I've been off and on this site for awhile and am planning to beef up my lens collection. I'm got canon gear now w/ the purchase of a 60d, but a recent search has left me confused. Older threads seem to recommend buying a NIKON mount lens and using an eos adaptor for the canon body. Newer threads do not make this distinction. Since I've been away for awhile, can someone please enlighten me--for video use, which is preferable? Has there been a shift in techniques or a trick to make native eos lenses easier to pull focus? Thanks, in advance.
Lens mount clarification
- Thread starter sn66p
- Start date
I personally prefer to use EOS lenses - with Magic Lantern firmware you get really handy distance readouts on screen. I also take a lot of photos, so having metering, autofocus, and image stabilization (on some lenses) is worth the higher price tag.
In general though you can find old Nikon or Canon FD lenses that will be relatively cheap.
In general though you can find old Nikon or Canon FD lenses that will be relatively cheap.
I just bought a Sigma 28-70mm constant f2.8 along with a Canon 500 slr all for the measly price of £55. Fits perfect but no control over it. I get an 01 error message. So after a bit of googling I discovered that if I send it to Sigma they will re-flash the firmware to make it work. I will let you know how I get on as I have over spent my budget for this month.
manual Nikon lenses are usually a very good bang for buck. I always operate in manual mode even with autofocus available. Also if I switch to a GH2 or something they will be usable unlike the EOS lenses. If ever I have a choice to buy manual or electronic I will always purchase the manual.
I just made the switch from 7D to 60D and the only reason I didn't go the the GH2 was that I had so much money invested in these EOS lenses. I wish I hadn't now.
I just made the switch from 7D to 60D and the only reason I didn't go the the GH2 was that I had so much money invested in these EOS lenses. I wish I hadn't now.
A Nikon lens is going to need an EOS adapter for use with a Canon camera no matter what.
There are several reasons to go with Nikon, or with several of the vintage lenses out there, for shooting video with a DSLR. One of which, many of the vintage lenses have a 180º throw on the focus ring, whereas many of the modern lenses have a much shorter throw (less finite control). Also, very few lenses these days come with manual aperture rings, which is an absolute must. And many people prefer to get vintage primes because of the look the glass gives. Older Nikon Series E lenses are inexpensive and very sharp. Yashica ML lenses have beautiful images that have a classic feel (as do MIR and Jupiter lenses... Russian copies of old Zeiss lenses).
The other thing about vintage glass: it can be a lot less expensive to get a good quality set of primes that way... assuming you actually find yourself in need of primes.
The downside to many of the vintage lenses is lack of communication with the camera. Some lenses will communicate, if they are equipped to do so, by using an AF-confirm adapter ring, though results with that seem to be hit-and-miss from what I've been seeing with other users. Nonetheless, with proper attention and plenty of practice, getting proper exposure without any of the automatic features is not difficult in video mode.
It's good to have some EOS lenses if you shoot lots of stills (especially zooms). Their features are more friendly in that area, and the vintage lenses not so much (no DOF preview).
There are several reasons to go with Nikon, or with several of the vintage lenses out there, for shooting video with a DSLR. One of which, many of the vintage lenses have a 180º throw on the focus ring, whereas many of the modern lenses have a much shorter throw (less finite control). Also, very few lenses these days come with manual aperture rings, which is an absolute must. And many people prefer to get vintage primes because of the look the glass gives. Older Nikon Series E lenses are inexpensive and very sharp. Yashica ML lenses have beautiful images that have a classic feel (as do MIR and Jupiter lenses... Russian copies of old Zeiss lenses).
The other thing about vintage glass: it can be a lot less expensive to get a good quality set of primes that way... assuming you actually find yourself in need of primes.
The downside to many of the vintage lenses is lack of communication with the camera. Some lenses will communicate, if they are equipped to do so, by using an AF-confirm adapter ring, though results with that seem to be hit-and-miss from what I've been seeing with other users. Nonetheless, with proper attention and plenty of practice, getting proper exposure without any of the automatic features is not difficult in video mode.
It's good to have some EOS lenses if you shoot lots of stills (especially zooms). Their features are more friendly in that area, and the vintage lenses not so much (no DOF preview).
thanks for the replies guys. i'm pretty familiar w/ vintage glass-- i have a lot of fd lenses for the gh1 i just sold. for you fellas that shoot eos lenses. how do you get aperture control? i figure you can switch to manual on the lens and twist (though as many have pointed out the travel is much shorter on modern lenses). i can't figure out aperture on say the tokina 11-16. this is why i'd like to figure out if the nikon mount with an adaptor is better for video. i've seen nikon g to eos adaptors with manual aperture built in. i'd love to get the eos mount instead, though cause i like still photog too.
other canon mount lenses i'm considering: sigma 30mm f1.4, tamron 17-50 f 2.8.
other canon mount lenses i'm considering: sigma 30mm f1.4, tamron 17-50 f 2.8.
