Last Updated on July 10, 2024 by Adams
Videos of recipes are currently popular on both YouTube and Instagram. However, if you want to create some of these food videos yourself, this article will help you make the most engaging food videos. We have compiled some of the best lens for food videography in the article. We ask you keep on searching and have a look at them.
Light is one of the most critical factors in your video. If the lighting is too bright, your food will look washed out. If the lighting is too dark, the food will be shaded and challenging to see. None of these options is good. It is best to use natural light.
You want a lot of bright natural light, but not directly through the windows as this create shadows. If the kitchen does not fit, experiment with other rooms or outside, but try to keep furniture and unnecessary items out of the chamber.
Some people prefer to shoot their videos using bright colors in their food and setting. Others may decide that a simple scene – such as a classic wooden table with a small vase of flowers – is more appropriate for creating the dish.
Both are excellent choices, but the key is that your settings should be based on your plate, ensuring that the area around the food is complimentary and non-contrasting. You can use other methods to make the final dish popular, food carving, coating techniques, or even just using high-tech equipment that can capture even the smallest piece of food in vivid detail.
The main question that a novice amateur photographer should face is which lens to choose for food videography. There are different types of optics on the market, and each of them is designed for a specific purpose.
The cost is also quite different depending on the properties and quality. It is believed that the closest to the human eye is 50mm lenses or a range from 45 to 75 mm. In the art world, of course, everything is relative and controversial, and photographers find exactly their optic. Since food photography, in principle, refers to subject photography, it is better to take food videography with 50 mm and higher.
However, you should bear in mind that if you are shooting at home or in the cramped space of a pastry shop (in production), you may not have enough space to use lenses from 85 mm and higher (10 mm, 135 mm, etc.).
As a result, the longer the focal length, the more it brings the subject closer. Thus, when video graphing with a 100 mm, one must be far enough away from the shooting location. In addition, in the home kitchen, it is not always possible to go somewhere.
If you want to do food photography professionally, then there should be much more equipment for shooting. The tasks of a commercial photographer are very different. Therefore, a lens lineup must fulfill a wide range of functions.
The minimum set should allow you to shoot a composition at a wide-angle, mid-shot, and possibly macro photography. Therefore, it is better to have optics from 24 mm (zoom 24-70), medium plan 50mm or 85mm, and lenses from 100mm and above. The choice depends mainly on the brand of technology you work for since each model has its characteristics.
Best Lens for Food Videography (Comparison)
| Name | Dimensions | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM | 4.45 x 3.5 x 3.5 inches | 1.77 Pounds | |
| Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM | 4.84 x 3.07 x 3.07 inches | 1.38 Pounds | Check Price |
| Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN | 9.1 x 9.1 x 9.1 inches | 4.25 Pounds | Check Price |
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM
Canon EF 24-70mm f / 2.8L II USM is a new version of the stock zoom optic with a constant maximum aperture of 2.8. It is designed to use Canon full-frame digital cameras (Canon EOS 5D Mark II, Canon EOS 1D).
The optical design of the new lens is different from the previous one. It now includes two UD glass and one aspherical optic. All elements are anti-reflective to reduce chromatic aberration and enhance contrast in backlight and sidelight.
The focal length range of 24-70mm makes it quite versatile. It is in demand by food videographers, reporters, and just wealthy amateur photographers who appreciate high technical quality regardless of the design.
Like any L-series, it has a substantial construction. Additionally, it is dust and water-resistant, which makes it very convenient for extreme conditions.
The aperture of 2.8 allows you to shoot indoors even without a flash successfully, and a small depth of field of 70mm in combination with a nine-blade aperture gives pleasing bokeh.
The sharpness of the optic is flawless, the CAs is minimal, and the distortion at 24mm is very moderate. In general, the technical quality is in line with the high standards of the L-series, although a flawless picture may seem boring to aesthetes. The ultrasonic motor provides very fast and accurate auto focusing even at dusk.
In addition, it is pretty compact and heavy. Its thread diameter has grown from 77mm of its predecessor to 82mm. At 24 mm, its length is 11 cm without the hood and in 70 mm – 14.5 cm. Focusing is swift and quiet. For food videography, indeed, it delivers excellent results.
The beauty of the video, the smoothness of the frames is no less important than the quality of the picture. Therefore, with this lens, it is necessary to use all kinds of stabilization systems. It shoots videos like an expert in all respects. The color rendition is juicy, saturated, and contrasting.
The grip is reassuring, and the feeling of robustness is indeed there. The barrel and the sun visor are shorter than on the first version, which in no way affects its quality.
It has not a simple screwing system but a locking principle to prevent any unfortunate fall, thanks to a button on which to press to unlock it and a clicking sound attesting to its sound.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Optical quality | Diameter change |
| Sturdy materials | |
| Efficient USM autofocus |
Conclusion:
The EF 24-70mm f / 2.8 L II USM is a lens to own if you are demanding your videos and images and your expectations are high. For a professional photographer, this is a must-have! It is arguably the best on the market today, despite its age (released in 2013).
