Canon Lens Review - Canon 85 f1.8, Canon 24-105 f4 L and Canon 70-200L IS f2.8 Comparison on Canon 5DII

Following on from the comparison of the Canon 70-200L IS f2.8 with the cheap Canon 35-80 f4-5.6 lens while I was at the studio today with model Amy I thought it would be interesting to compare the optical quality of the Canon 85 f1.8, Canon 24-105 f4 L and Canon 70-200L IS f2.8 using the Canon 5D Mark2 as it has a large sensor and is far more unforgiving of poor lenses.

All photos  were shot at f8, 1/160 sec at ISO 100 at 85mm or approximate focal length.


First up was the Canon 85 f1.8 lens. Although this is not an L series lens it is a prime that is very well regarded for portrait shoots on the Canon full frame cameras such as the 5D, 5DII or Canon 1Ds.

Canon 85 f1.8 lens review

Canon 85 f1.8 lens review -crop

The next was Canon 70-200 f2.8 L IS. A classic lens from Canon that is one of the sharpest and most versatile lenses in their range of zooms, but how will it compare against the Canon 85mm f1.8 prime?

Canon 70-200 f2.8 L IS

Canon 70-200 f2.8 L IS - crop

Finally the the Canon 24-105 L f4 lens that is packaged with the Canon 5D2 camera. It is a versatile lens with a useful focal range but the image quality isn't always as good as some other lenses.

Canon 24-105 L f4 lens - crop

Canon 24-105 L f4 lens review

The biggest surprise to me when comparing the images from the three lenses is that there is a lot more difference in image tone and contrast than I was expecting - all other parameters were identical so the lens was the only factor that changed. The Canon 24-105 L f4 lens appears to give a much more red tone than the other lenses and the Canon 70-200 IS and Canon 85 f1.8 are very similar to each other.

Canon Lens Comparison : L 70-200 IS vs 35-80 Can you tell the difference between a £1500 lens and a £50 lens?

Canon Lens Comparison :  reviewing the 70-200 L IS vs 35-80, Is an expensive lens better than a cheap lens? Can you tell the difference between a £1500 lens and a £50 lens?


As interesting comparison I thought it would be useful to test the Canon 70-200 f2.8 L IS lens against one of the cheap Canon plastic lenses to see how they compared and if was possible to see the difference in quality between the two. The Canon 70-200 f2.8 L IS lens is one of their most popular and highly regarded zoom lenses used by pros around the world every day. The 35-80 f4-5.6 lens is a very cheap plastic lens supplied with a number of Canon film cameras in the late 1990s such as the Canon 500n. The two lenses could not be further apart, an L series lens with high quality optics and weather sealing built for quality and a non-L plastic lens built to a low price.

Clearly the Canon 70-200 f2.8 L IS lens has other features such as IS and fixed maximum aperture that the Canon 35-80 does not so in order to compare like for like I used both lenses attached to a Canon 5D camera mounted on a tripod and set both to f8.

So which is which, A?

So which is which, or B?

The results were compared both on screen and as prints at 9"x6". On screen at 100% it was clear that the Canon 70-200 f2.8 L IS lens was optically superior with much sharper image and clearer detail. The surprise was that the 9"x6" prints did not show this and on even close inspection it was impossible to tell the difference.

The answer - A is the Canon 70-200 IS f2.8L lens and B is the 35-80 f4-5.6 lens

Why Use a DSLR for Video instead of an HD Camcorder

A lot of people ask why use a DSLR for high definition (HD) video not an HD Camcorder. There are various reasons and advantages of both but the use of Canon HD DSLR cameras by many professional filmmakers is a sign of how good they are and their benefits.

The first thing to remember in any comparison between DSLR and camcorder is that even if both are shooting at full HD 1080p (1980x1020) resolution then the sensors inside are still very different sizes.

In the same way that a mobile phone with 12Mp camera has nowhere near the quality of a 12Mp Canon 5D with the same number of pixels as the sensor inside is so much smaller, the camcorder also has a tiny sensor in comparison to the DSLR. The result is that the quality of the output from a DSLR video is so much better for low light work and for controlling the depth of field for video. The sensor in a camcorder has a surface area of approximately 4mm square but a full frame DSLR has a sensor size of 860 mm square.

1) Low light video shooting

If you imagine that light is a volume of water that is being captured and the sensor is a bucket then the camcorder would require at least 200 buckets to capture the same amount of light as the one bucket of the Canon 5D camera.

