Looking to rent a wide angle fast lens, which one should I get?

C

Cieloent

Well-known member
Basically 50mm is to long so I need at least 30mm or less and f/2.0


The only lenses I really see are some Nikkor 24mm, Sigma 30mm, Canon 24mm


Im really interested in renting the tokina 11-16mm but since I will be shooting at night I do not think the f stop is fast enough.


Can somebody help me with my decision + some good online rental companies

Thanks
 
I seen from your previous post that you have used the sigma 30mm 1.4 , what are your thoughts on that lens compared to the Canon 24mm 1.4


thanks
 
I thought the Sigma 30mm f/1.4, which I sold, was overpriced for what it was. Its AF motor is loud and sounds slow, although it probably is pretty fast. My chief complaint with the lens was its poor color rendition. I could never get colors to really bounce. Was it sharp? Very; I guess I got a good copy.

If AF is not important to you in this focal length, I'd consider buying used. Nikkor 28mm f/2, Nikkor 35mm f/1.4, or a Mir 24m 35mm f/2.0 are all fine lenses.
 
Last edited:
?

I have never used Auto focus, honestly I have only ever used manual focus so I have no idea what auto focus really is anyways.

Thanks for the tip
 
Cieloent said:
I have never used Auto focus, honestly I have only ever used manual focus so I have no idea what auto focus really is anyways.
Click to expand...

You lost me. Every lens except one listed in your original post features auto-focus. Perhaps you don't take stills. You don't need to buy a Canon L lens if it will only be used for video on a DSLR.

Gotta tell you, man, the way you say things tends to rub people the wrong way. I'm trying to assist you here and offer you my opinion. I am a stills photographer who also shoots video. Yes, I use AF (beyond 50mm, as I mentioned).

Here's an example of a shot that manually focusing would never grab:

71223644.jpg
 
So a question mark bothers you?


TO my understanding we are on a video forum and I have never asked or thought that my posts were regarding photography. So my comment on I don't know what auto focus is, is actually that because I have never used it and to my understanding when shooting video on these Canon Hdslrs people do not use it either.


So I guess it's a miscommunication but for you to say that it rubbed you in the wrong way makes no sense to me. At the end of the day it's like no one understands me or I just don't understand a lot of people here.


Great pic by the way and nice to know that it cannot be done in manual focus according to what you said. I only do video and no photography so that is the lens I need

peace
 
Don't limit yourself. A background in photography can only serve you well.

Check out what Chris Watson and Martin Oller are doing with the Mir 24m, that I mentioned previously, and other vintage lenses. You can get fast, manual lenses for a lot less that what you'll pay for newer lenses with AF. Of course, if you're only planning on renting, different rules apply.
 
Cieloent said:
I have never used it and to my understanding when shooting video on these Canon Hdslrs people do not use it either.


peace
Click to expand...

Actually the 18-55 kit lens is the first auto focus lens I've ever owned and didn't think I needed it for HD work, but in this case it's necessary. When shooting in daylight (bright sunlight) it's impossible to see the back view screen. Now I have become used to using the green square to re-lock my focus before rolling again. It's not all that fast but works and I only miss focus on about 1% of what I shoot.
I've changed my view on auto for run & gun shooting and plan to add a 17-40 and 70-200 soon.
 
ROCKMORE said:
Actually the 18-55 kit lens is the first auto focus lens I've ever owned and didn't think I needed it for HD work, but in this case it's necessary. When shooting in daylight (bright sunlight) it's impossible to see the back view screen. Now I have become used to using the green square to re-lock my focus before rolling again. It's not all that fast but works and I only miss focus on about 1% of what I shoot.
I've changed my view on auto for run & gun shooting and plan to add a 17-40 and 70-200 soon.
Click to expand...

Can you elaborate on your technique a bit more? I just bought a used 18-55 IS, originally for vacation snaps, but I quite like it now for video; it's almost always at 18mm though :)

I'd like to know your technique for an autofocus assist during video shooting.

To the OP, 30mm isn't very wide on a 7D or 550D (it's almost neutral); you'll want to look at the 24 at least, which still isn't exceptionally wide on the APS-C IMO.

Otherwise, as you're renting anyway, get a 5D-II as well, because a) full-frame = wider for all those lenses and b) better low-light performance than 7D or 550D, making lens speed less important.
 
steventimothy said:
Can you elaborate on your technique a bit more? I just bought a used 18-55 IS, originally for vacation snaps, but I quite like it now for video; it's almost always at 18mm though :)

I'd like to know your technique for an autofocus assist during video shooting.
Click to expand...

It's pretty basic, but you still have to stop shooting while focusing

I just hold the still frame trigger button down half way so the auto focus
is activated and wait till the square in the middle turns green.

Unfortunately this is best done between shots and not while shooting because the auto focus usually does a lot of searching before selecting it's final focus decision.
It also opens up the exposure to see what it's doing. A real mess.
It's not always that fast, but really the best it can do.

I also shoot at 18mm with this lens 90% of the time and this focus system has good results almost 100%.

I've also learned that no matter what the exposure on the screen looks like, as long as I keep the meter in the center all my exposures have been right on.

I was on a run & gun shoot last week and out of 250 clips only 2 were off, and I was in a real hurry. Thats a good result considering I never once checked the focus myself. The reason is I shoot on a jib and with a hand held away from my head. Sometimes on a tripod with a manual focus hood, but not that often.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top