GEAR
CANON EOS C80 AND C400
LENS SOLUTIONS FOR RF-FIT CAMERAS
use a single optic throughout a whole event and add powerzoom control if needed. It’s also a full f-stop faster than the existing RF 24-105mm f/4L lens and offers a wider focal length range than the RF 24-70mm f/2.8 version to provide a fast, multi-purpose optic for filmmaking. We tried it with both the C80 and C400, although we didn’t have access to the powerzoom adapter. What makes the 24-105mm f/2.8L IS USM Z great for filmmaking are its 5.5 stops of image stabilisation, especially since the C80 and C400 bodies don’t have mechanical IBIS. No other standard zooms offer this and it increases to eight stops with an IBIS-enabled camera body such as Canon’s R5 Mark II mirrorless. The lens is larger than a 24-105mm f/4 would normally be, but features 23 elements in 18 groups, with four ultra-low dispersion elements
variable ND filters or polarisers. If you’re a PL user, adapters let you fit the range of lenses going back decades – from the latest Canon, Cooke, Sigma or Zeiss primes to vintage glass. But if you want to take the plunge into RF lenses, Canon’s own range is the only option for full-frame cameras at the moment. For Super 35 sensors, Sigma and Tamron now have a licence to produce RF fit but these are largely for smaller, consumer-level mirrorless cameras. One advantage of the large RF mount is that it allows Canon to offer unique lenses that are very fast compared to their rivals. One of these is the Canon 24-105mm f/2.8L IS USM Z (top right) which is the first of a new hybrid line-up of lenses that use powerzoom control as well as offering an expanded focal length range with a constant f/2.8 aperture. It‘s designed so that event shooters can
Although few filmmakers will own a set of cine primes or zooms in the latest RF mount, it opens up a wealth of opportunities for all sorts of lenses. It gives a clear pathway to inspire confidence about future investments in glass. That doesn’t solve the current problem with cameras like the EOS C80 and C400, but there are lots of options. For users of EF mount lenses, there are lots of adapters on the market that not only fit the optics to the latest cameras but also offer communication with the body and allow users to take advantage of AF, image stabilisation, vignetting and aberration. Basic EF-RF adapters cost around £100/$100, but spend more and you can gain more functionality. There are locking mounts, speed boosters, tilt-shift converters, adapters with separate control rings to mimic native RF glass and adapters that accept drop-in
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PRO MOVIEMAKER
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