Canon 600d lens help PLEASE?!

[chowdafresh]

im purchasing a Canon 600d this week and im looking for a lens to go with..
ive dont some research on lens' but i dont understand the numbers, or which ones are better for what.

im mostly filming video, of just about everything.. im in college for becoming a film maker, so i want a nice lens that will hold up, and be able to last..
something that has decent zoom.. but most of all clarity.

do i need a lens with a uv filter?
and i know that the 600d does not have a image stabilizer in it, so will i need a lens with one?

please help me out.. im desperate here

 

[timphotos]

Kit lens 18-55mm II is a good lens for video. I haven't personally used it, but from what I read it's not a bad kit lens. 600D has digital zoom with out quality sacrifice so your zoom will be there. If you are serious about photos you'll want to pick up a better lens but for video the 18-55mm II isn't a bad. I'm sure there's better choices but you'll have to shell out a lot more $ for something better then this kit.

 

[Overread]

A few pointers:

1) Zoom lenses - you'll want to research the lenses and make sure any zoom lenses you get for video are parfocal. This means that when you zoom and change the focal length the point that you focused on remains in focus; with many zoom lenses for photography the focus point will change, which will be very difficult to work with for video work (since you won't have AF to correct for the shift). From memory I know that the 24-105mm f4 IS L is parfocal, it also has IS which will help with handholding for video. It's not a cheap lens though so I well understand that it might currently be outside your price range.
I can't recommend any others (I don't know which ones are and are not parfocal) though if you're limited you might have to use a regular zoom as a prime (ie no focal length changing) or get a simple easy to use prime.

2) UV filters - DSLRs already have coatings and filters to block out UV light and thus at common altitudes and common conditions the amount of UV present is already so small that the camera is filtering it out on its own, the filter contributes very little to no effect. If you're at higher altitudes (eg5000 above sea level) then the increased UV present in the atmosphere does bring the filter back into use.
As for protection, a filter will protect only against light dust, dirt and liquids. For things like sand, dust, water, sticky fingers, the UV filter is an ideal way to allow you to protect your front element from scrapes or marks.
For heavier material (eg stones, paintballs etc...) or for dropping the filter offers no protection and, because filter glass is very thin, it will shatter; sending all those abrasive glass shards all over your front element. Any protection you "might" have wanted is now lost and the lens might well be in a worse condition for it.

 

[rokvi]

The numbers indicate the the focal lengths and max aperture. Your kit lens has a focal length from 18-55mm the maximum aperture at 18mm is f3.5 and at 55mm is f5.6 the smaller the f number is usually the better as it lets in more light at its widest opening than your kit lens would. The 600D does not have an inbuilt image stabilizer this is all done in the lenses. A lens that has "IS" on the front is Image stabilized. You dont "need" a UV filter but some say it helps to protect your lenses, which in some circumstances is debatable.