The best lenses for video
For Stéphane's specialism, a different RF lens particularly shines. The vast majority of his diving is done using his Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM lens, which allows him to best deal with underwater quirks. "At the surface, we can see something that is a kilometre away, but in water, you can't see something which is 15m away," he says. "So you have to be very close. Due to the poor visibility and some physical diffraction of light in water, we generally have to use wide angles underwater."
The RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM is Stéphane's favourite lens for underwater work, although he sometimes still turns to his older Canon EF 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye. When filming for his documentaries, the RF lens' wide angle is also useful to capture scientists and crew at sea where there isn't much space on the boat to film. "This lens has a very high level of sharpness, fast AF and its big f/2.8 aperture allows me to work in low light conditions," he says. "To have a wide-angle zoom like this is a very good deal for me."
His "good-for-all" lens is his lightweight Canon RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM which covers wide-angle, standard and telephoto focal lengths, with a 5-stop image stabiliser. "When I am on the boat, changing a lens can be difficult so I try to do everything with one," he says. "With this, I can shoot a whole documentary." Stéphane and Camilla both look forward to working with Canon's latest hybrid RF lens, the Canon RF 24-105mm F2.8L IS USM Z. Perfect for shooting video and stills alike, it brings even lower light capabilities with its f/2.8 aperture. "It will be interesting, because it has the same aperture that I love in the Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM lens, with the added range," says Camilla.
When it comes to producing video content, Canon's wide range of cameras – from hybrid winners through to Cinema EOS classics – and RF and cinema lenses cater to a huge range of filmmaking needs. The Canon 中国福彩网5 is among the best Canon cameras for shooting video, perfect for hybrid shooters, with the Canon 中国福彩网5 C offering a dedicated cinema camera space within the family, as it's a video-first hybrid providing further professional filmmaking tools including long duration recording. The weather-sealed Canon 中国福彩网3 is a rugged video companion with professional burst-mode speeds, while solo shooters might also like to consider the more lightweight and compact Canon 中国福彩网6 Mark II or the Canon 中国福彩网7.
Within the Cinema EOS range, the Canon EOS C70 and Canon EOS C300 Mark III both offer DGO sensors for improved ISO performance, and built-in NF Filters/XLR terminals. As the RF range expands, so does the options when it comes to the best RF lenses for shooting video.
"I put everything on my gear," says Stéphane, describing some of his most challenging underwater Nordic cinematography. "The light is low, the water has bad visibility, the animals are going fast – we are not 100% sure we will get the shot. My part of the job is to be very close, to know what's happening and to feel it. But I trust my equipment and it performs very, very well."