lens for filmmaking

This is why for documentary or run and gun filmmaking, a good zoom lens will be preferred to a fast prime. One of the most popular accessories for iPhones and other smartphones is the Moment Lens range. Filmmaking Stuff is a professional resource for entrepreneurial filmmakers, providing practical strategies on screenwriting, producing, funding, directing, marketing and distribution. When buying camera lenses, sharpness is also an important consideration. John Graham is an LA based filmmaker. You get an 18x telephoto zoom lens, 0.63x wide-angle lens, 15x macro lens, 198° fisheye lens, six different kaleidoscope lenses, a CPL filter lens, tripod, and Bluetooth camera shutter for easy snapping and recording. Please see more information about their bio in the post above. This is particularly important with Panasonics, as the small MFT sensor has greater depth of field at a given aperture than an APS-C or full frame camera. Know what sensor size you have and then buy camera lenses designed for that sensor. But it’s expensive. When it comes to buying camera lenses, some are better for photography and some are better for cinema. If you’re full-frame, or use a different array of cameras, this lens speed combined with some wide zooming is still a great option for documentaries where you’re up close to the action. Panasonic’s smaller MFT sensor is usually quoted as having a crop factor of 2 when you’re shooting stills. But with most Panasonic cameras (except the GH5s, which has a bigger ‘multi-aspect’ sensor), video is different. iOgrapher Filmmaking Case – iPad Mini – Turn your iPad mini into a filmmaking powerhouse with the iOgrapher Mobile Media Case. For the best wide-angle documentary filmmaking, Rokinon’s fixed 35mm will give you the most speed and shallowest depth of field for those looking for the crispest image quality. This lets you compare lenses on different sensors.

John attended the Savannah College of Art and design, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BFA in Film and Television. That’s still a useful wide angle, but not quite as wide. Zoom lenses are convenient. This page includes affiliate links. While you might set up interview dates and times beforehand, you have no way of knowing what the conversation will yield. I made a mistake of buying a really nice Zeiss zoom lens for my camera and was dismayed to discover that when shooting in 4K there was a heavy vignette around the image. It’s small, light and sharp. Choosing a particular lens an aesthetic decision, based on your needs as a filmmaker. Start a Documentary Today with This Quick Guide to Documentary Film, Best Digital Cameras for Documentary Filmmaking. You could also try other focal lengths: the 85mm f/2 would make a fast, compact 190mm equivalent telephoto on MFT. You are always encouraged to conduct your own due-diligence before purchasing any product or service. Moment Lenses For Smartphone Filmmaking. It has a constant aperture so exposure doesn’t change when you zoom in and out.

His feature films ‘Home Sweet Home’, ‘Catching Faith’ and ‘Wish For Christmas’ are available in the USA and world wide. Here we are going to go through them, one by one, to have a look at what they promise and the results achieved. Medium telephoto prime lens: 42.5mm f/1.7. One attribute of a cinema lens is that it has ‘teeth’ around the focus ring and the aperture ring. Metabones’ Canon EF adapters even maintain autofocus, though it won’t be as fast as on a Canon body. The Panasonic Lumix 7-14 f/4 is a constant aperture, wide angle zoom. The 14mm lens creates unbelievably wide images and allows you to get a shots in a small work area. How to make movies with your iPhone or iPad, Using pictures, sound, and sequences in your movie, Using the camera, light, position and movement, Film and edit so that your movie makes sense, Tips to make sure you get all the shots you need, Filming ‘rules’ to help viewers understand what’s going on, Essential principles for editing your clips together, Short movie structure, storytelling tips and story ideas, Introduction to equipment for low budget filmmaking, My starter kit for low budget filmmakers, documentary makers and citizen journalists, What you need to shoot good video with mobile devices, Learn filmmaking by editing a short movie. While not a necessity, a strong zoom long lens can still be a great addition to any documentary project where up-close-and-personal coverage is not an option. The GH4 captures 4k ‘pixel for pixel’ (just recording from the 4K-sized area in the middle of the sensor) which increases the crop factor. The same closeup was filmed with wide-angle, ultra wide, ‘standard’, medium telephoto and telephoto lenses. A favorite of documentarians for close-ups and more stylized insert shots (as well as greater speed in dark environments), a strong 50mm (or “nifty-fifty”) should be in every documentarian’s bag. Thanks for reading! The Panasonic 42.5mm f/1.7 is equivalent to around 90mm (medium telephoto) on a full frame sensor, so you can get far enough away for undistorted closeups. The Speedbooster Ultra has a focal length reduction of 0.71, which means you’ll get roughly the same field of view as if you were using the lens on an APS-C body, assuming that you’re shooting HD. And how does filming 1080p and 4K video affect the crop factor? If you’re looking for a much narrower field of view, the 50mm and 85mm lenses are the way to go. There’s just so much to consider, and every documentary is different. A non full frame lens only allows the image to cover a portion of a full frame sensor. This site uses cookies to improve your experience. The aspect ratio (shape) of the full Panasonic sensor is 4:3. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.