Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 L IS USM for Video

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astrodave
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p.1 #1 · Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 L IS USM for Video

Has anyone used the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 L IS USM lens as a video lens (on a 5DMk2 or similar)?

I've gotten some very nice results with my 5DMk2+70-200mm f/4 (even indoors), but it occurs to me that the variable f-ratio might be a problem with zooming unless I keep it at f/5.6. Will the image darken as I zoom from 70-300 (starting at f/4)?

Also, at f/5.6 I might be bumping into an ISO range that I'd rather not use on video.

Thanks!

-David

Dec 30, 2012 at 02:02 PM

Ian.Dobinson
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p.1 #2 · Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 L IS USM for Video

Having owned that lens previously (and I'm not dissing its iq to value) I would think there are a few things that make it less usable for video.

1: variable fstop . Probably best to think of it as a constant f5.6

2: IS . While decent I found it quite noisy(more so than my 24-105 or 100--400 were) . So I would think it will notice . If your not wanting it for the IS then I'd just stick a 1.4tc on the 70-200

3: AF/MF . If your shooting in AF mode then its not as silent as a 'proper' USM lens. Again I found it nowhere near as quiet as my other lenses . And if your in MF then the focus ring leaves a fair bit to be desired .

Dec 30, 2012 at 03:07 PM

saneproduction
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p.1 #3 · Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 L IS USM for Video

Yep, not ideal for video. 300 is really getting too long for most video uses anyway. We almost never use even 200mm and that is on the c-300 (aps-c equiv). With a super 35 film camera the typical prime set is 18, 25, 35, 50 and 85 plus maybe 100 or 135. You can make a whole movie on 2-3 of those lenses.

Dec 30, 2012 at 03:42 PM

astrodave
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p.1 #4 · Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 L IS USM for Video

Thanks for the input guys. My video work is personal/amateur and I usually need to set up in the back of a church or school auditorium, so I often shoot at 200 f/4 or so (on a video tripod).

Also, there is no autofocus in video mode, so I do a manual focus anyway.

I was considering the 70-300 as a replacement for my 70-200. I use that 70-200 for so many things (sports, portrait, video) that I should probably hold on to it.

I was intrigued by a little extra reach (without using a TC) and the image stabilization, but thinking a little more, I might keep the 70-200 and go a different route for extra focal length for photo (not video).

Dec 30, 2012 at 07:42 PM

Ian.Dobinson
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p.1 #5 · Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 L IS USM for Video

astrodave wrote:

I was intrigued by a little extra reach (without using a TC) and the image stabilization, but thinking a little more, I might keep the 70-200 and go a different route for extra focal length for photo (not video).

BUT your losing a stop . So plunking a TC on the L gets you almost the same reach for the same fstop .
Don't get me wrong the 70-300 is not a bad lens (Infact I'm considering another just as a small lens when I don't want the 2.8) but its not up with the L . Put a TC on the L and I would think its still a tad better but you have the advantage of the better lens when using without the TC .

Also the best consumer 70-300 (non L) is the Tamron 70-300VC

Dec 30, 2012 at 08:21 PM

dwweiche
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p.1 #6 · Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 L IS USM for Video

Ian, in the original post, the OP wrote he was considering the 70-300L. From your replies it seems like you are commenting on the non-L?

Dec 31, 2012 at 12:00 AM

Ian.Dobinson
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p.1 #7 · Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 L IS USM for Video

dwweiche wrote:
Ian, in the original post, the OP wrote he was considering the 70-300L. From your replies it seems like you are commenting on the non-L?

Oops , my bad .

yes I see the L now. (In my defence I'm not well today

Dec 31, 2012 at 12:30 AM

astrodave
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p.1 #8 · Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 L IS USM for Video

Ian.Dobinson wrote:
Oops , my bad .

yes I see the L now. (In my defence I'm not well today

)

So disregard most/or everything I posted . The L isa great lens. I'm not sure about its video capabilities though and the only thing I will say is I seem to remember reading that it drops to f5.6 very quickly .

No worries!

