Review of Cinemek G35

[philip bloom]

I will publishing my review soon.

In a nutshell am blown away by how good the image can be from a static adaptor. Stay tuned and I will have my review up with test video in next couple of days.

[dmc]

Looking forward to it!



dmc

[TheRealMe]

Yes! Finally! A proper review of this adapter! Well, at least it SHOULD be a proper review, I mean coming from Dr. Bloom and all...

[philip bloom]

My review is up http://philipbloom.co.uk/2009/03/11/cinemek-g35-review/

the video is still uploading to exposure room and vimeo and should be there in the next hour or so... there will be a direct link on the review page.

[Leo Versola]

Nice review Philip; still waiting for the footage to be uploaded to view it... Couple of things I might mention; the HPX-170 can flip the image in-camera for viewing purposes but the image is still recorded upside down. Also, the HPX-170's focus ring can be re-assigned as an iris ring once focusing on the ground glass has been achieved.

Nice little features that lend themselves well to 35mm adapter rigs...

[Barry_Green]

And the HPX300 has the scan reverse function, so if you had one of those you wouldn't have any flip issues.

I beta-tested one of the original Guerilla35 adapters, which became the Cinemek, way back in 2005 on a DVX100. It was pretty sweet (other than the upside-down-ness; like Philip, I *hate* the upside-down stuff). Nice review!

[philip bloom]

Thanks Barry and good to know about the HPX 300 as have one of those on order ;-)

Am having some compression issues with the video. A version is up but am doing a new one which will be up in a few hours...will leave it converting whilst I sleep!

[Shibuya Oboya]

beautiful footage as usual! I have had my G35 for a bit more than a month now. I've been wanting to get my thoughts together about it on here, but need to stop shooting with it for a bit to go through it all.

Shutter speed is zero problem all the way through, as long as there is enough light of course.

[philip bloom]

beautiful footage as usual! I have had my G35 for a bit more than a month now. I've been wanting to get my thoughts together about it on here, but need to stop shooting with it for a bit to go through it all.

Shutter speed is zero problem all the way through, as long as there is enough light of course.

Love to see some footage Shibuya! Thanks for info about shutter, will add that to review.

[reem12]

This footage looks the best to me by far on the ex1 than all the other adapters. the sharpness and that bokeh is undeniable. At this point I would half to give the g35 the gold metal for the most filmic bokeh.

[astigmatic]

looks good, but with the compression I, myself, can't really make a call on the sharpness or bokeh.. looking forward to more updates.

Also, nice review as well.. but imagine how mega long that thing would be with a flip module.

[ANTshooter]

so how would you compare the SGblade RR2 vs the G35?

[philip bloom]

looks good, but with the compression I, myself, can't really make a call on the sharpness or bokeh.. looking forward to more updates.

Also, nice review as well.. but imagine how mega long that thing would be with a flip module.

I really recommend downloading the 1080p version...not much longer than the brevis with flip...

[astigmatic]

can't seem to find the download link.. I must be blind or something.

Lookin at the g35 again, I guess it's the camera mount that makes it look so huge,

[Andrea189]

Hi Philip

Great footage! Can I ask you what lenses you used with the G 35?

thank you

Andreas

[mvansomeren]

I downloaded the 1080p version. Nice bokeh. My LCD screen on my laptop might be dirty, but it sure looks like grain in those sky shots. Not too bad, but noticible. Perhaps its compression artifacts - but they don't seem to be moving so I'm not sure.

Otherwise, nice image. Would love to see how it performs on a brighter day with higher contrast images.

[ANTshooter]

or let me be more specific because i realize its a broad topic..how would you decide which adapter is the better choice for a project, between the SGblade and the G35?

[dcloud]

i can actually imagine philip bloom's voice as i read the review.

[philip bloom]

You need to be a member of exposure room or vimeo to download

[philip bloom]

Going to recompress tonight and fix the artifacts. Having weird issues at moment...with my computer too! :)

[TheRealMe]

Good review Philip. Sounds like the HPX170 is a perfect match for this adapter...

[nantnee]

Phillip-

Was that score from Les Vampires?

EDIT:
Just rewatched and saw the composer. Ludwig... duh.

[philip bloom]

Phillip-

Was that score from Les Vampires?

EDIT:
Just rewatched and saw the composer. Ludwig... duh.

yeah, he's this new German fella who emailed me so i thought I would give him a break. have to use email though, he's a bit deaf.

[philip bloom]

i can actually imagine philip bloom's voice as i read the review.

Yeah sorry about that, I shouldn't have been standing behind you whilst you read the review. Won't do it again!

