LETUS, SG PRO or BREVIS ?

smithy said:
Cinebuddy

There was no intent there..but it is true that a lot of people don't like to wait as long for their adapters to be at their house in a matter of days vs months..but hopefully it would be better in the future. I believe Wayne is getting more help to cut down lead times like Redrock did.
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None taken Smithy, I know you love your SG like I love my Brevis, and I like you don't really care about light loss to the point where its my only factor in buying an adapter. I find a good light kit can alleviate that problem. Truth be told i'd own them all if I could avoid being put on the couch by my wife. I just don't want to see this threads go to whose the best because my mechanically inept ass has a lot of respect for all of these guys, and I believe there is enough marketplace for them all.
 
I believe that the reason we see the volume of great work out there by adapter users is simply that they care so much about composition, that they're willing to shoulder the 35mm adapter workflow. Regardless of adapter, they all require you to stop and think very carefully about lens choice, lighting, focus racking, camera movements etc.

I continure to be very, very impressed with what a good cinematographer and DP can do to create a 100% HD piece that would be difficult to discern from film. I just started playing with Adobe Onlocation (DVRACK) that flips footage for you, and records directly to disk with all the tools a person could hope for right in front of you. Add the ability to instantly review the footage...and it gets better.
 
Dennis: I looked at DVRack now that you mentioned it and I totally forgot about that solution. Very cool deal there!

All: I think the selection of your adapter depends a lot on everything. It seems there is no real answer. We will forever be asking the adapter question.
 
Yes OnLocation is a GREAT resource but it gets old in the field QUICK...

I think there is more than enough footage for you to make a wise decision about your 35mm adapter.
Brevis ad SGPro have been around long enough for you to see that they can produce amazing results.

Letus Extreme is the new kid on the block but looks to be a serious contender, heck the Letus35FE puts out footage that looks nice, but has too many 'other' issues for me (of course the price is right though)

Im happy with my decision to go with the Letus Extreme...hopefully they will get a PL mount going, and the Hydra will deliver on its promises and life will be good :beer:
 
taormina said:
Can you buy Onlocation separately? Why does it get old in the field?
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Cant buy it separately.

Carrying a laptop tethered to your camera via firewire has its merits, however it has a few pitfalls as well.
Using OL isnt so bad to set up shots. check lighting/scopes, etc (It is a phenomenal app), but for me, using it to monitor/capture in the field gets to be cumbersome.
DVCProHD eats up ALOT of hard drive space too, so if you dont have something to dump to, the limitations of this workflow (did I mention battery life isnt so great either running an app like OL?) begin to take their toll.

All said its a hell of a product, and I do use it. Just giving my $0.02

Now back on topic! ;)
 
I think OnLocation is only bundled with Adobe Premier CS3 or Production Premium CS3. I'm working with the latter and find it has totally unleashed my creativity and distrubution options in the editing suite.

I figure it gets old in the field having to lug your laptop with you on every shot, but I think its more convienent than a field monitor anyday. Plus you don't get all of the cool features that came with the DV Rack - as Dennis mentions above.

I also spent hours and hours researching the top 4 adapters and I chose the Letus Extreme to due the 1. Upright picture, 2. the ability to mount Canon and Nikon lenses, and 3. the footage from Disjecta and others had me sold.

Now I'm getting my other options together like Follow Focus, rail system, and Matte Box.

How does this sound: IndiFOCUSpro, IndiRAILS 30", the Letus Extreme, and a DVX-100b? Now I'm just trying to get the right Matte Box option that will fit the 35mm lenses (without having to mod anything)...

Any suggestions on a Matte Box?

Thanks!
 
Thanks Joseph - yes, it looks like the Red Rock matte box is "coming soon" and the Cinevate - though it looks awesome - is out of my price range.

I've seen a lot of other options for a lot less and I'm wondering it this is an area that I can get by with a cheaper solution - since essentially its only job is to keep unwanted light off of/out of the lense.

I'm considering Matte Box options here:

http://www.imagewest.tv/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=27

or

http://www.imagewest.tv/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=55

My problem is I don't know if a "universal" matte box would fit the end of the 35mm lense and not disturb the follow-focus actions....?

I know someone has posted their "hack" to this problem so I may just have to go that route and save a few hundred $$$.

ps--sorry to turn this into a "matte box" discussion but I think all of these questions are relevant when comparing "light loss" etc. of all of the 35mm Adapter products :)
 
That was me and to my knowledge, no matte box fits those little lenses right off the bat. Correct if wrong.
 
Dennis Wood said:
I believe that the reason we see the volume of great work out there by adapter users is simply that they care so much about composition, that they're willing to shoulder the 35mm adapter workflow. Regardless of adapter, they all require you to stop and think very carefully about lens choice, lighting, focus racking, camera movements etc.

