical and people start answer back with story and subject matter are most important. No duh. It gets annoying. If that's the answer you should be in the directing thread.
 
draven4 said:
Why does this always turn into a technical vs theory thread when someone asks about shooting a film with a kit lens?

Are we here to talk one or the other? I hate when someone asks something technical and people start answer back with story and subject matter are most important. No duh. It gets annoying. If that's the answer you should be in the directing thread.
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ha ha ... I agree.............
 
ROCKMORE said:
I had the 18-55 kit lens and the 50mm 1.8. The 18-55 is pretty good in the wide range and the 50mm 1.8 is very sharp and fast enough to make up the difference at 50mm. I also bought the 55-250mm which according to the focus charts on The-digital-picture looks pretty bad, but in the real world it's actually quite good for the low price. I needed an IS lens for a shoot from a moving car.
I rarely shoot at 250mm trying to keep both the center frame and the corners in focus. I also rarely shoot wide open (mostly f11 to f16) with it seeing that it's place is usually in full daylight, so sharp focus is less of a problem.

I replaced the 550D and kit lens with a 60D and Tamron 17-50 2.8 non VC, which is somewhat better and no longer use the 50mm 1.8 often.
You may consider going that route as apposed to buying 2 lenses to do the job one should cover. When you combine the price of the 2 cheap lenses the additional cost of the Tamron shouldn't be much more.
The 55-250 as much as I want to sell it and get a Canon 70-200 f4L, for now it still seems to shoot good images. If I had it to do over again I would not have bought the 55-250mm. Since I shoot all manual and over 50mm I'm on a tripod with a loupe I think it's better to go with vintage lenses like Nikon of even cheaper Olympus Zuiko OM Manual lenses.
I have this OM 85-250 zoom which is ultra sharp and has better contrast than the Canon 55-250 f4.5/5.6. At f5 it sounds slow but it's constant aperture and exactly in the middle of the Canon. For $60 bucks plus a $22 adapter can't go wrong.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Olympus-85-250m...10931467?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item3cb98afd0b
Click to expand...
really helpful just thinking.....
 
These are a close up sharpness still tests with the Canon 55-250mm @ 250mm hand held auto focus and IS on.
 

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ROCKMORE said:
These are a close up sharpness still tests with the Canon 55-250mm @ 250mm hand held auto focus and IS on.
Click to expand...
I make my mind with sigma 30 f1.4
and
tamron 28-75 or sigma 28-70
But as far as I concern the telephoto these Kinda images from the cheap lenses making me so confused, that I am tickling around canon 55-250 IS, Sigma 70-300 and Tamron 70-300. Also this range have sub category also ............... I M REALLY CONFUSED
 
Ok Thanx again to all of you guys out there....

I am going to purchase a canon 550d with 18-55 kit lens and a canon 50mm f1.8
Hope that enough for me as far as I hope the lighting conditions will be in control enough to capture...
Consider above and kindly tell me about a Tamron AF 70-300mm Di f/4-5.6 MACRO 1:2 or Sigma 70-300 APO DG Macro 1:2 or canon 55-250 IS?????????

I hope this thread is its last stage...
 
Dont buy lenses with uneven light, buy cheap f4 70-200 or 80-200 mm instead of 70-300 f4.5-5.6 macro.Your footage will be darker on 300mm, its irritating and IS or not you wont be running with 70-200 handheld anyway.
 
Just sold my 50mm 1.8 yesterday.

Won't miss it one bit. It was a starter lens but was too telephoto. Barely got any use.

After I bought the Sigma 30mm having the 50mm and even buying it seemed like a waste of money. I only bought it because people on these forums recommended it when I was starting out with the DSLR.

If I had to do it all over again it would have made sense to put the 50mm money into saving up for a more usable wider lens like the Sigma 30mm.
 
But IMO 50mm is essential for talking heads and then even more telephoto lens when people talk about something very important.
Lens choice is important in filmmaking.When you watch movies more and more careful then you can recognize whats the lens focal lenght after awhile and you can learn how movies are shot and which focal lenght is used on given scenes.
 
malidishbunty said:
Ok Thanx again to all of you guys out there....

I am going to purchase a canon 550d with 18-55 kit lens and a canon 50mm f1.8
Hope that enough for me as far as I hope the lighting conditions will be in control enough to capture...
Consider above and kindly tell me about a Tamron AF 70-300mm Di f/4-5.6 MACRO 1:2 or Sigma 70-300 APO DG Macro 1:2 or canon 55-250 IS?????????

I hope this thread is its last stage...
Click to expand...

The 550D with the 18-55 is a good low cost starting point, but I gotta agree with Draven the Canon 50mm 1.8 was great the day I got it, but now I never pull it out.
I would start with the kit then add on a Nikon 50mm 1.4 vintage lens instead and start building a set of manual
primes. These lenses are low cost, high quality and you will never sell them. They will adapt to any future camera you upgrade to.
I know I keep mentioning Olympus OM lenses because I have almost all of them from my first SLR camera. they have the same reputation for quality as Nikon or any other great lens and you can save a lot of money.

http://cgi.ebay.com/OLYMPUS-OM-SYST...73649421?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item45fb95ea0d

http://cgi.ebay.com/Olympus-OM-Syst...40589285?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item1e64d350e5

http://cgi.ebay.com/OLYMPUS-OM-SYST...04046735?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item415b43d68f

http://cgi.ebay.com/OLYMPUS-OM-ZUIK...=UK_Lenses_Filters_Lenses&hash=item27bc75783c

http://cgi.ebay.com/Olympus-OM-Syst...11073753?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item3cb98d28d9

http://cgi.ebay.com/Olympus-OM-200m...11874412?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item19c6f1236c
 
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