confused on what lens to get for video

I use a 60D

My budget is probably up to $400


I would want a sigma 18-50 2.8 but its slightly over budget and a part of me wants longer zoom.

I just bought a new rokinon 85mm cine lens but for some reason I am not impressed with it and I think ill return it. My canon 28-105 3.5-5.6 seems to be capturing equal if not better quality footage.(sample video in 1080p below)

http://m.youtube.com/w​atch?v=Vvr9s8sceJ0

I dont necessarily need low aperture as much as I need image stabilization since I dont plan to shoot in very low light.

Suggestions are appreciated

I use STM lenses for video. They are fantastic on continuous AF cameras like the 70D. But I also use STM for video on my 6D. I have the 10-18 STM, 18-55 STM, and 24-105 STM. All are exceptional for the price.

The STM lenses, in general, are affordable and pretty highly regarded. Since your 60D doesn't do continuous AF in video mode, you won't see any of those benefits though.

Lyndön wrote in post #17817180
The STM lenses, in general, are affordable and pretty highly regarded. Since your 60D doesn't do continuous AF in video mode, you won't see any of those benefits though.

OP won't see ALL the benefits. Even on non-DPAF bodies, the STM lenses:

a.) Do not make noise that your camera picks up in the soundtrack.
b.) Focus more slowly and precisely, which is what you want in video. (Not nearly so much 'hunting')

Even on cameras that don't fully support them, STM lenses are better than non-STM for video. I have 3 STM lenses: 10-18, 18-55, and 24-105. All of them are optically superior to their comparable/equivalent non-STM counterparts. That makes them very good choices for still shots, also. And they are inexpensive. Wins all around!

Some things you won't like about STM lenses for video:
Not many available.
All the zooms are variable aperture (use f/5.6).
No fast primes. (No, f/2.8 is NOT fast)

I recently tried the 10-18 on my 50D in store to see what it was like. The focus was so quite that I kept trying to check it was working, given the DoF at 10mm there's not that much change visible in the viewfinder. Looking at the focus ring got me too, until I rememberd it is focus by wire, and dosen't turn when you AF. I think Canon have really stepped up with these new STM lenses. Finally it seems they have some entry level lenses with a reasonable build quality. Much like in the days when we only had MF lenses, with brass body tubes.

Alan

Bassat wrote in post #17817283
OP won't see ALL the benefits. Even on non-DPAF bodies, the STM lenses:

a.) Do not make noise that your camera picks up in the soundtrack.
b.) Focus more slowly and precisely, which is what you want in video. (Not nearly so much 'hunting')

Even on cameras that don't fully support them, STM lenses are better than non-STM for video. I have 3 STM lenses: 10-18, 18-55, and 24-105. All of them are optically superior to their comparable/equivalent non-STM counterparts. That makes them very good choices for still shots, also. And they are inexpensive. Wins all around!

Some things you won't like about STM lenses for video:
Not many available.
All the zooms are variable aperture (use f/5.6).
No fast primes. (No, f/2.8 is NOT fast)

50mm 1.8 is STM

If I recall, the 60D has zero AF abilities while recording, so STM provides no benefit in reducing AF noise.

Since they are "focus by wire" the STM MF focus control by hand is not nearly as easy as a smooth old school focus ring.

Left Handed Brisket wrote in post #17817330
50mm 1.8 is STM

If I recall, the 60D has zero AF abilities while recording, so STM provides no benefit in reducing AF noise.

Since they are "focus by wire" the STM MF focus control by hand is not nearly as easy as a smooth old school focus ring.

You recall quite incorrectly. All of Canon's dSLR, since at least the T1i (500D) can focus while recording video. With STM lenses that focusing is much smoother, appropriately slower, and noise free. Only the 70D and 7DII can do continuous focus in video mode. Perhaps that is what you are thinking of.

The focus by wire aspect of the STM lenses is no different in use than the non-STM lenses. You have to turn the focus ring to focus the lens. The focus mechanism of STM lenses has a really light touch; there is NO damping. Manual focusing with STM lenses is easier (no resistance at all), and extremely smooth. But it is a very light touch. Some folks will find that 'different'. I don't think 'not nearly as easy' describes the situation.

STM lenses offer advantages in video recording no matter what body you are using.

Bassat wrote in post #17817347
You recall quite incorrectly. All of Canon's dSLR, since at least the T1i (500D) can focus while recording video. With STM lenses that focusing is much smoother, appropriately slower, and noise free. Only the 70D and 7DII can do continuous focus in video mode. Perhaps that is what you are thinking of.

The focus by wire aspect of the STM lenses is no different in use than the non-STM lenses. You have to turn the focus ring to focus the lens. The focus mechanism of STM lenses has a really light touch; there is NO damping. Manual focusing with STM lenses is easier (no resistance at all), and extremely smooth. But it is a very light touch. Some folks will find that 'different'. I don't think 'not nearly as easy' describes the situation.

STM lenses offer advantages in video recording no matter what body you are using.

