How do you match lenses, if some lenses look sharper than others?
updated 2 years, 2 months ago 3 Members · 14
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Basically if I am doing a movie shoot where I want to use different lenses throughout a scene, how do I match the look, since they look different at least to me.
I have Canon 24mm and 50mm prime, along with a 70-300mm zoom lens. The two primes look very much the same in terms of sharpness and quality, but the 70-300m has a softer look to it, and doesn’t look the same at all to me. But I do have a lot of shots, where a telephoto does come in handy.
So is it me, or does this lens looks different than the others, and needs to be matched somehow, if anyone knows?
Yes, the lens will look different as they aren’t matched like more expensive cine lenses. The primes are sharper and also better quality with less glass. The zoom has more elements and not as high quality.
You might try to add a sharpen to the zoom footage in the editing program you use, or create an overall look that hides the disparity. I like to shoot with black pro mists, ⅛ or ¼ depending, to soften the look over all as digital acquisition is overly sharp to me.
You could also soften the primes to match the zoom.
Warren Eig
O 310-470-0905email: [email protected]
website: https://www.BabyBoomPictures.com
Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/babyboompicturesFor Camera Accessories – Monitors and Batteries
website: https://www.EigRig.comOkay thanks. For the future is there a good 300mm lens that can match the primes? There are ones that go over a thousand dollars but are their any that can match that are under a 1000?
You sort of get what you pay for. But remember, still lenses weren’t designed to shoot video, originally. Unless you buy a specific set of cine-lenses that are matched/calibrated, you just have to test and adjust your workflow accordingly.
Warren Eig
O 310-470-0905email: [email protected]
website: https://www.BabyBoomPictures.com
Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/babyboompicturesFor Camera Accessories – Monitors and Batteries
website: https://www.EigRig.comOkay thanks, but are you saying that since they weren’t designed for video, do you mean that the softer look they give is more acceptable in stills than video, is that what you are saying?
With today’s high resolution sensors, a softer look is actually desired. This is why I tend to shoot with an ⅛ or ¼ black pro mist filter in the matte box.
Cine lenses are expensive and resolve a higher resolution.
Warren Eig
O 310-470-0905email: [email protected]
website: https://www.BabyBoomPictures.com
Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/babyboompicturesFor Camera Accessories – Monitors and Batteries
website: https://www.EigRig.comOh okay, I thought people actually thought the sharper, the better. So why are primes more popular then, if a softer look is preferred?
Primes are better because they are sharper. It’s easier to degrade or soften an image, either while shooting with a filter or in post, then it is to sharpen a soft lens.
Warren Eig
O 310-470-0905email: [email protected]
website: https://www.BabyBoomPictures.com
Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/babyboompicturesFor Camera Accessories – Monitors and Batteries
website: https://www.EigRig.comDo you think that shooting with a telephoto zoom zoomed in then would be riskier then since it’s quite softer looking?
If it is all you have and you know its limitations, use it sparingly if it looks very different from your other lenses.
Warren Eig
O 310-470-0905email: [email protected]tures.com
website: https://www.BabyBoomPictures.com
Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/babyboompicturesFor Camera Accessories – Monitors and Batteries
website: https://www.EigRig.com
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