I continure to be very, very impressed with what a good cinematographer and DP can do to create a 100% HD piece that would be difficult to discern from film.
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Well said Dennis. This cannot be emphasized enough.

I get a little nervous when I post test shots of the Extreme and people are really impressed and run out to buy it immediately. I hope they realize that there is a lot of thought and knowledge of lighting and composition going into these shots. It's not something that a person new to video can reproduce easily without a little experience.

The idea behind well shot footage is that the viewer is almost oblivious to how the scene is lit, whether it be artificial or natural lighting, it simply feels right. Try to shoot a "natural" scene without compensating with creative lighting and you will see just how tough it is for any video camera to accurately render the scene.

The level of quality that we are working with now, as consumers, prosumers and professionals, is beyond astounding. We can't afford to become complacent about it.

Here's the problem...in the right hands, footage can look wonderful and that has to be the standard we all aspire to. I get closer to that standard but am always learning. If you get an HDV or HD camera and one of these great quality adapters, please, please take the time to learn how to use them properly. Please also understand that the "filmlook" has everything to do with lighting, compositon, camera movement, subject, atmosphere, etc... not just a good camera and a good adapter. They are simply tools...the real magic happens when you know how to mimic the real world by understanding the limitations of those tools and finding creative solutions.

I haven't said anything that hasn't been said before except that you will see a lot of mediocre stuff done with these adapters but it should not discourage you. It should encourage you and inspire you to do better.

:)
 
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I totally agree Steven.

Though i believe art direction is about 50% of cinematography. i could have the best adapter/camera in the world. without a nice location, and exploting its merits im just not going to get good shots.

Look at your footage from Yellowstone. Thousands of tourits have taken pictures of the same thing. i bet none of them get shots as good as yours, because they dont take the time for the sun to be right, nor do they bother with composition, or framing movements....

People freak out about the LEtus Extreme, SG, Brevis, but seriously, any adapter will look amazing in the right hands. i just wish people would understand that its not the adapter..... its your skill shooting thats so impressive.
 
8DFM.com said:
My problem is I don't know if a "universal" matte box would fit the end of the 35mm lense and not disturb the follow-focus actions....?

I know someone has posted their "hack" to this problem so I may just have to go that route and save a few hundred $$$.
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Check out Geardear, Thier mattebox is upgradable and will fit a 35mm lens and also the camera itself. The options are vast with this mattebox. You can mount it on rails , you can clip it on the camera , or 35mm lens ( all you need is an adapter ring). You can have 1, 2, 3 filter stages, You buy with want your budget can allow you now , and upgrade as you go along, save you a lot of $.

It also is the only matte box that is currently has a hole build for the XHA1 or XHG1 that does block the auto sensor.
 
Timur,

100% right about art direction. Some famous Hollywood DP described the pivitol role of the Art Director by saying: "If you want a pretty picture of a girl ... first you need a pretty girl". Maybe that's a tad sexist these days, but it gets the point across succinctly.

How many Academy award nominations for cinematography came for a period piece who's real work was done by an Art Director who gave the DP something so beautiful that all he needed was a big source and it was gorgeous?
Low budget films often save mony by scrimping on the 2 most important people on the show - the AD and the Art Director.
 
8DFM, do you have a rails system? Those matteboxes look like they require rails (most do unless they use the word, snapon). If you're looking for a mattebox in that price range, have you considered a true indie solution. Perhaps making your own? Cardboard and tinfoil and duct tape work wonders.
 
copy

copy

8DFM.com said:
Thanks Joseph - yes, it looks like the Red Rock matte box is "coming soon" and the Cinevate - though it looks awesome - is out of my price range.

I've seen a lot of other options for a lot less and I'm wondering it this is an area that I can get by with a cheaper solution - since essentially its only job is to keep unwanted light off of/out of the lense.

I'm considering Matte Box options here:

http://www.imagewest.tv/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=27

or

http://www.imagewest.tv/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=55

My problem is I don't know if a "universal" matte box would fit the end of the 35mm lense and not disturb the follow-focus actions....?

I know someone has posted their "hack" to this problem so I may just have to go that route and save a few hundred $$$.

ps--sorry to turn this into a "matte box" discussion but I think all of these questions are relevant when comparing "light loss" etc. of all of the 35mm Adapter products :)
Click to expand...

The imagewest mattebox MX-5000 Pro Matte Box is a VOCAS mattebox (or a copy)
 
If you have a matte box it MUST be on rails or swing out. You will be changing lenses frequently during a shoot.

Mine clamps onto the rails and slides forward to change lenses.
 
Joseph - yes - I'm going to use the IndiRAILS system with 30" rails. As much as I'd like to make stuff out of foil and cardboard I think that showing up to a paid shoot with a "McGyver" rig would look a tad unprofessional, or "thrifty" at best ;)

Adam - What kind of Matte Box are you working with? Vocas? Thanks!
 
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