5D3 RAW shooter's minimal shopping bag.

[adrjork]

Hi everybody,
I'm trying to make a minimal shopping list for RAW workflow based on Canon 5D3 + Magic Lantern.
I've written also to Sebastian Wöber (the brilliant author of Consider this before you shoot RAW on a Canon 5D mark III), and I'm looking for as many advices as possible to get an idea. So, please, fell free to replay with your opinions: will be a great help for me.

Well, this is the shopping list I’ve thought:
-BODY: Canon EOS 5D Mark III
-MEM. CARD: SanDisk Extreme Pro CompactFlash 256GB 160MB/s
-SSD DOCK: Lexar dual-card reader USB3
-BATTERY: Canon LP-E6
-BATT. CHARGER: Canon LC-E6
-VIEWFINDER: Varavon Multifinder for Canon 5D Mark 3
-WIDE LENS: Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM
-TELE LENS: Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro Canon EF
-PROTECTIVE Canon: Tiffen 67mm Digital HT Ultra Clear Filter
-PROTECTIVE Sigma: Tiffen 62mm Digital HT Ultra Clear Filter
-ND FILTER Canon: Tiffen 67mm Variable ND
-ADAPTERS: Xume 2lens+2filters 67mm adapters
-CAP: Sensei 67mm Screw-In Metal Lens Cap
-CLEANING KIT: Zeiss Lens Cleaning Kit
-MIC: Sennheiser MKE 400
-DEADCAT: Sennheiser MZW 400
-MONOPOD: Manfrotto 685B Neotec
-HEAD: Manfrotto 234RC
-LIGHT: Cowboy studio 320 LED dimmerabile bi-color
-REFLECTOR: Phot-R PRO 56cm (22") Gold and Silver
-COLOR CHECKER: X-Rite MSCCPP ColorChecker Passport

The reasons:
-160MB/s SanDisk to capture RAW.
-Varavon Multifinder for the possibility to see the display from above (and from the loupe, of course).
-Canon 35mm and Sigma 105mm for the following reasons:
1. they are the fastest EF-fullframe lenses between stabilized ones;
2. stabilization is useful when you’re shooting handheld (both video and stills);
3. 35mm becomes an all-in-one lens thanks to Magic Lantern because you can shoot in both FF and 3X crop mode (35-85mm);
4. a “real” short tele-macro is another useful hybrid because you can focus on something far or very near;
5. stabilization in a tele lens is a even more crucial feature.
-I plan to hold protective filters always on (even with ND filter) that's why the two protective filters.
-Tiffen vND (and not the better vIRND) because of ergonomics and practicality: vND is 67mm while vIRND is only 77mm.
-Xume to avoid lens/filter damaging when screwing.
-I hate all 3.5”-toy-mics, but I don’t actually like even pseudo-pro-cheap-XLR-preamps… So, all in all, MKE400 is light, should sound clean, and could be useful in point&shoot situation.
-Neotec is the fastest monopod I’ve seen, and a monopod itself seems to be a good compromise between stabilization (a tripod) and flexibility (in handheld situation).
-I’d like to use natural light as much as possible, but for any case I hope a little bi-color dimmable 320 LED + a portable reflector are sufficiently practical even for one-man-crew.

Still a pair of things:
-Which camera-bag for this set?
-Which dry-box? (if you think I need one.)

Thank everybody a lot.

[Morgan_Moore]

you may wish to consider making investments in 77mm filters and step up rings.

you dont want to spend money on a costly ND at a smaller size and then end up with a 70-200 or suchlike and have to buy more ND

Nearly every stills lens is 77mm or smaller.. except I think the newer canon 16-35.. which may push you to 'standardise' at an even larger size.

S

[Morgan_Moore]

Gold/Silver lasto lights are a bit gold.

At minimum go for the half gold type unless you really want the 1980s glamour fill light.

S

[Morgan_Moore]

35mm is not a 'wide' lens IMO 20 or 24 is 'wide'

[adrjork]

Thank you so much for your advices, Mr. Morgan Moore, really!

