My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?

[Ryan Elder]

Well i talked to a filmmaker i worked with before who use to use a t3i when starting out. She says thar hers use to do the exact same thing when zooming. I remember it did on hers back then too.

So is there a motivated reason why canon would build their cameras that way, or is it just a glitch in their models?

[Brian Drysdale]

If the camera works that way, buy another camera, it seems to be OK for stills. but has limitations for video. It's designed as a stills camera with video added to it, there are better cameras around for shooting video.

In the end, there's nothing people here can do about it, the solution is entirely in your hands. Procrastinating doesn't progress things,

[Josh Bass]

So all those weddings and corporate video people shot with those cams had exposure changes anytime people zoomed during a shot? And please dont say no one zoomed...I think we all know better.

[Paul R Johnson]

If you remember her's doing this why on earth did you buy it, and now complain about it?

I have to say Ryan, that I bought my first video camera in 1978. Keeping in mind I had nobody locally to me to ask, and there was no internet - purchases of specialist gear were done by doing research via the post, and going to shows, or reading magazines. I've bought very few technical items over the years that were truly bad - but the things I did absolutely hate, I simply got rid of, breathed out, and moved on.

You've told us you have money and are going to buy something else, so stop moaning and groaning. You have a camera that has a design issue, and a lens that doesn't;t do what you want. Move on! I cannot help you with the Blackmagic camera but I do know that if I wanted to buy a new camera I'd have been researching and drawn up a short list as soon as I had the issue. You reluctantly tested your system and concluded eventually that it was just performing badly at some tasks. We've done very little - you sorted it yourself in the end.

Buy a product designed for video, and not a modified stills camera. My DSLR takes video. As I've said, I very, very rarely use it in this mode because it does it very averagely!

[Chris Hurd]

HD video on the Rebel line is a big bonus, and it's a way to record HD inexpensively. But the Rebels are very much consumer models with limitations. A Rebel is just fine for a soccer mom or a serious student, but I can't recommend one as a primary camera for an adult filmmaker unless its limitations are fully understood and readily acceptable.

You need to graduate out of the Rebel line. You could stay in the Canon brand with the newly announced EOS 90D, which looks to be an excellent choice; or an EOS M50 mirrorless, which is also very good; or even a full-frame EOS RP.

The suggestion to go with a BlackMagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera is also good advice. You would be so much better off getting into something new rather than trying to suss out the severe limitations of a ten-year old camera. Never mind what the reasons are behind why the T2i was designed that way, because you can't do anything with that information. It doesn't fix or solve anything.

Instead, focus your efforts on putting together the right tools for the job at hand. You can probably accomplish a lot of what you want by sticking with the EF lens mount, but you need to get away from consumer products from a decade ago. A lot has changed since then.

Any other Canon telephoto zoom is better than the one you've got now.

Any other Canon DSLR from the EOS 70D and up, or even a non-Canon camera with an EF lens mount (such as the BMD Pocket Cinema Camera) is better than the one you've got now.

[Ryan Elder]

Yes sorry, you're right, it's time for a new and better camera. I am just worried a new camera might do the same thing when zooming and want to look out for that. But the blackmagic ones do not do that, is that right? Everyone is recommending those. I also was thinking of the Sony A7s II, but is the blackmagic better at all?

[Brian Drysdale]

The Blackmagic camera uses robust codecs, which are more suitable for post production. You also get Resolve with it, which may also work out if you're on a tight budget.

As to which is better, it depends on what you want to do, if you want to do serious colour correction etc the Blackmagic is the one. https://www.provideocoalition.com/re...gic-pocket-6k/ https://www.provideocoalition.com/bl...era-4k-review/ I know someone on another forum who is a big fan of these cameras because of the post production workflow. Although, with your knowledge level, unless someone else is doing the post production, you should use the ProRes, rather than BMRAW.

However, it doesn't have image stabilisation, so you will need a stabilisation device or stabilise post

See here for discussions: https://www.dvinfo.net/forum/blackmagic-cinema-camera/

The Sony A7s II can work at extremely low light levels, as long as the noise is acceptable to you, especially on a large screen and in a drama. Although, the Blackmagic offers 3.200 ISO.

See here for discussions: https://www.dvinfo.net/forum/sony-al...amera-systems/

Again, you should make a list of your current and future requirements and compare a number of reviews, Then make a decision, no one can do this for you,

[Roger Gunkel]

At the risk of being shouted down, I have to ask why is anybody still posting on this thread?

