best/cheapest lenses for Canon 5D????

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fanatic_about_film

Member
Heys guys, I know best and cheapest don't neccesarily go hand in hand, but I need to make a compromise somewhere in the middle.

I am somewhat of an amateur so please explain in laymens terms for me. I am predominantly wanting to shoot video footage, however I would like to shoot some still photography as well. Money is always an issue but I would like to buy 4 or 5 prime lenses, manual focus, for shooting feature and short films, and music videos.

Now I have heard all sorts of different information and I am completely lost. I have heard canon fd(????) lenses are relatively cheap but very good. Also nikon lenses(?????). Will I need some kind of adapter for whatever lenses I might need???? I'm really lost.

What brand/type of lenses do you think might be good for me?
Any info would be appreciated, thanks?
 
You should have the Canon 50mm 1.8 because it's only a hundred bucks Auto focus and sharp. It looks like a bad joke on the outside, but don't be fooled. I just used one on a project along side a Zeiss 85mm 1.4 Planar and they look great together.
Canon FD series require a lens element in the adapter so in the end it won't be as good and an adapter with no lens element. Expensive and degrades the image a bit.
Nikon are all good as long as they have a aperture control on the lens which means older Nikon lenses.
Lot's of other choices out there.
Pentax lenses are very cheap and very good quality.
Another lens to look at it Olympus OM manual lenses. They are the best deal and equal to Nikon.
Photodiox manual adapters are about 25 bucks and well made plus backed up for 2 years.
 
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You should have the Canon 50mm 1.8 because it's only a hundred bucks Auto focus and sharp.
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Hey that sounds good. However I think I really need/want manual focus.

Nikon are all good as long as they have a aperture control on the lens which means older Nikon lenses.
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Cool. I need aperture control on the lens? Sure. If you say so. How expensive are nikon lenses? Are they cheap?


Another lens to look at it Olympus OM manual lenses. They are the best deal and equal to Nikon.
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Cool. Olympus, I 'll check them out. Are they cheap, compared to Nikons?

Photodiox manual adapters are about 25 bucks and well made plus backed up for 2 years.
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Photodiox, what is that exactly? Like I said I am no exert on all this and need things in laymens terms.
 
fanatic_about_film said:
Hey that sounds good. However I think I really need/want manual focus.
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The Canon 50mm f1.8 has a manual focus ring too. Its thin and way out on the front edge. It has the same glass elements as the L lens costing $1,000 more, but with a cheap plastic body, its noisier and lens coatings aren't as good. But the L lens is f1.2, so only a bit faster.

The nifty fifty is probably the best bargain lens out there, I mean new for less than $100! Just don't drop it, or use it in the rain, because the body is cheap. Oh, and on full frame I believe the 50mm is closest to the view obtained by the human eye.

For video almost any DSLR lens far exceeds the resolution of the DSLR camera in video mode.
 
God i really getting more lost. I don't know what anything means.

Something on ebay I have been looking at:

Canon 50mm f/1.4 With EOS Adaptor Like Brand New

It's used but in perfect condition apparently. Is this good for me?
 
fanatic_about_film said:
Hey that sounds good. However I think I really need/want manual focus.

Cool. I need aperture control on the lens? Sure. If you say so. How expensive are nikon lenses? Are they cheap?

Cool. Olympus, I 'll check them out. Are they cheap, compared to Nikons?

Photodiox, what is that exactly? Like I said I am no exert on all this and need things in laymens terms.
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The 50 1.8 does have a small manual focus ring and can be used either manual or auto. It's a good option if you want to shoot some stills suddenly and don't have time to think.

As for Olympus lenses here is an example on Ebay of a 28mm 2.8. I don't know the actual condition of this lens, but I can say from experience Olympus OM Zuiko lenses are sharp and well built. For $34 bucks it's a deal. I have one in new condition.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Olympus-Zuiko-O...3555136?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item4cf129ae40l made.

Here is a 50mm 1.4. I have 2 of them
http://cgi.ebay.com/Olympus-G-Zuiko...es_CameraLensesFilters_JN&hash=item3f0248b918

Can't go wrong with this 135mm for $20 I bought one in La new old stock for $100
http://cgi.ebay.com/Olympus-ZUIKO-A...otography_Film_Cameras_ET&hash=item3a5e14ac23

This is a classic OM lens. It's a little slower at f4 but it holds focus and exposure through the range. I think it will sell for more then .99 cents, but you get my point.
http://cgi.ebay.com/OLYMPUS-OM-Syst...64794811?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item4cf13c98bb

If you need a 100mm 2.8 this will save you a lot of cash over Nikon and look at the condition. That is one I don't have but should.
http://cgi.ebay.com/OLYMPUS-OM-SYST...26911631?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item3f029ef58f

This is the link to Photodiox adapters
http://cgi.ebay.com/Fotodiox-Olympu...61389?pt=Lens_Accessories&hash=item53dca49dcd
 
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I have an idea.