35mm is not a 'wide' lens IMO 20 or 24 is 'wide'

Here I have a doubt: you are obviously right, 35mm is not actually a wide lens, while 24mm is. Anyway a stabilized 24mm is f/2.8 while a stabilized 35mm is 2 stops faster, and on 5D3 in 3X crop mode, 35mm becomes something between 85/100mm that is actually a little tele, while 24mm becomes 58/70mm that is not really a tele. So, the 35mm could become a sort of all-in-one lens.

[jjj]

I have had terrible, irrecoverable issues with genuine Sandisk cards and worst of all, incredibly poor after sales. They told us to get stuffed when a bunch of their cards failed on a documentary shoot.
Occasional issue with Lexar, but they sorted things out without question and recoverd all the data.
Hoodman claim 100% reliability but are far more expensive. Well worth it compared to losing irreplaceable footage/stills though.

[jjj]

Nearly every stills lens is 77mm or smaller.. except I think the newer canon 16-35.. which may push you to 'standardise' at an even larger size.

Been a few 82mm recently IIRC, the Canon 16-35mm f2.8 II indeed being one of them.

[adrjork]

you may wish to consider making investments in 77mm filters and step up rings.

you dont want to spend money on a costly ND at a smaller size and then end up with a 70-200 or suchlike and have to buy more ND

I agree, Mr. Morgan Moore, so the chain could be:
67mm lens + 77mm step-up ring + 77mm vND filter + 77mm bayonet hood.

The idea is to maintain the step-up ring permanently on the lens (using a 77mm bayonet cap or the bayonet hood), or screwing-on the 77mm vND (plus the bayonet hood or cap)? Is this possible? (And is it easy to control the vND rotation having the bayonet hood on?)

If so, do you recommend rubber or plastic hood? (I'd use it mainly for protection purpose.)

Thanks

P.S. Oh, just a little last question: which LCD protection film/glass do you recommend for rear display? (Could thickness be an issue with the Multifinder?)

[Morgan_Moore]

I dont really use hoods - I keep my lenses smart by not dropping them too often.

I use a flag if I want to control flare.

It is worth noting that some lenses come with hoods and they probably wont work with a step ring in place.

And you cant get your fingers in to change filters

I use rubber hoods sometimes for example shooting up against a window to cut out back reflections.

I never use metal hoods,

My lenses are thus..
lens, step ring, (ND)

I also dont use protective/UV filters - too much stacked in front of the lens just turns nasty.

You might be amused by this photo of me using a toilet extractor fan fixture as an ND holder
It may seem dumb but there is no cheap product that allows for ND of a 96mm front lens with a rotating and extending front element. You can also see my 'flag' on the magic arm (it is not in place)
https://instagram.com/p/tyBtu_Aow7/

S

[adrjork]

Is it better screw-in step-up rings or bayonet ones?
Same question for hood?

Ahahah... Oh Gosh, I've seen your photo, great!

[adrjork]

Guys... I got it!
5D3 + Magic Lantern... 14bit RAW in a low-light camera! It's a dream.
It seems stable up to now (if you work just under 100MB/s with a 1067x CF card).
The Canon 35mm f/2.0 IS becomes 100mm in crop mode, so it is now a sort of all-in-one lens.

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi,

My bag would be:

5DsR
16-35/4
24-70/2.8 (or 24-105/4)
100-400/4.5-5.6 LII

A decent tripod
Arca-Swiss 4D head

A colour checker card.

Although filters are detrimental to image quality I would add UV-filters (Kenko or B&W) to all lenses. I would also consider some ND filters as a necessary part of the kit.

But I am a Sony shooter by very old habits.

Regarding cleaning, I have been shooting digital since 2005 and have not needed wet cleaning, ever. I use a Visual Dust Arctic Butterfly for sensor cleaning. Had it since 2007 I think, a good investment.

And, of course, we shouldn't forget the bag: Gura Gear, Bataflae.

Best regards
Erik