Explore in-depth camera lens comparisons tailored for videographers. Discover the best video lenses for cinematic footage, vlogging, low light, and more. Make informed decisions for your next shoot.
Videographers are experiencing the biggest shift in the industry, as now camera manufacturers are offering much cheaper camera bodies and competitive lenses at a much lower price. An average content creator and professional videographer now has much better gear to start their videography journey and can make use of the dreamy bokeh of cinematic narratives to the crisp clarity without paying thousands of dollars.
As video making is now a diverse niche, and every professional has different requirements and preferences, we have tested each one of these sub-niches and rated the best camera lens in our list. Below are our five best lenses and a detailed camera lens comparison of these options.
Top Lenses for Cinematic Footage
The 50mm variant from the SIRUI Saturn 35/50/75mm full-frame carbon fiber anamorphic lens series checks all the boxes for indie and professional videographers with its very wide field of view in a highly compact form factor and an anamorphic optic design to produce a true cinematic experience. You also get professional-grade low-light video with Saturn and can output vibrant footage with corrected spherical aberrations, something not found in this price bracket.
To compare with the SIRUI Saturn, the lenses that come close in the price range are the 35mm and 85mm F1.4 DG DN Art lenses from Sigma, which can produce some serious optical details in footage and can reach up to f/1.4 or T1.5 for super crisp results in low light. In a neck-to-neck camera lens comparison between the SIRUI Saturn and the Sigma Art series, we still prefer the SIRUI Saturn more for its price, low weight, true cinematic resolutions,& signature horizontal flares.
Top Lens for Low-Light Footage:
The RF 50mm F1.2L from Canon has quickly made a strong reputation for its extremely bright aperture (the f/1.2) and can produce ultra-crisp background separation. This happens due to its much-improved and next-generation optical design, but be ready to pay a hefty price tag.
Folks with a tight budget can check out the Rokinon 35mm T1.5 Cine DS camera lens, which can also produce similar results to the Canon RF without breaking the bank. The lens is manual, though, but it is capable of rivaling the big boys with its superb low-light capability and nice balance of image detail and object separation.
Top lens for vlogging:
The Sony ZV-E10 II & Sony FE 20 mm F1.8 G are some of the best options this year for the vlogging niche. The Sony FE has an f/1.8 aperture, which excels in various lighting conditions, has slick stabilization tech, and gives you a versatile ultra-wide zoom range. The Sony ZV-E10 II, on the other hand, is another successful release from the brand, which is compact, can record 4K 120fps, and has already made a strong reputation with its first-generation ZV-E10 model.
Before you make your decision:
1. Compare the use case of prime and zoom lenses and how each type affects your work. Always invest in a lens relevant to the footage and stills environment you are interested in shooting in. An overly pricey camera lens is overkill, and a cheap one will bottleneck your setup.
2. Look for full-frame versatility other than the key performance indicators of low-light shooting, bokeh, object isolation, details, sharpness, etc.
3. Your camera lens should not only be an optical gear designed to punch in pixels, but should give you creative control for shooting appealing and cinematic footage. When doing a camera lens comparison, always consider how it can help you get creative control.
4. Affordability should be there in your checklist too (as it is for us and most people out there), as many brands offer similar performance as compared to the same lens with similar specs and optics but from much more expensive and established brands.
5. Consider the size and weight of your camera lens, as professionals often complain about how heavy their gear is. A good benchmark nowadays is near 500 grams, which makes it a portable option to work with.
Wrapping Up:
In our above camera lens comparison, we have mentioned the top best options in each category, but with a budget in consideration. As the world's ecosystems move towards consuming more and more video content, the need to be distinct by content creators is more in demand than ever. The kit of SIRUI Saturn 35/50/75mm full-frame carbon fiber anamorphic lenses helps creators achieve such results with its true cinematic footage, small and lightweight design, and reasonable price.
