What makes the best ground glass?

Justin

Justin

Active member
Ok, so I finally jumped on the DIY mini35 bandwagon. After a lot of research I have been left with only one question.

In the tuturials I have found, I have been told to use a simple UV filter and grinding it with 100 ao grit making a nice frosted glass.

And other people are saying to use a clear CD, (the Maxell ones are already frosted) and attach it with the motor so it spins.

So which method creates a better image? Does spinning equal better image or is it just used to make your adapter look and sound even more bad-ass?

Thanks guys,
Justin
 
The static UV-style ones usually impart some degree of grainy, rough texture over the image, whereas a spinning GG makes a much smoother image.
 
UV-style has to be done right and the clear CD's have to be done perfectly. Both offer their own degrees of image quality but it's usually a 50/50 thing, you know what I mean? Depending on what grit you're using, how good of a job you do, and what you're comfortable with are what differentiates the different methods. More often than not, the UV is preferred since the clear CD's can give weird light effects, don't remember the term, and are a problem *sometimes*. Spinning helps reduce a lot of problems but can also backfire in some areas, more grainy, less grainy, ease of use, ect. I don't know which is better firsthand, I've done like you and have read around all the boards and tutorials. Basically it's what you have available, what camera you have, and which adapter you think gives the better image is what really counts in the end.
 
I embarked down the spinning gg road, flipped a youey, and made a good static.

You can do it so that the grain can't be picked up by standard definition. Follow the tutorial you have been following, then tweak it some, and you'll come out smelling like roses. I'd make a spinning gg if you've got an HDV cam though.

-a
 
It's gotta be as thin as possible. You really don't want the image projected on two surfaces, or any refracting going on.

I'm trying to think of other ways to do it. Like maybe frosted Saran Wrap. Something ridiculously thin.
 
GenJerDan said:
It's gotta be as thin as possible. You really don't want the image projected on two surfaces, or any refracting going on.

I'm trying to think of other ways to do it. Like maybe frosted Saran Wrap. Something ridiculously thin.
Click to expand...
I wonder if it's possible to get something like microscope slide glass in a large enough piece to use as a lens...
 
limehouse said:
I wonder if it's possible to get something like microscope slide glass in a large enough piece to use as a lens...
Click to expand...

Better than the slide itself, maybe the cover slips. But those are really really tiny, and I doubt we'd find some big enough.
 
Pipe said:
Bikefilms is there any chance of you sharing your design with us?
Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'll tell you that I'm not using wax, and that I "goofed" the UV/groundglass tutorial to get a better image.

-a
 
GenJerDan said:
Better than the slide itself, maybe the cover slips. But those are really really tiny, and I doubt we'd find some big enough.
Click to expand...
Now that's thin! But it'd be hell to work with for anyone with my skills.
 
Now who can say what the best size ground glass is? The biggest??
My girlfriend always says bigger isnt always better.

Wait a minute....
 
GenJerDan said:
Better than the slide itself, maybe the cover slips. But those are really really tiny, and I doubt we'd find some big enough.
Click to expand...


What about the 8.5" x 11" overhead projector sheets?
 
Justin said:
Now who can say what the best size ground glass is? The biggest??
My girlfriend always says bigger isnt always better.

Wait a minute....
Click to expand...

Justin, other than ground glass size, consider a bigger than 35mm lens, I used the lens from a medium format camera for the reason that a bigger lens projects a bigger image for the camera to capture, considering that the video camera still has to 'crop' the circular image projected by the lens. Check out the unit i built at This link
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top