2) Depth of field

Due to the larger sensor size it means that the depth of field is much shallower and can be controlled unlike a camcorder where everything is in focus.

Brides Wanted for BBC3 Series "Don't Tell The Bride"

I’m currently casting for the returning BBC 3 Series ‘Don’t Tell the Bride’ and we are looking for couples who want to get married in this year.

This is the show where we give a couple £12,000 for their wedding but the only catch is that the groom has to organise the whole wedding.

I was just wondering if you would be able to forward on to anyone that you think might be interested.

All the details are below and I have also attached a poster, feel free to put this anywhere where you think people will see it.
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BBC3’s Don’t Tell The Bride is back and looking for couples who want to get married this year.

WANT TO TIE THE KNOT IN 2011?  WE HAVE £12K TO MAKE YOUR BIG DAY!    



Brides, do you have a perfect vision of your wedding day?

Is it the most important day of your life?

Have you bought the magazines & prepared the scrapbook…



BUT are your dreams bigger than your budget?



Grooms, how would you spend £12k to pull off the ultimate day?

Want to prove you can  organise the perfect wedding in your own unique way?                              

And create a wedding that you will both remember forever?



TO APPLY EMAIL:  chris.aristidou@renegadepictures.co.uk

Video Mics/Microphones for Digital SLR Video Cameras Canon 5D2/7D/60D/600D

The Canon range of DSLR video cameras give fantastic picture quality but for many video requirements the inbuilt microphone is not up to the job. There are various options you can use to improve the mic quality on the Canon 5D2, Canon 60D, Canon 7D or Canon 600D by purchasing an external mike to use with them.

All of the Canon 5D2, Canon 60D, Canon 7D and Canon 600D have external microphone sockets that allow stereo mics to be plugged in. I have three different microphones that I use with my Canon 5DII and Canon 550D SLR cameras, the Azden SMX10 fits to the top of the camera in the hotshoe and the Shure is a wireless mike that can attach to a lapel and transmit the sound back to the camera receiver. The third microphone is a standard cabled mic that has a 5m extension and can be used for interviews where the interviewer is in shot asking the questions.

Video/Lighting Rig for Canon 5D Mark2, Canon 7D, Canon 60D, Canon 600D

The Video-Rig shown here was designed and built by Dean Barkley, and is a multi-purpose device for obtaining stabilized, smooth motion video shots from an HDSLR (High Definition video enabled SLR) such as the Canon 5DII, Canon 7D or Canon 60D cameras. It provides a wide comfortable and stabilizing grip for the camera, and also gives mounting points for accessories such as video lights, microphone and monitor.

Deans versatile device adds rear and top handles for ease of carrying and to enable 'low shots', 'sideways shots' and look-down shots' to be achieved. In addition, three wheels give the unit amazing added functionality, allowing it to be used as a table (or 'skater') dolly! This feature allows the camera to track, at a low level, in a variety of ways depending on how the independantly adjustable wheels are orientated. With all three wheel axles pointing to a common point the Video-Rig will orbit around a subject at a constant distance. With the wheels pointing in the same plane, the device will track in a straight line forwards or sideways or any direction desired. Professional low-level dolly shots can be obtained with very little fuss.

When used in its conventional carrying mode, with hands either side of the camera, the rear padded handle nestles into the cameraman's stomach or chest, creating very stable and comfortable shooting positions.



Other useful features on the Video-Rig, include, a camera mount rack system enabling the camera fore/aft position to be adjusted to balance the unit when different lenses or accessories are used. A ball-head can be mounted on the camera mount rack to further add to the shooting angle options. Underneath the unit, a quick release plate allows for speedy attachment to a tripod head, thus allowing still or panning shots to be achieved. What is really useful about the Video-Rig, is that no matter whether you are hand-holding, dollying or panning on a tripod, the camera and accessories stay mounted on one unit, saving time and effort. Speaking of accessories. These are mounted quickly and easily on the frame of the device using Manfrotto style Nano clamps and articulated arms, thus allowing an infinite number of positions for your video lights and monitor. The arms can be moved and locked into position with the tightening of one knob. When not being used on the Video-Rig, the lights can be mounted to anything handy to provide studio lighting!

The Video-Rig is made from plastic tubing, and is both light and strong, and the comfortable grips make this device a joy to use. Contact him at drb@dbcad.co.uk for more information.

Looking for a Cheap Portrait Lens for Canon 600D?

