very nice a big improvement imho

it looks simply gorgeous moving. the grain and chromatic aberration and everything just melts away when it's so small.

check out this video
http://www.nuocsong.com/nhatho/adapter/test2.mpg

Howdy Quyen! I recognize you from the DVinfo.net forums, I'm Ben Winter. I was considering buying one of your adapters! Then I found I got comparable results that meet my needs with this focusing screen, and it's no moving parts at less than $200.

Everyone, this is Quyen, Quyen meet everyone. He makes the adapters at http://www.adapterplace.com, the Letus35, and they're pretty sweet. They use a vibrating mechanism to move the focus screen so there's no grain. All of this for $300.

Definately a steal. Thanks Quyen.

Oo-la-la. Ben, that video is from a GL2?

Man I'd love to get one of those, but I got ones of smallest camera's out there and that thing would make it way too top heavy.

quote:

Ben, that video is from a GL2?

Everythang I've posted is with my GL2. Delicious, ain't it?

I've figured out the parts situation and how much everything costs, and I'm willing to produce and sell my device for $200. I'll include a 50mm Canon f1.8 lens, with the device adjusted and fitted for it, for $230.

To see just how little the grain problem is with my adapter, check out this 9 second uncompressed clip. (~33MB) Here

Labeled Diagram of the adapter

Here are some pictures of the adapter fitted on my camera:

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LCD Screen View
Entire Assembly Connected
Where I put my magnet and what that looks like (polarity matters, btw)
(For those of you who don't know, when you use these adapters the image is flipped upside-down, and must be rotated 180 degrees in post to return it to its original orientation. A neat magnet trick, shown in that link, tricks the camera into thinking the LCD is turned the other way and flips the image the way it should be.)
Closer View from the front

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Something neat I've discovered: The camera's built-in image stabilizer moves the screen around which actually helps reduce the grain (Watch the tiny black dots--there's one in the lower right corner--in the uncompressed footage, they're specks of dust I didn't have time to wipe off). Cool!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: funkbomb,

A friend of mine decided to dyke around with the camera to try out the adapter, and what resulted is some British public TV gardening show.

Nigel's Garden

This message has been edited. Last edited by: funkbomb,

This is one of the coolest threads in a long time. That footage looks great aside from the chromatic abberation. I love any DV footage that doesn't look like your average DV.

elliott...

Ben:

This is amazing footage, I'm pretty new to cinematography, and all the thoughts that everyone else has thought long ago have been going through my mind for the last few months.

I'm planning a short and want the aesthetic to achieve a more 'film look' quality. And it wasn't until I read this post that Depth of Field being one of the major characteristics was brought to my mind.

I'm going to be shooting on a SonyPD150 (or something, its not mine) is it possible to fit the adaptor to this camera or would some changes need to be made?

Depending on the budget raised for the short (a final year university project) then I'll consider buying one of these adapters.

These adapters just screw on to the front lens, so any camera can be used with them as long as the right step-down or step-up converter ring is used. Most of these adapters are either 52 or 58mm threads.

I'm selling my Nikon D Adapter for $195 if you're interested--I'll include a really nice 35mm lens with a widescreen lens hood for $220. Let me know if you're interested.

Can someone please explain what the advantages/disadvantages are of having a vibrating or spinning GG vs. a fixed one. In reading posts here and elsewhere I see that people have designed adapters these two different ways. Which is better? Or are they the same thing? I would think that the moving GG would be a better solution because of vibrating or spinning on the GG would make the frost or any other anomolies not visible. However, at the same time the fixed GG adapter looks like the easiest to build since you don't deal with the moving mechanism. But that's just me. Can someone comment on this please. Also, does anybody know what Quyen Le uses for vibration on his adapter? Thanks people...

If the disc isn't moving the grains will always appear in the same place on the video image, which will look weird. As if your lens is dirty.

Thanks for your feedback titaniumdoughnut. If the GG was cleaned or frosted properly before the adpater was buttoned up wouldn't that resolve this issue? Would the image be the same as an adapter that has the moving GG? Or would there still be a difference?

My purpose in addressing these questions is that if there is no difference I would elect to build the design that has no moving GG. If there is a difference and the moving GG has a better image then I would choose that one.

funkbomb? Quyen Le? Or anyone else who's built one of these things can you give some feedback on my post? Thanks in advance...

kirrastorm,

You're misunderstanding a very important part of these adapters. The ground glass must be ground so it is frosted in order to serve it's purpose. In order for this to be so, the ground glass inherently has grain issues. There is no such thing as a clean or properly frosted ground glass. If the glass is a focusing screen, it must be ground or frosted and ground/frosted glass has grain, there is no way around this. The only known way to remove the grain is to shake or move the ground glass around so the camera doesn't see it.

Quyen's adapter uses a small disc vibrator about the size of a dime thats situated right underneath the ground glass inside the adapter. It moves the ground glass enough so the camera can't see it. Quite an ingenious design.

I hope this answers your questions.

I don't get where you put the magnet to trick the LCD.

New video with modified achromat
http://www.letus35.com/letus35-1.wmv

quote:

I don't get where you put the magnet to trick the LCD.

Check out this picture.

Hey guys,

I actually just received one of these M2 adapters from redrockmicro.com last month, and after playing with it for a couple days (it takes a while to perfect it), I've decided to go ahead and use it for my next music video shoot that I'm filming next week.

So once it's done, I'll let you guys see the finished product and post your thoughts!

quote:

Originally posted by funkbomb:
These adapters just screw on to the front lens, so any camera can be used with them as long as the right step-down or step-up converter ring is used. Most of these adapters are either 52 or 58mm threads.

I'm selling my Nikon D Adapter for $195 if you're interested--I'll include a really nice 35mm lens with a widescreen lens hood for $220. Let me know if you're interested.

Ben,

ARE YOU STILL SELLING? tpulling83@yahoo.com I'll buy ASAP