[mvansomeren]

Going to recompress tonight and fix the artifacts. Having weird issues at moment...with my computer too! :)


Philip,

After putting the original 1080p version up on the big screen and with close inspection, the first scene does not look like artifacts, but in fact grain. At least on my 50" DLP, the dirty look is completely stationary, which is contrary to how artifacts would / should behave. The fact that there is grain is not totally surprising as this is, after all, a static adapter. Other adapters experience similar issues with sky when the 35mm lens is stopped down too much. And perhaps this was the case here as well with the G35. But I think it's fair to say that people have a concern about if or when grain shows up on a static adapter.

However, looking at the latest version you posted, I was dissapointed to see that the portion of the scene where the grain was clearly visible is now blacked out. I was hoping to find out that they were artifacts and that, through proper compression, they cleared up. Instead, it is blacked out, further adding to my suspicions that it most likely was grain.

IMHO, covering up the grain in this version doesn't give a true representation of the adapters abilities...good, bad or ugly.

Clearly, the G35 is a remarkable static adapter. But it, just like every other adapter, has limitations. With all due respect, isn't that the purpose of a review...to show the good along with the bad as they show up in your footage?

I could be over reacting as I've been traveling across the country this week and I'm pretty beat. If it comes off sounding harsh, it's not meant to be. Just concerned about the effectiveness of the review - especially for those that didn't see the original version.

Original version........................................... ............................. Current version

[Mike Harvey]

I just looked at the original version on my 22" monitor... it looks like compression issues to me. The colors plus the pattern of the clouds looks 'digitized' to me, especially during the fade to black. The blocks were way too thick to be grain. I could easily be wrong, but it didn't look like grain to me.

[philip bloom]

Philip,

After putting the original 1080p version up on the big screen and with close inspection, the first scene does not look like artifacts, but in fact grain. At least on my 50" DLP, the dirty look is completely stationary, which is contrary to how artifacts would / should behave. The fact that there is grain is not totally surprising as this is, after all, a static adapter. Other adapters experience similar issues with sky when the 35mm lens is stopped down too much. And perhaps this was the case here as well with the G35. But I think it's fair to say that people have a concern about if or when grain shows up on a static adapter.

However, looking at the latest version you posted, I was dissapointed to see that the portion of the scene where the grain was clearly visible is now blacked out. I was hoping to find out that they were artifacts and that, through proper compression, they cleared up. Instead, it is blacked out, further adding to my suspicions that it most likely was grain.

IMHO, covering up the grain in this version doesn't give a true representation of the adapters abilities...good, bad or ugly.

Clearly, the G35 is a remarkable static adapter. But it, just like every other adapter, has limitations. With all due respect, isn't that the purpose of a review...to show the good along with the bad as they show up in your footage?

I could be over reacting as I've been traveling across the country this week and I'm pretty beat. If it comes off sounding harsh, it's not meant to be. Just concerned about the effectiveness of the review - especially for those that didn't see the original version.

Original version........................................... ............................. Current version

I understand your worry, but rest assured am not hiding anything. I was having compression issues. After all I have the original uncompressed film. It was coming up all blocky when I was converting to compressed MP4, the only way to avoid this was a really high bitrate. I didn't want this so I made my life easier and created a dark vignette. There still is blockiness if you look at the edges on this sequence. The problem is all the movement of the trees as well in this shot. There was so much information that to keep the bitrate and a downloadable size it was not practical.

I clearly stated in my review that static grain was clearly visible in the sky at certain f stops and they need to be avoided, stating that f4 was the safest option to stop down to if you wanted to avoid any chance of grain. In areas without highlights like sky you can stop down a little bit more!

It's a static adaptor so it will have limitations...

[mvansomeren]

Philip,

It's not that I think you were intentionally trying to cover up the fact that there was grain. It's that now people don't have the benefit of looking at it and making their own determination. After all, what may be acceptible grain levels to some, may not be to others. So, even though you do state in your review that there is grain, since this is a still undisclosed GG technology, I think people want to see for themselves just what that means.

Personally, I think it would have been better to leave the blockiness so that everything is visible than to black it out for production value. This video was presented as part of the review. We all know you make some great looking videos. But in reviews, people not only want to see what's great footage you can obtain, but also some of the drawbacks as well.

In this particular case, since you had already posted one version, it probably would have been appropriate that you would have told us that you were unable to eliminate the blockiness and still have the video be practical to download, so you changed that scene. At least those of us who have seen both versions would know what's going on.

Stepping down from soapbox now :)

[philip bloom]

I agree and disagree. The short isn't technically part of the review. If it was I would be deliberately be showing shots where all the issues crop up. It's not a demo video, it's a piece of work and as a piece of work I need it to look as good as possible. That is what i was doing by fiddling with the beginning.

