Nuts N Bolts 01

My personal gear includes a Canon HDSLR, lenses and support and a Zoom H4n digital audio recorder and a selection of mics and accessories.

I worked on a number of short films, feature films, commercials & music videos using Canon 5D & 7D DSLRs and really liked the results.  After researching the models available I settled on the Canon 60D.

I had used the 60D and their Rebel T3i a couple of times and the fold out LCD monitor was invaluable to me as far as being able to get creative camera angles and maintain a great run-n-gun form factor, which can be hard to do if you have to start mounting external monitors just to able to see what you're doing.  I mean everything can't be shot from eye level, right?

To this camera I added the Hoodman Hood Loupe with their Cinema package, to convert the LCD into an electronic viewfinder.  I could now be just as mobile as I was back in the day with 16mm cameras and lighter as well.  We could argue all day the merits of which gives the "better" results but HDSLRs (especially Canon's, in my experience) can produce stellar HD footage.

As far as glass, I have the 18-135mm "kit" lens, which is a great "walking around" lens especially for stills.  It doesn't rival Canon's L Series glass but I have had great results from it for both stills and video.

My primary lens is the Canon 17-55mm f2.8 EF-S lens.  No it isn't L Series, no it won't work on a DSLR with a full frame sensor.  It is however very sharp on a crop-sensor camera. The constant f2.8 throughout the zoom range makes it phenomenal for low light work. 

It rarely comes off of the camera body.  Only when I need a longer focal length than 55mm do I change it.

The 17-55MM also behaves more like one of the Cinema or ENG lenses I'm used to rather than most any other stills zoom lens.  I can actually zoom during a shot if needed without worrying about the focus going totally out on me.

Sure I will add some other lenses in the future but for now I have found my digital replacement for the Arriflex 16SR.

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