XL-H1 with 35mm adapter: is it necessary?

T

Torr

Member
I am suffering through the process of deciding between an XL-H1 and HVX200.

Putting P2 vs. tape, 24P vs. 24F, DVCPROHD vs. HDV, etc etc aside, the interchangeable lens capability of the XL-H1 is really appealing to me.

However I have noted several on the forum using the XL-H1 with 35mm adapters.

Is this really necessary? Wouldn't it be enough to remove the stock lens and place a Nikon 35mm to obtain film-like DOF?

I understand it will be 100% manual control and specific XL-to-Nikon adapter will be needed, but I wonder if adapters like Brevis/Letus/Redrock would be really necessary on the XL-H1.

Thanks!
 
Well, I think only Letus makes a relay that can fit the XL series of cameras. And no, a 35mm adapter isn't necessary. It is just a tool.
 
Torr said:
Is this really necessary? Wouldn't it be enough to remove the stock lens and place a Nikon 35mm to obtain film-like DOF?.
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No. The sensor size is what gives you the DOF, not the lens. A 35mm lens without an adapter gives you the same 1/3" DOF.
 
William_Robinette said:
Well, I think only Letus makes a relay that can fit the XL series of cameras. And no, a 35mm adapter isn't necessary. It is just a tool.
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P+S Techniks makes the highest quality 35 mm lens adapter, and they have a version for the Canon XL H1.

The reason you want a 35mm adapter is for the shallow depth of field you get by using 35mm cine or still lenses. 1/3" chip cameras have way too much depth of field, so you get a very "video" look. 35 mm film has very shallow depth of field, so you get very selective focus. You subject is in focus, the background is soft and appealing.

It's a WAY better look.

M
 
BlueWorld said:
No. The sensor size is what gives you the DOF, not the lens. A 35mm lens without an adapter gives you the same 1/3" DOF.
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Not true.

A 50mm lens is a 50mm lens regardless of what it is put on. It will have the same DoF characteristics no matter what. What will change is its field of view (FoV). The smaller the sensor, the smaller the area it sees, so to you need to use a wider lens on a 1/3" camera to have the same FoV as a 50mm lens would on 35mm film.

Wider lens = more DoF

The lens is all that matters where DoF is concerned. A lens is dumb, it doesn't know what it is projecting onto.
 
Torr said:
I am suffering through the process of deciding between an XL-H1 and HVX200.

Putting P2 vs. tape, 24P vs. 24F, DVCPROHD vs. HDV, etc etc aside, the interchangeable lens capability of the XL-H1 is really appealing to me.

However I have noted several on the forum using the XL-H1 with 35mm adapters.

Is this really necessary? Wouldn't it be enough to remove the stock lens and place a Nikon 35mm to obtain film-like DOF?

I understand it will be 100% manual control and specific XL-to-Nikon adapter will be needed, but I wonder if adapters like Brevis/Letus/Redrock would be really necessary on the XL-H1.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I find too many people are basing their camera decisions based on 35mm adapters. These adapters are to the end-all-be-all solutions for narrative filmmaking.

It wasn't that long ago that cinematographer's were FIGHTING for more DOF in 35mm. Now that we've got as much DOF as we want everyone's suddenly struggling to get rid of it.

The best solution would probably be a hybrid. Most of your footage should be shot natively (non ****ed with optics) so you can take advantage of the higher optical resolution, sharper image. Use longer focal lengths whenever possible. And when DOF is critical, put on the adapter.
 
The letus is NOT the best adpater, the redrock m2 is. Just look at the fooatge, results speak for themselves.
 
Andii said:
The letus is NOT the best adpater, the redrock m2 is. Just look at the fooatge, results speak for themselves.
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That can definitely be argued for example the redrock loses somewhere around f/2 while the letus losses around f/.5. Just look at the 35mm adapter forum.
 
though i'm completely new to the use of 35mm adapters, i have to say that for the price of the letus (about $1000 USD) and for the image quality that your getting, it seems like the far better value.
 
William_Robinette said:
Not true.

A 50mm lens is a 50mm lens regardless of what it is put on. It will have the same DoF characteristics no matter what. What will change is its field of view (FoV). The smaller the sensor, the smaller the area it sees, so to you need to use a wider lens on a 1/3" camera to have the same FoV as a 50mm lens would on 35mm film.

Wider lens = more DoF

The lens is all that matters where DoF is concerned. A lens is dumb, it doesn't know what it is projecting onto.
Click to expand...

Not true.
DOF is dependent on media frame size, focal length and F-stop combined. 16mm film has deeper DOF than 35mm film using the same focal length. Same goes for 1/3" CCD and 2/3" CCD, the smaller the sensor, the deeper the depth of field.
Take your XL H1 or HVX200 for example. Set your focal length to 50mm and see what kind of DOF you get. Then do the very same setup with a HPX500 and you will see that at the same focal length and distance from your subject, you will have a shallower depth of field on the HPX500.
 
Hi,

Im about to shoot a short with the XLH1 and SGpro. I use the SGpro not just for the DoF, its also produces a very film like image quality, which is not just the SGpro its the bokeh and grain etc etc. The DOF might be OKish with the XLH1 as it is, but its still no where near as film like or beautiful as it is with the SGpro attached.

Il get some grabs when I can...
 
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