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Matt, I always look forward to your posts because there’s a possibility you are working on a film with a different camera. The interesting aspect is that you really find that narrative sweet spot with every camera you use. The Rokinons are interesting and I’ll be keeping an eye out for them but my only concern is that they seem like they’re big chunk of lenses? Nah, I like the grade it fits with the warm music and location... I just wasn’t sure if the 50mm Rokinon was warmer in tone. For instance, I recently sold my beloved Nikkor 35mm 1.4 because it was just too damn warm... which would have been fine but it didn’t really match my other Nikkor lenses... I ended up spending too much time correcting the images shot with it. I tend to be very intimate with my actors when I shoot. In my films, the camera is a character or narrator, so I prefer to be in the mix of the scene... so anything too wide or too long just doesn’t work for my aesthetic.

Hey Parker, nice work and thanks for the reply. Since switching to FF and back to a Canon DSLR, a lot of my lenses just haven’t worked the way I was used to with aps-c or Micro 4/3... 28mm lenses were my go to focal lengths but now they’re just a bit too wide for most of my compositions. 35-58mm is the sweet spot for me and I could shoot an entire film with one lens in that range. Now I’ve read that the Rokinons are neutral in tone but your video seems warm... was that a grading choice?

I think Mark is saying he has like a half an hour to get in and out, so extra lighting will have to be minimal. I think he does the photos and video... so he basically has enough time for a walkthrough.

Question about Nikkor lenses... a lot of the ai-s lenses were in production for 25 years and some still are nearly 40 years after their release. With the advancements in coatings and manufacturing, has anyone noticed any difference in rendering or sharpness between the earlier serial numbers opposed to the later ones?

Thanks @Matt Kieley I’ve always loved your work! That Snapshots video looked amazing! That may be one of the best NX1 videos I’ve seen... I never knew you had one. The 24mm, 35mm and 50mm intrigue me the most... but I would probably just get one, so the 50mm is at the top of the list if I decide to give it a go. I briefly had the 12mm and 21mm cine versions for micro 4/3 and honestly liked the lenses more than I liked Micro 4/3... lol. If you can find anything from the 50mm, that would be awesome.

Yeah, I read about the switch. And that AF is reasonably fast for an old AF lens, but it’s very noisy. With my current USM lenses, I’ll sometimes push AF to get my original mark and then I’ll manually work focus. I assume with this lens, I’ll just do all manual... not the end of the world. Thanks, I hadn’t even heard of the lens until about a week ago, so to learn that you own it is invaluable.

Yeah, Pentax, Minolta, Canon and Nikon have always tried to make their lenses match one another at the very least in color. And I think Minolta was a stickler about that. That 85mm is a tough get and pretty pricey. According to the Pentax Lens Database, the f/1.8 version is slightly better but also a little more expensive. I look forward to seeing what you get with it. The first K Mount versions were labeled simply SMC Pentax and they are all the same exact lens designs as the Takumars... minus the Thorium. So you may be able to find one of those to match if you need to.

Thanks, maybe I’ll make it a poster for the film... or part of a collage poster. I really like how those two guys on IG process their photos... Sebastian Kortman and Max Mesch... there’s a dark and clean modern look to some of their images. So I’ve been working on that a little because I think that “look” fits the dark tone of my film... but honestly I still haven’t figured it out yet... I think maybe they have some green in their mids Anyway, of all of my lenses I’ve used, the Canon 35mm f2 IS lens seems to be the easiest path to that look. Of course I think they shoot fuji but I’d imagine they’re shooting raw.

Thanks, I’ve been working hard at improving my craft. Now if I could just find some actresses. But seriously, I am so happy I stopped chasing these 4K cameras. I was never happy with the results. And spending time with one camera for nearly a year now has taught me so much. I’m hoping the 20-35mm will have a decent focus ring since it’s an L lens but in reality with those wide angles, it’s not like I’ll be racking focus or anything... so as long as it holds focus and doesn’t drift... I should be good. I just sold my Canon 24-70mm f/4 and although it was on the slow side, it’s an amazing lens... but since I’m a one man band hobbyist filmmaker, a $700 lens just didn’t make sense. I’ll probably end up building a small set of Canon lenses and a small set of f/2 Nikkors and then I’ll keep a small handful of my favorite lenses... like the Minolta 35mm 1.8 and my Tokina 24-40mm. Hmm, I never knew that about Call me by your Name... nor have I seen it. Thanks for the info... I’ll check it out. And thanks for the lens tips. I’ve had a Zeiss 50mm 1.7 but I think I may have had a bad copy because I didn’t get any of that signature 3D Pop that lens is known for. How about Rokinon/Samyang cine Lenses... are they supposed to have a modern look? I know they have some character, which is good, but I’m looking for that clean, sharp modern feel. I already have plenty of lenses for vintage type looks. Anyway thanks for your help and post some more stuff from your F3... love that camera. If I didn’t need to be inconspicuous when I film, that camera would definitely be on my radar. Every time I try and build a Takumar set, I just cannot find 50mm 1.4 that isn’t yellowed. I don’t thing the 55mms have that problem... but what’s a set of Takumars without the 50mm 1.4.

I was actually referring to the 20-35mm EF version but it’s probably a very similar lens design... maybe even identical. But yeah, this is definitely my thought process. In fact, I could see myself shooting an entire short film with just one lens. Now the problem becomes... which lens. I am looking for a very modern clean prime lens between 35-50mm. I’d love a 50 or 35mm 1.4 Sigma Art but I don’t want to pay that kind of money... any suggestions? I’d love some Leica’s, but as you know... they can be pretty pricey... do you have the 50mm f2 Summicron? For now I am going to roll with my Canon lenses. Hopefully this zoom will be good. I’ve been editing a scene from my short that I shot with the 35mm f2 and I really just love that lens. The color needs a little work yet, but the lens is just special...

