Most common used lens size

[Jason McKelvey]

If you could only pick three 35mm lenses, which three lenses would you pick... one wide for handheld/Steadicam, one for close-ups and one for telephoto? Also, does anyone know where I can find a chart or formula for 35mm focal length to 2/3" video conversion?

 

 

Thanks!

Jason

[David Mullen ASC]

That depends on your tastes. With only three lenses, you may have to live with big jumps in focal lengths, so either it would be something like: 25mm, 50mm, 100mm. Or it would be closer together like: 35mm, 50mm, 85mm. On the other hand, if you had a lot of Steadicam, you may need the 25mm. It all depends on if you prefer working at the wide-angle end or the telephoto end, stylistically. While I think a 35mm is great for masters, it's not always wide enough for some locations.

 

Typically, an 85mm or 100mm would be used for close-ups. You can shoot close-ups with a 50mm but it starts to get less attractive on some actresses unless they are loose close-ups.

 

You may do something less even in steps, like: 25mm, 50mm, 85mm.

 

But the truth is that you are more likely going to want something like: 25mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, 100mm as a set. Unless you have a zoom to complement the three lenses.

 

There's a calculator for converting focal lengths here (below) but I can't seem to load the website right now:

www.panavision.co.nz

[Matthew McDermott]

There's a conversion chart on Abel Cine's website. You can't directly link to it because of the way the site is set up, but it's in the rental section under HD/SD lenses. Their link is www.abelcine.com

[Adam Frisch FSF]

I'd probably bring the 27mm, the 40mm and a 65 or 85mm. You could shoot an entire movie with just that and and never really have to "want" anything else.

[Michael Nash]

I think David pretty much nailed the focal lengths. Probably the most useful scenario would be 25, 50, 85. But all the exceptions he mentioned still apply -- I love using a 35 a lot.

 

For focal length conversions, just remember that 16mm is almost exactly half of 35mm, and 2/3" video is almost the same as 16 but a little shorter. So in other words, a 50 in 35mm would look like a 25 in 16mm, and a 21 in 2/3" video. In practice, 2/3" video usually uses a zoom lens (unless now you're using primes on HD), so cut your 35mm focal lengths in half a la 16mm, and adjust the zoom a little for the shot. ;)

[GWilliamPatrickB]

If you could only pick three 35mm lenses, which three lenses would you pick... one wide for handheld/Steadicam, one for close-ups and one for telephoto?  Also, does anyone know where I can find a chart or formula for 35mm focal length to 2/3" video conversion?

Thanks!

Jason

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What ever lens I picked I would make sure they were MACROS!

 

I own a 16mm converted by Focus Optics and a 60mm. So all three would be capable of moving in real close. My choices 16mm macro 50 mm macro and 85 mm macro. Depth of field discussions are for another day.

 

GWPB