Shooting Video on your DSLR Camera

Long Distance Relationships

When shooting video (or stills) on your DSLR camera, it’s always best to use a prime lens like a 50mm F1.8 or F1.4. However, sometimes the subject you are shooting requires a zoom lens and prime zooms can be very expensive. Fortunately both Canon and Sigma have zooms that are inexpensive (around $200). When I first got my Canon T2i, a good friend of mine recommended that I get the Sigma DG 70-300mm lens for my zoom. I did, and I’ve been extremely happy with it ever since (well, mostly happy).

The only problem is that the lens does not have any form of Optical Stabilization. So when shooting video at full zoom, even the slightest twitch can cause major issues with the video. I try to shoot on a tripod whenever possible, but even then sometimes heavy winds can cause even the best tripod to shake a little bit. And when using a non-stabilized zoom that translates into heavy camera shake in the video. When that happens, you either have to trash the recorded video or use stabilization in your editing software which has its own issues. And forget shooting handheld at max zoom, that’s a total nightmare.

Recently I ran across a really good deal on the Canon 70-300mm lens with Image Stabilization (usually sells for around $450), so I bought it. I personally don’t think the image quality is as good as the Sigma lens, but the built-in optical stabilization is fantastic.

I had the ISO set too high when I shot it (forgot to change it after shooting video the night before), so there’s some noise in the video if you watch it full screen. But you can see the difference in how shaky the handheld video is between the IS and non IS lens. With the Image Stabilization turned on the footage is actually usable.

I may sell the Canon IS lens and buy the Sigma version with “Optical Stabilization” simply because I like the look of the Sigma bokeh better. But either way, for video, having a zoom with IS is essential in my opinion.

Time to upgrade my gear

While I have been out shooting a lot more footage for Microstock this year after a dismal performance last year, I am still spending a lot of time shooting commercials for local businesses and working on short films. The great thing about that is it pushes you to the limits of your gear and in some cases forces you to upgrade. Which, of course, is very beneficial to shooting for stock as well.

My gear at the end of 2011 consisted of:

Canon T2i DSLR
Tamron 28-300mm zoom lens with vibration compensation (image stabilization)
Pentax 50mm F/1.4 lens with EOS adapter
Weifeng 717AH Tripod (fluid head video tripod)
Zoom H1 Portable Recorder
Rode VideoMIC
HTDZ HT-81 Shotgun Microphone
indiSystem indiSLIDERmini (2-foot camera slider)
Tripod Dolly
Glidecam Steadicam

Slowly but surely, I’ve been selling off my old equipment and upgrading. So far I’ve sold the Zoom H1 and upgraded to a Tascam DR-40 audio recorder. I sold the Tamron 28-300mm lens and bought a Tamrom 17-50mm F/2.8 zoom with VC. And I’ve sold the camera slider since I rarely ever used it. My plan is to also sell the Glidecam (a gift from a friend) which is an older model that is overkill for my small Canon T2i DSLR and get a newer model. I also sold my HTDZ shotfun MIC and am selling my Rode VideoMIC to upgrade to a better shotgun MIC. I haven’t been using either of my shotgun mics lately… using my Audio-Technica AT3550 LAV mics instead.

I am also planning to sell my T2i and upgrade to the T3i in the next month. Why such a minor upgrade? Because the T3i will let me use my 8 existing camera batteries, my existing battery grip and other accessories. And I could really use the flip out screen from the T3i.

Renting Lenses – BorrowLenses vs LensProToGo

Every year I attend a local Country music festival where I take pictures and shoot video for stock. However, this year I’m fortunate enough to have been hired as the venue’s official photographer. So, I need to step up my game. I was selected because of the quality of my work from past years, but I want to make sure I’m selected again in the future, so I wanted to rent a better zoom lens (I have a Sigma 70-300 F/3.5-5.6).

In the past I have rented lenses from BorrowLenses.com and I’ve been pretty satisfied. But this time I decided to use LensProToGo.com and I’m highly impressed by their service so far.

When I first rented from BorrowLenses, I had to jump through all kinds of hoops from them. I had to fax a signed form, make copies of my ID, credit card, a utility bill and they put a lien on my first born child. It was a difficult process, but you only have to go through it once. LensProToGo required additional information not in their order form, but it was a much more painless and friendlier process.

When you order a lens from BorrowLenses, their minimum rental period is 3 days, then it goes to a week, 2 weeks, etc. You can do custom rental periods, but that requires emailing or calling them, it’s in no way a automated process online. By contrast, LensProToGo has a modern web site that allows you to very easily select a custom rental period when placing your order. Furthermore, with BorrowLenses, their prices do not include shipping and you have to go deep through the lens order process in order to figure out what the cost will eventually be. While LensProToGo includes the shipping cost in their prices and as you select options it automatically updates your final total conveniently.

BorrowLenses has a MUCH LARGER selection of lenses available, at least for Canon. I rented the Canon 70-200mm F/2.8L IS lens for the music festival from LensProToGo and I would have preferred to rent the non-IS version, but they don’t carry it. They also don’t carry the Tamron 70-200mm F/2.8 which I’ve found to be of excellent quality and would have been cheaper to rent.

Besides being able to get a lens needed for a particular shoot (if you don’t have friends that can loan you the lens), renting lenses also allows you to try an expensive lens before you buy it. I bought the Canon 70-300mm F/3.5-5.6 IS lens and found that I really didn’t like it after having spent a lot of money on it. It worked, but it was louder than the Sigma and the bokeh wasn’t early as nice. I also found the Sigma to be slightly sharper. Before buying my Tamron 17-50mm F/2.8 lens, I rented one and found that I really loved it. So, I was able to buy one with confidence.

I will continue to check both BorrowLenses and LensProToGo when I rent my lenses, but if the price is the same between the two sites, I’ll order from LensProToGo because the order process is so much smoother and flexible. I only wish they had more of a selection.