Video Lenses
Throughout my career, I’ve always been intrigued by cinema lenses. These expensive, exotic, and mechanically sublime feats of engineering are truly noteworthy products. This is why I jumped at the opportunity to do this hands-on review of the Rokinon XEEN cinema lenses. Compared to the majority of cinema lenses, these are very reasonably priced and available in a variety of mounts. These two qualities, along with solid optical metrics, make these lenses very popular among owner-operators producing high-quality video and film.
For this review,
Zeiss has just announced a 21-100mm/T2.9-3.9 T* Lightweight Universal Zoom Lens available in five different mounts (EF, F, E, MFT, and PL). Like other Zeiss compact cinema glass, the mounts are interchangeable with five mounts available (also EF, F, E, MFT
Want to film using the ever-popular 2.35:1 scope format? Using the SLR Magic Anamorphot-40 1.33x Anamorphic Adapter, you can easily incorporate this cinematic aspect ratio into your arsenal. Most cameras shoot video using the 16:9 HD aspect ratio, and this adapter adds a 1.33x
There are three things that are certain in a digital filmmaker’s life, in no particular order: late nights, taxes, and CMOS imaging sensors. Yeah, that list is a bit of an exaggeration on multiple fronts—it reads more like my personal experiences until this point. Regardless, CMOS imaging sensors are really an integral part of the digital filmmaker’s life, mostly because of the recent shift from CCD technology to CMOS technology in image sensor manufacturing. While in many aspects, CMOS imaging sensors brought about positive improvement over
Without a doubt, your focal length choice affects the impact of your image, whether you are shooting video or stills. With the rise of digital imaging, there has been an uptick of available formats in which you can shoot. To help clarify the relationship between format and focal length, some have coined the phrase “35mm equivalent.” This term has value when you are planning a shoot, your lens package, and as an aid for anyone who began their careers using 35mm film and has transitioned to shoot in a new digital format. However, the final
Whether you’re assembling a personal lens kit or compiling the equipment-rental list for your next film, selecting a lens package is an important decision. It can also be a daunting one, especially if you’re new to the game. So what lenses should you get? A complete set of primes? A couple of zooms? Both? The answers aren’t always clear. Ask ten DPs what their favorite lenses and focal lengths are, and you’ll likely get about as many answers.
The fact is that everyone has his or her own preferences, from focal length to build quality, to a
In the following video, our host, Chase, of KelbyOne Media, gives us a detailed look at the Aputure DEC Wireless Remote Adapter, which allows users to take full control of adapted Canon EF and EF-S lenses from up to 328' away. The adapter is available in both Sony E and Micro Four Thirds mounts and offers both focus and iris control over the adapted Canon glass. The video also shows off this device’s excellent design, featuring an OLED display and a mountable
Encroaching on the territory usually reserved for broadcast-style box lenses that you see at sporting events, the Canon Cine-Servo 50 to 1000mm T5.0 – T8.9 Lens is a 20x zoom lens for Super 35mm sensors. It features ENG-style zoom, focus, and iris control. About the same size and weight as Canon’s other
Despite the ever-changing, ever-growing camera market where photographers and videographers alike salivate at the latest innovations, one could say that the still and video camera market comprises two types of cameras: those with built-in lenses (fixed-lens cameras), and cameras compatible with interchangeable lenses (sometimes called system cameras, if they belong to a specific camera-lens ecosystem). There are inherent advantages in each design, and it is very possible that one of these types of cameras suits your image-making
Right of out of the gate, I should admit that I'm not a macro shooter. While I've owned and used lenses with short minimum focusing distances, I've rarely ever shot with a true macro. So, when offered the chance to do a hands-on review with the new Rokinon 100mm T3.1 Cine DS lens, my interest was piqued. Covering full frame sensors, the manual focus, portrait-length lens is the latest addition to Rokinon’s cine-style family, which consists of modified versions of the
In the past five to six years, camera technology has advanced by leaps and bounds and, in that time, cinema-quality video has become significantly more accessible. Consider the Blackmagic Production Camera 4K. This camera has a Super-35mm-sized sensor with a global shutter, and it shoots 4K raw. Ten years ago, a camera with specs like that would cost more to rent for one day than to buy the Blackmagic Production Camera
Large image sensors are among the most in-demand components of video cameras, and it's easy to see why. Relatively recent advances in image-sensor technology have allowed even advanced hobbyists to produce world-class footage. However, this is only half of the story. The recent popularity of interchangeable-lens camera systems is perhaps the single greatest factor driving our emerging creative freedoms.
"... with lens adapters, your creative options are practically limitless."
When it comes to choosing camera gear, lenses are one of your