Best 35mm adapter

PaPa said:
yeah the stock dvx lens can do soem good.

but man, that uprezz is ugly :( the only reason it looks cinematic is because its SOOO soft because of the enlargment, cant make anything out.
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I disagree. That's not the ONLY reason it looks cinematic. The grabs didn't post like I thought they would, but if your monitor is wide enough, you can see the pics fine.
 
ugh

ugh

35mm adaptors are waaaay too overrated. i think the main problem is the misconception that shallow depth of field = CINEMA. the shallow depth of field that's used in movies is actually a very recent trend, and some of the greatest classic cinematography examples used deep focus and split-diopters to achieve a frame that was completely within acceptable focus. when your frame is entirely in focus, the mise-en-scene becomes much harder to control, and pulling off beautiful deep focus shots is one of the hallmarks of a good d.p; if you can see everything, everything needs to be perfect. buying a 35 lens to throw the background out of focus is a cheap way out of having to light the background or control the art direction. if you're going for the "cinematic," take the several thousand you were going to spend on the adaptor and buy yourself a decent lighting and grip package instead - lighting your scene like it's film will take you much closer to the look you're trying to achieve.
 
I 2nd that....... everyone wants DOF now it's like an equation...
shallow DOF = " The Film Look"

pahooji said:
35mm adaptors are waaaay too overrated. i think the main problem is the misconception that shallow depth of field = CINEMA. the shallow depth of field that's used in movies is actually a very recent trend, and some of the greatest classic cinematography examples used deep focus and split-diopters to achieve a frame that was completely within acceptable focus. when your frame is entirely in focus, the mise-en-scene becomes much harder to control, and pulling off beautiful deep focus shots is one of the hallmarks of a good d.p; if you can see everything, everything needs to be perfect. buying a 35 lens to throw the background out of focus is a cheap way out of having to light the background or control the art direction. if you're going for the "cinematic," take the several thousand you were going to spend on the adaptor and buy yourself a decent lighting and grip package instead - lighting your scene like it's film will take you much closer to the look you're trying to achieve.
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When it comes to 35mm adapters, I don't think it's so much the "shallow" DOF, for me its the DOF characteristics with the angle of view inherent to 35mm lenses. You can do it shallow, you can do it deep. That is what makes video look more cinematic. All I was saying is, you don't have to have a 35mm adapter to achieve shallow DOF.
 
For me the use of a 35mm adapter is not just about SDOF. It's about the field of view that you get from a 50mm and 28mm lens. The lens is the audience's eye. It's the way they see and experience the visual of the film. Having the ability to alter the perception with different lenses is a very useful tool when you're trying to convey a narrative.
 
the GG also acts like a lowcontrat filter. Helps give teh footage a tad more dynamic range. makes it Purdier.
 
". if you're going for the "cinematic," take the several thousand you were going to spend on the adaptor and buy yourself a decent lighting and grip package instead"

Who is spending several thousand on an adapter?
Please check the following websites and let me know which one costs several thousand.
http://go-35.com/
http://www.sgpro.co.uk/
www.redrockmicro.com
www.letus35.com
http://www.cinevate.com/

Are you really telling me the use of shallow depth of field is a recent trend?? How recent are you talking? Like within the last century? Its about mixing it up. Not every shot with an adapter has to be a close up of a face with everything behind the subject blurry. You can use the adapter for wide shots as well. Have you used one before? People even mix the adapter footage with regular footage for shots when they just have to have that SDOF.
Actually when people use these adapters it causes them to lose light through the lens and the adapter itself so they are forced to do lighting more so than just with the regular camera lens. If anything I think the 35mm lens adapters have caused people to be more professional with their production values. Its a whole different mindset for some.
Brian
 
Thats the way I feel to. I have one of the DIY versions that looks like the M2 and its just has this feel of proffesionalism when I put it on the camera. I have taken it out several times around town and people just cant stop staring at it when they see it. People ask who I am shooting for and I say I am just shooting some stuff for myself and they are taken back a step and they say, "So thats your personal camera? Thats some camera you got there"
I recently was filming St Johns Church (Site of Patrick Henrys "Liberty or death"speech) in richmond, and I tried to walk inside with the camera and the tour guide lady flipped out and was asking me all these questions about who I was with and how I couldnt film in there and how it was a church and so it was innapropriate. I looked behind her and there were several people on the tour with handy cams shooting the church.. When she was talking to me she couldnt keep her eyes off of my camera. It was funny.
brian
 
I agree that you need to mix up the shallow and the deep focus. If every shot you ever take everything is always in focus then I think there's an element missing there. Look at the big directors and how often they use both. Imagine watching any big Hollywood movie and it's always sharp and you can see Joe Shmoe four houses down in the scene. Obviously you wouldn't have the extra there if you didn't need it but the point is that this is a tool that when used properly in conjunction with all of the other elements of the film it adds something to the look and style. Use it for what it is... to isolate a person or persons in the shot. To give that subject prevalence. If you can get the look you want without it then more power to you. This topic is always widely debated in this website and among independent filmmakers trying to get the ultimate film look without using actual film. It gets you closer but it's not the same -- for sure.
Jgastelb