Looking for a Cheap Portrait Lens for Canon 600D?

I've been testing out various cheap Canon lenses as well as my normal Canon L series that I normally use for shoots. If you are looking for a cheap lens to shoot portraits with then you can't get much better value than the Canon 35-80 lens that was sold with many cameras such as the Canon 500N during the 1990s.

I picked up an example of the lens on Ebay recently for £22 and tested it yesterday on a shoot using my Canon 600D camera. During the same shoot I also used my Canon 5D with the new Canon 100mm L f2.8 IS macro lens as a comparison. How will a £900 lens compare to a £22 one?

The answer is very well. The results in a controlled studio environment were very good although clearly the advantages of the Canon 100 macro are far more than the improved optical quality. You also get the f2.8 aperture as well as the image stabilisation.

My video from Canon 60D Plays Jerky on my PC /How to Play Canon 60D Video Smoothly on Computer

My video from Canon 60D won't play on my PC /How to Play Canon 60D Video on Computer/Smooth Playback from Canon 60D?

A common question about the MOV video files that are produced from the Canon 60D cameras is how to play them smoothly on a PC as they can be very choppy/jerky when played as the MOV format. The files are in the H264 compression format and to play Canon 60D video smoothly you need a very high end PC with fast graphics card and plenty of RAM. My PC has Quad core processor, 8Gb RAM and ATI Sapphire HD 4850 512Mb graphics and generally will play smoothly as long as other processes are not running

Even if you have a very high spec PC the playback can still be jerky and not smooth. The best way that I have found to play Canon 60D video smoothly is to use some software called Cineform Neoscene. This will convert the MOV files which are highly compressed into a more usable AVI format that your PC can play easily.

You can get a free trial of the Neoscene software from the Cineform website and to purchase is around £70. This may seem a lot of money but remember that with this software you can then edit the video on your PC using Windows Movie Maker without having to purchase any further software and also without buying a new high spec PC.

Video from Canon 7D won't play on my PC / How to Play Canon 7D Video on Computer

My video from Canon 7D won't play on my PC /How to Play Canon 7D Video on Computer/Smooth Playback from Canon 7D?

A common question about the MOV video files that are produced from the Canon 7D cameras is how to play them smoothly on a PC as they can be very choppy/jerky when played as the MOV format. The files are in the H264 compression format and to play Canon 7D video smoothly you need a very high end PC with fast graphics card and plenty of RAM. My PC has Quad core processor, 8Gb RAM and ATI Sapphire HD 4850 512Mb graphics and generally will play smoothly as long as other processes are not running

Even if you have a very high spec PC the playback can still be jerky and not smooth. The best way that I have found to play Canon 7D video smoothly is to use some software called Cineform Neoscene. This will convert the MOV files which are highly compressed into a more usable AVI format that your PC can play easily.

You can get a free trial of the Neoscene software from the Cineform website and to purchase is around £70. This may seem a lot of money but remember that with this software you can then edit the video on your PC using Windows Movie Maker without having to purchase any further software and also without buying a new high spec PC.

New Design of Lighting Rig & Dolly for Canon 5D2, 7D, 60D, 600D and 550D

I met up with someone recently who has developed their own rig for supporting and smooth filming using the Canon 5DII, Canon 7D, 60D, 600D DSLR cameras. The rig is both a lighting stand as well as a wheeled dolly that supports the camera.

Dolly Lighting Rig for Canon 5D2/7D/60D/600D/550D

I will post more info and photos shortly

Rochester Sweeps Festival - Truckstop Honeymoon HD 1080p video shot with Canon 5D2

Truckstop Honeymoon performing "Mardi Gras in Kansas" to a packed audience at Man of Kent alehouse, Rochester Kent as part of the annual Sweeps festival

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGJIYix91L8

Earlier in the day they performed their song "Angels" to a much less crowded Gordon Hotel in the beer festival tent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flNdU-2-0Lc

Both videos were shot on the Canon 5D2 DSLR and show the high ISO capability of the camera. The footage in the Man of Kent was shot at ISO 3200 in Black & White picture style.

Extracting Still Image JPEGs from Movie Video Footage

A lot of people want to be able to extract still images from frames in their video footage especially now that much video is shot in 1080p HD which means the resulting images will be 1920*1080 pixels - more than my first digital camera!

If you own a Canon DSLR camera then you already have the software to do this called Zoombrowser. This will let you move frame by frame and save images as JPG. This can be from any video footage, not just from Canon cameras.