I am a perfectionist and only once have I posted a completely ungraded film, that was Magic Bus Stop for the SGBlade. There are people out there who shoot charts and do all the technical tests very well. My written review covers the plusses and minuses very well, with the film, I just wanted to show my work at it's best.

I do have some stills of the static grain I can post if people want to see, when I deliberately pushed it. But we all know that grain will appear in the sky with Static adaptors unless you open up the iris a bit, hence my recommendation of f4 no smaller. The stills you posted show blockiness, which was the issue, the grain looks nothing like that.

[philip bloom]

I've just looked again at the raw footage of that opening stuff, it's really not static grain, it's actually some XDCAM codec issues I think. I have a shot where I pointed at bright water and went from F8 to F5.6 and then F4 and you can see just about the static grain in the first two, but only if the image is moving, not in the stills. So there is no point me posting them.

There is static grain as I have said! Just open up to avoid it! The issues at the beginning of the film is not an example of static grain so by showing that then and leading people to believe it is static grain then that isn't honest. It's kind of a weird discussion this as we both agree there is static grain...my head hurts!! :-)

I don't want my little shorts to be demos of the flaws in each bit of kit. I want my demos to show the kit at it's best. I could have posted jello or noisy footage from the HPX but I didn't. I worked around the issues to create the best images possible. Same with the EX1 and 3, the Letus Extreme, same with the Blade....same with everything really! I always explain the downsides, the flaws, I just don't like having crappy footage up. Sometimes there are no downsides too by the way! What I do is show people how good you can get the footage to look...I think that makes sense!?

[mvansomeren]

Okay, then it's my missunderstanding (and probably that of many) as you posted a link to the footage within your review, one would typically assume that it is a example...part of that review. Since apparently the video and the review are mutually exclusive, then there should be a statement to that fact. I'm sure I'm not the only one that made that connection.

I understand being a perfectionist, but Philip as I said before, we already know what you are capable of. I think most folks are more interested on seeing the ablities of the adapter you happen to be reviewing, not the abilities of Philip Bloom.

I guess we can just agree to dissagree on this point and move on. I know that in the future, I will continue to enjoy your videos, but keep in mind that any video that you post as part of your reviews are exclusive of that review. I hope everyone else keeps that in mind as well going forward.

[philip bloom]

It is an example...but not a video review. An example of what you can achieve with it. Not what you CAN'T achieve with it! So it is part of the review, as in it shows the kit being used by me and what I was able to get out of it.

[Shibuya Oboya]

wow! so anyway.

I can back Philip up on the grain issue, well to my best having not seen the footage straight off the camera.

I downloaded the quicktime and in the opening shots, IF there is any grain in there, you can't see it. Not through that blocky compression mess.

I have the G35, and when you see the grain, it's like fine sand texture. I have shot the sky with my Nikon 50mm at f11, and had the grain not be visible, but the sun was in the shot, and probably poured enough light in to hide the grain.

I've also shot the sky at 5.6 and had the grain be visible.

Some shots, the grain wasn't visible until I did colour correction that changed the overall contrast of the image, and revealing that grain was there.

So, some shots, if you need to close the aperture down say f8 and further, and you aren't seeing any grain on a monitor you trust, it may still be there. So be sure your image is where you want it to be. Don't go crushing your blacks in post, it might bring the grain out. Even with some shots at 5.6 if you have a deep blue sky with the sun to your back.

Now most of the time, it's likely you won't have the sky in the shot, and the objects in your scene have texture to their surfaces, you can close down further without the grain appearing.

and honestly it's unlikely you would need to close down past 5.6 when you still have the camera's iris to close down. plus it's well known that this sucker is light hungry.

[philip bloom]

Shibuya!!

Thanks...second opinion always helps!

I will be doing some more filming with the G35 next week and the new JVC if I can get hold of a 82mm to 72mm step down ring in time for Wednesday. Have ordered one online but they can't promise to get it to me in time!

[mvansomeren]

Thanks, Shibuya. I agree with Philip that more opinions and observations are helpful.

The fine sand texture you describe is in fact what I'm seeing on my DLP monitor, even through the "blocky compression mess". It's stationary and doesn't move like the rest of the artifacts. Does that sound like it?

Your comments about your experience with the G35 are very helpful in telling us what the limitations are and what to avoid doing so that the grain doesn't become an issue. Especially what to avoid in post.

It seems that the G35 is capable of some very nice footage, especially nice bokeh. You just need to be careful in some situations.

From the pictures of the G35 it looks almost bullet proof in build quality. Can you confirm that?

The reason I'm so keen on getting the full spectrum of this adapter is because I'm thinking of recommending it to someone who doesn't get along well with things that have moving parts or batteries. This seems like it would fit this person's needs provided it can take a little bit of abuse.

Thanks.

