Lens, stabilizer and focus ring needed for my T3i

[michealmachek]

Hi, I'm new here so sorry for the noob questions

I'm going to be starting a youtube channel doing street magic and odd stunts and funny interviews pretty soon. I'm looking for a lens for my T3i for good quality footage and can zoom. I basically need the best multi-purpose lens for taking video. I have a 50mm f/1.8 which takes super awesome footage, but doesn't zoom at all.

I also am looking for some sort of stabilization unit, I'm thinking of going with a glidecam or some sort of shoulder rig, any suggestions? There could be possible running around with the camera. I am looking for any direct links to the specific products that I should be looking into to get the best quality video for around the streets of a busy city.

Thanks.

 

[M. Gilden]

This is a very difficult question to answer properly.
Are you looking to zoom during filming? Because SLR lenses are not designed to zoom smoothly, as opposed to real video cameras which have servo controlled zooms.

Most of them will change aperture as you zoom, which will show up on your footage as a flicker of brightness, and even if you get one that is constant aperture, you will still have to readjust the focus after every zoom because parfocal SLR lenses are virtually impossible to find.

Now, its possible that the jerky-vintage documentary look is what you're going for, in which case you could try something like the Tamron 17-50mm or the Canon L equivalent with a 2.8 constant aperture. But you should look into it first and determine if this is actually the look you're going for. Because for many folks who've worked with a pro video camera, you will be sadly disappointed if you expect this to work the same way.

As far as a stabilizer- that's also very complicated. You can get a cheap weighted stedicam rig, but you won't be able to adjust focus or zoom while using one of those (you also can't use it for extended periods of time without your arm getting tired). If you want a shoulder rig, prices range from super cheap $40 cowboy studio holsters to a few hundred dollar standard rigs, to multi-thousand dollar high end celebrity-recommended ones. So, your price range will really determine what you should get.

With all of this stuff, you really need to try some solutions out and see what works for you and how you intend to use it. Good luck!

 

[wgzn]

as far as stabilizers go. thats probably THE WIDEST and most personal subject in all of video.

a shoulder rig and a glidecam-type rig are two completely different things for completely different uses. shoulder rigs are really just ways to HOLD a camera comfortably for extended periods of time at eye-level and NOT designed to "steady" your camera while in motion.

steadicam, glidecam, etc, gimbal rigs (be they hand-held like a merlin or part of a vest+arm rig) are DESIGNED to steady your footage while the camera is in motion. but get very cumbersome when used for long periods of time.

i think for your needs, a single-grip shoulder rig is what you want. it will keep the weight on your shoulder and one hand free to operate zoom-focus

 

[michealmachek]

I just kind of want to have the image focused during filming, I think some sort of focus adjuster would be needed for that. My budget for stabilizers and equipment is around $1000, i could use my 50mm f/1.8 but it's just when filming and I walk towards the camera, I go out of focus and it doesn't auto focus in movie mode. I think something like this is needed for that: http://jag35.com/products/followfocus/dfocuskit.html

I'm thinking a shoulder rig too, I like the stuff a glide-cam does, but I think shoulder rig would suit a wider variety of filming. Although quite a bit of motion is used, here is a quick video of what type of stuff I'll be doing and how much movement is involved: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7Wvk-CVN-Y

 

[M. Gilden]

I just kind of want to have the image focused during filming, I think some sort of focus adjuster would be needed for that. My budget for stabilizers and equipment is around $1000, i could use my 50mm f/1.8 but it's just when filming and I walk towards the camera, I go out of focus and it doesn't auto focus in movie mode. I think something like this is needed for that: http://jag35.com/products/followfocus/dfocuskit.html

I'm starting to wonder if you are barking up the wrong tree with this idea.

Are you familiar with how follow focus gears (like the one you linked to) work?
It won't give your camera autofocus, and you'll still need to learn to master the fine art of focus pulling on the go.

You'll also be very limited at quite a telephoto range with a 50mm prime. You'll probably want to go wider, especially if walking around. Honestly, this kind of work is really more suited for zooms than primes, and is often difficult to do with DSLRs at all to be perfectly frank with you. Especially Canons (Sony and Panasonic DSLRs at least offer silent autofocus during video).

Sure, you CAN (and I have) use them for man-on-the-street video, but there are many reasons that I would still prefer to use small chip servo-zoom cams for shots like this, even if I have a DSLR in my gear bag as well. You want more in focus, have that focus adjusted automatically, be able to quickly adjust the zoom of your shot, have image stabilization and a camera made to walk around with... At some point you have to really wonder if the T3i is what you want to be using in the first place.

If that's all you have, and you are willing to train yourself to work within the limitations and often awkward workflow to use the gear you already own, then power to you. But if you say you are ready to drop $1200 on a rig and focus gear, at some point you have to wonder if you wouldn't just be better off getting a cheap prosumer ENG cam?

Listen, I love DSLRs and I own 4 of them for video purposes. But I also have access to full sized small-chip 3 CCD cameras that are much better suited for the kind of thing you are describing here.