leslie

Me and my friend are planning on shooting something over the summer and I thought this would be a good time to invest in a new lens. Right now I only have two kit lenses that came with the camera. What is a good lens that I can get that will be flexible enough to do most things in filming a short film? I understand that I will not be able to do the whole thing with just one lens.
My gear: Nikon D5600, Nikkor 18-55mm and Nikkor 70-300mm https://snaptube.cam/.
I am willing to buy a converter so if you have a good Canon or Sony lens please don't hesitate to drop it down there.
I am shooting for a lens from $500-$800. Any suggestions would be super helpful!

I suspect you know all of this already, but i posted it for posterity 😉

I think youtube is both a boon and burden in this regard. Boon in thats there plenty of footage available to view, however a burden in these guys are probably inadvertently pushing the prices towards the stratosphere, in some cases.  I'm also adverse to some of the tactics some of them use that get mentioned on the forum from time to time.
Still i'm old enough to be cynical about most of it, and i take a grain of salt with everything online anyway. 
I have a theory that a lens that was good for photography in its day, should also work for video. Except perhaps a lens that has bad  ( breathing )  thats the only thing that springs readily to my mind.   As theories go it might no be up there with Einstein's general  theory on relativity, but for a jumping off point it works (for me ) anyway. Feel free to elaborate or build on my framework as you see fit 🙂
I think the internet is great for research, at times it can feel abit hit or miss finding those gems.
I'm a long way from suburbia, ebay is my friend. Sadly i have no affiliate links for you to buy from 🤣. If i had a concern about a lens with ( say dissolving bearings )  i would send a message to the seller seeking clarification, so far, that strategy has served me well. 

I think youtube is both a boon and burden in this regard. Boon in thats there plenty of footage available to view, however a burden in these guys are probably inadvertently pushing the prices towards the stratosphere, in some cases.  I'm also adverse to some of the tactics some of them use that get mentioned on the forum from time to time.
Still i'm old enough to be cynical about most of it, and i take a grain of salt with everything online anyway. 
I have a theory that a lens that was good for photography in its day, should also work for video. Except perhaps a lens that has bad  ( breathing )  thats the only thing that springs readily to my mind.   As theories go it might no be up there with Einstein's general  theory on relativity, but for a jumping off point it works (for me ) anyway. Feel free to elaborate or build on my framework as you see fit 🙂
I think the internet is great for research, at times it can feel abit hit or miss finding those gems.
I'm a long way from suburbia, ebay is my friend. Sadly i have no affiliate links for you to buy from 🤣. If i had a concern about a lens with ( say dissolving bearings )  i would send a message to the seller seeking clarification, so far, that strategy has served me well. 

So there are two aspects: checking whether the scope is aligned, and then optimizing for use with variable diopter by setting both scope and taking lens at (or near) infinity.
Find an object with fine detail, at least a few metres away, so that the minimum focus of your scope covers it. Focus taking lens alone, add scope and focus it til you get a sharp image, so double focusing. If this is impossible, your scope is out of alignment and will require some maintenance.
If you CAN get a sharp image while double focusing, then proceed to infinity focusing on a far away subject. First check whether the taking lens can reach it. Then add scope and do the same. Sometimes the scope is aligned, but cannot reach infinity. On the 16H this requires tuning one tab that determines the focus range of the scope.
When both taking lens and scope are double focused at infinity add the FVD and see if you can get a sharp image. Sometimes the taking lens needs a slight nudge to just before infinity.
Take your time and be systematic. If you don't succeed ask help in the helpful Anamorphic Shooters Facebook group.

I have an E2 M4. I haven't gotten to use it much because of Covid, so I've only shot 2 small interviews, and a half dozen "walk around outside" tests.
The minimum setup is a CFast card, battery, lens, and phone. That's how I use it on a gimbal (I mentioned my setup in my post here). If you use it handheld, I would get a handle for each side. With a wide grip, it's very stable. There are some nice grips with control functions, but they are expensive. I would say that no matter what controls you use, it won't have the speed of a DSLR or cinema camera with more buttons and better ergonomics. It's not designed as a run and gun camera.
The image is very nice. There are lots of examples on the fb group, and I can shoot stuff if you want a specific test... likely limited to nature shots though. I wouldn't say the image its necessarily better than other cameras in the price range, though I like the color, high frame rate, and codec options. The app and the OFX plugin really set it apart from competition.
 