[Shibuya Oboya]

Like Jonathan's banner ad says, Use it, Abuse it, it can take it.

I honestly can't say if what you are seeing is grain or not. I understand you believe it to be. I'm not seeing it on my monitor.

Of course you still handle with care, you wouldn't want to damage the achromat or lens mount. but the body is a nice solid piece of aluminum.

I love the bayonet mount. but, due to the weakness of the camera, you really should have a rod support set-up.

I will be putting up a post with my experience with it in another week or so. I know that doesn't help right now, but I don't have the time right now to get through all the footage I have shot so far. Plus I want to shoot some more first. The first stuff I shot is all handheld, and I was getting use to looking at the upside down image. So alot of it was more to see what did what with the image.

But give Philip a break. I understand his review may not have covered everything you'd like to know about the G35. But he did take the time to share his first couple of hours with the adapter. and offered an example of beautiful footage, what it's capable of.

that's part of what's taking me so long, I'm choosing to show where it's limits are as well.

[dmc]

thanks for taking the time to compile your review and great looking footage Philip.

Real world examples of how good it can look are MUCH appreciated!



: )

dmc

[mvansomeren]

Like Jonathan's banner ad says, Use it, Abuse it, it can take it.

I honestly can't say if what you are seeing is grain or not. I understand you believe it to be. I'm not seeing it on my monitor.

Of course you still handle with care, you wouldn't want to damage the achromat or lens mount. but the body is a nice solid piece of aluminum.

I love the bayonet mount. but, due to the weakness of the camera, you really should have a rod support set-up.

I will be putting up a post with my experience with it in another week or so. I know that doesn't help right now, but I don't have the time right now to get through all the footage I have shot so far. Plus I want to shoot some more first. The first stuff I shot is all handheld, and I was getting use to looking at the upside down image. So alot of it was more to see what did what with the image.

But give Philip a break. I understand his review may not have covered everything you'd like to know about the G35. But he did take the time to share his first couple of hours with the adapter. and offered an example of beautiful footage, what it's capable of.

that's part of what's taking me so long, I'm choosing to show where it's limits are as well.

I'll look forward to your review and footage. I want to show this person what to expect.

Interesting point about the rod support. My initial understanding was that the purpose of using the bayonet mount was that it was much sturdier than the filter ring mount and rod support wasn't as crucial. Of course, if you're going to use a FF you'll need rods anyway. Might as well support the adapter just to be safe.

As far as Philip goes, I do appreciate that he took the time to review it and shoot video. He and I just expressed a difference of opinion about the usage of videos in the review process, that's all.

Looking forward to more info.

[philip bloom]

you really do need rods. Especially on those longer lenses...also how else can you fit a follow focus!!

The Cinemek's limitations are similar to say the Brevis and Letus Extreme, but with more light loss but better build quality and tank like reliability.

[Shibuya Oboya]

the bayonet mount is convenient, plus it covers the focus ring, except one half inch space so you can still adjust focus.

I'm trying to figure out something to use on the zoom ring, to screw in place of the current peg, that has like a block of rubber to tighten down against the lens barrel. I definitely hit the zoom ring any time I shoot handheld, depending on one of the 3 ways I tend to hold the camera.

you might say to avoid holding it that way, but when you have been shooting for a while, your arms are getting tired, it's one of the ways to switch the weight and be comfortable again.

I know people use gaffers tape, but rather not deal with the adhesive building up on my camera.

[Shibuya Oboya]

it would be nice if the bayonet mount/threads on the dvx were stronger, not plastic.
maybe someone could make an aluminum or steel replacement. of course I have no idea if you could even change it out.

[nantnee]

Phillip/Shibuya-

Curious as to what times of day are best to shoot at. Is there a certain point when the sun sets that the hunger of the adapter can not be satisfied (without a powered light source)? I know the G35 is very light hungry, but I've been wanting to see some shots inside a house/apt during the day/night without additional lights, just to get an idea about how much light the adapter is eating in a 'normal' environment.

[JHouser]

Thanks, Shibuya. I agree with Philip that more opinions and observations are helpful.

The fine sand texture you describe is in fact what I'm seeing on my DLP monitor, even through the "blocky compression mess". It's stationary and doesn't move like the rest of the artifacts. Does that sound like it?

I seriously dobut that is what you are seeing. Even with the "uncompressed" web downloads of these films, there is very little chance you can see any structure. It is very hard to see on an HD monitor from raw footage. Most times your monitor screen has more diffusion texture in it than the adapter.

I'm going to say this again to put this whole discussion to rest. Buy it. If the structure is too much for you. Drop it in the mail within 7 days of your receiving it and we will refund your money. No questions asked. No adapter maker will offer the same deal. We have nothing to hide.

