What's the difference in these lens? The zoom capabilities? I have a standard 16X zoom lens that usually comes with a Canon XL1. I'm eventually going to purchase more lens (only after audio, lighting, editing computer) and I would like to know the best way to go. If it depends on what I plan on shooting, just point me to the most diverse. I really love XLSs of sets. I want to shoot in the 16:9 ratio and such. Thanks.
The lens is just about everything when it comes to the image. Shoot an XL1 and a GL2 side by side, and watch the footage. That slight difference is the lens. The XL1 has a better one. Now slapp on 35mm pro lenses and it takes a giant leap. How about shooting true 16x9 (The XL1 dosent shoot true 16x9, just simulated.) and having an ultra shallow depth of focus. It all depends on what lenses, but you can shoot a scene without zooming in, and have it wide with a foot or even less of focus room. Makes for great shots. R. Michael
"Luck, is when opportunity, meets preperation." "There are 3 sides to every story. Yours, mine, and the truth, and none of us are lying" -Robert Evans
Its not that its hard to manage per say. Ths lenses would be for stagnant shots. There are tons of different 35mm lenses. They just produce a cleaner, crisper image. It does make for better looking XL1 footage (see "28 Days Later" Those are 35mm lenses.) R. Michael
"Luck, is when opportunity, meets preperation." "There are 3 sides to every story. Yours, mine, and the truth, and none of us are lying" -Robert Evans
Slapping a 35mm lens on an Xl-1 won't help you at all on your depth of field other than offering you longer focal lengths and perhaps the option of a faster lens. The chip is still 1/3" (And the actual imaging area within that chip is much less). You would get the benefit of only using the sweet part of the lens, but seeing as the focal lengths your 35mm lenses will be longer than your DV lenses that's sort of a moot point. The only way to get the DOF benefit is to use something like the P+S Techniks Mini-35 adapter which essentially allows you to photograph a 35mm ground glass. When you start tacking on such goodies the advantages of mini-DV (Cost and speed) slowly slip away.
There's as much craft (Perhaps more) to a good video lens than a good film lens and the prices of them reflect that. 35mm lenses are not optimized for use with 3CCD cameras. There is a slight offset of the CCDs behind the prism block so lens design has to compensate. Essentially, while the red and blue CCDS may be in focus, the green may be soft if you use a film lens. Vice versa holds true as well with video lenses on film cameras). This doesn't stop some DP's from practicing this, but it's something to consider. For this reason and others "28 Days Later" was shot using HD lenses (Not 35mm).
Nota "Thinks the Gl-2 lens holds up well against the stock XL-1 lens, but both suck" Mono
Posts: 665 | Location: Los Angeles, Ca. U.S.A. | Registered: October 31, 2002
Having the 35mm lense will make little difference on the XL-1. Video is video. You will never get a film depth of focus no matter what lense you use. What you need to do is not spend your money on a 35mm lense, then the adapter for the XL 1, yet use the lense you have. You can get a great dof if you use your whole lense. Zoom all the way in, and straighten your focus, and back your camer up 20 feet or so. This gives you a great dof. Now obviously this will not work handheld, but if you use sticks, and or have EXTREMELY STABLE MOVEMENT this will work, and you don't loose the money. Not only that, but use your surroundings to force depth, such as using things in the foreground, long hallways, collumns, or deep woods, and or rows of trees. This will SAVE YOU MONEY!!!!! Lord knows we can all do that. (They used this same idea in 28 days later)
"Pain is temporary, Film is forever"-Peter Jackson
Posts: 325 | Location: United States | Registered: June 12, 2003
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