Some gotchas you will want to check before purchase:
- some Android phones just don't work with the app. I'd ask in the fb group for your specific model, if that's how you plan to use it.
- Timecode is a pain. You need 2 separate adapters. Or, you can set it over wifi from a jquery post (work in progress but it does work). Internal clock is atrocious, I got seconds of drift over a 20 minute period compared to the Zoom F4.
- Viltrox adapters don't work with many Autofocus lenses. Their support told me they don't support the M4... despite supporting the E2.
- It doesn't play nicely with the Ninja V. YMMV. Also saw some reports of it frying the HDMI port if connected to specific models of monitors, when both are powered from the same battery.

i'm embarrassed to confess... i have a botched attempt sitting at the back of my desk. Not too many issues with a prime, but i come unstuck with a zoom. Fiddly little buggers 😳 
It sits there to remind me about biting off more than i can chew at times. One day i might get it repaired if i stumble across a suitable repairer.
not sure what age i got a camera but the last film camera was a canon t90 which still works. never dropped a lens in all that time. Everything made by man can use a little maintenance from time to time. Thats just how it is.

i'm the opposite i guess, i do enjoy a good flare 😀
its been awhile since i checked ebay... Those prices seemed to of really jumped up. In aussie $ i could get a 50mm f1.4 ssc for $150 or so the 50mm f1.2 jump up to $500 for an average one, then an L series starts at like $1000. Should probably remortgage the house, buy a couple and pray the price keeps going up. 😀
the thing is apart from some models having the dissolving bearing issue, most vintage lens should last a good long time. When you think about it vintage stuff is made from metals that are machined with close tolerances and are rotating less than 360 degrees, with a supply of grease. Most likely you could call that pretty much,  the optimum situation for a machine. Barr working in the artic perhaps. 
i think the bigger problem is lens reviews like mark holtze and zenography waxing lyrical on the youtube reviews. Still i cant complain.... perhaps i myself, should have jumped on the bandwagon earlier   😉

ah i was more interested in how it flares in the sun. Its no big deal. Cant really afford an L series anyway lol 

Nice play on words no0ne 😀
Bizarrely I am considering how I might accomplish such a thing. First thought was a ex meth lab flask 😉 with maybe a simple lens at the end to help focus and a pinhole to top things off. Food for thought.
Perhaps the next challenge should have a home made component to it.

For Leslie it is probably more important if it is wether resistant?
 

kye, in keeping up with the spirit of your reply. May i suggest, light as air, Flares like a beast, takes that digital edge right off, sadly no aperture. A man of your talents should have no problem mounting it to your camera of choice. 😉

kye, in keeping up with the spirit of your reply. May i suggest, light as air, Flares like a beast, takes that digital edge right off, sadly no aperture. A man of your talents should have no problem mounting it to your camera of choice. 😉

you could be right. it seems odd to me, as i learned a lesson quite some time ago about cheap media with a different camera. I preordered the p4k and it took about 5 months for mine to arrive. Which probably gave me additional time to research things abit. So i had a samsung t5 before the p4k arrived.
When purchasing a camera surely you'd also look at media requirements ?
Having said that i did still stick some other cards in it to see what i could get away with.  I guess there's always a tendency for people  to cheap out, if you already have some media.
I learned on lower setting some of my cards would work but not at the higher quality. I have yet to try it but i suspect i could also use a cheaper card if i set the p4k to use the timelapse setting of saving a frame out of tenth frame of so. Although using a cheaper card just for a timelapse is kind of  a unique option i think. There could be some merit in using a cheaper card, depending on your situation and budget. it may even be advantageous running one card for timelapsing and a t5 for video. however timelapse is a very small field of people i think and  thats about the only aspect that comes to mind where it would be practical, for me anyway.

there's an approved list of cards for cameras here at the bmd forum
https://forum.blackmagicdesign.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=95785#p531283
you can use cheaper cards at some frame rates and quality levels. it tends to be an exercise in frustration figuring what you can get away with. Mind you that was with a p4k The 6k pro probably has higher minimum requirements.

nice work persevering @kye, I kinda lent the other way. Lashed out on the gopro 9 yesterday. I figure its a decent upgrade over the 6 i have. I have some plans for it, not as extreme as yours however. i'll post something later 

I saw that, pretty cool indeed. 