Looks like it drops to 4.5 at about 100mm 5.0 at about 155mm and 5.6 at 229mm.

I was seduced by the latest 70-300L deal and jumped on it...but will probably be sending it back...it is a groovy looking lens though! :-)

Dec 31, 2012 at 03:32 AM

Dark Slider
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p.1 #9 · Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 L IS USM for Video

Does the focus stay put as you zoom? I would think this is a bigger issue for video.

Dec 31, 2012 at 05:37 AM

skibum5
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p.1 #10 · Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 L IS USM for Video

astrodave wrote:
Has anyone used the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 L IS USM lens as a video lens (on a 5DMk2 or similar)?

I've gotten some very nice results with my 5DMk2+70-200mm f/4 (even indoors), but it occurs to me that the variable f-ratio might be a problem with zooming unless I keep it at f/5.6. Will the image darken as I zoom from 70-300 (starting at f/4)?

Also, at f/5.6 I might be bumping into an ISO range that I'd rather not use on video.

Thanks!

-David

It would darken and it might do so in awkward style and sometimes aperture changes have hitched the video.

not sure why you are more afraid of higher iso for video since video is only 1920x1080, although actually the 5D2 it is true line skips unlike the 5D3 so i guess that does toss out some of the high iso advantage of video vs stills

Dec 31, 2012 at 06:13 AM

skibum5
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p.1 #11 · Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 L IS USM for Video

Dark Slider wrote:
Does the focus stay put as you zoom? I would think this is a bigger issue for video.

it doesn't

Dec 31, 2012 at 06:14 AM

astrodave
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p.1 #12 · Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 L IS USM for Video

skibum5 wrote:
Dark Slider wrote:
Does the focus stay put as you zoom? I would think this is a bigger issue for video.

it doesn't

The subject doesn't stay perfectly in focus while zooming. However the focus change is not large, and I can operate the zoom with one hand and focus ring with the other...I'm talented that way. :-)

...but, that doesn't leave me another hand to compensate exposure for an f-ratio change.

The 5D2 actually does a nice job with video, even at higher iso....I just try to keep the ISO as low as possible to avoid noise problems in post.

Edited on Dec 31, 2012 at 11:35 AM · View previous versions

Dec 31, 2012 at 11:26 AM

astrodave
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p.1 #13 · Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 L IS USM for Video

skibum5 wrote:
[
It would darken and it might do so in awkward style and sometimes aperture changes have hitched the video.

But its not really changing aperture on the 70-300, right? It's keeping the same aperture while the focal length increases, so the f-ratio is increasing.

With the 70-200 F/4L, the aperture actually increases as the focal length increases (zooms in). Keeping the ratio constant.

I would guess that with the 70-300 it would gradually darken as I zoomed, rather than going in steps/stops.

The other option might be to set either the shutter speed or iso in auto mode, but those might be a bit 'jerky' in changing as well?

Thanks for the input. I might have to open the 70-300 box and give it a try just to see anyway.

-David

Dec 31, 2012 at 11:34 AM

Paul Mo
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p.1 #14 · Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 L IS USM for Video

It will darken and lighten as the focal length increases or decreases. You can shoot in auto if it's 'non-critical' work. I shoot video in auto on my 5D MKIII quite often for grab shots.

Dec 31, 2012 at 11:37 AM

skibum5
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p.1 #15 · Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 L IS USM for Video

astrodave wrote:
skibum5 wrote:
[
It would darken and it might do so in awkward style and sometimes aperture changes have hitched the video.

But its not really changing aperture on the 70-300, right? It's keeping the same aperture while the focal length increases, so the f-ratio is increasing.

With the 70-200 F/4L, the aperture actually increases as the focal length increases (zooms in). Keeping the ratio constant.

I would guess that with the 70-300 it would gradually darken as I zoomed, rather than going in steps/stops.

yeah perhaps

Dec 31, 2012 at 09:38 PM

WarrenL
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p.1 #16 · Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 L IS USM for Video

If you shoot in aperture priority and set the aperture to 5.6, there should be no exposure change as you zoom.

Dec 31, 2012 at 11:00 PM

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