The Canon 6D is the closest replacement in price and features to the hall-of-fame 5D Mark II. The 5D Mark II quickly became the camera of choice for many indie and low-budget filmmakers. It was used to film episodes of the TV show House, as well as
Ken Rockwell, a professional photographer, says the Canon 6D is the second best DSLR available on the market as of 2013.
Ken goes on to say:
If
you're considering the Nikon D600, don't bother. The 6D is superior for
its far better ergonomics. I own both of these, and the 6D is much more
fun, smooth and easy to shoot, while the D600 is a pain, and the D600's
colors often have a green/magenta shift problem. The D600 is the best
camera made by Nikon, but nowhere near as good in actual shooting as the
6D.
As of August 2013, the camera is $2,000.
Prime lenses for commercial video and film making:
Canon 50mm f/1.4
$399
This is considered the "human vision" prime lens because it is the closest view to what the human eye sees. Many of my favorite images have been photographed with a 50mm f/1.4 lens. At only $400, it's one of the smartest lens investments you can make.
Canon 28mm f/1.8
$449
Every professional photographer and filmmaker will have some kind of wide angle lens in their bag, and if you're shooting with prime lenses for an indie film project or commercial video, this lens can't be beat for the price.
Canon 24mm f/2.8 IS
$699
The image stabilization may not be worth the extra cost, depending on how you're shooting. But if you want to be slightly wider than the 28mm lens above, this could be a good buy.
Zoom lenses for wedding video and event coverage:
Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L
$2,299
Most professionals shooting Canon or Nikon will have the 24-70mm lens. It's a high-quality lens that includes a wide angle through a small telephoto. It's perfect for weddings, documentary, and other situations where keeping the same lens on the camera body means getting the shot.
Canon 24-105 f/4L
$1,149
For a little extra focal range on the telephoto end, and a savings of $1,150, this lens may be a better buy instead of the 24-70mm. For low-budget documentary work, this lens is very versatile and is the least expensive L series lens available.
Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L
$1,699
This ultra-wide zoom is loved my many professionals around the world.
If money is no object:
Canon 85mm f/1.2L
$1,999
Professional portrait and wedding photographers who have this lens in their bag say that it's the sharpest portrait lens available today.
Canon 50mm f/1.2L
$1,439
A higher-end version of the standard 50mm lens.
Canon 100mm f/2.8L Macro
$1,049
Need to get close shots and want excellent optics?
Links:
All of the Canon L series lenses available from B&H Photo
Although the Nikon D600 ranks #3 on the DxOMark sensor rankings and the Canon 6D is much lower at #19, I would rather trust photographers actually using these cameras for their everyday work, rather than a table of data.
Weight: 26.8 oz with battery and memory card.