Buy your camera with the lens that comes with it, and shoot it every day for 2 months. Then come back and ask questions.

That way, you'll actually have some idea what you want/need, you'll have an idea of some of the advice you're getting, and this won't be such a mystery to you.

Not to sound flippant, but you're talking about shooting movies and music videos, and you don't even understand the basics of lenses yet. Slow down some and get the basics done.

One other thing. there are a lot of people on this forum who could give you excellent advice, but you've used two major buzzwords that keep experienced people from lending a hand.

1. Cheap
2. Best.

If it's cheap, it's gonna suck. And we don't deal in "suck" as pros. And there is no such thing as best. There is very, very good, and you can't afford it.

What you are eventually going to lead yourself to is a set of Nikon manual focus primes because they are the best option for what you want. They are not universally better than all other options, so don't get caught up in that. They are good, and will do what you need at a fair price. Expect to pay $150-$400 per lens for quality glass. Yes, you can get cheaper lenses, even Nikon. But unless you know what you're doing, you'll end up getting into trouble.
 
I second, or third, the 50mm 1.8. Don't wait for that one. And make some friends so you can trade lenses instead of buying them. Or rent them if you have to, since lensrentals.com is pretty awesome and gives you a chance to see just about every EF lens ever made in action.
 
Really the ultimate quality of the lenses you will get is not going to be a factor at all in the quality of the videos you are going to make with them. Especially if you have not made any and have not even a basic idea what different lenses do and what those mystical 50mm and f2.8 figures mean.

It might be good to be eager to create and have the want in you to make movies, but we hardly ever see posts where a guy tells he wants to build a big house and "do I need these saws and drill things, maybe hammer and what is best and cheapest". On the video side this happens all the time because making movies and music videos with a DSLR is "cool". But like in every craft you have to know the tools and better start simple and cheap, then progress to complicated (but maybe still cheap).

Get the 50mm f1.8 Canon, practice, and find out why it is called "normal lens". Then get something else in addition.
 
Duke M. said:
.... Its thin and way out on the front edge. It has the same glass elements as the L lens costing $1,000 more, but with a cheap plastic body,.....
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That is both wrong and misleading. I very much doubt that the nifty fifty and the 50L have ANY optical parts in common.

I agree that the 50 f1.8 is perhaps the most outstanding lens for the money - every one should have one unless they can afford the 1.4 or 1.2, and even then, they should still have the 1.8 ;)
 
ROCKMORE said:
Zuiko lenses are dirt cheap and very good quality.
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They are inexpensive. Not cheap. Big difference.

And they weren't even inexpensive new. Demand for them is low which keeps price down. Same with the Asahi/Pentax and nearly all the other M42 mounts. The GH1 and Canon's are increasing demand for good older glass.

It's funny to see people lusting after glass I grew up with. Cool funny.
 
If you're going the cheap route but wanting solid results then the used market is where you should probably be gambling. Get a nikon adapter and m42 (screw mount) adapter and search for old lenses that would fit the two mounts. Ebay is probably best. I got lucky and scored a handful of lenses off craigslist for a 1/10th what they were worth. Do some research on older slr lenses and see what you think. They perform different and sometimes produce a softer image, but it's all about what you are wanting to use them for anyway. And you'll be limited to manual focus (unless you buy a special adapter that costs 5x more, not worth it if you are sticking to video)

Though I also recommend the canon 50 1.8 that has been mentioned.
 
I agree with the last few replies. I do think that to say

"if it's cheap, it's gonna suck. And we don't deal in "suck" as pros."

is true. However how does one become a pro until they use "inexpensive" (not cheap) equipment to get started?
 
I think you should check out one lens remembering the micro shakebecomes exagerated after 35mm and more after 50mm etcyou also have to deal with the focusing isssue. iuse a 28.2.8 Nikon Ais and a 35f2 Nikon Af with Fotodiox adapters.I can hand hold them just so long and in bright sun I do need a ND filterwhile videoing.
 
Here is another idea. Go to borrowlenses.com and test out a few of the suggestions or other lenses you wanna try and see if they perform how you like? That or find a friend in your community who might have a DSLR and ask to try their lenses. I've made all my lens purchases based on using other peoples lenses first. Just starting out I PA'ed with a local production company and checked out all their gear and then questioned the DP to death with "why did you go with this piece of gear?".

Good luck!
 
Duke M. said:
The Canon 50mm f1.8 has a manual focus ring too. Its thin and way out on the front edge. It has the same glass elements as the L lens costing $1,000 more, but with a cheap plastic body, its noisier and lens coatings aren't as good. But the L lens is f1.2, so only a bit faster.
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Only a "bit faster" than a 1:8?

Seriously??
 
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