Cavision Quick Release Rail System (RS-15IIMQ) w/Letus Extreme?

[gmoe]

Hi all-

I am going to get the Letus Extreme for my HVX-200. I'm order #227!! Woo Hoo!

Saw the new quick release version of the cavision rails.

http://www.cavision.com/rods/minidvQR.htm

But I think someone was ordering this one..

http://www.cavision.com/rods/minidvFF.htm

What do you guys think of the RS-15IIMQ versus the RS-15IIM + Bracket & T-Part for Letus Extreme & HVX?

I don't have a follow focus yet but will and currently have a Hyson HD Mattebox so will probably go with at least 18" rails.

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance,

gmoe

[8DFM.com]

I'm planning to go with the IndiRAILS 30" and the IndiFOCUSpro for my Letus Extreme and DVX-100b.

www.indifocus.com (http://www.indifocus.com)

Got the Cavision 250mm rails and didn't like the way they looked "used" from B&H so I returned them. You'll need at least 18" if not longer for all the toys - FF, Matte Box, and Extreme.

[gmoe]

Will the indirails work with Letus Extreme? I wasn't sure from looking at the base if you could raise it and set if off center if necessary? Did you verify this?

thanks!

-g

[8DFM.com]

Yes - I verified with Tim at indifocus that there is plenty of room to adjust the rail system vertically.

I believe the vertical off-set is 44mm.

I also verified with Letus that there is no horizontal off-set - which I think would be the only drawback of the indifocus rails because it doesn't look like it can shift that way - but I may be wrong on that.



http://www.8dfm.com/uploads/inditop.jpg

http://www.8dfm.com/uploads/indibottom.jpg

[jshooter]

I also pulled the trigger on a Letus EX -#304- and Cavision RS-15IIM (45cm) + Lens Support (as I'll be shooting with the rig at 90º) ordered directly to Jason from Cavision. All this will be paired with a hv20, nikon lenses and 4x4 matte box. Can't wait to get all that stuff. In January I'll be shooting my new short and by then, I hope I'll also have a Redrock FF and a Intensity card, so my setup will be complete...
Meanwhile, if you want, you can have a look on a previous short shot with 2 dvx100 in parallel a la Cinerama. It was quite an interesting experiment:
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/858035/the_blind_spot_el_punto_ciego/

And here you have some pics on the 2 camera setup:
http://rlux.blogspot.com/2006/02/acerca-de-la-tcnica-en-el-punto-ciego.html

Best regards

[TheRealMe]

Yes - I verified with Tim at indifocus that there is plenty of room to adjust the rail system vertically.

I believe the vertical off-set is 44mm.

I also verified with Letus that there is no horizontal off-set - which I think would be the only drawback of the indifocus rails because it doesn't look like it can shift that way - but I may be wrong on that.


Could somebody second/comment on that (horizontal off-set)? I'm also planning to buy the same set of rod for the Extreme...

[Ram S.O.S]

I also verified with Letus that there is no horizontal off-set - which I think would be the only drawback of the indifocus rails because it doesn't look like it can shift that way - but I may be wrong on that.

I'm pretty sure there is a horizontal offset with the Extreme, Barry Green has one and he mentioned in another thread that the offset is neccessary for the flip to work. Hopefully the indirails will work for you, it was my first choice until I looked at the design and realized it might not have enought adjustment to work properly with the Letus. I'm leaning towards a Cavision setup but If someone can show me a Letus setup using indirails I'll buy it, I already have an Indifocus Follow Focus on the way so the fit is very improtant.

[gmoe]

yes, Horizontal offset verification would be good to know...

?- For Cavision base and rails-- again anyone know if they are getting the Quickrelease version RS-15IIMQ or the RS-15IIM + Bracket & T-Part for their Letus Extreme & HVX?

[disjecta]

There is zero horizontal offset on the Extreme. That is a definitive answer.

You can also turn the Extreme upside down, if you feel there is a need to do so, and there will be a hole similar to the underside. You can use that hole to mount the bracket to the tube.

However, with this inverted mounting, you will need to add 2mm to your measurment from the film plane because that top hole is 2mm further to the front of the adapter. It was not originally designed to be flipped up like that so this is the relatively simple workaround

[Ram S.O.S]

There is zero horizontal offset on the Extreme. That is a definitive answer.

Since that's the case, the indirails will be a good cost effective solution. In fact I just ordered mine with 18 inch rods.

[Ryan E. Walters]

I just figured out how to get my HVX, Letus Extreme, and Cavision matte box all to work together. Now it should be said that you can get the matte box to work with just the basic matte box and rails, however the matte box will not go low enough to use any sort of ND grad. So this is my solution & recommendation:

1. Get long rails- at least 18"- I got the 24" rails so that I can use my 135mm and longer lenses on it. (I have the Redrock alunimum rails, however, Cavision will make 24" rails, you just have to specifically ask for them.)

2. Cavision Mattebox and rail system: MB4169H-2M http://www.cavision.com/matteboxes/4x5hs/4x5hs.htm

3. 3x Additional Bracket and T-Part: RSR-15 (it is the bracket on the back that provides additional support to the camera plate.) You will need nuts and screws for these as the bracket is not threaded. http://www.cavision.com/rods/minidvFF.htm

Now that you have all of this gear, here is how to use it:
1. The long rails go in the main plate.
2. Use one of the RSR-15's to provide extra support to the camera plate.
3. Connect the other two RSR-15's using the holes on the top. The two brackets should look like a cross when joined together.
4. Go a head and slide the newly connected bracket onto the long rods. The bottom bracket should hang down.
5. Connect the letus extreme to the rods.
6. Connect your follow focus to the rods.
7. Make sure that the long rods do not extend out past the end of the follow focus ring on the SLR lens.
8. Using the short rods that came with the matte box, put them into the bottom of the newly connected bracket.
9. You can now fit the Cavision matte box onto these lower rails.
10. The height of the mattebox can now be adjusted either via the matte box directly, or via the new bracket you connected to the rails.
11. If you have a longer lens, you can slide the long rails forward to accomedate the lens size.

Here are some pictures of my setup:
http://www.235studios.com/LetusExtremeMattBox01.jpg
http://www.235studios.com/LetusExtremeMattBox02.jpg
http://www.235studios.com/LetusExtremeMattBox03.jpg

[puredrifting]

The vertical offset using the Extreme is 44mm at the lens line.

Dan