Lenses for 5D Mark 2: Interview Setup

Hey everyone, need some help. I just moved from a 60D to a 5D Mark 2. I'm going to produce some video tutorials that teach people about job skills. The videos will be shot in a format similar to this video:

http://www.youtube.com …gU4TqyRnI&featu​re=related

Basically, I want a lens where I can shoot indoors, and where I can have the subject in focus while the background is out of focus. I was using a Sigma 30mm 1.4 on my 60D which worked great, but now on a full frame camera I'm a bit lost as to which lens would be best for this specific type of use. I'm most likely going with a prime at the end of the day and had the 85mm 1.8, 50mm 1.4 or something similar in mind. What would you all recommend?

The 50mm 1.4 is going to give a look on a full frame most comparable with what you were doing with the 30mm but the 85mm is more in line with what would be considered a traditional portrait lens. If you have the room go with the 85mm as this will have several advantages:-

The longer lens will reduce the depth of field more significantly at equal apertures to that of the 50mm. Giving the subject more distance between them and the camera wil be less intimidating and more likely to achieve a better interview - this is assuming you aren't intending to use the camera mic as otherwise you want to get the camera as close to the subject as possible for the best chance of passable audio.

I like the 135mm f/2L for really tight head and shoulders shots. I usually complement that with a second camera with either a 50 1.2L or the 85mm 1.2L getting a shot that's about waist up. If I am really lucky with time and resources I will put a third camera with a 200mm exactly the to the side (on the same eyeline as the others) with a very tight artsy shot. Clients love it.

If you use two cameras, you want the wider shot from more outside the eyeline and the tighter shot closer to the eyeline but not crossing the bridge of the nose or it will look like the two shots are facing different directions.

Might I suggest the Samyang 35mm 1.4? Since it is marketed as a videotographer's lens. The focus ring is nice and big and feels oh so right when your holding it. Or if the price it a bit out of your reach there is always old school MF lens.

While the above listed primes are wonderful lenses, the reality of producing videos is that you aren't always going to be in a situation with an interview subject where you get to move the camera backward or forward to get the perfect framing. Or have the time to try different prime lenses until you find the focal length that best works out. Let's say you are doing one of your interviews in the subjects office and it doesn't have enough room to back up enough to frame the subject properly for the given environment. Yes, having a whole bag full of lenses would be really cool, but not really likely. This is where a zoom lens comes in.

I have done many of these types of interviews over the years. I do professional sound mixing for video productions and I can't tell you how many interviews like the one I stated above I have been a part of. And in every single case there was a zoom lens used. It's only been recently since the introduction of the Sony F3 that I have done an interview where the camera owner/op used a prime lens. And in that case he had three, a 35mm, a 50mm and an 85mm. Three great focal lengths for sure. But in that particular case we had to totally rearrange the room to fit the focal length picked. Luckily we had a lot of time to set our shot and do a ton of work. That meant moving a lot of furniture. Maybe you can do that in your situation, maybe you can't. Maybe you subject doesn't want you to tear apart their office just to do an interview.

When I have been a part of DSLR interview shoots the two most commonly used lenses were the Canon 24-70 f2.8L and the 70-200 f2.8L. With those two lenses on a 5D2, you'll have a huge focal range covered and they will allow you to do a lot of work, quickly while only carrying around two lenses as opposed to a whole suitcase full of expensive primes.

Yes, prime lenses give you some abilities that zooms just can't give you, but the converse is also true.

In the end, it's a balancing act, how much money do you have to get the biggest bang.

If I had to suggest only one lens, I'd say go with the 70-200 f2.8L. On a FF body that focal range will give you the ability to do a lot of different shots. But if you had the room in the budget for one more lens, then I'd say get a Canon 50mm f1.4 as well. It's speed can be a shot saver and it's a very nice and useful focal length.

But only you'll know the environments you'll be shooting your subjects in. Maybe the wider 24-70L and a 85mm prime would be a nice pair of lenses for you.

With Chas 100%. My comments were based on the options given (assuming to be in the OP's lens stock) but, if buying new 70-200 2.8L & 24-70 2.8L would certainly be the way to go.

I just picked up the 17-40L, guess I'll have to put some more funds together to pick up the 24-70 too. Thanks everyone for the tips. I'll definitely post up my work when I get it all put together.

Even more importanly OP, before you go dumping too much money into a new lens, what are you doing about audio for this project?!

ben_r_ wrote in post #13641127
Even more importanly OP, before you go dumping too much money into a new lens, what are you doing about audio for this project?!

Right now I'm recording the audio using the H1 and an Audio Technica Lav. I was using the H4n for my video work previously and so far the H1 has worked out great.

Ten Ounce wrote in post #13641141
Right now I'm recording the audio using the H1 and an Audio Technica Lav. I was using the H4n for my video work previously and so far the H1 has worked out great.

yea but the H1 records to icky mp3's

give me .wav files any day over that.

cms11186 wrote in post #13641260
yea but the H1 records to icky mp3's

give me .wav files any day over that.

H1 records to both mp3 and wav. Never compared the two, but I always shoot wav too.

Ten Ounce wrote in post #13641306
H1 records to both mp3 and wav. Never compared the two, but I always shoot wav too.

Its the difference between .jpg and RAW. Always shoot RAW and always record in .wav. Leaves you the wiggle room to fix things up in post if needed.

ben_r_ wrote in post #13641327
Its the difference between .jpg and RAW. Always shoot RAW and always record in .wav. Leaves you the wiggle room to fix things up in post if needed.

That makes sense. I've always recorded in wav and liked the results, so I never really had a reason to record in an mp3 format. I'm going to work on shooting a sample video in the next week and I'll post it up here for critique.

And when recording .WAV files, always try to record them at 48K, 24 bit. Forget about 16 bit. That will cause you trouble eventually. The difference between 16bit and 24bit is huge! This is what we used to call "headroom" on analog tape. Basically the dynamic range of a 24bit file is so much greater than a 16bit file that you can actually push the record levels a bit harder with 24bit. Otherwise it just sounds "muddy" and you have to boost it in post. Better to record it right first!

Can't wait to see you work!

ChasWG wrote in post #13641420
And when recording .WAV files, always try to record them at 48K, 24 bit. Forget about 16 bit. That will cause you trouble eventually. The difference between 16bit and 24bit is huge! This is what we used to call "headroom" on analog tape. Basically the dynamic range of a 24bit file is so much greater than a 16bit file that you can actually push the record levels a bit harder with 24bit. Otherwise it just sounds "muddy" and you have to boost it in post. Better to record it right first!

Amen to that!