David Shawl
Active member
I have posted a video of this wobble / lens play on Vimeo. http://vimeo.com/1873268
HPX170 Lens Wobble Improved
- Thread starter Dino
- Start date
Willis Chung
DVXuser Sponsor
yeah... =/ let's hope panasonic warranties that...
Paul Llewellyn
Well-known member
I have it on mine as well. But, it is also there on the HVX200 just not quite as loose as that.
Gary Senda
Well-known member
On my HPX171 there isn't so much play as in your video. It is 1/4 of what I can see on Vimeo.
Anyway, this is a letus problem and not an HPX problem: it is simply absurd that the camera lens must hold the adapter, even partially. I have an SGPro and this is not an issue with that adapter because tle adapter is a solid rock with the support and the camera doesn't hold a single gram of the adapter weight. The camera must simply 'watch' into the adapter.
This is the reason for what I've accurately avoided to buy the letus and for the same reason I will not never buy the SGBlade.
With the SGPro my rig is solid as a rock: no wobbling during pans and no risk for my camera lens. I've tried also with a long 300mm lens, follow focus and mattebox: all works perfectly.
This is a confirmation I've made a good choice.
In addition, using this camera with an adapter is fantastic and make it more easy: the focus bar works perfectly for backfocus, the underscan/overscan LCD function avoid any vignetting, uou're not obliged to use a flip module and if you switch the focus ring to iris you don't need to tape it.
For my SGPro system this camera is a great upgrade: now I can shoot perfectly focused without using an external monitor: what else should I ask?
Gary
cameralover
Member
Would the 170's warranty actually cover this?
Jan_Crittenden
Veteran
Gentlemen,
I would not put this amount of weight on the front end of this camera without support. The adapter is too heavy to be supported without something other than the camera holding it there. The play you are getting is indicative of the stress you are placing on it. This camera is smaller, and like the DVX100, you need to support what you are hanging off the front end. The HVX is bigger and can withstand a little more, but frankly I wouldn't put this much weight out there on the HVX without support on it it either. I have seen the camera a lens become two separate pieces. It isn't a warranty repair. That lens adapter should sit in front of the lens without the least amount of support coming from the camera.
Hope this helps in your evalutions and setup of the camera with the adapters.
Best,
Jan
I would not put this amount of weight on the front end of this camera without support. The adapter is too heavy to be supported without something other than the camera holding it there. The play you are getting is indicative of the stress you are placing on it. This camera is smaller, and like the DVX100, you need to support what you are hanging off the front end. The HVX is bigger and can withstand a little more, but frankly I wouldn't put this much weight out there on the HVX without support on it it either. I have seen the camera a lens become two separate pieces. It isn't a warranty repair. That lens adapter should sit in front of the lens without the least amount of support coming from the camera.
Hope this helps in your evalutions and setup of the camera with the adapters.
Best,
Jan
Jay Rodriguez
Coffee Member
Ok so for you adapter fellas, is this problem occuring while support is in use?
Jan_Crittenden
Veteran
From what I am reading from the above and fron a PM, there is no support. IT needs support. It is too heavy to hang off the front of the lens by itself.
Best,
jan
Leo Versola
Well-known member
Jan, what you've said is true about hanging something heavy off the front of the camera. However, my concern (and others) is how it will perform when a follow focus unit is used natively with the camera lens and without a 35mm adapter.
I suspect the lens will be prone to some amount of image shifting while using the follow focus; it will remain to be seen and I sincerely hope this isn't the case.
It will be a shame if a number of 3rd party accessories can't be used with the 170 due to this condition because so far it's been a fantastic camera.
//Leo
Jan_Crittenden
Veteran
I had a FF unit from Red Rock on it last week, no issue. It is the extraodinary weight that is being applied by the 35mm adapters that are causing the issue here. The FF is on a set of rods attached to the underside of the camera. This is not an issue.
Best,
Jan
Leo Versola
Well-known member
Excellent news, thanks very much for the info.
Footy? What is a footy? (and by the letter "u" do you mean the English word, "you"?)
that's good to hear.
I'm just curious though. Could this movement become a bigger problem down the road as far as build strength goes? I'm just worried that it may be something that gets worse and worse over time and use. I could be completely wrong, it just worries me, and I'm sure it worries other owners of the camera as well. I'm going to hope that it's not that big of a deal and the lens will be just as strong and solid a year down the road from now. But something like that can really start to worry people.
Leo Versola
Well-known member
Dino
Veteran
I need to be very clear:
AT NO POINT DID THE CAMERA HAVE TO SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE LETUS. THIS IS NOT A LETUS ISSUE. THIS IS NOT A 35MM ADAPTER ISSUE IF THE WEIGHT OF THE ADAPTER IS BEING SUPPORTED BY RODS.
This is SIDE TO SIDE play, if it was caused by weight, it would be vertical sagging. It is due
to leverage/torque from the length and mass of an adapter made much worse by a follow focus which puts side pressure at the end of the "lever".
I am disheartened that a Panasonic product rep. is already stating warranty policy before this issue has been looked into or understood properly.
I have done nothing differently than what I've done with a 200A or EX1, neither of which had the issue, at least not visible in the image during focusing.
Take off the 35mm adapter and just hold the lens hood and move it side to side--there will
be an alarming amount of play. It is just made more apparent when focusing a long adapter with the side pressure of a FF at the end of it. It is NOT about the camera having
to support the adapter weight.
AT NO POINT DID THE CAMERA HAVE TO SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE LETUS. THIS IS NOT A LETUS ISSUE. THIS IS NOT A 35MM ADAPTER ISSUE IF THE WEIGHT OF THE ADAPTER IS BEING SUPPORTED BY RODS.
This is SIDE TO SIDE play, if it was caused by weight, it would be vertical sagging. It is due
to leverage/torque from the length and mass of an adapter made much worse by a follow focus which puts side pressure at the end of the "lever".
I am disheartened that a Panasonic product rep. is already stating warranty policy before this issue has been looked into or understood properly.
I have done nothing differently than what I've done with a 200A or EX1, neither of which had the issue, at least not visible in the image during focusing.
Take off the 35mm adapter and just hold the lens hood and move it side to side--there will
be an alarming amount of play. It is just made more apparent when focusing a long adapter with the side pressure of a FF at the end of it. It is NOT about the camera having
to support the adapter weight.
Jay Rodriguez
Coffee Member
Jay Rodriguez
Coffee Member
Oh, lol, thanks Leo. Didn't see your post before I responded to him.
That vimeo video of this posted a page or so back is pretty scary... and shows exactly what you're referring to. If I had a still camera lens that wobbled that much I'd be looking for whether it was the lens or mount that needed repair, and soon.
Duncan