35mm adapter rig photos

[Craigsnedeker]

Nice, do you have any footage from it? I always wondered about these cam35 adapter. What I've shot using the adapter can be seen here (shot mostly using the adapter).

Thanks! It came in the mail today so I'm still playing with it. I don't have a prime lens, so the quality sucks really really bad right now), haha.

Actually I do have some footage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bz6mMJrSdTI

It's before/after. You can see what I mean.

I think I need a new lens. Mine has seen better days. So I'm in the market for a 50mm or 28mm prime so I can really test it out.

 

[drapeama]

Thanks! It came in the mail today so I'm still playing with it. I don't have a prime lens, so the quality sucks really really bad right now), haha.
Actually I do have some footage [..] It's before/after. You can see what I mean.
I think I need a new lens. Mine has seen better days.

1) First day first try!
2) No need for a prime lens on bright daylight. I've been able to use the 18-55mm from my T2i on the adapter without problems. I've even been able to get "decent" footage out of a f/3.5 lens indoor in low-light. Not the best, but still, usable!
3) I think what's really needed here would be an achromat (or a 10x macro lens could do too, the bigger the better). What's really bad so far is that it's static and the GG/Focusing screen is kind of grainy to start with, hence the grain present in the footage.
4) There's quite a "big" difference between both, even in bright daylight...
5) A new lens wouldn't hurt, but won't affect much on the overall quality. I'd check if there's a way to replace the GG inside with one that's more finer grind (5 to 9 micron gives a pretty good quality).
edit: just read that it's actually 5micron screen...I don't know how it's grainy like that then...

 

[Craigsnedeker]

1) First day first try!
2) No need for a prime lens on bright daylight. I've been able to use the 18-55mm from my T2i on the adapter without problems. I've even been able to get "decent" footage out of a f/3.5 lens indoor in low-light. Not the best, but still, usable!
3) I think what's really needed here would be an achromat (or a 10x macro lens could do too, the bigger the better). What's really bad so far is that it's static and the GG/Focusing screen is kind of grainy to start with, hence the grain present in the footage.
4) There's quite a "big" difference between both, even in bright daylight...
5) A new lens wouldn't hurt, but won't affect much on the overall quality. I'd check if there's a way to replace the GG inside with one that's more finer grind (5 to 9 micron gives a pretty good quality).
edit: just read that it's actually 5micron screen...I don't know how it's grainy like that then...

Thanks for the reply

The only macro filters are to big to fit my video camera, they only fit the DSLR lens. So I would have to order more of those, but they are cheap enough.

I'm really unsure of where to go with this now. The glass in the adapter is clean because it's out of the box.

 

[drapeama]

Thanks for the reply [..] I'm really unsure of where to go with this now. The glass in the adapter is clean because it's out of the box.

1) No prob!
2) Strange...could you take a picture of it with your DSLR and post it here after? If it's 5 micro it shouldn't be that much grainy, especially not in bright daylight...

 

[Craigsnedeker]

You mean use the lens on my DSLR and take a photo?

I have several hundred on my flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/craigsnedeker/

The guy who made the adapter said it's because it doesn't have an open aperture... and I noticed that when I take the lens off my D40 body, the aperture closes almost all the way. That's why I thought I needed a prime.

 

[drapeama]

You mean use the lens on my DSLR and take a photo?
The guy who made the adapter said it's because it doesn't have an open aperture... and I noticed that when I take the lens off my D40 body, the aperture closes almost all the way. That's why I thought I needed a prime.

1) No! I meant take your DSLR to take pictures of the adapter's GG/Focusing Screen itself!
2) It might be that too, check at your local photo store and try one on the adapter, take some picture using the camcorder or record a short video to see the difference (before buying a lens).

 

[Craigsnedeker]

Ok, will do tomorrow when there's more light.

Unfortunately I don't have a local photo store, so that's not possible.

 

[drapeama]

Ok, will do tomorrow when there's more light.
Unfortunately I don't have a local photo store, so that's not possible.

1) All right! Try to get as close as possible and focus on the GG as much as possible:

2) Well, then, that's another story. You can always check for some old prime lenses. Got a Nikon 50mm f/1.8 for like 50$ 2 years ago.

 

[Craigsnedeker]

Will do, I'll take several at different angles to try and capture of much of it as possible.

I'll check around on Amazon and eBay for some.

Thanks!

 

[Craigsnedeker]

Here are those pictures

 

[drapeama]

Looks clean so far. Maybe you can (if it's a glass or if it's washable) clean it with a little soap and water...could help.
Another thing: try without the macro lens (or try to get another one, a better one. Here's the one I was using on my Twoneil Static adapter. Recommended seller btw) and also, try to zoom in a bit to get rid of that vignetting in each corner. Be sure your lens aperture is fully opened (f/3.5, f/2.8 or f/1.8 depending on your lens). With a good macro lens, a clean GG, even static, you should get results close to these:

(note that I've added a little bit of grain in post, but it shouldn't be as visible as yours without that treatment in post)

 

[Craigsnedeker]

I'd be a little worried about using soap, in case I didn't clean it all off and it dried like that. I used a macro filter, not sure if it's much different then a lens (?)

How/where does this macro lens attach?

 

[drapeama]

I'd be a little worried about using soap, in case I didn't clean it all off and it dried like that. I used a macro filter, not sure if it's much different then a lens (?)
How/where does this macro lens attach?

1) I wouldn't worry that much about that. I've done the cleaning of the focusing screen with some paint thinner, soap and water. Everything never been as clean as that after!
2) What macro filter? +2, +10..? It can vary a lot.
3) It's a lens that screw on the camcorder, then you screw the adapter on the lens. Plain simple!

 

[Craigsnedeker]

1 oh, ok. I'll give that a shot one of these days!
2 It was a +10, part of a 4 macro filter set I got for $20. Cheap, I know
3 Oh ok, that makes sense. the one you linked to looked heavy duty

 

[Craigsnedeker]

I found out that I was putting the macro filter on the front (stupid!) so I tried putting it before the adapter to see if it would work, and I held the adapter/lens in front and didn't see any improvements (the reason I held it up was because the filter size was to big).

Guess I'll start saving up for a prime lens.