The Letus Ultimate -- Experience Thread

I can understand the concern Leni. For the record what Wayne says is true of course. But the example shown isn't accurate from my experience in terms of diffusion in comparison. And my experience is with an SGpro Rev2 unit that H have right now. Yes I compared the two units and the difference is extremely minute. Especially considering the Ultimate loses half a stop of more less than the SGpro. It also costs twice or do as much so it should perform better as a whole. It does to me.

The issues with skies are apparent in the M2 and SGpro along with the rest of the heap. However there are ways around that anomaly. My point is MOT having to work around shortcomings anymore. If others are okay with working around them then cool! There's nothing wrong with that at all and you may be the better person for it. I just font want to avoid hhis or that when I'm shooting. That's me.

At the end of the day the Ultimate is priced right and for a different market. What's so wrong about that?

Getting worked up over one persons opinion isnt worth it. Shoot with what you want and do what you do. Everyone is entitled to their own thought and these are mines.
Lenilenapi said:
Kholi,

I'm really interested in the new Ultimate. It sounds great and I would love to get my hands on one. Hien explained to me that other manufacturers have told him that considering the costs and engineering involved , $4500 is way too cheap so I don't think its fair to criticize Letus for their pricing. i'm sure they know they would sell more at $3000 if they could.

The images you posted look very sharp and clean and especially your statement that it was hard to tell the difference between the adapter and the non adapter footage was encouraging. I'd like to see comparison tests on an Ex-1 since that's what i now own and also because its resolution is so much greater you would just see more. I guess can look at Philip Bloom's stuff for that though.

Once again, I do get concerned about extremely worded comparisons about one adapter being so much better than another without making sure the writer has personal experience with the adapters in question. I'm not familiar with being unable to shoot skies with an SGPro or a Brevis for that matter - is there a problem I haven't seen?

I guess I'd like to ask if you have compared the recent SGPro or the Brevis to the Ultimate personally or just through images on the web?

Re: Barry's remark about whether other manufacturers should be posting on this thread. I think after Kholi's strident comparison's it should be expected.

BTW - I found Wayne's comparison images of bokeh the most instructive thing I've seen anywhere on this subject. Whether he was accurate about the Ultimate's bokeh I have no idea, but I learned alot from it. Thanks Wayne.

Lenny Levy
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Please excuse my typing. I'm on location on my iPhone. :B

Time to put the Ultimate to work again.
 
Kholi,

Can't blame you for not wanting to work around shortcomings and i'm not complaining about Ultimate's price.

When you have time I'd be interested:

What sky problem have you had?
Is the Ultimate DOF as low as the SG?

Lenny
 
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Also, could you show us some shots with the ultimate and nikon or canon FD lenses. PL mount zeiss lenses are great, but not everyone has them, so it would be good to see what kind of images the average adapter user could get with this thing...
 
hoarp001 said:
Also, could you show us some shots with the ultimate and nikon or canon FD lenses. PL mount zeiss lenses are great, but not everyone has them, so it would be good to see what kind of images the average adapter user could get with this thing...
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Sure. However I can't stress enough that its target consumer is the PL crowd. I have some lenses borrowed that we considered some of the sharpest nikons available that Ill put to use. I might be able to get some stills today. Still on location though.
 
Lenilenapi said:
Kholi,

Can't blame you for not wanting to work around shortcomings and i'm not complaining about Ultimate's price.

When you have time I'd be interested:

What sky problem have you had?
Is the Ultimate DOF as low as the SG?

Lenny
Click to expand...

Sorry about that post, Leni. I didn't mean you as in YOU but more in general. Hard to really type a lot on ze iPhone but listening to music all day on set is great stuff. :B

As far as apparent DOF rendering if the SGpro is your comparison then it's the same. It's also the same as P+S which is pretty much what you'd expect. Also, the adapter responds to light in a linear fashion, no hokey pokey going on.

Just got done backin' up camera using Nikons and the Ultimate, if I can grab a good still or two from it I will. Tomorrow should see some interior stuff to gawk at.

As far as having to work around limitations it really is great to not have to do so. If you have your SGpro or M2 take it outside tomorrow and get a half sky shot. Brand new batteries. See how far you can go until you see the ground glass whirring in the sky.

If I remember correctly with my M2 it was F8 on the lens and 1/250th shutter speed.
 
Actually if its only f8 and 1/250 that's not much of a limitation for me so i'm not concerned, maybe that's why I've never seen it.
I guess it is good to have no limits if that is the case.

