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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Why (formerly not) Canon EOS lenses?

I've also been a Nikonist but I'd say now with the Birger's mount plus the wider 10-22mm, there will be a lot of them there preferring the Canon route, I believe. Although I think the Nikkor to Canon adapter can help on the use of both glass resources, maybe zoom on the Canon side + a few Nikon primes.

This will probably be my Birger's setup on the Canon side beyond the ZF option or one or another Nikkor glass from my personal inventory (to mount in-camera via an adapter but since there ain't no zoom there it looks as though I can be safe):

Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM

Are there any other similar choices out there?
 
Just one detail about the image stabilization of Canon EF-lenses; I have not sorted out the technical details, but the years of experience I have with using the XL-series camcorders with the EF-adapter seem to suggest the type of image stabilizer of EF-lenses is not the same as that in Canon video lenses.

In practice, if the IS of the XL lenses is set on, then indeed the effect is noticeable and it does make hand held shots more stable. However, the IS of EF-series lenses does not seem to stabilize the same way, and over the years there has been only one occasion when I've found the IS of EF-lenses to be useful. Once I did shoot with the EF 600mm lens sitting on the fluid tripod in a gust of wind. Since the lense is tall, the wind made the lens to vibrate/oscillate with a rather high frequency, and in this case one of the EF-series IS modes did eliminate quite a lot of the shake. Still, afterwards felt the shots were not stable enough to be used. Perhaps should add, in fact, never managed to take any shot with an IS yielding a footage stable enough to been shown publicly. Thus, I always use a support and switch the IS (as well as auto focus) off.

My quick and dirty analysis has been, that an IS system for stills is probably quite different than the one optimized to video. The first one tries to make single shots as sharp as possible while the other tries to eliminate the movement of the camera body from a sequence of frames - and this time single frames are and should not be biased. Still, from my side this is guessing based just on the observations made on the field.
 
Canon lens set

Canon lens set

I, for example, am very happy with the quality of my Canon 24-70 2.8L and my 70-200 2.8L IS in my 5D, and think they will produce great images with Red and the Birger mount.

I've also been a Nikonist but I'd say now with the Birger's mount plus the wider 10-22mm, there will be a lot of them there preferring the Canon route, I believe. Although I think the Nikkor to Canon adapter can help on the use of both glass resources, maybe zoom on the Canon side + a few Nikon primes.

Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM

Are there any other similar choices out there?

I have been thinking along the lines of the Birger mount for months and the lenses you have listed will be my main lens set as well. If there are any issues with the 10-22 re: low light I will also add the
new EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM.

BTW Every review I have read on the 24-70 has been very good and several went out of their way to call it an "exceptional" lens even among high end still lenses.

Since I sold my EOS20D, I will round it out with a rebel xti or the new EOS 40D which have the same sensor size as red, and use it as a light meter and directors viewfinder, as well as for previz still shots.

\However, the IS of EF-series lenses does not seem to stabilize the same way, and over the years there has been only one occasion when I've found the IS of EF-lenses to be useful.

Well, that's kind of a bummer!
 
I'm thinking along same lines for Canon lenses, but am considering the EF-S IS 17-55 2.8 instead of the 24-70. Like the 10-22, it's not technically an L series lens (no EF-S lenses are), but it has the same glass and is very well built.

The 17-55 is smaller, lighter and cheaper than the 24-70; it should be an incredible handheld lens and ideal on the steadicam. Here's the kicker--the reviews I've seen say its sharper (!) than the very highly regarded 24-70.
 
I think this has been stated before: image stabilization and vibration reduction could only work on a single frame based on how they mechanically work. I don't know if that is still true, maybe someone could double check
 
I think this has been stated before: image stabilization and vibration reduction could only work on a single frame based on how they mechanically work. I don't know if that is still true, maybe someone could double check

This is not a correct statement. i.e. IS/VR give noticable improvement through the viewfinder of an SLR when engaged during preview (half-shutter button). THis is effectively a motion image.
 
i.e. IS/VR give noticable improvement through the viewfinder of an SLR when engaged during preview (half-shutter button). THis is effectively a motion image.

Yes, I second what Erik says. For example, in case of Canon EF lenses and XL series camcorders the stabilizer does function as Erik describes. But it's another issue how useful the IS is in practice. In my previous post I tried to say that perhaps one should not expect too much of it.
 
Interest in an EOS Adapter

Interest in an EOS Adapter

I do still wildlife.
Interested in attaching lenses such as:-

600/4 IS
500/4 IS
300/2.8 IS
70-200/2.8 IS
24-70/2.8
135/2
85/2

etc etc

Am interested in the focus causing images to change size.

This is all new to me. Will read on with interest.
 
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