Thanks @noone I found one for less than $300 and although 35mm is one of my favorite focal lengths, it still covers the wider range I would never really buy. For car interiors and other tight spaces, it should do me well. And from what I understand it matches color of other EF lenses?

Yup. I saw a little moiré but it could be YouTube’s compression. A nice downscale to 1080p will clean most of that up anyway.

I don’t know... for some reason there is this notion that Canon should not release products that will make money because the consumers can buy something better for similar money? Then the consumer should go out and do just that. Why is it Canon’s fault that people don’t do their research? But also, for the cost, I don’t know if there is really that much better on the market. It’s a beginner’s, aps-c, 18mp DSLR that will shoot Raw photos and HD video. I love Nikon colors but their cheap DSLR’s aren’t the most user friendly for video. And I must assume that this Canon will be as good as, or better than, a t2i. What more does a beginner need?

I get your point but is a metal mount really going to save any fallen entry level dslr from destruction? Unfortunately, we live in a disposable world I like these cheapo cameras. I almost bought a D3400 around Christmas when you could get a kit for $300. I’d like to see what people can do with these limited features.

Also perception goes a long way. A lot of people envision DSLRs when they think what a “real” camera is. So I’d imagine, by a huge margin, that most people who buy their first real camera it is usually a DSLR. And honestly I feel that way sometimes as well. There’s just something about the feel of a DSLR in the hands.

If I’m a parent and my child shows an interest in photography, what camera do I buy them? This is Canon’s market for this camera. The parent isn’t going to research a Sony A7 plus adapters. They’re going to find a simple bare bones, inexpensive camera. A smart phone owner who wants a real camera for the holidays or vacation that takes good photos and acceptable video... they will look at this camera. Over the past few years that I’ve been frequenting this site, one of the most common phrases shouted time and time again is that Canon is in trouble... yet every year they sell more cameras and lenses than most of the companies combined.

So I’ve been reconsidering my lens choices. I own too many and use only a few of them. I recently came across an old Canon L zoom I had never heard of... the 20-35mm f/2.8. After reading some reviews and looking at samples on Flickr, I decided to take the plunge when I found one for a reasonable price. I rarely shoot with ultra wide lenses, but for tight spaces, they are useful and with this one lens, I can have Canon L quality from ultra wide to wide normal... and I’ve heard it described as having prime lens quality... hopefully it will be a great option to keep in the bag when needed. Anyway, does anyone have any experience with it? I’m also looking at a couple Sigma zooms... the DG models... probably either the 24-70mm or one of the 28-70mm variants... would love any info on them too.

You had fairly good interior light in your video. Forgive my ignorance as I haven’t shot with cine2 profile very often, but couldn’t you spot meter the interior and exterior and split the difference so you don’t have to push or pull either too much? Or over expose the exterior by +1.7-2 stops and then pull down your exposure in post. I know you’re not a fan of sLog2 but I believe the official Sony LUTS work fairly well? Or I’ve read that anyway. Also, auto iso works fairly well on the a6500, so test that as well.

@Matt Kieley here is a picture of the bottom of my lens and the inside of the adapter. As you can set it has a bevel on the bottom that just clears the inside tier of the adapter. And here’s a picture showing the rear element housing/c-mount threads protruding from the back of the adapter... Does your lens/adapter look the same?

Okay, let me look at my lens and see.

Hmm... Okay, will it screw on at all? And is the bottom of your lens beveled?

Hmm... do you have this Fujinon 12.5mm... It works on mine.

@kye do you like your camera? Does it feel good in your hands? Do you enjoy shooting with it? I had the XC10 and I can say without a shadow of a doubt, I loved that camera, it has great ergonomics and I loved every minute I shot with it. And luckily for you... the image has some mojo. The C-Log in 4K or 1080p is gorgeous. I’ve never used a camera that had better 4K video than the XC10. I think all you can do as an operator is work on the basics. Lighting, composition, exposure... etc... With that statement, I was addressing another member because he seemed to be looking for a formula to get the mojo. And sadly, if there was a formula... other than time, practice and craft, everybody would be amazing filmmakers. However, I do believe that certain cameras have more mojo... it could be the way it’s coded, or the amount of MPs mixed with the color science, or the bitrate, mixed with the curve... the possibilities are endless Thw good news is that almost every camera on the market in the past 5-10 years is capable of great images. @TheRenaissanceMan gave me some great advice when I was starting out. Take a notebook with you and jot down all of your exposure settings, where your light is coming from, time of day, etc... and go back and watch the footage. Rinse and repeat a couple dozen times and you’ll figure out what’s what. Either way, great topic and good luck.

Kisaha, opinions are fine but how can this gentleman have any idea what it costs Canon to manufacture a camera or the costs to market the camera? And who made him the social police in his crusade to persuade or bully Canon into providing low cost cameras to needy school children? The whole premise is silly and self righteous Of course, I am a bit of a hypocrite because I regularly share my opinion on cameras I feel are too expensive. I guess the tone of the article got under my skin, but you’re right.

So, basically the author of this article, with all his infinite wisdom, gets to decide what price Canon should sell their product for, who they should price this camera for and why they understand the internals of Canon’s production cost pipeline moreso than Canon themselves?