LaughBrian Loc: Tn

yep I'm getting my t4i but before i order would like to know which stm lens is best for me. i will be filming my salt water reef and grandkids they have the EF-S 18-135mm IS STM and the EF 40mm f/2.8 STM Pancake Lens .
this might sound dumb but will 18-135 mm cover the close stuff too or is the 40mm for that?
thanks for your help this is a big step for me.

fast edit lol i worked it out lol. I'm going with the 18-135 its a $399 lens and the 40mm is $199 and the kit with one or the other is $999 just the math makes the 18-135 the winner lol. thanks and sorry to bother anyone.

mikemilton

Well, 40 is in the range from 18-135 so the zoom covers that angle of view. The zoon is also slower (ie: needs more light) but, in return, will give you more options to frame a shot and that can be useful with kids.

When you say 'filming' do you mean to say videoing (rather than taking pictures?). If your primary intent is video, particularly ad hoc video (rather than scripted / planned shooting), then I'd strongly recommend a video camera rather than a dslr with video features.

Here is one review of the zoom: http://www.kenrockwell.com/canon/lenses/18-135mm-stm.htm

Personally, if I could only have 1 lens, I'd get the zoom simply because it provides more flexibility.

LaughBrian Loc: Tn

thanks for the help. yes i ment vids lol not making any movies. just some of the grandkids and i belong to a fish club we shoot 2 to 20 min vids of our tanks for you tube and such. and i shoot alot of pics too. looking for a macro lens to shoot up close shots of my corals and fish. thats why i went with the t4i with the a/f in vid mode will help alot. Thanks for the link:-}

mikemilton

You may want to go try that out. I've heard that while it does focus, it is not competitive with most video cameras. It would be worth confirming its applicability to your intent.

LaughBrian Loc: Tn

i watched about 50 or so you tube vids on the camera nad the movie mode. the onlybad is you need the stm lens to use the af or you can hear it af with non stm lens. And i have been shooting with an xti with no movie mode and no live viewso this is a huge jump for me! but im real worked up about it lol.

mikemilton

Actually, even with an STM you will be better off using an external mic. Better still, get a standalone recorder it is relatively easy to match the sound later using transients (either natural ones or use a clapper).

Why?
- the builtin mic isn't great
- it also picks up handeling noise
- it isn't great with even a mild breeze

Not that this has anything to do with getting an STM.

LaughBrian Loc: Tn

hey i take what i can get. thats why I love the forum you get lots of info.
Thanks for your help:-}

bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

Good decision but the 40mm is a nice lens, I,like it at f4 , very easy to carry as a extra,less than half the size of a nifty 50, Bob.

kaz6756 Loc: Canarsie,Brooklyn, New York

Let me know how you like the T4i. I think I'm going to get it today.

gessman Loc: Colorado

I "second" what has been said here except the idea of getting a dedicated video cam. You'd have to pay big bucks for a video cam that'd give you the quality you'll get from the t4i. I especially second about the external mic. If you intend to replace the sound track with a music track it won't matter about the external mic but otherwise, it'll be pretty important if you want good clean sound. I would suggest one further accessory and that would be a remote trigger so you minimize touching the t4i. Down the road somewhere you'll also want a fluid head tripod and a good one will "set you back" a few bucks. I already suggested about caution when changing lens the other day so no need to go into that. Sounds like you're on your way to some fun. Post your youtube handle so we can go view your clips. :-)