This one is also a great technical challenge to fly a cine whoop up there.... the fun part is the turn on the top and downhill...
 
 

Fun for me is low light shooting and especially light projections (as well as live music gigs but not so many of those lately. 
I also like shooting people (portraits) but do not get to do that enough.
 
From Enlighten Canberra recently.
This is the Australian National portrait gallery.  
They are going to use some of my shots....   
Maybe it will be a very slight "in" for me (but I doubt it).....Before I die I would love to have a portrait in the gallery...Probably never going to happen though.

I got this,...

Hello everyone,,
I know that anamorphic lenses warp the image, which would mean that you can't play a take back to see how it looked. How would you shoot this way?
Do you basically just shoot like you're shooting it on film (by making sure that the scene looks as good as possible, but getting the coverage needed, just in case)?
Or, how can/should you shoot on anamorphic?

One of the ugliest aspects of this pandemic has been the reminder of the sense of entitlement so many people have. It was always there but it's really been hitting us over the head every day since the pandemic began. Selfishness has been deemed "freedom" and any attempt to reel in such selfishness has been labeled "tyranny." It's to the point where people compare, without even the smallest bit of irony, that it's equal to slavery. 
Mind you they make these statements on their phones and computers, with minimal restrictions on what they can say (depending on the platform), while living in their nice homes, driving their nice cars, eating in restaurants, and enjoying most of the other wonderful perks that comes with modern technology and society. 
You know who don't have any of that? Actual slaves. And they exist today, not as these privileged people complaining, but as human beings forced to live in squalor, void of any rights, and forced to work for nothing. The minor inconveniences you've had to live with this last year is still better than anything those people have ever experienced. So yeah, people's insistence on comparing the efforts to combat COVID-19 to slavery is not only dumb but insulting to those that have experienced genuine slavery or whose ancestors were slaves. All of that should go without saying and yet here we are. Embarrassing. 

Right, so you think that for 4:2:2 a M1 is necesarry. But for h265 4:2:0 a powerful CPU (such as a 5900x?) might be enough on  Premiere?
Couldn't quite figure out what you meant to say.

I work in a factory running cnc machines and lately a waterjet. I dabble in video for a hobby.  I got laid off, not long after covid hit here in aus and nearly everything got shut down. Spent about six- eight months off work. Ended up withdrawing 20k out of my super, as allowed by the government at the time. Paid the mortgage off and bought a 3 year old Mitsubishi outlander.
Some might say I haven't had it too tough, and I can't say that I blame them for thinking that.
Here in Australia we haven't experienced the death rates in other countries. Whether that's due to the government initiatives or a smaller population more spread out or dumb luck, I couldn't tell. But I am however grateful as I have some rare bug called sarcoidosis which would probably not play well with covid, if I were to catch it. While covid hasn't had the same impact here mortality wise, financially it's probably  near crippled a lot of people, families, government. 
Long time ago I remember a saying ask not what your country can do for you, but rather, what can you do for your country.  Personally I think it might the time to focus a bit less on myself and some more on where I can help others,and maybe video something along the way.
 

I work in a factory running cnc machines and lately a waterjet. I dabble in video for a hobby.  I got laid off, not long after covid hit here in aus and nearly everything got shut down. Spent about six- eight months off work. Ended up withdrawing 20k out of my super, as allowed by the government at the time. Paid the mortgage off and bought a 3 year old Mitsubishi outlander.
Some might say I haven't had it too tough, and I can't say that I blame them for thinking that.
Here in Australia we haven't experienced the death rates in other countries. Whether that's due to the government initiatives or a smaller population more spread out or dumb luck, I couldn't tell. But I am however grateful as I have some rare bug called sarcoidosis which would probably not play well with covid, if I were to catch it. While covid hasn't had the same impact here mortality wise, financially it's probably  near crippled a lot of people, families, government. 
Long time ago I remember a saying ask not what your country can do for you, but rather, what can you do for your country.  Personally I think it might the time to focus a bit less on myself and some more on where I can help others,and maybe video something along the way.