C300: Most popular doc lens

B

BeeHop

Well-known member
Hi Guys,

I used to own a C300 and use the 17-55mm f2.8 lens as my general run n gun.

I then moved to the Sony FS5 with a Speed Booster on a Canon 24-105mm f4 with makes it a 17 - 75mm f2.8. I love this combo as its a perfect focal length for general doc work. And the FS5 has Centre Scan so i can push in more if need be. I only ever needed to change lenses for interviews where i would use a 50mm F1.4.

BUT i am seriously looking at going back to Canon because of Canon's colours and skin tones and I miss C-Log. But that would mean going back to a 17-55 f2.8, and its limited zoom range of 55mm which is just not practical for me.

I find the Canon 24-105mm f4 on a C300 not wide enough and limited to f4 in low light.

Im interested in what others are using as their one general purpose lens.
 
I am eagerly waiting for the CN-E 18-80 T4.4 IS compact servo zoom lens. Till then the 24-105 has to do duty. When shooting in very dim conditions, 16-35 f2.8, 24-70 f2.8 and the 70-200 f2.8 II IS helps. However, changing lenses can at times be pain. So 24-105 stays on camera for quick work.

Which camera are you shifting to? Till what ISO are you shooting?
 
for a cheap light run around in ok light the 18-135mm stm lens is hard to beat. Wider and longer than the 24-105 and great if you use the AF
 
Which camera are you shifting to? Till what ISO are you shooting?[/QUOTE]

Im moving back to the C300. I always shot C-log and tried to stick at 850 ISO and never go past 3200 ISO. The 24-105 is just not wide enough so i think I've come to terms that my go to general lens will be a 17-55 f2.8 again.

I was not impressed with IQ of the 18-135 STM, so won't purchase that one again.

The CN-E 18-80 T4.4 lens would be a perfect general run n gun ( a tad slow & very expensive though).
 
I use the Tamron 24-70 2.8. Great optics, image stabilization, moisture resistant, fast and reliable AF, sturdy, and the focal length range is ideal for general purpose. It stays on my camera 80% of the time. The Canon 24-70 2.8 creates a slightly better image, but it's a close call. And it doesn't have IS. And it's about 800 bucks more expensive.
 
For now, 17-55...and moving my damn body if I want to get closer. :-)

Also a second lens. 70-200 f2.8 is rather long on this camera. Still thinking about a Sigma 50-100, though the breathing makes it feel more like a variable prime than a zoom...and dang it's big.

When I'm working jobs with say, Canon's 17-120 T2.9, I'm thrilled by how much work we can get done with a single lens. But at US$25,000 or so, that's a rental item and on those jobs there's usually someone else operating the camera (and I'm either sound or journalist/producer).

BeeHop, do you think you'll get used to the 17-55, or will its length be a constant source of frustration?
 
I use the 17-55 a ton, followed by 24-105, and then primes and 70-200 when I can. 11-16 for the big wides and glidecam work. The Sigma 18-35 seems to be getting popular as well for doc shooters.
 
I shoot tons of stuff that you have probably seen on promos, EPK, HBO First Look, Cosmos, Homeland, BTS, all with the 18-135 STM IS. I agree not the sharpest but sharp enough at 1080 and most importantly, the range is perfect, the STM is quick, DPAF is a dream with it and the IS better than most of the other older lenses in the line. Not built tough at all though. That said, I am buying the 17-55 2.8 IS and 70-200 2.8 IS II combo for interiors/interviews, 18-135 STM IS for one lens, run and gun exteriors and stand ups.
 
BeeHop, do you think you'll get used to the 17-55, or will its length be a constant source of frustration?[/QUOTE]
I do remember it being a constant source of frustration, but i may be willing to put up due to Canons nice colours. If the C300 had Centre Scan like Sony that would be ideal.

Also moving in to get tighter is easier than stepping back with a 24-105 especially indoors.
 
puredrifting said:
I shoot tons of stuff that you have probably seen on promos, EPK, HBO First Look, Cosmos, Homeland, BTS, all with the 18-135 STM IS. I agree not the sharpest but sharp enough at 1080 and most importantly, the range is perfect, the STM is quick, DPAF is a dream with it and the IS better than most of the other older lenses in the line. Not built tough at all though. That said, I am buying the 17-55 2.8 IS and 70-200 2.8 IS II combo for interiors/interviews, 18-135 STM IS for one lens, run and gun exteriors and stand ups.
Click to expand...

The only way i found the 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 workable was to leave it at f5.6 so i could get a constant aperture throughout. But having said that there was a very subtle aperture flicker (hardly noticeable but still there) and I found f5.6 just too slow, unless used outdoors of course.

My conclusion is to go back to the 17-55mm as my general, keep my nice primes for interviews and have my 24-105 in the bag just i case.

I just wish there was someway to mount a 24-105 on C300 with a couple of adapters to a Speedbooster???
 
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