This is that deal, I have developed this product finance free for 3 years as to have no relevant grain in HD. I would not be selling them if they did. I am not going get into a discussion why you feel it necessary to shoot clouds at f 5.6 so I wont. realistically if you are focused at 30' on any lens at 4.0 everything is going to be in infinity. So why is this even a discussion?




Your comments about your experience with the G35 are very helpful in telling us what the limitations are and what to avoid doing so that the grain doesn't become an issue. Especially what to avoid in post.

I guarantee grain will not be an issue. Neither is shutter speed, battery power, dust, condensation (nitrogen purged) or any other ailment you can get from a spinning or vibrating adapter.


It seems that the G35 is capable of some very nice footage, especially nice bokeh. You just need to be careful in some situations.

Thank you. Any light reduction is a direct result of the true 35mm bokeh. Bokeh is the subtle reality of an out of focus image. what is low light with bad bokeh? We could make a lower light version (we might) but then the bokeh would look like every other adatper. Like a 35mm adapter not like 35mm film. Not a road I wish to go down. Also, with our imaging screen you get a truer shoulder as well as a toe which again emulates negative stock. As a result your imaging sensor is not overloaded with a high contrast image which gives you all the ailments of Video.



From the pictures of the G35 it looks almost bullet proof in build quality. Can you confirm that?

It is.
http://virb.com/cinemek/videos/1750567


The reason I'm so keen on getting the full spectrum of this adapter is because I'm thinking of recommending it to someone who doesn't get along well with things that have moving parts or batteries. This seems like it would fit this person's needs provided it can take a little bit of abuse.

Thanks.
I am never into moving parts and batteries. :) I don't blame him.

Feel free to email me if you have any questions.

jon@cinemek.com

[JHouser]

Phillip/Shibuya-

Curious as to what times of day are best to shoot at. Is there a certain point when the sun sets that the hunger of the adapter can not be satisfied (without a powered light source)? I know the G35 is very light hungry, but I've been wanting to see some shots inside a house/apt during the day/night without additional lights, just to get an idea about how much light the adapter is eating in a 'normal' environment.

http://virb.com/cinemek/videos/51927

This was shot with an A1 G35 35nikon lens.

Main lighting source 1500 watt chinaball which we had on a rolling 3 rise combo stand to add ambient to the scene.
we had a 1200 watt HMI outside which we had a double net on for most of the shoot and everything else was standard 10 and 40 watt practicals on the wall lights.

Oh, I had a Diva in the kitchen working the cook as well.

Not home depot shop lighting, but a very indie kit. It all fit in the back of my jeep. Hope this gives you a better idea.

[JHouser]

you really do need rods. Especially on those longer lenses...also how else can you fit a follow focus!!

The Cinemek's limitations are similar to say the Brevis and Letus Extreme, but with more light loss but better build quality and tank like reliability.

True, however if you do decide for some reason to shoot the sky at f8.0 You can choose not to move the camera and you wont see the grain. Whereas the other manufactures the grain is dancing around. Also, dirt becomes very visible on the other units as well whereas the G35 is sealed so it is not an issue. Also, shutter speeds are not an issue with the G35. other than that they are similar. ;)

[philip bloom]

it may be 1.4 stops of light loss, but on the ex3 for example you are zooming in less with the stock lens to get the image which gives you about 1/2 stop more than you would be zooming in using say a Letus.

[JHouser]

it may be 1.4 stops of light loss, but on the ex3 for example you are zooming in less with the stock lens to get the image which gives you about 1/2 stop more than you would be zooming in using say a Letus.
Philip,
Yes, the achromat we use is stronger than the average so you do not need to zoom
your camera in as far. This is true for all of the cameras. You also get the full 24x36 mm frame.

[philip bloom]

Philip,
Yes, the achromat we use is stronger than the average so you do not need to zoom
your camera in as far. This is true for all of the cameras. You also get the full 24x36 mm frame.

so although not technically true, in practice it is closer to 1 stop of light loss, equivalent to the SGBlade RR2

[ANTshooter]

Good to hear. I was actually thinking about that when you mentioned that the glass element is positioned closer to the camera lens so you dont have to zoom in as far...If I recall properly, on my HMC150 + SGPro R3, the camera's at f/5.6 once zoomed in properly on the frame.

Im not sure if it was mentioned somewhere here but whats the physical length of the G35?

[ANTshooter]

and the HMC150 has a flip feature as well, just like the HPX300. :)

[Shibuya Oboya]

that's the other thing, Jonathan mentioned about the G35 being sealed, I haven't used any compressed air in the month and a half owning the G35, nothing more than a cloth and brush, and have never seen a bit of dust in any of my footage!

and as far as light loss compared the sgblade, with the rotorazer2, very little difference, RR2 slightly brighter, but not much. I'm not going to try to guess at what fraction of a stop, but I'll say if you are lighting a scene, you'd need the same amount of light either way.

