LETUS 35 FE and Scratched A1 lens

P

petromak

Member
Hi there, I hate the fact that my first post is on a negative subject, but I would love to have some help. Two weeks ago I bought a Canon XHA1 and last friday recieved my Letus35 FE. First off, I was thrilled to see how fast my adapter arrived (2 days to Montreal) Also, I was very happy that the unit was well packed and dust free.

I attached the adapter to my camera without any problems. It screwed on smoothly and without tension. I was happy with the image, though I wanted to do more testing with the footage on a larger display (mine is 20 inches).

When I removed the Letus35 is when the problems began. The threads in the barrel of my camera were stripped of the black paint and worst of all, the lens on my camera had three scratches.

I've worked with cameras for over 10 years ranging from prosumer to Varicams with 50$k+ lenses and I handle everything with extreme care. This situation was no exception. Does anyone know of problems with the Letus 35 FE and Canon XHA1? Does it come too close to the lens? Does it always strip the threads of their paint? Could it be the paint particles that scratched my lens?

I am confident that it was not a case of human error on my part, and am very surprised that given the generally positive reviews of this adapter I would have this problem. I can provide pictures of the threads and lens of my camera if that would be useful. Any help would be welcomed. Thanks!
 
Sorry to hear about your problem. When I had the Letus it did strip the paint of the threads. But it was on my UV filter...which you should always have on your A1 and not be naked without it. But with the extra distance to my actual lens I didn't see any scratches to the lens itself. It shouldn't effect your overall picture unless they are very deep gauges. I would by a UV filter ASAP before continuing using the Letus. Fortunately I know use the SGpro and it only requires a 1/2 turn to mount.
 
Thanks for the tip Smithy...I actually removed my UV Filter before putting on the Letus because I assumed the filter threads couldn't hold the weight of the adapter + lens.

Anyways, I can't help feeling very disappointed right now. Nowhere on the Letus35 website does it recommend separating the adapter from the lens with a filter. Now my brand new camera has scratches on the lens and the threads have the paint scratched off...this doesn't seem fair.
 
Well product support is not one of Quyens strong attributes. But he will return emails to you personally when you ask directly. Hopefully it won't effect your pictures..It takes a lot to really have it show up. And since your camera is only focusing on the gg and not the subject then it shouldn't be bad. Now if it was on your 35mm camera lens then that is a another story. Hopefully everyone else will learn from this and not do the same thing.
 
Metal on metal threads are going to produce problems. I have a metal step down ring found some of the metal dust on my lens and freaked. You may have inadvertently swiped the lens while the metal dust was on it and scratched it. I doubt the Letus touches the lens. A lens protector is always a good idea.
 
You may be right about the metal dust iDV8, but I saw the scratches as soon as I removed the lens. I did not swipe it.

I've got to say, that I really appreciate everyone's support and advice about using a protector the "next time", but I am finding it frustrating that there is never any mention anywhere from the manufacturer that this may occur. It's great that we have an online community to give each other guidance, but seriously, when was it decided that manufacturers/suppliers should not be accountable for their products? If it is a known issue that Letus35 will scratch the paint off the barrel of your camera and has the potential of scratching your lens...mention it on the "product website". If using a UV filter is the solution for protecting your lens from the metal dust...say so! I have been told by Letus35 that scratching a lens is very rare and that I must "handle with care" so as not to accidentally scratch my lens. This is nonsense. I did handle with extreme care, and had there been any mention anywhere on the Letus site or literature with the unit that it requires a lens protector because of metal on metal threading and scratched off paint...I would have used one ( instead I removed mine!)

Now I'm in a funny spot. I am stuck with a scratched lens that will eventually need to be fixed (because the camera was purchased for one project and will be sold at the end). Any way you look at it, I have just lost a couple of hundred bucks because of my Letus. (Could have bought rods with that!) Its very sweet that we all support each other and accept each other's shortcommings - but letus be realistic. If you are selling a product that may damage your existing investment it is your responsibility to be extremely precise about how the unit should be handled, what problems may arise and if other third party devices may reduce the risk of damage.
 