That's why I said "AF abilities while recording". If the camera is not focusing while recording there is no advantage to having a quiet or smooth AF lens. And yes, the dampening of the focus ring, or lack thereof, is hardly an advantage. There might be a tiny minority of people who prefer such a system but I have a hard time believing most think it is an advantage.

The 60D was released before the 500D, and the SL1 also has continuous AF while recording. Not that it really matters.

Edit: a quick google search produced this description of what focus pullers look for in a lens

http://www.imagechaser​.com …ointers-2/#Manual%20Focus

Exactly the opposite of the STM lenses I have seen.

Left Handed Brisket wrote in post #17817398
That's why I said "AF abilities while recording". If the camera is not focusing while recording there is no advantage to having a quiet or smooth AF lens. And yes, the dampening of the focus ring, or lack thereof, is hardly an advantage. There might be a tiny minority of people who prefer such a system but I have a hard time believing most think it is an advantage.

The 60D was released before the 500D, and the SL1 also has continuous AF while recording. Not that it really matters.

Perhaps you need a really strong cup of coffee.

All of Canon's dSLRs from the T1i (500D) forward are capable of AUTO-FOCUS WHILE RECORDING VIDEO. I don't know how else to put that. STM lenses are a clear advantage in video mode NO MATTER WHICH BODY you have them mounted on.

The 60D was most certainly NOT released before the 500D. The 500D was released in March of 2009. I bought one. The 60D was released in August of 2010. I bought one of those, too.

You are correct that the SL1 can do continuous focus while in video mode. I was not aware of that. That does not change the fact that all Canon digital SLRs since the T1i in 3/2009 have been capable of auto-focus in video mode.

I take your point about the free-floating focus mechanism of STM lenses. That will surely be a matter of tastes.

I like the 50 1.8 STM for video and just ordered the 24mm STM since its on sale in canon refurbs.

Do you find the 50 a bit long on crop? I briefly considered the 24 STM, but my 18-55 STM also does (obviously) 24mm, and it is f/4 at that focal length. Is the extra stop worth the cost of the 24 STM. (Feels like a stupid question for an $89 lens.)

I guess all depends o what your shooting for the focal length
I just ordered the 24 lastnight and I ordered it specifically for video for the wider shots if needed. I am not a huge fan of the 18-55 cause its slow and variable aperture.

Bassat wrote in post #17817415
Perhaps you need a really strong cup of coffee.

All of Canon's dSLRs from the T1i (500D) forward are capable of AUTO-FOCUS WHILE RECORDING VIDEO. I don't know how else to put that. STM lenses are a clear advantage in video mode NO MATTER WHICH BODY you have them mounted on.

The 60D was most certainly NOT released before the 500D. The 500D was released in March of 2009. I bought one. The 60D was released in August of 2010. I bought one of those, too.

You are correct that the SL1 can do continuous focus while in video mode. I was not aware of that. That does not change the fact that all Canon digital SLRs since the T1i in 3/2009 have been capable of auto-focus in video mode.

I take your point about the free-floating focus mechanism of STM lenses. That will surely be a matter of tastes.

well I messed up in thinking the 60D was older than it is and that put everything i was trying to say in the wrong context.

but i still find the 6D, and other EOS cameras that use contrast detect AF to be almost useless in the real world.

If your needs end at designating one AF area of the frame via the multi controller, and then telling the camera when to change focus by doing a half press (or pressing some other dedicated button) i guess it is mostly sufficient, and yes, it will benefit by using a STM lens. I still think it is a kludge that often gives choppy and limited AF function regardless of the lens being used.

I bought the SL1 recently to provide continuous AF during recording and in my minor testing so far, have been happy with the results. I am by no means a heavy video user, so take all this with that in mind. In my experience, MF with a decent, damped lens is a better option than the single area contrast detect AF found in most cameras. The SL1 hybrid AF combined with touch screen is the next step up.

Back to the OP's question, with the 60D, IS is much more important to nearly all video when the camera isn't sitting on a tripod. The benefits of an STM lens on your camera are arguable. If you are going to be happy using contrast detect AF, it will provide smoother focus while still doing some minor hunting at the beginning of the focus change. If you are going to be doing MF operations, a smooth,damped focus ring that is wider than the typical 4 millimeters of an STM lens, is the way to go. YMMV.

05Xrunner wrote in post #17817452
I guess all depends o what your shooting for the focal length
I just ordered the 24 lastnight and I ordered it specifically for video for the wider shots if needed. I am not a huge fan of the 18-55 cause its slow and variable aperture.

I understand the aperture thing. Both my 10-18 and 18-55 get set to f/5.6 for video (I mostly use M, 1/30, f/5.6, auto-ISO). That eliminates the vagaries of constantly changing apertures with zoom. A compromise, no doubt.

I didn't do much video until I got the 70D (DPAF, continuous video AF) and an STM lens. The combination is fantastic. Everything else (my 6D included) is a hobbled-together approximation of a real video camera.