- lenny
 
Sorry, I meant F8 or 1/250th. I doubt I'll get the chance to do it with the SGPro but it definitely does exist. I think you can spot it when you stop the camera down as well.

Like I said, different strokes for different folks. I'm not in the business of selling anything to anyone here, this is just everything I've found to be amazing about the Ultimate.

Shoot with what ya got, right!?
 
I saw all sorts of stuff when I had my M2 that I haven't seen with the SG but I'll take a look . Actually I probably won't until and unless i get the fix for Ex-1.
 
hey guys, between my canon a1 and my sgpro. I personaly don't feel the image is that much of a difference in terms of quality look to warent me spending an additional $3000. I'm able to stop my sgpro down plenty enough to not half to worry about grain, not an issue for me. And the edge to edge is perfect for my canon. here are some stills from the sgpro rev3 and the canon a1.

http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/29560/1211084179.jpg
http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/29560/1211084242.jpg
http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/29560/1211084328.jpg
http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/29560/1211084401.jpg
 
Please start your own thread. No need to justify your purchase with the masses by posting stills and claiming you don't need to spend more money. If you're happy with your unit start a new thread here exemplifying the fact. Nothing wrong with that!

This, however, is not the thread to do it in. Clearly reads "Letus Ultimate -- Experience Thread" and while I'd be happy for other Ultimate beta users to post up stills and experience whether good OR bad, it's not an SGPro experience thread.

Sorry.
 
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Kholi said:
I'm not sure why it needs to be repeated: the Ultimate wasnt' designed to compete with SGpro, M2, or Extreme. It's for an entirely different market that's already stepped in line to pay for it.
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1st off, it's funny sort of. Weren't these adapters originally made to "compete" with P+S and Movietube years ago, but a fraction of the cost? When did they stop competing? Because the price is higher it's not competing with each other anymore? I'm lost.

2nd. None of these adapter makers have really kept their word when it came to helping out the indie filmmakers. Now they're like the rising cost of gasoline. I ran across a thread the other day where the SGpro was $325 with rails!!! What happened; but again, there was no achromat either. So why are the prices higher?

Edit: And I can see, the price being higher due to the flip image.

It's become marketing propaganda and a let down. Somehow the guerilla filmmaking adapter makers that once were have now became the new P+S.

Inflation at it's finest.
 
Why are all of these adapter companies trying to make a profit? They need to go back to eating peanut butter and ramen noodles!
 
hunter richards said:
Why are all of these adapter companies trying to make a profit? They need to go back to eating peanut butter and ramen noodles!
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Gahd, thank you, Hunter.

I love how "Indie" and "guerilla" automatically means "five dollars". I'm just not going to argue about the price anymore. Those who want to buy it will, those who won't will not.

Please, stop bringing up the price of the unit. It is as it is and will be.
 
Why are people's feelings getting hurt over this? Do we take it as Letus has made something that everyone wants? It really feels like the RED ONE price announcement all over again.
 
When you say people's feelings are you referring to me?
Cause....I have no intention to buy the letus's products, or sg or m2 or brevis...like you said in 3/4 of your posts, it's an "opinion"....it's my opinion it's not worth the price of a used car. how come your feelings seem to be thrown off when someone puts forth their opinion whether or not an adapter is worth buying

it's simply a relative debate. so just shoot up and make films.
 
I digress. Debate over. Please leave this thread to what it's meant for and that's not PRICE HAGGLING.

Please, from now on refer all discrepancies with the pricing of the Letus Ultimate to the proper authorities. I do not dictate the price of the unit and I don't think this thread will either.
 
Car3o said:
2nd. None of these adapter makers have really kept their word when it came to helping out the indie filmmakers. Now they're like the rising cost of gasoline. I ran across a thread the other day where the SGpro was $325 with rails!!! What happened; but again, there was no achromat either. So why are the prices higher?
Click to expand...

The SGpro has actually dropped in price. The first Rev1 was £430, the current Rev3 inc. rods support is £399 :)

As Kholi says, lets get back on topic.

When will you be able to post pics of the rig?
 
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Hey koli, I'd like to love the letus ultimate as much as youself, but the pics you posted are to low of res to realy make an informed opinion on how the quality realy holds up? Not nit picking here, but is there anyway you can post some high res stills. it's easy to showcase sharp pics when they are so small. anyone out there?
 
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