[ANTshooter]

thanks shibuya. that puts the light loss in perspective. i should correct myself when i said the camera aperture is at f/5.6 when zoomed in on the GG with my HMC150. i must have been confused with another camera because the HMC has a fixed aperture on the wide and telephoto end. must be lack of sleep.

can anybody give the physical length of the G35? just a question out of curiousity and obviously has no relevance in the decision to go cinemek.

that video of the G35 in water kicks ass by the way. now if only they would make cameras that way too!

[Mike Harvey]

and the HMC150 has a flip feature as well, just like the HPX300. :)

Not quite. The HMC150 will flip the image in the LCD, but will not record it flipped. The HPX300 will flip both the LCD and the recorded image.

[philip bloom]

i must have been confused with another camera because the HMC has a fixed aperture on the wide and telephoto end. must be lack of sleep.


i would be surprised if the hmc has a constant aperture on the lens, no video lens on a camera that I know of maintains a constant aperture. The f stop may not change on the lens but look at the image as you zoom in if you have the exposure locked, you will see it get a touch darker.

[Sttratos]

so although not technically true, in practice it is closer to 1 stop of light loss, equivalent to the SGBlade RR2

Yeah, but that is without a flip and the SGblade has a flip and still loses less light. I was hoping the adapter would not be so light hungry. I can live with an upside down image but that much light loss in counter productive since I shoot indoors and at night a lot. What a pity.

By the way, would you say that the G35 is on pair with the Letus Extreme in terms of sharpness or is it sharper?

[Shibuya Oboya]

the exact thing that causes the G35 to be as light hungry as it is, is exactly what gives it such a beautiful image. that's the trade off.

same thing with the sgpro r3 and the blade with rotorazor2, needs more light, but a nicer image.

[reem12]

the heavy diffusion on the old m2 gg was also its magic. can't have it all. first we wanted our video to look like film. We got the film look but did not consider the other limitations when asking the makers to give us low light capabilities.

But on a side note. What's coming out of that canon mark II when used right and conveted to 24p is the answer the indi world has been waiting on, but even this has its workarounds and limitations.

[ANTshooter]

i would be surprised if the hmc has a constant aperture on the lens, no video lens on a camera that I know of maintains a constant aperture. The f stop may not change on the lens but look at the image as you zoom in if you have the exposure locked, you will see it get a touch darker.

upon further inspection, i noticed something i didnt notice before. when all the way open, it stays "open" from end to end. but if i open it to f/1.7 on the wide end and zoom in all the way, it drops to f/2.8 on the telephoto end.

[cxs]

I'm going to say this again to put this whole discussion to rest. Buy it. If the structure is too much for you. Drop it in the mail within 7 days of your receiving it and we will refund your money. No questions asked. No adapter maker will offer the same deal. We have nothing to hide.

Just read Terms&Conds from shop.cinemek.com (http://www.cinemek.com/) :

"Return Policy
Merchandise under this Standard Return Policy may be

Returned within 14 days of the original receipt date for a refund minus a 20% restocking fee.
Within 1 year of the original receipt date for a replacement of the same item, if found to be defective subject to the item warranty.
... All retuned merchandise must be shipped in its original packaging. Return must include a copy of the original invoice as well as the reason for the return. All non-defective merchandise returned within 7 days of original receipt must be returned in new condition with un-marked warrantee cards. If the merchandise is not returned in its unused state then a credit will not be issued and the merchandise will be returned to the customer at their expense..."

Jonathan,

D'You mind to update the Terms&Conds page to reflect your statement above ?

Would you be able to match SGBlade's free shipping offer ? If not, how much do you charge for shipment to Sydney, Australia ?

CX.

[nantnee]

Shibuya, hows your review going?

[Strobe Media]

why is it $1200 if there's nothing to it? no vibrating or flipping, just a piece of metal and glass.

[Mike Harvey]

why is it $1200 if there's nothing to it? no vibrating or flipping, just a piece of metal and glass.


The free market, my friend... the free market.

[dmc]

why is it $1200 if there's nothing to it? no vibrating or flipping, just a piece of metal and glass.


I'm gonna stick my neck way out here and suggest that there's been considerable R&D put into the elements and alot of care in the small details (nitrogen purging, build quality, etc,).

Quality takes time and costs money.



dmc

[philip bloom]

why is it $1200 if there's nothing to it? no vibrating or flipping, just a piece of metal and glass.

it's way more than just a piece of metal and glass...if it was just a piece of metal and glass am sure you could knock one up in your garage next weekend ;-)

[trez]

why is it $1200 if there's nothing to it? no vibrating or flipping, just a piece of metal and glass.

