Canon 600D T3i - 50mm f1.8 OR 35mm f2.0 for FILMMAKING

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tom1597530 said:
Hm... thanks for all the advices... I decided to exceed the limit of my budget a bit more, so I was thinking about buying BOTH 50mm f1.8 and 35mm f2.0

...but I'm still in a big confuse, because I'm buying also a 18-135mm KIT LENS with the camera and so I can't decide...

SHOULD I RATHER BUY BOTH 50mm f1.8 and 35mm f2.0 OR SHOULD I BUY 50mm f1.4 for better low-light perfomance and nicer bokeh and do all wide shots with kit lens???

The problem is, that the wide shots could be done with the kit lens, but I'm not sure about that... please help me with this.... thanks
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My kit lens came with my 60D, I thought I would sell it ASAP but boy is it useful. At 18mm f3.5 its just wide enough and I usually shoot outdoors during the day so its PLENTY fast enough. At the long end it provides some nice images, esp when just capturing B-roll of people walking for example for a documentary. I don't have a 35mm lens yet but I have a 50mm f1.8 which honestly doesn't get THAT much use but I have used it a few times indoors for some narratives. I'm sure I'll use it more if I had time for more projects.
 
daihard said:
35 ftw... the 1.6 crop with the 50mm makes you either choose extreme closeup shots... or shoot everything from a distance.
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Agreed. I'm using Super Takumar 50mm 1.4 with a m42 to eos adapter for my t2i and although it does provide some pretty nice looking shots I find myself needing to take a few steps back. I'm now looking into the vivitar 28mm 2.5 but maybe now I'll consider the 35mm! Hope that helps.

bronxjragon said:
My kit lens came with my 60D, I thought I would sell it ASAP but boy is it useful. At 18mm f3.5 its just wide enough and I usually shoot outdoors during the day so its PLENTY fast enough. At the long end it provides some nice images, esp when just capturing B-roll of people walking for example for a documentary. I don't have a 35mm lens yet but I have a 50mm f1.8 which honestly doesn't get THAT much use but I have used it a few times indoors for some narratives. I'm sure I'll use it more if I had time for more projects.
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Also agreed, I have recently started shooting weddings and more documentary style videos and I find myself resorting to the kit lens pretty frequently.
 
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so should I buy both 35mm and 50mm 1.8, or should I buy 50mm 1.4 with the use of kit lens instead of the 35mm? PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS
 
there is no answer until you say what you will shoot.
indoor, lower values give you more light and wider angle.(over 35mm, forget about using such lens indoor, you will always be too close)
but wider angle give more deformation of picture (barrel look, color aberration).
outdoor, a zoom kit lens will be great unless you plan to shoot at night.
So if you want the all in one, do it all lens, forget about fixed lens (also called prime) and kit zoom lens that are usually at f3.5-4.5
You would need a zoom. But zoom at f1.4 does not exist (al least in you budget) so the best you can expect is f2.8.
So the answer would lie in none of the choice you mentioned.
Keep you kit lens since you can hardly resale it and you still will use it outdoor
and buy a Tokina 17-55 @2.8 .

Now, it you intend to shoot for special purpose (like ultra DOF) , or in very dark, yes you could have a 30 mm @ f1.8 or f1.4, some asian lens maker have this (samyang)
 
Dont buy f1.4, you dont really need it and if youre serious about filmmaking then you know that its even better to shoot on f2.8 with 50mm.Anyway i dont recommend 50mm if its gonna be your only lens, 35mm is better choice, especially for 16:9 aspect ratio.
*You shouldnt really compare like that 50mm and 35mm its like two different things for different jobs, focal lenghts have their use in particular shots but for overall "regular" perspective 35mm is much better than 50mm but you wont get so intimate with it when filming talking heads, you should also buy some cheap f4 70-200mm lens, cheapest there is, its for filming real tight close ups or cars.
 
But I would like to have very nice bokeh and also I'm not gonna use any additional lights so smaller aperture is better for me... 1.4 has much wider focus ring which IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME AS A FILMMAKER, it makes my job easier.... also 1.4 is much reliable than 1.8 as I was informed... 35mm f2.0 is a matter of course for me... the ring width annoys me on 1.8... I need a wide ring so it's easier to me to focus... or am I wrong?
 
" I'm not gonna use any additional lights"

(...)