Last edited:
Samuel H
Major Contributor
on most modern lenses, like canons, and those tokina, sigma and tamron that you mention, the only way to control aperture is from the body itself, and through the electric connections in the mount
(there's a workaround but you don't even want to hear about it)
this also means that if you want to use one of those lenses, say, on a GH2, you'll need to use a smart adapter that translates the canon electronics into panasonic electronics
if it has an aperture ring, a dumb adapter with no electronics whatsoever will do
(there's a workaround but you don't even want to hear about it)
this also means that if you want to use one of those lenses, say, on a GH2, you'll need to use a smart adapter that translates the canon electronics into panasonic electronics
if it has an aperture ring, a dumb adapter with no electronics whatsoever will do
deltoidjohn
Veteran
In the very early days of Canon HDSLR's (500D/t1i & 5dmkII when it was first released) there was no manual control in video mode. So to have any control over aperture, you had to use Manual lenses via an adaptor so you could adjust the aperture with the lens ring. That is why many of the older threads will recommend Nikon lenses or other manual lenses.
That's a thing of the past though, and these days EOS mount lenses (inlucding those you mention from Tamron and Sigma) are fully funtional with the Canon DSLR's in video mode, making use of the electronic contacts to allow aperture control through the camera body. Vintage and manual lenses still have their place though, for a number of reasons. As has been stated, they offer a much better focus throw, meaning you can achieve more accurate manual focus than on modern AF lenses - particularly helpful seeing as the AF on these cameras is pretty useless in video mode. Vintage manual glass is also available at bargain prices - a full set of older Nikon primes will cost a fraction of an equivelant modern EOS set. The lenses from by-gone era's (at least those that have survived until now!) are also very solidly constructed and likely to last for as long as you could bother to look after them - as well as being useful on a wider range of cameras which you might possibly own in the future. Many peolpe also prefer the different look that vintage primes can have - often they are sharper, and can have unique and beautiful contrast, bokeh and flare characteristics.
Many people also prefer primes because they offer an experience similar to that of 35mm cinema camera systems, which mainly use prime lenses. So classic focal lenghts such as 24mm, 28mm, 35mm, 50mm and 80mm, with fast apertures, can be used just like on the 'proper' film sets, but at a fraction of the cost of cinema lenses.
That's a thing of the past though, and these days EOS mount lenses (inlucding those you mention from Tamron and Sigma) are fully funtional with the Canon DSLR's in video mode, making use of the electronic contacts to allow aperture control through the camera body. Vintage and manual lenses still have their place though, for a number of reasons. As has been stated, they offer a much better focus throw, meaning you can achieve more accurate manual focus than on modern AF lenses - particularly helpful seeing as the AF on these cameras is pretty useless in video mode. Vintage manual glass is also available at bargain prices - a full set of older Nikon primes will cost a fraction of an equivelant modern EOS set. The lenses from by-gone era's (at least those that have survived until now!) are also very solidly constructed and likely to last for as long as you could bother to look after them - as well as being useful on a wider range of cameras which you might possibly own in the future. Many peolpe also prefer the different look that vintage primes can have - often they are sharper, and can have unique and beautiful contrast, bokeh and flare characteristics.
Many people also prefer primes because they offer an experience similar to that of 35mm cinema camera systems, which mainly use prime lenses. So classic focal lenghts such as 24mm, 28mm, 35mm, 50mm and 80mm, with fast apertures, can be used just like on the 'proper' film sets, but at a fraction of the cost of cinema lenses.
Make sure the mount of the lens you buy can be adapted to your EOS body, I have gone for the old primes way as well and I have found two sources of information of a great value :
http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/eosfaq/manual_focus_EOS.html
This page on the Bob Atkins's website explains a lot about lenses especially if you are willing to know how a lens could be adapted to another body.
He made a list of the mounts that can be adapted with adapter rings.
As you will see on this website, Canon FD lenses won't work with an adapter.
http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/canon-eos-60d-rebel-t2i-eos-550d-hd/484807-top-4-vintage-lenses.html
Another very interesting place for informations. The list is updated through the thread, it also give a lot of tips, explanations about old glasses.
If you find a Helios 44m, just buy it, it's fantastic. You will need a M42 to EOS adapter ring.
http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/eosfaq/manual_focus_EOS.html
This page on the Bob Atkins's website explains a lot about lenses especially if you are willing to know how a lens could be adapted to another body.
He made a list of the mounts that can be adapted with adapter rings.
As you will see on this website, Canon FD lenses won't work with an adapter.
http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/canon-eos-60d-rebel-t2i-eos-550d-hd/484807-top-4-vintage-lenses.html
Another very interesting place for informations. The list is updated through the thread, it also give a lot of tips, explanations about old glasses.
If you find a Helios 44m, just buy it, it's fantastic. You will need a M42 to EOS adapter ring.
deltoidjohn
Veteran
If you're going the vintage route, stay away from Canon FD lenses. Most others are OK including Pentax K-mount, M42 and Nikon.