Best Lenses for Filmmaking/Cinema/Video

[Derek Lamoureux]

I recently switched from Canon 60D to the Nikon D750. It was hard at first but I really love the feel and quality of the nikon now! However, I shoot alot of video and alot of photo. So i am looking for maybe 2-3 lenses that will serve both purposes. Lets say the budget is $5,000. Currently I already own the Nikon 50mm 1.4G. My main things are wedding videography and photography and corporate promo videos.

If you have some ideas for lenses, whether there Nikon, Tamaron, or Sigma.. let me know what you recommend in addition to the 50mm 1.4.

Here is an example of a wedding video I shot with a 50mm 1.4g and a borrowed Nikon 70-200 vr2 (great lens, but so expensive) in Ocho Rios Jamiaica.

 

[seananguswatson]

Definitely get your hands on the Nikon 24mm f/1.4. It's easily one of the nicest lenses around. The focus ring is nice and big which will make your life a lot easier when shooting video. And it stops down to 1.4 which will give that nice, artsy shallow ] depth of field that'll make wedding videos pop (but not too shallow, it retains a very usable DOF compared to most other low aperture wide angles).

There's two grand off your 5,000 budget. From here, I'd either buy one high-end zoom lens or two slightly cheaper primes. For video, non-cinema zoom lenses really aren't going to do you good if you're actually looking to zoom during a shot (unless you've got a serious DSLR rig on rails with a mechanical focus and zoom helper).

Nikon's 85mm f/1.4 is incredibly sharp and usually goes for about 1,500. Their 135 f/2 is also a fantastic lens and sells for slightly less, something like 1,200. If you went that route, you'd have pretty much every focal length you'd need covered (24, 50, 85, 135) and four of the sharpest lenses around. That's including the Sigma 50mm you already have.

 

[runnah]

So you really have two different subjects that requires different ways of shooting. Corporate gigs and similar shoots allow for multiple takes, staging and additional setup times. Weddings are mostly a one chance type of deal. So I'd approach each differently as to what gear I'd bring and use.

For weddings; I'd want flexible zoom range with image stabilization for handheld shooting. Primes could be useful but you'd have to be on a tripod or you'd have to be very good with a shoulder rig. Primes are also potentially dangerous because you run the risk of having to swap lenses quickly to capture an event, not to mention if you are using a rig it take a lot more time to swap.

So I'd get the Tamron 15-30, 24-70 and 70-200. All are 2.8 and all have vibration control. All for $4k. You can still get plenty of DOF with 2.8, and since you already have the 50mm 1.4 you can still slap that on for specialty shots.

If it were me tho I'd save up and get a second body/tripod/shooter.

 

[runnah]

Definitely get your hands on the Nikon 24mm f/1.4. It's easily one of the nicest lenses around. The focus ring is nice and big which will make your life a lot easier when shooting video. And it stops down to 1.4 which will give that nice, artsy shallow ] depth of field that'll make wedding videos pop (but not too shallow, it retains a very usable DOF compared to most other low aperture wide angles).

I would agree except that the D750 doesn't have focus peaking and shooting a "one shot" event like a wedding wide open is very risky. Slap that puppy on a tripod/dolly/slider and give me multiple takes and I'd be all over that.