Best Canon Lens For Video Recording
OVERVIEW
If you own a Canon DSLR then it shows that you have already made a suitable choice of camera. But, for fine-tuning of any video and to get the best out of your camera you also need a good lens that can complement your video quality.
There are many kinds of lenses such as prime, fisheye, macro and telephoto. Selecting the best canon lens for video from the lot by keeping the requirements in mind can be a confusing challenge. It should also be kept in mind that if a lens is suitable for taking photos, then it’s not necessary that it is suitable for recording videos too.
The concept of Image Stabilization should always be kept in mind while buying a DSLR camera for video-making. If you wish to buy a DSLR or GH4 that provides the sharpest image quality, then you should also opt for native lens that have fixed focal lengths. Lenses having stabilized telephoto are ideal for getting the sharpest image qualities.
While buying a lens you should keep in mind that a good lens can even last a lifetime, but if the quality is compromised it can be a nuisance for the buyer. So investment in quality should always be one-time.
If you are looking for the best canon lens for video, whether it’s for your new (or old :P) YouTube channel, or for recording lectures, or sports videography, then I have a list of some of the best lenses available for videography in the market today. So read on and make your choice. Choose wisely, as different lenses may suit different individuals.
Here I have listed the best canon lens for video recording, just look at it.
REVIEW OF BEST CANON LENS FOR VIDEO
1. Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens
How can I start my best canon lens for video list without mentioning the Canon EF 50 mm F/1.8 STM lens has a wide f/1.8 aperture allows more than 8-times the amount of light as compared to the standard zoom lens that is given with your EOS. This best canon lens for video results in better-quality pictures with less or no motion blur and reduces the need to use flash in dimly-lit conditions so you can easily capture the atmosphere of a low-light shot.
Its compact size makes the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM a great everyday lens to always carry with your EOS camera. It delivers continuous and quiet focusing, so your movies are smooth, and the microphone only captures the surrounding sounds and not the internal noise of a focusing motor.
With an 80mm focal-length on APS-C cameras, 50mm on full-frame cameras, it’s a perfect prime lens for portraits, action, even night-time photography. The best canon lens for video also offers a beautiful background blur due to its 7-blade design. An innovative lens arrangement with new lens coatings helps capture images with minimized ghosting and flare.
It has a rugged metal mount, plus an improved minimum focusing distance of 1.15 ft. (0.35m) and a maximum magnification of 0.21x.
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2. Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM FLD Large Aperture Standard Zoom Lens
Sigma’s 17-50mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM large-aperture standard zoom lens covers a focal length from 17mm wide-angle and offers a large aperture of F2.8 throughout the entire zoom range. This best canon lens for video makes it ideal for many types of photography, especially portraiture and landscapes.
Sigma’s anti-shake feature offers the use of shutter speeds approximately four stops slower than would otherwise be possible. It provides fast and quiet AF. It’s FLD glass elements provide excellent correction for all types of aberrations. The super multi-layer coating decreases flare and ghosting.
This lens boasts of superior peripheral brightness and offers sharp, high contrast images even at the maximum apertures. It comes with a minimum focusing distance of 11 inches throughout the entire zoom range and a magnification ratio of 1:5. These features make this lens ideal for low-light photography.
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3. Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 Art DC HSM
The 18-35mm 1.8 DC HSM by Sigma is the first wide-angle to a standard zoom lens that has achieved a large aperture of 1.8. It is designed especially for APS-C sized sensors. The lens incorporates a wide glass-molded aspherical lens having Special Low Dispersion (SLD) glass to make-up for aberrations and curvature occurring at the widest angle. I really suggest you this best canon lens for video for you.
Its internal focusing and zooming provide more usability and functionality. The lens is ideal for landscapes, portraits, still-life, snapshots, casual, and close-ups. The Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) allows smooth, fast and accurate autofocusing.
The use of Thermally Composite Material (TSC) reduces size and weight but increases the lens durability. A 9-blade rounded diaphragm creates a beautiful background blur. It also comes with special software (SIGMA Optimization Pro) that can update the lens firmware and adjust parameters such as focus.
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4. Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM Lens
The EF-S 10-18 mm by Canon combines optical excellence with cutting-edge performance and provides an ultra-wide angle of view in a compact and portable package, ideal for EOS cameras with an APS-C sensor.
This best canon lens for video has a 4-group optical zoom system and has a large-diameter element, an aspherical lens element, a UD lens element and decent lens coatings. These are responsible for high-contrast, high-resolution images with minimal glare and aberration.
A circular, 7-blade aperture provides a beautiful blur of the background and the Canon Optical Image Stabilizer system allows up to four equivalent stops of shake correction. The best canon lens for video has a stepping motor STM and a perfected focus mechanism for smooth and continuous AF during video recording.
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5. Rokinon 8mm Ultra Wide F/3.5 Fisheye Lens
Looking for the best canon lens for video? Then check out the Rokinon 8 mm ultra-wide fisheye lens which gives you a 167º view with dramatic, exaggerated perspective when used with an APS-C camera, or a powerful circular image floating in the frame when used with a full-frame digital camera or 35mm film camera.
