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Need help with new camera & lens :(

divines
Apprentice

Hello all!

I am a beauty content creator - I upgraded from my Canon 70d & recently I got the Canon 5d Mark IV + Canon 70-200 2.8 ll lens, though I'm having a lot of trouble..

I'm trying to take full face videos and pictures of myself, as well as macro eye shots at 200mm focus (see instagram for image examples his is how I want my work to look like) though I am having focusing issues.. I just want everything to be as sharp as possible.

I've tried searching high & low for answers and since I am no photography or cinematography expert, I don't know what to do since this is such a different experience.

Extra information: I use an external monitor hooked up with HDMI & a remote.

6 REPLIES 6

Waddizzle
Legend
Legend

If you were able to shoot video with your 70D, then you should be able to use a 5D4 the same way.

 

But, I will say that this though.  It really helps to have a solid grasp of still photography to succeed at video photography.  The 5D4 is a more complex camera than a 70D, but it can also be operated in near identical ways.  The biggest difference between the two camera bodies would have to be the AF systems.

While the 5D4 has a far more sophisticated AF system, it can also be dumbed down to the point where it will behave similar to your 70D in many ways.  Download a copy of the FULL Instruction Manual from Canon Support, and spend some time getting familiar with shooting stills with the camera.

 

Great lens, BTW.  One of my favorites.  But, I would suggest using a lens that is simpler to use to learn the camera.  Sometimes, the best lenses for still photography are not always the best lenses for videography.  A quiet lens is more desireable than the sharpest lens.

 

A good lens investment would be the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM.  It is inexpensive, and has a wide aperture.  Having a wide aperture lens is very desireable characteristic for lenses used for videography.  The STM focusing system is quiet, as is the aperture.

 

One very good lens for video is the EF 35mm f/2 IS USM.  It has a quiet aperture, which almost has the resolution of an aperture ring.  Many lenses have noticeable aperture noise, which typically gets drowned out by the shutter.  When you shoot video, you will notice the differences very quickly.

 

Again, take some time to become familiar with the camera with a less sophisticated lens, before jumping into the deep end.

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"The right mouse button is your friend."

ebiggs1
Legend
Legend

"I'm trying to take full face videos and pictures of myself, ..."

 

You are doing this alone?  You need a photographer to help you do this.  Doing it by yourself is going to be challenging to say the least.

EB
EOS 1DX and 1D Mk IV and less lenses then before!

Waddizzle
Legend
Legend
Yes, it helps to have a camera operator. YouTubers make solo videos of themselves all the time. All it takes is smart device to remotely control the camera.
--------------------------------------------------------
"The right mouse button is your friend."

TCampbell
Elite
Elite

I'm not sure what "as sharp as possible" means to you.  The 70-200 f/2.8 II is an exceptional lens.  At f/2.8, 200mm, and minimum focus distance, the depth of field can be thin enough that you don't see everything you want in sharp focus (but you can always stop down slightly to increase the depth of field.)

 

I do love my 70-200 f/2.8 (i have the original and the II) and these are my most used lenses.

 

HOWEVER... if you're doing close 'face' shots, beatufy/portraiture ... you may want to check out one of the 100mm f/2.8 Macro lenses.  There are two.. one is "L" series and has image stabilization, the other is non-L and lacks image stabilization.  But they're both extremely good lenses.

 

Macro lenses tend to be extremely good at resolving exceptionally fine detail ... as such, there are beauty photographers who prefer these lenses.  (on the 70D, the EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro would be a lens to chec, out.)

 

Here's a video by a photographer who shows off what he does with the lens (he's using the non-L version):

 

Tim Campbell
5D III, 5D IV, 60Da

To be short , smart phones have more functional jobs to do than just shooting , DSLR cameras have only 1 function .. to shoot and have enough real estate to accommodate every possible camera spec . bulkier Cameras screams professionalism , smart phones just cannot have bulkiness just to accommodate a dslr cameras loosing the sole purpose of a phone, phone is multitasking device and should be low in size and weight as possible.

(Removed as per Forum Guidelines)

 

jrhoffman75
Legend
Legend

"If you were able to shoot video with your 70D, then you should be able to use a 5D4 the same way."

 

This is key. Get your 70D set up again doing what you want. Then go through all the settings and set up your 5D IV the same way.

John Hoffman
Conway, NH

1D X Mark III, Many lenses, Pixma PRO-100, Pixma TR8620a, LR Classic
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