I don't think I've heard of any one running into this before. The HVX has plastic threads so it's not an issue but I just happened to buy a metal step down ring. Now I just leave the step down ring on the Letus. I don't know if any one else has ever had issue with it. If you didn't touch the lens I don't see how the Letus could have scratched it because it doesn't touch the lens. I just made a guess how it could have happened. And using a lens protector is the way to go weather or not you're attaching anything to the front of your camera.

I can imagine the frustration but I don't know if the fault lies with Letus.

Does the scratch show up when you shoot?
 
My current best estimate is that the adapeter scratched the metal paint off the barrel, and the metal dust got wedged between the letus and the lens causing the scratches. (there is a grey ring between the outside housing of the Letus and the glass that seems would come close enough to the lens of the A1 to wedge particles.)

I have yet to see the footage with a proper monitor in underscan to see wether the scratches are visible. I hope that it isn't...I spoke with Canon Canada, and they require between 15-20 business days to do the job - excluding shipping time. (that's a month of shooting!)
 
Sheesh! I would think that they'd have to be some pretty severe scratches to show up. Best of luck man!
 
I must say, this situation is becomming increasingly irritating.

At first the folks at Letus told me over the phone that this situation has never happened before. Then they told me that it is very rare. (I don't know that I am allowed in this forum to speak about specifics of returns and reimbursement, so I won't. ) Suffice it say, not only am I discouraged by the Letus product, but I also based my faith in the Letus brand on the positive feedback I have read in threads of this users group.

Before I purchased my Letus, I had a few questions that I emailed Letus with, and got lightning fast responses to - within minutes! Now that I am dissatisfied with the product I have not had a response in over 24hrs. It is great that DVXUSER members give advice to their peers about how to best use the wide variety of products available in the prosumer market, but I feel that perhaps prosumers are losing sight of the fact that good custumer service is a right to any consumer wether they purchase products in 100k$ range or in the 100$ range.

With regards to this particular instance with my Letus, I feel that it is very cavalier of any business to outright claim the impossibility that their product may be in someway defective. Additionally, it is fine and good that individual users let each other know that it is best to use a lens protector when using the Letus adapter, but this responsibility should, in my opinion, lie with the manufacturer. I never had the need for a lens protector between my Sony PD150 lens and the wide angle adapter nor did I have one between my DVX100 lens and the HVX200 and their wide angle lens adapters...why would I assume that the Letus needs one?

Althought the bulk of my work is one larger format cameras (HVX900 these days), I do love the little ones and have been served well with them. I shot in the actic with my DVX100 and with a VX1000 and an older XL1 in Chernobyl. Little cameras are great when hadled properly, and I know my way around big cameras and small ones.

I also know when customer service respects its end users. I have been reading threads on this site for about 2 years now, and have always found it positive place to turn to. I am sure that this positivity will continue, but at the moment I am very surprised at the ambivalence towards poor consumer support and an acceptance that products which can damage our cameras (for many of us a means to make a living) are not required to have explicit directions for safe and secure assembly.

At this point this is annoyance, but if I think back to when I graduated school, and saved up for my first camera - if I had the same problem I am facing now, I would be positively devastated. I would also think then, as I do now, that the manufacturer should have given me better instructions. (in this case any instructions)
 
Good news. I have to hand it to the guys at Letus. I heard back from them today, and they will be taking this issue seriously. In the meantime, I suggest, as others already have, that you always use a lens protector between your camera and the Letus. However, the guys at Letus told me they will " try to redesign a new thread so that it eliminate all chances of scratching the lenses." I appreciate their effort and hope this thread will prove to be useful for others.
 
Hats off to Canon. I explained to Canon Canada what had happened and sent them my camera. Within 2 weeks my camera was returned to me, the repair was done free of charge, and the threaded metal barrel with the mettalic paint was replaced (this time with a hard plastic/polymer barrel). I expect that this will be better. In the end, I was very happy with both the Canon and Letus service.
 
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