. .apart from my 2000 post anniversary!!! . . .

OK .. Can some nice person please supply a PIC of their/link showing precisely just how this is achieved with the XM2/GL2? Just what and how "bayonet" fixings are done?

I thank you . ."Happy Posting to me .. Happy Posting to me!" - Grazie, the 2,000 Poster! ! !

Regards,

Graham "Grazie" Bernard

The lens hood is the Gl1's (and likely the Gl2) standard bayonet mounded item. IT is an example of how it works, although oter items may use a differnt method to to secure the mounting (the hood uses a thumb screw).

The bayonet lenses for the GL series are mostly adapters and converters that mount on and work with the fixed lens to change the net characteristics.

Congratulations on reaching 2000 posts.

Hi Graham and congratulations on your second millenium :-)

Like Don says, any kind of bayonet lenses for your camera will be adaptors that add in front of the existing lens since it isn't removable. There might be other companies, but Century Precision Optics is the only one I know of which makes bayonet mounted adaptors.

I'm assuming they're similar to the Century lenses I have for my Z1. There is an outer ring on the lens that has a little white dot which you align with another dot on the body of the lens. You then remove your lens hood and place the lens in its place with the two dots facing up. Next you twist the whole lens clockwise until it engages the bayonet mount and hits the stop. The final step (and this is Century's clever innovation) is that the outer ring remains stationary while you rotate the lens body further clockwise. This cinches down the lens and locks it very firmly in position. It's a clever idea, and is more secure than the little thumbscrew which locks the stock lens shade in position. It's easier to attach the lens this way than it would be to screw it into the threads, it's a very solid connection and you don't run the risk of stripping the threads by screwing the lens in crooked.

More info on Century lenses for your camera here (they ain't cheap though ;-)
http://www.schneideroptics.com/ecommerce/CatalogSubCategoryDisplay.aspx?CID=1071

If you look at one of the lens photos you will see the bayonet mount:

http://www.schneideroptics.com/ecommerce/CatalogItemDetail.aspx?CID=1071&IID=858

The outer ring is on the bottom where it says "GL1" and you can see the white dot on the ring and lens body.

BTW - I see that Century has merged their website with Schneider Optics. That's fine, but they now have heirarchical menus from hell which require you to carefully mouse 4 levels deep to find what you want! Ugh, why do people design websites like that?...

Don & Boyd - thank you.

I was feeling my way in understanding that this was what was going to happen: the existing sunshade slots were going to be used, but I wanted to actually "see" one of our chums using this this way and maybe WITH a picture.

Two subsequent questions:

1/- I'm considering a 2x Teleconverter, how/what do I use for a sunshade with this?

2/- Why on earth didn't/doesn't Canon itself make use of these self-same SHADE slots allowing us XM2 users to utilise this with their own WD58? Now that would have great to use being able to twists and untwist to change over between the 2 adaptors.

. . . and yes, I was previously searching - new Cent+Scnied website - for this info too. huh . .. ?

So that's me: 2,000 Post-Old Old-Boot!! . . well 2001 now!! I like that .. .

Grazie

Century makes some nice sunshades which aren't too expensive, and they accept square filters also. Last time I looked, I couldn't find them on their website, but B&H had them on theirs. Here's a picture of the century 1.6x telephoto with their Sunshade attached. I suspect this is larger than what you need for the GL1 - the 72mm 1.6x telephoto for the Z1 is a big hunk of glass!

http://greenmist.com/hdv/mattebox/16x01.JPG
http://greenmist.com/hdv/mattebox/16x02.JPG
http://greenmist.com/hdv/mattebox/16x03.JPG

Here's a link to some Century sunshades:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=search&Q=&b=130&mnp=0.0&mxp=0.0&Submit.x=7&Submit.y=6&Submit=Go&shs=sunshade&ci=1&ac=


Also check out Cavision, they have some inexpensive basic ones:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=search&Q=&b=725&mnp=0.0&mxp=0.0&Submit.x=8&Submit.y=9&Submit=Go&shs=sunshade&ci=1&ac=

Thanks for taking the timeout Boyd and getting me the photo links too - GreenMist yours?

Actually I do have a Kestrel Matte box that fits over my WD58 fat end. So, all I would need is a step down from this Matte box to the Century 2x FAT end ( which is how big - 72mm? ). Nw they have to be available? This ways I would also have 3 filter trays available too. - Getting the hang of this now.

Was that a picture of your SONY HDV camera? See you have the same Miller DS10. Great tripod - huh? I was out yesterday doing some fairly closeup work of Canadian Geese goslings with their parents. Using the Miller - Smooth as Silk!!

Grazie

Grazie,

I was suspecious of bayonet mounts for the gl2. I purchased the century .5 wide angle lens. When I first used it I thought it to loose. However, looking at it further I realised the it has a ring that you turn that pulls the lens down snug. It works just dandy for intight wide shots but I now realize I will need a full zoom through wide adapter. the lens has threads (72 mm so I can use my xl2 accessories on it too) Problem is the hood does not work once you use the bayonet mount.


Dale

Hey Graham - I see I missed your post last month - sorry. Yes, that's a Sony Z1. Unfortunately the tripod is a "lowly" DS-5 however which I bought for my little PDX-10. It seems to work fine with my Z1, but I wish I had gottent the DS-10 for the additional adjustments. But I agree, the action is really nice on the Millers and in a whole different league than my Manfrotto 501. My only nitpick is that there's a small amount of backlash when you finish a slow pan. Probobaly only noticeable at the telephote end of the zoom, but when you let go of the handle it creeps back slightly. However with knowledge of this you can usually compensate by slowly backing off at the end of a pan.