35mm adapter...Is it worth it?

C

cs6x

New member
I've been looking for some good 35mm adapter and stumble on this website.
http://www.hv20.com/showthread.php?t=2825

The guy is making 35mm adapter for the HV-20.
The footage looks pretty good but I'm wondering why is he selling it for only 150 while the Brevis costs more than a 1000!???

I don't want to waste my money just buying a disposable adapter...

Any thoughts?
 
Personally I think you need to look at as much footage from as many different adapters as possible - the one you listed looks good, but not anything near what the more customized adapters look like - then again, it may suit your needs perfectly. When you're blown up to a large LCD or Plasma, I think the imperfections of the DIY models will become more apparent - not to say that I haven't seem some nice footage from them, it's just different playing fields if you ask me.

$150 is a great deal and not bad considering you don't have to build it yourself ... It's not a Brevis or Letus or SGPro or Redrock though...
 
Quality for starters. Very soft edges and center on some of the shots. Also with Brevis, Letus, and so on they have a proven track record and have done a swell of research adapters. The footage on hv20 site link was IMHO not good when you compare it to the SGPro's edge to edge sharpness. For me it comes down to just that. Can I get adapter footage to come reasonably close to stock lens clarity & sharpness. The sharpest two adapter that I have seen as of late has to be the Letus Extreme & the SGPRo Rev 2 & 3.

Just my take on it.
 
Do you think it's worth the low price? with the vignetting and blurriness on the edges?

What other adapters could I purchase for around that price range?
 
You're looking at what $150 will buy you right there - anything cleaner / nicer will cost more and I think the cheapest right now is older Letus stuff for at least $700 bucks or more - $150 is a steal for an adapter and that one looks good for $150 - I wouldn't expect much more for that price however there is another user on the hv20.com forum who is selling cheap ones like that - never hurts to shop around - another option would be to just do some research and build your own for cheaper - probably not much cheaper than $150 though...

cheno
 
I have an older letus that i'm selling but I also own a SGpro and I recognize that there is a difference.

Note: Don't confuse the old letus with the new extreme they are a whole new ballgame
 
We've got some new footage coming from the Brevis flip that is just stunning. The difference between DIY and not (at least in our case) is that we have reinvested heavily in research and professional engineering to get a few critical issues under control:

1. Light efficiency.
2. Field of view that often exceeds the SLR standard frame width.
3. Even illumination across the imaging elements.
4. Features like micro-collimation, and very easy setup.
5. The flip!

These challenges are typically way beyond the scope of a one-off project. We're thrilled with the result so far, but there's a long way to go yet IMHO. That means significant further investment and a lot of fun "tinkering" at this end :-)

That said, DIY is a hoot, and a very good learning experience usually with a usable piece of hardware at the end of the road. The first time you grab decent footage from your setup you'll be well rewarded for your efforts.
 
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Alright, for now I'll start with a DIY then upgrade to Brevis in the future.

I'm still very new to this whole thing.
What else should I know?
 
The link you posted seems to be for mounting a 50mm lens in front of a static screen that the HV20 can read without the use of an acromatic lens. This is a minimalist approach for one lens size only (at least thats what it looks like). You would probably have static grain issues.

All the other adapters have a method to move the screen, either by vibrating or rotation. They also are designed to use various lenses, not just a 50mm.

If you want to build a proper adapter on a budget check out http://www.jetsetmodels.info/products.htm. You can get a few necessary parts (to vibrate the screen) and directions to get the rest of what you'll need off of eBay.

Bob
 
cs6x said:
Alright, for now I'll start with a DIY then upgrade to Brevis in the future.
Click to expand...

$150 isn't a bad investment for the learing experience it will be for you to build your own. I'd do it if I had the time, just because I think it gives a good appreciation for those that have forged ahead of you. There is quite a bit of DIY footage out there, some of it actually fairly good, however there are reasons why the time and effort, not to mention lots of $$$, has gone into the development of the more professional adapters.

You'll learn alot about imagery by this project - good luck and keep us posted on your progress.

-cheno
 
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