Shooting B-Roll with Canon 17-40L or GoPro Hero 4 Silver?

G

guzelmarmara

New member
Hi all,

It's my first thread in the forum so please tell me if the topic is not in the correct place.

I'm planning to shoot B-Roll footage for a documentary, scenes will be outdoor such as parks, touristic places, mountains etc. I have a 6D, 35mm f/2, fluid head and an Edelkrone slider. Only wide angle lens I have is 35mm for now.

I'm planning to invest on 17-40L, which has the same price for GoPro Hero 4 Silver in second hand. 17-40 is a better & sharper option probably, but meanwhile I don't have a second camera (not needed for now, but would be great for future).

Can I have good results with GoPro, with using 2.7K image resolution while shooting outdoor B-rolls? (GVs).

Which option is more logical for long term investment?

Thanks.
 
Long term investment is obviously lens. Lenses retain their value for a long long time.

Next year you will have a better Go Pro. If you are able to make money out of your Go Pro in a few months, then buy it. Else hire.
 
If you are using the 6D for the rest of the project, the consistency of the footage would prevent other future headaches in coloring and matching. I would also think the lens would add more value long term.

You can pick up a decent, used Canon 17-40 4.0 in the low $400 range. As an aside, you can also get a Canon 70-200 4.0 non-IS for about the same price. That makes for a great, inexpensive full frame kit, that can cover the whole range from extra wide to tele!

If you need a backup body, the Canon EOS M is a pretty decent little camera, with the same sensor as the Canon T4i, for about $100. You would also need a $50 Canon adapter to attach EF lenses. I was just playing with mine yesterday on a Canon 70-200 2.8 II mounted on a tripod.

You can pick up the kit with the EOS M, the ED-M 22 mm 2.0 STM, the 18-55 STM kit lens, and the Canon adapter for around $300-$325. Or pick up a Canon SL1 body for $390.

Good luck!
 
There is a saying that a 35mm is a 24mm but a few steps back, while not 100% technically accurate you get the idea. a 35mm is typically a sharper lens (all things being equal). If you need wider than 24mm or can't take those few steps back then I would go with the Tokina 16-28 in that price range...I'm not a fan of the 17-40.
 
If you're shooting mountains, taking a few steps back with a 35mm won't do much.
But yeah, considering OP already has a 35mm, maybe the Tokina is a better buy.
 
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