HVX200a+Letus Extreme+Optimizer?

Ted Spencer

Ted Spencer

Veteran
Having just sorted out the Letus Extreme's edge sharpness problems on my HVX200 by adding the optimizer kit, I now find myself contemplating a change to the HVX200a for its superior low light response. However, the lens has been changed, so I wonder if that will affect its suitability with the HVX200-optimized LEX.

Has anyone had a chance to try this combo out? Does anyone (Barry, for example) have any reason to suspect that the optics on the 200a might present a new ball game for the LEX? I'd hate to change out to the 200a only to find that my now very e2e-satisfactory LEX setup is once again less so...

Any insights on this would be much appreciated.
 
There has been a good deal of discussion on this subject in the 35mm Adapter forum here, so you might want to have a look there. But the simple answer, at least for me, is that the HVX optimizer kit was essential. It took the setup from being unacceptable to quite acceptable. Not perfect, but about a 80-90% improvement I'd say. I would have returned the LEX if I'd had no other choice than the stock achromat/spacer ring. With the kit I'm very happy with it.

Well worth the $200 (after rebate) IMO.
 
I upgraded in part on Ted's reccommendation, and do not regret it. I, however, did not get the same dramatic results. Search in the 35mm forum for the thread where I put side by side pics of old versus new.

The new Achromatte 'magnified' the image a little for me, but i was less able to 'manually adjust' the centering of the GG, so I end up having to zoom in a little more. Rather than being a handicap, this probably helped keep the GG from being soft on one side, so I am not put off by it.


J
 
My sense from your screen grabs is that you have a particularly "lucky" HVX and/or stock LEX combo. All such setups I've personally seen, which would be three so far including my own, show severe edge softness issues. That was almost completely solved by the optimizer, as I understand it has been for numerous other peoples' rigs that I haven't personally seen. Thus far yours is the only "documented" case I know of where it made very little difference, and more significantly, didn't need much help to begin with.

That would make you a very lucky boy!
 
Back to the original question:

I'm still looking for info from anyone regarding the LEX/Optimizer effectiveness on the 200a's new lens. Anyone try this yet?
 
Answering my own question here:

Preliminary tests indicate that the 200a's lens is with the LEX/HVX/Optimizer is *not quite* as sharp e2e it is with my 200s. It's a small difference, but to my picky nature it's meaningful. Vastly better than the un-optimized 200 was though, so we're still way ahead on that score.

More importantly, the 200a's low light sensitivity and S/N performance is hugely improved, so with a tiny pang of regret, I will make the change to the 200a.

YMMV

PS: If anyone else has done the same (re: LEX+Optimizer+200 v 200a) I'd still very much like to compare notes!
 
Any word on the upcoming HPX-170? It's between that and the 200a for me. I have a feature to shoot in September so it might have to be the 200a.
 
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