Letus Extreme rig photos

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...to_2929QR_2929QR_Variable_Friction_Magic.html

It's a bit heavier than the Zacuto alternative but cost me $130 with the Super Clamp and is much longer than the longest Zamerican arm - tad bit heavier but clamped onto the rails or sticks, it's heavy duty and strong as an ox!

I'm concerned that it just may be too long (that's what she said...) and am therefore looking for something a tad shorter for use in a handheld rig - we'll see though once the LEX shows up - it may not be that bad - certainly not too much heavier than the arm you currently have.

cheno
 
Ryan E. Walters said:
Yes you can get the matte box on with out a second set of rails- however, if you want to have some flexibility with where your ND grad falls, then the second set of rails will do the trick. :)
Click to expand...


Looks like there is a problem about using a matte box with the Extreme. Like you said the matte box will turn freely with the lens when you use the follow focus ,If you don't have the second set of rails which the matte box can be mounted on.

I think I'm going back to my old cokin "A" set filters that I can use with the 35mm lens. But I'm going to have the same problem if i don't mount it to the rails. My cokin set won't work with the soft graded fliters either because it will rotate freely with the lens when I'm using it with my follow focus. But it is way lighter to just mount it on my 35mm lens thread.

Looks like the Cinevate at the moment is the only one that allows the use of the Extreme without any complications of a second rail set involve.

Does any one know if the Cavision Rails or the Indi Rails do 69mm vertical off set? 25mm for the mattebox and follow focus and 44mm for the Letus Extreme.

It would be great if Letus can come out with a " Riser Block " or a "Shim Kit" that can solve this problem when using the Extreme with a matte box. Because I'm sure most of us will be using the Extreme with a Matte box or even with a follow focus unit.
 
Last edited:
I still think the economy deserves a logo.... I'd love to get a decal for my economy to give it the letus brand!






heh it looks so much like the FE that sometimes i wonder if it's possible to have gotten the FE instead....
 
taormina said:
18" rails will most definitely work. FWIW, I have them on my setup. The only reason you'd need longer ones is if you wanted to hook some sort of battery pack to the back . 24" is super overkill - in fact, on Ryan's rig it has no practical application whatsoever - they stick out to the back of the camera - empty of equipment. And needlessly adding weight to the rig just makes life harder for eventual use on a steadicam, jib, or dolly.
Click to expand...

Yes 24" is over kill- The best legnth would be something like 19" or maybe 20". But as I did not have that option, I had to go with the 24". I have been considering having them cut down to 19". When I have the camera mounted to the cavision rail system it takes 7" to get from the back support to the front support, then the Letus Extreme adds an additional 6", and the 135mm lens I have adds an additional 5" to the legnth all of that adds upto 18". So if I want to use my 135mm or longer lens with a matte box, then I need something that is slightly longer the 18"- not much longer- just long enough so that the mattebox is not right at the edge of the rails.

taormina said:
Also, I use ND grads no problem with a cavision matte box on a single level rail system. Ryan is very happy with his setup, and kudos to him, but you do not need a double level rail system for something like the EX. It's nice to load these cams up for wow factor but at some point reality has to prevail.
Click to expand...

It may be due to the different filter sizes that we may be using. I have 4x4 filters, and not the 4x5.65 filters. So to be able to get the grad low enough so that it can transition from the middle of the frame to the top, I need it to be lower then I can get it when I use it configured how you have yours set up. This may be a non issue for you, or other users- but it was cheaper for me to buy an additional bracket to mount the cavsion rails, then it was to buy a whole new set of grad filters.
 
bwest said:
magic arm: http://www.google.com/products?hl=e...=product_result&resnum=1&ct=checkout-restrict

super clamp: http://www.google.com/products?q=bogen+super+clamp&btnG=Search&hl=en&show=dd&checkout=1
Click to expand...

Chenopup said:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...to_2929QR_2929QR_Variable_Friction_Magic.html
Click to expand...

Thanks for the links- have you been happy with the performance of the arm & clamp? From the description on B&H it says that it supports upto 8 lbs- the noga arm says that it supports upto 9 lbs, and it has been frustrating to use do to its limited positioning ability.
 
DavidChia said:
Does any one know if the Cavision Rails or the Indi Rails do 69mm vertical off set? 25mm for the mattebox and follow focus and 44mm for the Letus Extreme.
Click to expand...

The cavision rail system that I have only allows about 25mm in vertical adjustment, and about 25mm in horizontal adjustment. I do not know how much adjustment the indiRails have.
 
I also use 4x4s. I think you need to flip your matte box mounting bracket. It will take you down to the height you need without the clutter.
 
Ryan E. Walters said:
The cavision rail system that I have only allows about 25mm in vertical adjustment, and about 25mm in horizontal adjustment. I do not know how much adjustment the indiRails have.
Click to expand...

Thanks Ryan,

I think I'm going to place my order for a Cinevate rail soon, unless Letus comes out with a solution like a risier block
 
Enough Already! Two sets of Rods is way too ridiculous for words. I can see it sagging in the pic. Alignment's off. I'm waiting for for my LE and frankly I'm a little worried about it fitting my Zacuto Rods/Rail system. Indie focus rods rail with no horizontal offset don't cut it for the HVX.