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM
The EF 100mm f/2.8 is Canon’s standard lens. Scope of delivery: “naked as a falcon,” two covers, and the lens itself. Outwardly, it makes a traditionally pleasant impression – it is well assembled, the focusing ring is wide, the switches are convenient and are in their usual place. The standard thread diameter for filters is 58 millimeters.
It has construction ready to face the worst shooting conditions (humidity, dust). It also incorporates an internal focusing design.
The unique adjustment ring dedicated to the focus is large and comfortable to use. Its fluidity is perfect, and there are slight marks at the ends (minimum focusing distance in infinity). Its relatively short stroke is mainly “focused” between 0.3 and 0.5 m.
There is a dynamic focus distance indicator on the top. On one side are the switches: a focus range limiter, autofocus activation, and optical stabilization activation.
There is even a particular rubber “skirt” on the mount. There are three settings for AF distance. The ultrasonic autofocus motor, limited only by the macro range, makes it easy to take any autofocus shooting.
Furthermore, the image stabilization also plays an important role. The process of framing with the stabilizer becomes much more comfortable. It is immediately noticeable after shooting with other macro lenses that lack the stabilization system.
The stabilization system has almost no effect on the minimum allowable shutter speed during macro photography: the slightest breath of breeze shakes the stems in the frame so that the shutter speed still has to be reduced, even removing the effect of camera shake.
The image stabilizer and the well-thought-out design of the focusing distance limiter make it possible to use autofocus for food videography. Where you often have to switch to manual mode with other optics.
Its autofocus does all the rough work for the photographer. In addition, the optical stabilizer allows for more comfortable frame construction, preventing image shaking.
It is optically flawless. You can count on the highest sharpness, even when shooting at an open aperture. Contrast is high, like all macro optics.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Fast autofocus drive | Angular highlights on a closed aperture |
| Effective optical stabilizer | |
| High sharpness from open aperture |
Conclusion:
The EF 100mm f/2.8 is a decent and helpful. Those who often need to shoot small objects will allow you to solve all problems up to a scale of 1: 1 inclusive, without the use of additional equipment for food videography.
Today it is the top-end macro lens in the manufacturer’s lineup. Optically, it outperforms its counterparts so much – this is the merit of the high-quality picture of other Canon macro optics.
Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN
The 24-70mm f / 2.8 DG DN ART has a fast standard zoom lens. The new frontline rider goes beyond the wildest dreams, offering performance to meet all your food videography.
SIGMA engineers set themselves to create the best lens in the 24-70 mm class they achieved.
The optical system of the optic zoom consists of 19 optics arranged in 15 groups. Thus, we get 6 FLD elements (glass with characteristics similar to fluorite), 2 SLD glass elements, and three aspherical lenses that perfectly correct all chromatic aberrations and coma.
The tube itself also makes a perfect impression. We get a metal body, broad and well-felt zoom and focus rings, a function button that allows you to assign your function (AF-L as standard), and a lock that prevents it from unintentionally extending.
The zoom ring moves with a noticeable and adequate resistance, and it requires less than 1/4 turn to “fly” through the whole range.
A milling underside of the middle glass section improves the grip and prevents it from slipping in hand. It is also well balanced. Despite its relatively high weight, even in the extended position, it does not outweigh the body in any way during food videography.
There is a stepper motor and the latest algorithms that are to offer “a good balance between the speed and volume of the AF system.” The glass is also compatible with the latest Sony solutions in autofocus systems, including the eye detection system.
Moreover, with flexible spot metering in single AF-S mode, it takes about 0.33 seconds to focus through the entire range at 24 mm focal length and about 0.45 seconds at 70 mm focal length. Glass seems to do better in continuous AF-C. Especially at the 24 mm focal length, where sharpening is instantaneous.
Thanks to the advanced optics and 11-blade diaphragm, image blur has a pleasant, soft character characteristic of Sigma lenses.
The new Sigma is very good at working against the light, both in terms of the contrast of the delivered image and unwanted flares. Therefore, you can expect perfectly sharp results in the picture frame with a medium aperture.
However, at large apertures, the center is ultra-sharp, specifically at the wide end. Therefore, it probably qualifies as the most reasonable option – primarily if you aim for shallow depth-of-field photography and quality bokeh.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Solid construction | Pumping air while zooming |
| Work against the light | |
| Excellent detection system |
Conclusion:
The lens is very carefully made, relatively compact, and lighter than the SLR version, and at the same time, it can boast entirely acceptable results in resolution.
Final Verdict:
Short videos depicting food are relevant for restaurant and cafe websites and social networks – for example, YouTube and Instagram. When it comes to videography, lenses are the most important. You may have the most expensive camera, but it does not matter if you choose the wrong optic type.
The most important part of food videography is detailing in the video. If a piece of fruit or a twig is inappropriate for decoration, it can ruin the whole video. So, keeping a good lens is necessary.
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