Better buy f4.0 lens & lamps, you will learn more, than "ULTRA-FAST" lens that can ''see in the dark''..
 
but I don't want to buy any additional accessories.... only lenses... so please help me with lenses and not with something that is not the topic... ao please help me with those lenses.... 1.8 or 1.4 then...?
 
tom1597530 said:
but I don't want to buy any additional accessories.... only lenses... so please help me with lenses and not with something that is not the topic... ao please help me with those lenses.... 1.8 or 1.4 then...?
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Do you have any idea what you are speaking on? Yes a faster lens will allow more light, but at the cost of a very small focal plain. What this means is, if you say you are a "filmmaker" then you would clearly understand and know that this would simply not work. Imagine shooting a scene that requires a couple of people and objects to be in focus, at 1.4 you simply could not do it.

Take some time and learn about film making and why certain apertures are actually used, before you decide to give yourself a certain title. What you need is some lighting equipment......
 
Fast lenses can always be stopped down, but slow lenses can`t be opened up beyond their maximum aperture. Sometimes having this extra speed means shooting cleaner shots by being able to shoot at lower ISO ratings.
 
damiaanp said:
" I'm not gonna use any additional lights"

(...)

Better buy f4.0 lens & lamps, you will learn more, than "ULTRA-FAST" lens that can ''see in the dark''..
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:thumbsup:

Unless you have a Canon 1D, using lenses that can "seen in the dark" will scream "filmed with DSLR wide open." If you are serious then you will throw on some lights so you can film AT LEAST f2.8 (but a I prefer at least a 3.5) so your actor's eat and nose will both be in focus.

I think you need to just buy one lens already or use your kit lens and see what focal length you find most useful.

Although a lot of people say "so and such director filmed at only one focal length" (usually being 50mm equivalent on 35mm film), you'll want to intercut with different shots of varying focal lengths. Long story short, getting all your lens with the fastest speeds isn't necessarily always the answer. I barely if ever use my 50mm at 1.8, its usually at 2.8 or above, and this is for scenes that have additional lighting as well.
 
vision_filmz said:
Do you have any idea what you are speaking on? Yes a faster lens will allow more light, but at the cost of a very small focal plain. What this means is, if you say you are a "filmmaker" then you would clearly understand and know that this would simply not work. Imagine shooting a scene that requires a couple of people and objects to be in focus, at 1.4 you simply could not do it.

Take some time and learn about film making and why certain apertures are actually used, before you decide to give yourself a certain title. What you need is some lighting equipment......
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Yeah, I'm pretty much in your boat, dude needs to just go out with what he has and understand his equipment first rather than just have the nicest, fastest toy.

But anyway, long story short, get a 50mm f1.8, save yourself time and money and learn how to use it. You'll learn how narrow or wide its focal view is. Otherwise, there is no perfect lens, even for whatever uses you think you'll need it for. Hundreds of lenses exist.
 
Guys, please, don't teach me things that I already know... I said that I don't want to use additional lights because I 100% ment it... I just wanted to skip few posts with difficult explaining, 'cause I cut hardly one of my fingers and it's difficult for me to write but as I see I can't skip it... I'm planning to buy some lights but later... I DON'T HAVE MONEY FOR EXTRA EQUIPMENT, that isn't more important for me than the LENSES... I could wipe my ass (sorry for the expression) with the lights if I have shitty lenses... that's why I need to know, which lenses will be best for me to film... and also I'm in the middle of a beginner to skilled filmmaker AND I'M 15 YEARS OLD... I know that this fact is maybe shocking for you, but filmmaking is my life I couldn't live without it so PLEASE help me... I need to know the best lenses...

So should I buy the 35mm f2.0?
And should I also buy one of those 50mm lenses?

PLEASE answer my questions... thank you.... ouch my finger :undecided
 
Mods please delete and lock this thread...... Now I know why so many 'Film Makers' who use Dslrs are frowned upon. it is for the basic sense of not respecting the art nor understanding the use of lighting. It doesn't matter if you have the fastest lens in the world if all you can get in focus is someones nose.....

Seriously done with this thread and people who do not respect this art *Two thumbs down*
 
f1.4 have shitty bokeh and canons overall have muddy bokeh for my taste.
Why asking if you dont listen, 50mm is not for regulr use cause its too cropped and everything will be too tight and compressed when you'll use 50mm too much and f1.4 doesnt really help and if youre planning to film in poorly lit conditions then well... its gonna look like crap.Light your scenes and light them good, with f1.4 you would have eyes in focus and nose and ears out of focus and it looks very distracting, i closing my f1.8 to f2.8 to get enough focus for face.
 
Lens selection is totally subjective. In fact, discussing lenses has its own section here: http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/forumdisplay.php?193-Lens-Discussion

If the OP had spent some more time trying to research this topic here, he would likely have already found the various discussions on the topic in the appropriate section.

Meanwhile, I'm going to close this thread before things get unruly. Remember, treat other members here with respect if you wish to be respected yourself.
 
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