PS> Using any adapter well takes practice. Trying to dolly or handheld while your subject is moving is a bit more complex that just the camera lens. For me though, it's definitely worth the learning curve.
 
kyle.presley said:
Well, it's easy really. Have your subject a good distance from the background. Back up far, zoom into your subject, open the iris up all the way, turn your ND filter on, readjust the iris to get a proper exposure, and hit record. I'll post some frames tonight that I got with the stock lens to show you what I mean.
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You have the right idea, but no a practical one. What happens if you cannot pull back and use your tele mode and your light does not permit you to open up your iris? Can you get shallow depth of field at 10 feet from the subject without using your zoom all the way out? The answer is NO you can't!
 
Winston Vargas said:
You have the right idea, but no a practical one. What happens if you cannot pull back and use your tele mode and your light does not permit you to open up your iris? Can you get shallow depth of field at 10 feet from the subject without using your zoom all the way out? The answer is NO you can't!
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The idea is very practical, if the situation allows. You can almost always open the iris. The camera does have built in ND, ya know. Point taken, you can't do this in every situation, but that's not THE point I was making. As I stated before, the point is you can achieve shallow DOF without an adapter. Simple as that. Read my later posts before replying an early one.
 
If you want to have the image flipped, expect a tremendous light loss. because of the prism and all the surfaces that the light has to travel before it reaches the ccd. Some have a light loss of 3 stops which is unacceptable because you will not be able to do low light shoots. Check out www.freewebs.com/wvargas so you can see a medium format adapter, the only one I know of.
 
NathanPresley said:
it really depends on How much you can/want to spend

Letus35flip is a good buy for $700 (but it only can mount old style camera lenses)

M2 adapter is much more expensive (can mount current/better lenses & easier to find
accessories like follow focus) (must have rails to use it)

there's a start maybe
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What's do you mean by " old style lenses"?
 
I purchased the Mircro35 m2 full hd package with follow focus, and rails. I had to purchase a great tripod though because of the weight, but I have no complaints. It does everything it said it would. Spent around $2200.00 though. My advice would be purchase the hd model even if your still working with SD cams. In the long run you will be able to upgrade to a HD cam like the HVX200 and still be able to use the m2.
 
ennfurno said:
hi i had a question about the hd adapter.i have the canon a1 so what would be the limiatations on getting the sd m2 over the hd m2?
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When I first purchased the m2 I was in the process of purchasing a HVX200, but that deal fell through. I had already ordered the m2 HD when this happened, so I called RedrockMicro to change my order to a SD model. When telling them my situation they said don't worry the HD will work just fine with the dvx100 series. So I kept the HD order full well knowing that when the chance comes around again for me to get my hands on a HVX my M2 will be HD capatible. The only limitation to getting the SD adapter as I know it is for future hd capatiblity. You can buy SD and then upgrade to hd through redrock, but for the small initial price difference I just decided to stick with the HD adapter.
Its an investmet.
 
pahooji said:
35mm adaptors are waaaay too overrated. i think the main problem is the misconception that shallow depth of field = CINEMA. the shallow depth of field that's used in movies is actually a very recent trend, and some of the greatest classic cinematography examples used deep focus and split-diopters to achieve a frame that was completely within acceptable focus. when your frame is entirely in focus, the mise-en-scene becomes much harder to control, and pulling off beautiful deep focus shots is one of the hallmarks of a good d.p; if you can see everything, everything needs to be perfect. buying a 35 lens to throw the background out of focus is a cheap way out of having to light the background or control the art direction. if you're going for the "cinematic," take the several thousand you were going to spend on the adaptor and buy yourself a decent lighting and grip package instead - lighting your scene like it's film will take you much closer to the look you're trying to achieve.
Click to expand...

I think your missing the point. If what you say is right then the best thing you can do for yourself as a film maker is experience the depth of field. I beleive lighting is important whether you use an adapter or not. Its not one way or the other. I don't mean to sound negative but the statement you used about field depth being a recent trend is not true. The more well rounded the independent film maker the better he, or she will become. Adapters allow for us to compete within an arena that was closed to us before. And once you see the dramtic difference in the shots you can acheive you will be hooked.
 
ifownlee41nite@mac.com said:
I think your missing the point. If what you say is right then the best thing you can do for yourself as a film maker is experience the depth of field. I beleive lighting is important whether you use an adapter or not. Its not one way or the other. I don't mean to sound negative but the statement you used about field depth being a recent trend is not true. The more well rounded the independent film maker the better he, or she will become. Adapters allow for us to compete within an arena that was closed to us before. And once you see the dramtic difference in the shots you can acheive you will be hooked.
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AMEN!!!
 
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