2020 Alexa, sub $5k baby edition

[Mitch Gross]

Thanks for the thoughts- I think I figured it out, I’m going to do an FD speedbooster adapter (with Nikon adapter option) to use my manual focus lenses and I’ll also make an modified canon EF “cine” adapter speedbooster with stabilization support and iris control (just read through all the metabones documentation and if I supply their Mount with 5v/1a you can use the multifunction button to click the iris up/down in 1/3 stop increments.

Sounds great. My one question is will you be able to reach the multifunction button? Based on the shape of the camera's front housing it may be inside the collar.

[Hunter Hampton]

Sounds great. My one question is will you be able to reach the multifunction button? Based on the shape of the camera's front housing it may be inside the collar.

Yep! And actually you can already reach the lens release it doesn’t go over the collar and luckily the collar is pretty shallow already. But yes a cine style mount would be ideal anyway. I’m gonna see if I can draw something up and make it in the next week. I’ll post some pics and videos when I get them!

[Amulet Man]

Sounds great. My one question is will you be able to reach the multifunction button? Based on the shape of the camera's front housing it may be inside the collar.

Is an EVA1 FD speedbooster possible? It seems the PL mount kit could be retrofitted somehow into one. The likeliest scenario for me is owning an EVA1 and renting an Alexa, so I am interested in both.

Edit: they do make this, it's called renting an S1H.

[James0b57]

Is an EVA1 FD speedbooster possible? It seems the PL mount kit could be retrofitted somehow into one. The likeliest scenario for me is owning an EVA1 and renting an Alexa, so I am interested in both.

Edit: they do make this, it's called renting an S1H.

Literally laughed out loud. Haha!

[Mitch Gross]

Is an EVA1 FD speedbooster possible? It seems the PL mount kit could be retrofitted somehow into one. The likeliest scenario for me is owning an EVA1 and renting an Alexa, so I am interested in both.

Edit: they do make this, it's called renting an S1H.

In theory I think it is possible and a couple of people asked me about it in the past. Official Panasonic position on it was "If you wana do it, we're not gonna stop you but we also won't put any effort into doing this ourselves. Knock yourselves out."

It would be a LOT harder than retrofitting the PL mount kit. That displaces the camera's EF lens electrical pinblock, which would be needed. The PL mount is a "dumb" mount, so you would need to get a Speedbooster optic into an EF mount with the pinblock connectivity in place as well as maintain access to the controls. And the camera's sensor cover glass is 33mm behind where a PL mount flange would normally be, so there's only just so much room for that speedbooster optical block. Again, I think it may be possible, but no one ever said it would be easy.

[Amulet Man]

In theory I think it is possible and a couple of people asked me about it in the past. Official Panasonic position on it was "If you wana do it, we're not gonna stop you but we also won't put any effort into doing this ourselves. Knock yourselves out."

It would be a LOT harder than retrofitting the PL mount kit. That displaces the camera's EF lens electrical pinblock, which would be needed. The PL mount is a "dumb" mount, so you would need to get a Speedbooster optic into an EF mount with the pinblock connectivity in place as well as maintain access to the controls. And the camera's sensor cover glass is 33mm behind where a PL mount flange would normally be, so there's only just so much room for that speedbooster optical block. Again, I think it may be possible, but no one ever said it would be easy.

Thanks, Mitch. I got a similar answer from Metabones a while ago...

Anyhow, I think I will just rent an S1H in the future. I'm sure you're aware of this but the color match is not perfect between the two cameras. But the dynamic range and overall look is similar enough that I wouldn't mind using both on one project.

[yachacha]

I look at that Alexa lens throat and I think immediately : how hard is it to cut cast iron? I have banged the idea of speedbooster around a lot with the F35 but the ir glass in that camera is right in the way and removing it shifts the focal plane of the sensor. If you could get that metal out of the way, maybe possible on the Alexa.

I always talk myself out of speedbooster by looking at the new fast cheaper pl lens that have popped up.