What's the best lens type for cameras for video? This videographer's guide compares cinematic primes vs. versatile zooms to help you choose the perfect lens for your project.
As video content becomes increasingly dominant, makers of camera bodies and lenses are also now bringing affordable options to the masses, which were once only specific to certain industries and production houses. This abundance of choices can make it overwhelming and challenging to pick the right lens for your needs.
But selecting a capable lens is extremely crucial for a videographer; ask any professional dealing in shooting videos, and they will tell you that camera bodies come and go, but their beloved camera lenses stay as a long-term investment and are your prime tool to be used for storytelling.
Before you start your search, you should know that selecting the best lens type for cameras is more than a technical formality, as you have to select a camera lens that is relevant to you and is not overkill. Moreover, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to choosing the best lens type for cameras, as there is no such thing as one perfect lens that can cover all scenarios of photography and videography.
1. Prime vs Zoom: Videography Perspective
Zoom lenses are more flexible as compared to prime lenses, but generally offer less optical quality and are bulkier to carry. Having said that, you still should consider zoom lenses if you are someone planning to be engaged in recording events, documentaries, and run-and-gun shooting.
Most professionals invest in high-quality prime lenses with a set of different usable focal lengths, which they can swap on the go. Such lenses don’t weigh that much and are generally cheaper than a single zoom lens. A set of three prime lenses (35mm, 50mm, and 85mm) often costs about the same as a high-quality zoom like the 24–70mm f/2.8.
But that’s the thing: the lenses that do come close to the quality of a prime are quite expensive. Also, their zooming system makes them more complicated and prone to dust damage in the long run.
Many people use both zoom and prime lenses for videos; the most common zoom lenses used are 24-70mm f/ 2.8 for all-purpose workhorse and 70-200mm f/ 2.8, which is ideal for b-roll and interviews. For instance, a set of 30mm, 50mm, and 75mm is quite common.
2. Cine Prime Vs Cine Zoom:
Cine prime and cine zoom lenses are a special type of lens used to capture cinematic footage and are designed with special optics and materials. These lenses typically feature wide apertures like f/1.4 or wider, making them ideal for low-light shooting while maintaining edge-to-edge sharpness.
Another subcategory in such lenses is the anamorphic lens type, a special breed of lenses that were once limited only to Hollywood and the cinema industry. Such lenses are designed to bring a cinema-grade widescreen aspect ratio to video footage with extremely high-quality video and additional visual features that instantly make them look more professional and immersive, just like a movie.
Overall Best Lens Type for Cameras during Videography:
This year, more and more content creators are looking for ways to create professional videography, and to help them achieve that on a budget, kits like SIRUI Saturn 35/50/75mm Full-frame Carbon Fiber Anamorphic Lens series are reshaping the entire industry.
If you are looking to find the best lens type for cameras that can shoot cinematic-grade and professional-looking video, then this lens series is your solution. Designed with content creators in mind, each lens in this series features a T2.9 ultra-wide aperture for extreme low-light performance and consistent exposure across all three focal lengths.
The lens features a 1.6x squeeze factor, which can produce a beautiful Hollywood-style signature 2.84:1 aspect ratio on a 16:9 sensor camera, giving your video a classic and professional look without breaking the bank. The lens can also introduce cinematic horizontal flares, which add a more immersive feel to your videos. Plus, it's lightweight and available in popular focal lengths (35mm, 50mm, and 75mm), making it easy to integrate into any videography setup.
Wrapping up:
To decide the best lens type for cameras this year to use for making professional-looking videos, comparing different lens types and their pros/cons is crucial for videographers. In most cases, professionals use prime lenses, but some also use a prime & zoom combo to cover different scenarios. In 2025, the world is moving toward cinematic-grade footage for content creation, and for that, the SIRUI Saturn 35/50/75mm Full-frame Carbon Fiber Anamorphic Lens series is an easy recommendation to kickstart your projects.
