Shallowest Cheapest Depth of Field

S

sporty

Active member
For my 7D I already purchased the $99 50mm plastic canon lens but I want the more 1.2 shallower depth of field look. The maker of the lens doesn't matter to me as long as its cheap because the canons cost way too much. Does anyone have any recommendations of 1.2 lenses that will give me the look of this video below?? I will be shooting indoors only with 24x24 feet space not much room. Does anyone else make 1.2 lowest aperture lenses besides canon that I can fot on my 7D??

Video link
 
There are plenty of 1.2 lenses but do you see that sexy Boca in those shots you only get thet good a look when you go prime...
 
you an get a 50mm f1.2 nikon ais for around $450-550 on ebay and a $20 adapter

in fact tony240sx is selling his nikon 50/1.2
edit: nah just checked, he sold it, but ebay has them all the time
 
The Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 is not a cheap lens by any account, and personally not something that I believe is worth the extra money for over the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4. I own the latter, and believe me, when you are shooting at f/1.4 you will not be dissapointed with the low-light capabilities of the lens, or the shallow look you can create either. I paid under $400, new, for the 50mm f/1.4, and it's a lens you can take with you if you ever decide to go full frame.
 
f1.2 lenses generally sacrifice sharpness for low light capability and slightly shallower DOF. and "cheap" is the wrong way to think about lenses. i'd go with a good quality f1.4
 
well.... the 50/85 F1.2 .... IS sharp at wide open. thats why its so expensive, its just that so little of the frame is sharp that you cant really tell. You can focus on the meniscus of of a persons eye and other parts of the eyeball will be soft in a CU with the 85 1.2 .

BUT, if you want RIDICULOUSLY shallow DOF, shoot on a 5D with a 50 1.4 or 1.2. IT almost looks unnatural. Especially with the 24mm 1.4, because even wide shots start to develop Shallow DOF. it looks like, in Dark Knight, the shot in the begining where the joker is waiting or the van to pick him up. its a wide shot, but there is shallow DOF, what used to be only attaineable in Medium format. But with FF FOV, and a SUPER fast wide lens, you too can have that look.

ALSO, if its for one music video, why are you buying a lens.... rent the expensive lenses for 25-40$ a day, and just shoot with them then retun em. get the look when you need it. No need to purchase expensive lenses. Very Few Cinematographers purchase master primes, or cooke's.... you rent good glass when you need it...
 
Timur is right. Rent a 5D if you want that hyper shallow look. Between a 50/1.2 and 50/1.4 you're not going to see much of a difference on the 7D.

But rest assured, you would fair better with a 50/1.4 + Full Frame sensor if you want to throw everything out of focus. Hell, I'm with Timur: 35/1.4 or wider would be the way to go I think if you want that "effect".

From experience with the Nikon 50/1.2 ~
 
With wides it harder to get very shallow DOF especially on the 7D and especially without spending lots of money.

If you had a 85mm or longer lens, it would make your job easier but you say you're shooting in a confined place.

You say you want the cheapest method, well 1.2s are usually crazy expensive and don't offer all that much extra shallow DOF over a 1.4, so the best you can hope for is a 50 or 85 1.4 or a Sigma 1.8 in the 20,24 or 28 variety. Maybe the 35 F1.4 but that's more expensive again.

Consider shooting in wide open space with a fast telephoto longer than 85mm and you'll save yourself a headache.
 
Dont know much about lenses ( learning really fast here )but I would second a 85 mm f1.8 . from the pictures Ive seen the DOF gets pretty sweat .

Afterwards I would get a 35mm f1.4
 
RENT the lenses you need.

nice fast lenses that will give you the look you want. its not expensive and you can have EVERY lens you want....... for a day.
 
TimurCivan said:
RENT the lenses you need.

nice fast lenses that will give you the look you want. its not expensive and you can have EVERY lens you want....... for a day.
Click to expand...


Exactly. And furthermore, even if you had to buy a lens, it doesn't have to be Canon. Sigma Offers a 20, 28 and 30 that are pretty fast and will give a similar effect.

Using an 85mm will change the composition compression and you will not get the same effect as the video shown, if that's what you're looking for.

Try finding a Sigma 30/1.4 if you can't rent an MKii + 50/1.2(1.4) or a 35/1.4 -- That'll give you the results you're looking for, especially if you can't back 30+ Feet away from your subject to compose for a medium or wider.
 
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