Oh, man. I design audio plug-ins and I've been asked such questions so many times - 'Why does your software cost so much? It costs you nothing to make another copy, doesn't it?'... It's so silly that sometimes I'm tempted to answer - because you buy it ;)

[nantnee]

Anyone know of any threads with pictures of G35 rigs. Cant seem to find many/any...

[philip bloom]

Pics of my rig here and also my new Cinemek G35 short film "Return to Dungeness"!!

http://philipbloom.co.uk/2009/03/31/short-film-return-to-dungeness/

[nantnee]

Awesome Phillip! I watched your work with the G35 several times, as well as going through you set up. It is however, maybe 1 of 3 rigs I've actually found of a G35 set up. 1 being from the Zacuto website, ha.

Can you tell me if what im seeing at 2:48 is the static screen/glass. Or is that compression? Or maybe its my 19" CRT monitor. =)

Also, would this setup be longer than your Ultimate? If so, does the added length weigh more/less than your Ultimate and does it make it harder to find a central point of balance?

thx

[nantnee]

http://exposureroom.com/members/philipbloom.aspx/assets/e64aed34b4ca41098e01b0ac7d54949a/

Just wanted to add this.

[philip bloom]

http://exposureroom.com/members/philipbloom.aspx/assets/e64aed34b4ca41098e01b0ac7d54949a/

Just wanted to add this.

that's on the blog already

[Strobe Media]

it's way more than just a piece of metal and glass...if it was just a piece of metal and glass am sure you could knock one up in your garage next weekend ;-)
oh i know but i mean, look at the redrock, brevis, sg blade, any of those, they're finely cut, brand name, intricate pieces of machinery, and can be flipped, scewed, whatever the hell you want, for nearly $500 less, this seems like just a metal tube, so it must be in the glass they use and whatnot

[philip bloom]

oh i know but i mean, look at the redrock, brevis, sg blade, any of those, they're finely cut, brand name, intricate pieces of machinery, and can be flipped, scewed, whatever the hell you want, for nearly $500 less, this seems like just a metal tube, so it must be in the glass they use and whatnot

Sure, but the R&D of making a proprietary static screen is a fair bit of dosh! It's also a tank. Really, really well made. Unfortunately well made stuff costs a lot, this is still a heck of a lot less than the Movietube Jr, which admittedly does come with a flip. Cinemek is not a big company. They have been working away hard on this adaptor for an age and it shows with it's quality.

[Strobe Media]

haha i'll give you that, something tells me if your setup falls this will be the one thing without a nick

[philip bloom]

haha i'll give you that, something tells me if your setup falls this will be the one thing without a nick

Am lucky enough to have the Letus line, SGBlade, Brevis and now this. I use them like I use different film stocks. Different looks for different projects...all i need now is an Encore!!

[Strobe Media]

what's your address?

[philip bloom]

what's your address?

No10 Downing Street, London, SW1. Just rock up with a van at night time and sneak in...

[Strobe Media]

will do thanks!

[Smettli]

Haha :)

[Mike Harvey]

No10 Downing Street, London, SW1. Just rock up with a van at night time and sneak in...

:thumbsup:

[slimchrisp]

No10 Downing Street, London, SW1. Just rock up with a van at night time and sneak in...

wow. you're flatmates with some pretty high up people. life has been good to you philip.

[philip bloom]

wow. you're flatmates with some pretty high up people. life has been good to you philip.

i do, but got some house guests at moment who are taking up the sofa...bloody Americans!

[Shibuya Oboya]

HEY, I resemble that remark!

[philip bloom]

Shibuya! How can you resemble a remark?!

no offense intended, all of these world leaders crashing my pad tonight. Not on. I was going to watch 24 from Monday on the Sofa!

[kingwo]

Just ordered the Cinemek online for the 170 on 3/31. Lead time on website says 4 weeks!

I've been on the fence on which 35mm adapter to purchase for a while and the Cinemek's non moving parts and Philip's review tipped me over to the Cinemek.

I wanted to add another dimension to the limitations of the stock lens and was bewildered with all the options-Brevis, RedRock, Letus, SG Blade, etc... Footage from all the adapters looked great especially from the stillmotion guys but the thing that didn't appeal to me was all the parts and pieces that made the rig beastly.

I'm a Bolex, zoom lense, wide angle and tripod kind of guy so I'm looking forward to using the Cinemek G35 for its simplicity and image rendition.

Thanks for the review, Philip!

[Shibuya Oboya]

totally joking! It was actually great, right after I posted, i was trying to remember
where I last heard that. could only remember it was a girl with a australian accent.

so I sit down to eat some food, turn the tv on, and Death Proof is on, and it's when the second set of girls are sitting around eating lunch or whatever, and the new zealand
stunt girl says it.