Its hybrid aspherical elements and multi-layer coating helps you produce sharply defined images with a minimum of flare and ghosting. This best canon lens for video comes with a removable lens hood that will offer glare reduction and lens protection.
It can be removed to provide an increased and unobstructed angle of view when shooting with full-frame digital or 35mm cameras. Ultra wide-angle 8 mm fisheye lens will give you exaggerated perspectives and a 180° angle of view for dramatic effects.
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6. Canon EF 135mm f/2L USM Lens
Fast, lightweight and a high-quality telephoto lens. The EF 135 mm f/2L USM is ideal for capturing videos/photos of indoor sports in low-light conditions and for shooting portrait photography (along with background blur). It is one of the fastest telephoto lenses in its class.
Although the best canon lens for video offers complete automatic focusing capabilities, it still provides manual focus function even when the camera is in AF mode.
The lens also offers two UD glass elements that help minimize chromatic aberrations, giving your images outstanding sharpness and color. It has a 3-foot close focusing distance, an 18-degree diagonal angle of view, and a filter size of 72 mm.
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7. Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM Wide Angle Lens
The Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM lens is a wide-angle zoom lens that combines optical excellence with fantastic performance. It provides an ultra-wide angle of view in a compact, portable package, perfect for EOS cameras with an APS-C sensor.
It has a 4-group optical zoom system and has a large-diameter element, an aspherical lens element, a UD lens element, and decent lens coatings. These help to produce high-contrast, high-resolution images with minimal glare and aberration.
A circular, 7-blade aperture helps ensures a beautiful background blur. The Canon Optical Image Stabilizer system offers up to four equivalent stops of shake correction. The lens has a stepping motor (STM) and a tested focus mechanism for quiet, smooth and continuous AF during video recording.
The lens has a closest focusing distance of 0.22 meters and a filter size of 67 mm (diameter). The package includes: Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM Lens, 1 Altura Photo Mini Tripod with Pistol Grip, 1 Altura Photo Rapid Fire Wrist Strap, 1 Altura Photo Hard-Shell Case, 1 Altura Photo Accessory Kit and 3 Sizes MagicFiber Microfiber Lens Pouch.
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8. Rokinon CV85M-N 85mm t/1.5 Aspherical Lens
Next up in my best canon lens for video list comes the 85mm T1.5 Cine Lens by Rokinon. This one produces a slightly telephoto angle-of-view on full-frame sensors. It features a maximum aperture of T1.5 and an 8-blade iris, for shallow depth of field with attractive bokeh.
The focus and aperture control rings are constructed with industry-standard gearing, which offers an interface for working with the traditional follow focus. The aperture control ring is also "de-clicked", which ensures smoother iris pull.
The 85mm has a minimum focus distance of 3.6 feet. Its internal focusing reduces the effects of lens breathing which ensures a more consistent angle-of-view when changing focus. The lens is built from 9 elements in 7 groups.
This best canon lens for video includes one aspherical element to reduce spherical aberrations. Besides, multi-coated elements help improve light transmission. The lens is follow-focus compatible. It allows you to focus and use the aperture ring without any interruptions in video-shooting.
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9. Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM Lens - 9518B002
The EF 16-35 mm IS USM lens by Canon delivers the perfect combination of wide-angle, low-light performance, L-series optics and compact construction.
The L-series ultra-wide-angle zoom uses an Optical Image Stabilizer and provides up to four stops of correction for impressive performance even in low-light conditions. It includes three aspheric lens elements and two UD lens elements to reduce aberrations throughout the zoom range. It also features optimized coatings that help minimize ghosting.
A circular 9-blade aperture delivers beautiful background blur. It provides inner focusing and ring USM for precise, discreet and speedy AF. It also provides you with full-time manual focus.
This best canon lens for video has a minimum focusing distance of 0.92 ft or 0.28m across the entire zoom range. It is dust-resistant and water-resistant and is built to function even in unfavorable conditions.
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10. Rokinon Cine CV35-C 35mm T1.5 Aspherical Wide Angle Cine Lens
I can't end my best canon lens for video list without mentioning the new Rokinon 35 mm Cine Lens which is made especially for DSLR videographers and cinematographers. It features an outstanding image quality and has the added benefits of de-clicked apertures and follow focus compatibility.
De-clicked apertures mean that there are no hard clicks when you are changing apertures and the aperture can be manually set to a particular number (like f/1.7, f/2.8).
The lens has also been built so that it can be easily attached to follow focus systems which are widely used by videographers. It provides full-frame (FX) and optical coverage. It is constructed using 12 Glass Elements In 10 Groups. It also has an Ultra Multi-Coating. It has a minimum focusing distance: 0.3 m.
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CONCLUSION
These were the best canon lens for video available in the market today. Apart from the focus and production of sharp images, I have also considered other parameters like the ability to shoot in low-light conditions, reducing internal noise, compatibility with different cameras, ease of use, and portability.
I have also emphasized on Image Stabilization(IS) since that is an essential parameter while selecting a lens. I hope you have found what you were looking for. best of luck and happy recording!