It is a forum version of Groundhog Day, where every time I look at it, it is recycling the same information that has gone before. The argument that it is of benefit to other members than Ryan, really doesn't hold water, as there is nothing here that those with basic knowledge and experience would not already know.

Whatever Ryan's problems are, they cannot be helped by giving him endless replies that he can dissect and break down into countless more questions. Many of his questions display a lack of very basic understanding, the sort of things that should have been picked up from the first year of a film makers course, regarding apertures, focus, zoom, ISO, lens types etc, etc. Ryan's aspirations way outstrip his ability and understanding and I really don't think that these threads are helping him move on. The time that he has put into posting here and on other threads and forums should have been spent putting into practice some of the suggestions that have been made, rather than breaking those suggestions down into even more questions.

I have said it before and I'll say it again, you cannot teach someone to fly an aircraft by giving them endless information. Ryan, you need to get off the computer, get out in the real world and put many hours into trying out things that work and things that don't, using many of the suggestions made here. You will then find out what you need to know and build up experience. It's pointless asking endlessly about different cameras and lenses, go to different suppliers, try taking some test footage with different cameras and lenses, beg, borrow or hire equipment you may be interested in and give it a go. Then perhaps come back here and let us know what DECISIONS you have made.

Roger

[Brian Drysdale]

It has reached the time that Ryan should demonstrate one of the key skills required by someone planning to direct a feature film - the ability to make decisions and make them quickly.

[Ryan Elder]

Oh okay. I thought I was still doing shooting in the real world, like I did with the nature video I talked about on here, before. I just wrapped up that one and am in post production now. Although I wasn't trying new equipment. I can go to the camera store and have a look at the blackmagic. I used the Sony before on two previous short films, and liked the low light capabilities.

I thought image stabilization may have disadvantages though, since I it was said on here before to switch it off, cause it helps with movement. Ever since I switched it off, I have been able to move the camera better though, on a tripod.

But when I used the Sony A7s II on a gimbal before, I had trouble moving it, and I was told it was the IS trying to fight the movement, but someone more familiar with the camera. So I thought maybe IS was okay not to have therefore. But I can do some more research on it, and see if I can rent it out for tests. Is there a reason why cameras like the blackmagic would not bother putting stabilization in?

One of the problems with the camera stores, is that they do not have a lot of selections of adapters to try out, so that is why I ask what lens can work with which camera, cause they don't have the adapters to just put any lens on any camera, and some of these items have to be specially ordered. So that is why I want to ask questions, to be sure not to order the wrong item, or one that will have any hidden catches later. I figure it's best to eliminate all hidden catches, if possible, in order to not purchase the wrong item.

[Brian Drysdale]

Ryan, you frame your questions in a totally illogical manner, hidden in with middle of other unrelated stuff, google is your friend in these matters. There are companies that specialise in adapters and they can provide all sorts of adapters.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/photography/hands-review/overview-lens-adapters/BI/2855/KBID/3801

https://store.canon.co.uk/lens-adapt...ers-extenders/

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Lens-Adapters/ci/3420/N/4077634486/BI/2855/KBID/3801

Cinema cameras don't have stabilisation because they're operated by people using tripods, dollies etc and have rigs designed for hand held shooting etc. You can get stabilized lenses, but they're separate from the camera, They also tend to be lot bigger than DSLRs

Please do more research, all this information is available online, it's so easy these days.

[Paul R Johnson]

I think we've developed a bit of a quest with Ryan, and we genuinely want him to progress. Fair enough, it is hard sometimes, but the world now places more emphasis on these kinds of discussions. there are a few useful things generated , but of course hundreds of posts is excessive. If the forum management are OK with it, I'd like to think it does no harm, but for casual readers must appear very odd. About time Ryan started a new topic.

HOWEVER - I do wish he'd give us updates on each project. Every time, he suddenly stops posting and the topics die. For example - how did the feature planning go? how did the booming go? how did the wildlife shooting go, and how did the problem with the friend turn out? It's like we never get the final chapter in any quest.

[Ryan Elder]

I just made the new lens and camera first priority at the moment. But I can let me you know the wildlife one went. When you say booming, do you mean the booming for the nature documentary?

[Brian Drysdale]

I assume he means the mic booming, which was the subject of a very long thread,

[Paul R Johnson]

I did, but I guess an ocean of water has gone under the bridge since then.