I love timing like that.

never call a kiwi an aussie

[philip bloom]

aaaahhhhhhh!|!!

[DEPTH OF PHIL]

Hello to all, I received my G35 at the NAB and WOW, Simply beautiful , Filmic and Epic. I am using it with an EX1 and Zacuto support. Both products rock! Great E2E, very minimal CA if any, way into the TV safe zone only on a few lenses , 24mm, 85mm a little soft, those lenses are kind of tricky with the EX1 optics anyway, even with the Elite. Easy setup, very minimal tweeking and lightweight for handheld shooting. Shot interior with two 1k lights , one for key and one for back ground. Looked great , of course next week i will test more. Shot several HD charts with multiple lenses, very impressive. I will be glad to post some footage and / or screen grabs a.s.a.p but just wanted to be straight to the point, "this is the Jaguar of Bokeh "we all have been waiting for. Check out PHILIP' BLOOM's new short, it's brilliant! Jonathan is a passionate shooter and it shows in the product. This is not a corporate, industrial adapter for those average so-so jobs, this is for "Today, i'll make Lawrence of Arabia and go to bed content, realizing what i'm on this earth for, "I'm a Filmmaker!" Great work Cinemek Here are some screen grabs from the initial set- up test shoot G35- EX1. I apologize for shooting flowers and family but they work cheap and are non sag! ( lol) It is important to understand an image this great right out of the box has put alot of power in Indie hands. Watch out Spielberg!

Minimal or existing lighting used on interior shots, No Picture Profiles , No grading, this is raw! Will shoot more this weekend, anybody who has ordered a G35 has alot to look forward too!

[Joseph Stunzi]

Seems like I've seen these very pictures and this very text on multiple threads here. Hmmmm...

[DEPTH OF PHIL]

Hello, i wanted to make sure that this also made it in the G35 review category as well as the NAB news.
Sorry. i'm new to this posting process. The new kid on the block!
Thanks for the heads up Joe

[GTP]

Does anyone know how the process of changing camera mounts on the Cinemek works? Will it compromise the sealed, dustless nature of the adapter in any way?

[philip bloom]

Does anyone know how the process of changing camera mounts on the Cinemek works? Will it compromise the sealed, dustless nature of the adapter in any way?

you don't open it up at all. You just slip one off and a new one on!

[Marduk]

hey Phillip does the same go for lens mounts, lets say you wanted to change from canon to nikon?

[philip bloom]

hey Phillip does the same go for lens mounts, lets say you wanted to change from canon to nikon?

exactly the same

[Marduk]

good to know

thanks for the info

Ninos

[DEPTH OF PHIL]

Easy as pie, just adjusted the back focus on the Nikon lens mount and gained a little less zoom that would be needed on the static screen. i can get about 48-49z now, pretty cool! Got hair line sharpness and i am very pleased.

[Marduk]

how are you liking the g35 phil? do you use it on any work you do for scifi channel? if so do you use it on spooked, hows it working for you in all those low light shots? are you adding any extra lighting now that you have the adapter. sorry for all the questions

Thanks
Ninos

[DEPTH OF PHIL]

how are you liking the g35 phil? do you use it on any work you do for scifi channel? if so do you use it on spooked, hows it working for you in all those low light shots? are you adding any extra lighting now that you have the adapter. sorry for all the questions

Thanks
Ninos

Hey Ninos, All good questions, 1) We are loving the G35, because it adds "mood" a film attitude, if you know what i mean , we don't want an adapter because it creates a shallow depth of feel, the EX1 and EX3 will do that if you are creative with zoom and composition. It needs to emulate film by the way it catches the light.

2)Yes, We purchased it along with a customized Zacuto rig to shoot the next three shows for Sci- Fi Channel.

3) I don't think we will use it on ghost hunt or night vision style footage, there are camera set-ups that are better suited for that.

4) Well we always had fair amount of lighting , it is part of the way to emulate film in the first place , light it like film. But so far on our test shots we got away with just a few 1ks, etc.. and it looks Moody as hell! (See below two quick test shots, raw, not graded)

Daylight interiors are great on it as well, but in summary, epic films are lit regardless of what adapter you will use. It's all about getting serious about making a film and your statement through it's imagery!

[Marduk]

phil, thanks for all the info. really helps a lot in trying to decide which adapter i want to go with. i'll be using it for music videos that will be shot mostly outdoors so im good for now but i will want to shoot a film which im writing that has alot of night scenes and indoor shots. i guess i'll try to figure that part out when i start actually filming it.

Thanks
Ninos


Ps Good luck on your shows.