How to choose a lens for Canon 7D video?

I am buying Canon 7D for shooting video and still photos. I only have
Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens. Would that lens be of any use
for video on 7D? What lens would you recommend for video (some of it in
low light) on 7D if I can only get one lens for now?

Thanks, ddi

I suggestthe fastest ones you can afford. [8-|]

Do you need a zoom or can you get by with a prime? You'll generally get wider apertures at lower cost if you stick to primes, yet you'll lose the convenience of recomposing without walking. ;-)

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Originally Posted by ddi

I am buying Canon 7D for shooting video and still photos. I only have
Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens. Would that lens be of any use
for video on 7D? What lens would you recommend for video (some of it in
low light) on 7D if I can only get one lens for now?

Thanks, ddi



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Canon EFS 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM lens or for an extra few $ the Canon EF 24-70mm f2.8 L USM. I have both and they work well on the 7D for video

I hope I'm not stating the obvious (well, okay, I know I *am* stating the obvious, but still...), don't underestimate the importance of IS for video. You need IS or a tripod unless you have far steadier hands than mine.


Inexpensive fast primes made by canon do not have IS. In fact I think their only IS lens faster than f/2.8 is the 200mm f/2. Not cheap :)

Unfortunately one prime will not be enough, I need more flexibility. Unless you think I can also use the 17-85 IS I have and combine the two?

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Originally Posted by Jon Ruyle

I hope I'm not stating the obvious (well, okay, I know I *am* stating the obvious, but still...), don't underestimate the importance of IS for video. You need IS or a tripod unless you have far steadier hands than mine.


Inexpensive fast primes made by canon do not have IS. In fact I think their only IS lens faster than f/2.8 is the 200mm f/2. Not cheap :)



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I will be doing all the video shooting with a tripod, so I thought IS will not be so important. But then it will be useful for photography...

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Originally Posted by Sean Setters

Do you need a zoom or can you get by with a prime? You'll generally get wider apertures at lower cost if you stick to primes, yet you'll lose the convenience of recomposing without walking. ;-)
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How sensitive are newer Canon models to frequent lens changes (for working with a set of primes)?

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Originally Posted by ddi

How sensitive are newer Canon models to frequent lens changes (for working with a set of primes)?
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How sensitive? You mean how much dust will start collecting on your sensor? Quite a bit, actually. Those things seem to be a magnet for dust as far as I can tell. Most of the time, it isn't that detrimental to image quality. However, for optimal results, you need to practice the best methods for changing lenses (turn camera off so sensor is not electro-statically charged, keep body's lens mount facing downward while not connected to a lens, etc). If the dust spots start to bother you, you can always use the dust removal feature in Digital Photo Professional, or else have the sensor cleaned or try to clean it yourself (can be very risky unless using the blower method).

What I've read is that zoom isn't good for video - zoom rings on SLR lenses aren't made for video needs, and the air escaping/entering the lens can "corrupt" your audio. I've heard f/2 is the sweet spot for video.


A lot of engineering goes into video lenses - I think the 100x Canon zooms for broadcast video are internally counterbalanced, so zoom/focus never changes the lens' center of gravity. So yes, good lenses are worth their money; don't buy something that's not going to work for you.