Sergio in response to
"I also tried resolutions higher than 1832 x 1024 via the 5X zoom trick, but I really find it hard to consider this option as anything other than a technological capability demo. I used it to shoot some portraits of very distant neighbors chilling out on their home balcony during peak COVID stay-at-home lockdown past spring, and the 5X zoom was exactly what I needed. But apart from that specific situation, I wish somebody explained me how to use this feature in real life."
The answer that your are looking for is the Tokina 11-16 f2.8 lens (I recall there is a newer version which goes to 11-20mm f2.8 ) .
5X trick means you have 55 - 80mm, which is very good and has a decent image quality. And dont forget the 3X mode as well, as that gets you 33-48mm. So if you think about it, the one lens gets you 11-16, 33-48, and 55-80, all at f2.8 wide open. And the kicker is the lens is parafocal, so its zooming while limited in range, is done right.
Personally I really love the Sigma 18-35mm on my 70D, which is my wide angle lens of choice, I would shoot it wide open at night. The canon 28m f1.8, stepped up to f2.8 is rather good as well. The secret sauce, is that you really shoot fixed focal length most of the time for video. To really use the tracking for moving objects, you generally want a wide focal length, that keeps your subject in frame with some buffer (crop in post), so again its either the Tokina 11-16mm or the Sigma 18-35mm for excellent tracking. Recall the 5X and 3X modes dont support the AF subject tracking, so in general your limited at the 1832 barrier. I think the f5.6 canon zooms, are good for daylight or well lit night shots. Another truth with video, is that its ok to shoot your subject in partial darkness, or silhouette, as you only occasionally need to see their face. Photographers are the ones who have to get max. detail in one shot, so use your f5.6 lens at night as long as your subject periodically is well lit, it can workout fine.
Oh yes, with the 5X, and 3X tricks, the Sigma lens gets you, 18-35, 54-105, and 90-175mm, all at f1.8 wide open, the lens is not perfectly parafocal but its very good, especially if you use the AF tracking while zooming (centre spot focus for 5X and 3X while zooming will allow AF to work).