Zacuto Yes or No - 35mm adapter kit

Y

Youngun

Member
Hi DVX and HVX users

I am looking at the Zacuto Letus Elite, Follow focus, case and Support system for the HVX200. What are your opinions on this setup. Is it a safe bet and is it worth the money?

Will it be a worthy upgrade for the camera or should I look at less expensive options?

I will be mounting it on a tripod to begin with but might go hand held in the future.

If there is another winning combination out there, please let me know. The release of the RED scarlet in looming on the horizon so I'm questioning my move to 35mm look adapter all together, the last thing I would like to happen is that I get all of the gear and end up regretting it when I have to live with it. We have a RED ONE in the office that rarely comes out to play. A Sony HDCAM 730 which I'm in love with, but no progressive recording and although nice the depth of field is not all there. And my lonely old HVX which gets a workout for smaller shoots and pilots.

What is the likelyhood that even with a nice rig like this it will be used just as little next to the flexible corporate and live shooting 730 and cinima prowess of the RED camera. Any thoughts on that one ;) ?
Mabe its better leaving it as a dinky camera, but a 35mm adapter would be cool.
A few folks are saying that the 35mil adapter is a "PITA"

Thank you everyone.

YoungUn
 
Last edited:
Hey man. I'll answer all of these for you. But it'd be easier over the phone. PM me your cell and some good times to talk and I'll call you sometimes tonight or tomorrow...
 
Joseph is a good source of information. He helped me as I was deciding between an adapter or camera upgrade. I chose to upgrade the camera first but am still very interested in going to an adapter.

At the end of the day, only you can tell how often you'll use it, based on the types of projects you work on. It is a Major investment because it's not just the Letus (or whatever brand) but the rods, follow focus etc. You're certainly not getting away for just the price of the adapter. So the question becomes: How often will you use it?

As for PIA, I can't see that it's any worse than properly setting up a naked camera in the first place. I'm guessing that few on these boards run their cams full auto, so there's white balancing, audio, gain etc to adjust. The adapter is just another adjustment.

I think Zacuto's stuff is gorgeous. Abel Cinetech now carries their stuff. I was looking at it Friday as I bought my new cam and cannot wait to accesorize! Having said that, when I rehabilitate my bank account I'll take a good look at the Brevis vs the Letus. The Cinevate people are very active here and extremely helpful. Their product looks well-crafted whereas I've read about people taking issue with the construction quality and after sales support of the Letus. If the image quality is comparable, I'd rather have the better-constructed tool. This is based only upon what I've read here and elsewhere.

Rent them both if you can and see if it will fit into your style and workflow.
 
Whether or not the 35mm adapter is necessary can be tough. Sounds like you are mainly doing corporate work - will your clients pay more for it or will you get more work because of it? If I was doing more corporate interviews and not focusing on steadicam so much I'd definitely go for the 35mm adapter. The narrow DOF can add a nice look and can help you get some seperation from the background when in less than ideal spaces.

As for the Zacutp gear IMO there is none better and there no better company to deal with. I've said it before, but you only buy quality once. I dont know the 730 well, but if you look at the pics on the Zacuto website you'll see the baseplates and accessories work just as well on a RED as they do an HVX with or without 35mm adapter.

I just reviewed Zacuto Zwing-Away on my blog - all of their gear that I've used really does work that well and of course its all backed up by the best warranty I may have ever seen. Reminds me of the old Craftsman warranty where you could find an old screwdriver in the woods all rusted and ten years old and they'd trade you for a new one. Doubt you'll find any Zacuto parts in the woods though...
 
There are other options besides Zacuto. Check into some of the Redrock micro stuff. BUT Zacuto products are quite good and the customer service is simply amazing. They are expensive but you get what you pay for.

As far as the adapter goes I would have to agree with Jeff on this one. I would add that if you can afford it, buy it. It NEVER hurts to have one IMHO. I would go SGBlade or Letus Ultimate/Extreme.
 
I am now the owner of a Zacuto support system, letus elite, and flippable follow focus + other goodies,

Thank you Joseph for your insight into the Zacuto range and how it will fit into my work flow. Good job Jeff with the podcast, you did the Zwing away justice. What did you use to shoot it? and cheers Filthrich reminding me that the "you get what u pay for" mantra still lives.

And finally a big thank you DVX User and to a very cool salesperson at Zacuto who came in on her day off to sell me some gear.

Claps
 
Last edited:
Congrats on the new gear! Thanks for checking out the podcast - shot with an HVX200 and century optics .6x WA adapter... and a few lights.
 
Hey Jeff

Cool adapter. Do you also own a 35mm adapter for your HVX?

and another wee question, might start an uprising or maybe it has been and gone. I had a quick chat with Joseph and he told me that this was an impossibility. But has there been a PCI card , like the P2 that was created to read SD cards or supper speed compact flash cards that could be used with the HVX?

I'm looking to get P2 cards but I hope there is a reliable alternative that doesn't involve moving parts.

Cheers
 
Last edited:
Thanks, I do like that WA adapter alot - has served me quite well. No 35mm adapter for me. Too bulky for my tastes, but I do like the look they give.

Yeah sadly Joseph speaks the truth. While P2 cards show up in a computer like any other removable storage its a proprietary design that allows some fantastic read/write speeds, as well as great reliability. Fuji is the only other manufacturer and their pricing is close to that of Panasonics. No other alternative that is Solid State at the moment. I assume you've seen the firestore? Its a hard drive but it is an alternative that gets some mixed reviews.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top