A real simple solution of a 1/2" to 1 1/2" shim set threaded on both sides (with inset holes to mount to camera) would do it for just about any baseplate / rod system. As the rod / rail issue should have been easily be foreseen, this should already be offered by Letus. I'm sure something's in the works. Let's end this guinea pig session.

Tim Naylor - DP
www.timnaylor.com

PS. Finally came up with a great monitor mount solution. Arm bones from VF Gadgets. I go from rods to a bracket with 3/8" hole, to arm bones to Manfrotto Ball mount to monitor. This rig is so sturdy I use the arm bones as a hand held handle. I also use one arm bone from the handle's 1/4" mount on occasion. Very sturdy. No vertical adjust - just elbows out. Between top mount or rod mount plus the ball joint you're covered.
 
Last edited:
Tim Naylor said:
Enough Already! Two sets of Rods is way too ridiculous for words. I can see it sagging in the pic. Alignment's off. I'm waiting for for my LE and frankly I'm a little worried about it fitting my Zacuto Rods/Rail system. Indie focus rods rail with no horizontal offset don't cut it for the HVX.

A real simple solution of a 1/2" to 1 1/2" shim set threaded on both sides (with inset holes to mount to camera) would do it for just about any baseplate / rod system. As the rod / rail issue should have been easily be foreseen, this should already be offered by Letus. I'm sure something's in the works. Let's end this guinea pig session.

Tim Naylor - DP
www.timnaylor.com
Click to expand...

LOL, why? It's so much fun. :evil:
 
"A real simple solution of a 1/2" to 1 1/2" shim set threaded on both sides (with inset holes to mount to camera) would do it for just about any baseplate / rod system. As the rod / rail issue should have been easily be foreseen, this should already be offered by Letus. I'm sure something's in the works. Let's end this guinea pig session."

Well it doesn't do any of those taking new LEX orders any good to hold tight and wait - a guinea pig type of approach needs to be taken at least for a spell, IMO - look at the Movietube JR pdf online, they don't show any kind of rail system or mattebox set up with theirs - I'm not sure there's an immediate fix for this -

I like the option of threaded, adjustable shims, or another adjustable baseplate, such as on the IndiRails setup that could be mounted to an existing rod / rail system.

Half of these adapters started as guinea pig projects, would be a shame to end that mindset ;)

cheno
 
I just received an email from Chuck at prompterpeople - they won't sell parts to non-prompter owning people - geesh...

I think the trick, Ryan is to machine something similar to the way the Cavision or Indifocus rails raise and lower so you can customize it to your gear - this could be a nice little $$$-making project if someone out there wants to tackle :)
 
Tim Naylor said:
Enough Already! Two sets of Rods is way too ridiculous for words. I can see it sagging in the pic. Alignment's off. I'm waiting for for my LE and frankly I'm a little worried about it fitting my Zacuto Rods/Rail system. Indie focus rods rail with no horizontal offset don't cut it for the HVX.
Click to expand...

I've fixed the sagging by removing some pieces, and the algnment is on now.

As for the two sets of rails- I got the idea from a rental house that i rented the Varicam, P&S Technic, Arri Follow focu, and a set of Zeiss lenses from. To use the P&S, the lenses, and the Arri follow focus you have to have two sets of rails, otherwise the follow focus cannot reach the lens, as it P&S sits to high. Is it an elegant solution? No. Does it work- yep, works great, as I shot a feature film with that set up with no problems. Now it is just a matter of figuring out the same thing for the Letus Extreme.

Varicam with P&S Technic, Zeiss Lens, Arri follow focus, and two sets of rails to make it all work together:
REW-ASL-Day2.jpg


Tim Naylor said:
A real simple solution of a 1/2" to 1 1/2" shim set threaded on both sides (with inset holes to mount to camera) would do it for just about any baseplate / rod system. As the rod / rail issue should have been easily be foreseen, this should already be offered by Letus. I'm sure something's in the works. Let's end this guinea pig session.
Click to expand...

P&S Technic which charges $10,000 for their adapter doesn't offer this solution- so why would you expect it from an adapter costing a tenth of that? Should it have been foreseen? Maybe- but I'd cut these guys some slack as they have responded very well and quickly to the suggestions made with the prerelease version.

I do like your suggestion of a shim kit- that is a great idea.

Tim Naylor said:
PS. Finally came up with a great monitor mount solution. Arm bones from VF Gadgets. I go from rods to a bracket with 3/8" hole, to arm bones to Manfrotto Ball mount to monitor. This rig is so sturdy I use the arm bones as a hand held handle. I also use one arm bone from the handle's 1/4" mount on occasion. Very sturdy. No vertical adjust - just elbows out. Between top mount or rod mount plus the ball joint you're covered.
Click to expand...

Nice- I just yook a look at there site, and I wasn't able to find anythign called arm bones- do you have a link?
 
Chenopup said:
I just received an email from Chuck at prompterpeople - they won't sell parts to non-prompter owning people - geesh...
Click to expand...

You've got to be kidding me!

Chenopup said:
I think the trick, Ryan is to machine something similar to the way the Cavision or Indifocus rails raise and lower so you can customize it to your gear - this could be a nice little $$$-making project if someone out there wants to tackle :)
Click to expand...

That would be perfect- I would buy one of those. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top