SOFTSCREEN VS. MINI35, MICRO35, G35 (or any other such device)

[Gary_McClurg]

I know that the 35mm adapters make your image softer. So when you go to film that add its on softness to the image so your doubling it in a way.

So for a filmout would it be better to use Barry's invention the Softscreen (with the Panny 16.9 adapter) vs. mini35, micro35, so on and so on?

www.indietoolbox.com

 

[Barry_Green]

Interesting question. On the DVFilm demo reel, you can see examples of both -- mini35 and SoftScreen.

The tools don't do exactly the same job, although they are targeted at the same problem. The SS can only really be used for head shots, anything else would be a lot less practical -- a tracking/dolly shot, for example, would be very difficult to execute with an SS. Also, the SS gives you the shallow background look, but doesn't do anything to the foreground, whereas with a mini35 (and micro35 and guerilla35) you'll get the shallow foreground and shallow background look.

But, with the SS, you don't get any softening on the subject, and your image isn't upside-down and backwards either.

The SS would work equally well for HD or for SD, I haven't had a chance to try the G35 on HD yet (although from Jonathan's pictures, it sure looks promising).

Another issue is workflow -- the SS lets you still use autofocus, etc., but it's very cumbersome to haul around a 12-square-foot item and position it with two c-stands and keep it clean and dust-free, and deal with reflections, etc. Versus the mini & micro35, which place no such demands on you, but then you have to dance the delicate dance of getting the 35mm lens in focus, while keeping the ground glass in focus using the camera's focus ring, and dealing with the overall depth of field issues (and less light sensitivity, etc) and upside-down framing (or left-right framing if using the magnet)... plus, the G35 and mini35 (and, presumably, Micro35) would apply some softening to the subject, vs. the SS which would have a razor-sharp subject against a soft background... which may not be what you want, if going for an overall "filmic" look. Having spent more time with the G35 recently, it's obvious that the G35's image is more filmic overall, not just from the soft background -- but I wonder if it overall goes just a little too soft... I'll have to experiment more.

I guess what I'm saying is, they're different tools for different jobs. The SS would best be used in interview/head-shot situations. The x35 products are certainly more flexible in the types of shots they can get, but are not without their challenges. The first developer who comes up with a right-side-up, left-is-left, right-is-right viewing system is going to have a major advantage over its competitors.