Best adaptor for landscape/nature shots at DVinfo.net

Pat Reddy · November 3rd, 2007, 06:22 PM

I have an HV20 that I might like to use with a 35mm adaptor. I would like to use the Canon 17-40 F4/L, 70-200 F4/L, 300 F4/L and 135 F2/L lenses. Unlike most adaptor users I would want to be able to stop the lens down on many occasions.

With the 300, I would probably want to use F5.6 to F8.0 to ensure that an entire bird, for example, is in focus. With the 17-40, I would want to shoot at 24 mm and with the lens stopped down as much as F11.0. Each of these lenses is very sharp wide open, especially the 135 F2. I know that I would have to set the aperture on a DSLR with the DOF preview button since these are all electronically controlled lenses.

I have been looking at the Redrock Micro and the Brevis. It seems that someone indicated that the the Redrock might have less grain when the 35 mm lens is stopped down (because of the rotating ground glass element). I know that both systems have evolved quite a bit in the last few years, and so opinions from a year ago might not be as valid as they once were. I would certainly want to use the lenses wide open on occasion, but it might not be worth to me to use an adaptor if shooting stopped down is simply not practical.

Does anyone have any thoughts on the "best" adaptor for wider depths of field?

Pat

Brian Valente · November 4th, 2007, 11:15 PM

Hi Pat

yes, it's true the rotating screen allows you to stop down much farther without seeing grain. Here's a small movie that demonstrates this (from our product page):

http://www.redrockmicro.com/footage/...rture_test.mov

Cheers

Brian

David W. Jones · November 5th, 2007, 08:03 AM

Pat, if it were me, and I was wanting a really deep depth of field, as you stated in your post, I would just skip the 35mm adapter and use the clarity of the lens on the camera.

Toenis Liivamaegi · November 5th, 2007, 10:14 AM

Pat, don`t forget that you must use your SLR camera body to stop down your lenses as none of the DOF adaptors won`t let you contol aperture on Canon EF lenses.

Cheers,
T

Pat Reddy · November 5th, 2007, 05:14 PM

Thanks Brian, that demo movie looks great! David, your right, it would in many cases make more sense to use the HV20's own lens for large DOF. If it turns out that the 17-40 F4 looked good at 24 mm and F11, that would be a very nice wide angle option with a lens that I already own. I do like the cinematic look with shallow DOF and the true 24p of the HV20, so I would certainly take advantage of the possibilities if I had an adaptor. Toenis, I will make sure I set the 35 mm lens aperture on my dslr with the DOF preview button.

Thanks everyone.

Pat

Dennis Wood · November 6th, 2007, 10:05 PM

Pat, this was done last week with the Brevis flip. The wide angle shots were done with an f4.5 28-200 zoom, at 28mm. I regularly use f4 to f5.6 to keep the 35mm lens at its sharpest.

Brian Valente · November 6th, 2007, 10:13 PM

Great Pat. Glad it helped. As a landscape photographer myself, I absolutely know the importance of stopping down. The M2 with its rotating screen is the only adapter that allows you to stop down past 5.6 without seeing grain.

Cheers

Brian

Dennis Wood · November 6th, 2007, 11:08 PM

Brian, very nice shot :-)

Ethan Cooper · November 7th, 2007, 09:34 AM

oooohhhhh. pretty.
Just to clarify, that was shot with a DSLR right?
If so, what type? What lens? And where the heck is that so I can buy some land?

Wayne Kinney · November 7th, 2007, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Valente

The M2 with its rotating screen is the only adapter that allows you to stop down past 5.6 without seeing grain.

The SGpro has the same advantage :)

Pat, it would be nice to see more adapter footage utilising EOS lenses stopped down rather then the usual 'wide open'.

Phil Bloom · November 8th, 2007, 02:10 PM

Have a look here at

http://web.mac.com/philip.bloom/Phil...5mm_Letus.html

shot with the letus extreme. Very happy with the results.

have had similar great results with my Brevis. Have a look at the Anorexia link on my site for 3 shorts shot with the Brevis. In particular look at part 2 for landscapes.

Pat Reddy · November 25th, 2007, 04:40 PM

Thanks everyone! I've been swamped and out of the loop for a few weeks. Brian, Dennis, and Wayne, thanks for the info. One of the nice things about this site is that manufacturers or their representatives participate. Your companies have great products and respond to user's questions and feedback. Each of you has a presence here and your interactions with each other are cordial and professional. All of this says a lot about the kind of committment you have to quality products and service.

Phil, I couldn't find the files you referred to, maybe I looked to late.

I am looking into upgrade paths for my equipment. They range from a 35 mm adaptor for the HV20 to the Sony PMW EX1. Right now I'm leaning towards the V1 or XH A1, but haven't ruled out the adaptors. Thanks again.

Pat

Phil Bloom · November 25th, 2007, 05:02 PM

hi pat

It has changed its name. Go to www.philipbloom.net and click ok letus autumn 35mm

November 3rd, 2007, 06:22 PM	#1
Pat Reddy Major Player Join Date: May 2006 Location: Colorado Posts: 288	Best adaptor for landscape/nature shots I have an HV20 that I might like to use with a 35mm adaptor. I would like to use the Canon 17-40 F4/L, 70-200 F4/L, 300 F4/L and 135 F2/L lenses. Unlike most adaptor users I would want to be able to stop the lens down on many occasions. With the 300, I would probably want to use F5.6 to F8.0 to ensure that an entire bird, for example, is in focus. With the 17-40, I would want to shoot at 24 mm and with the lens stopped down as much as F11.0. Each of these lenses is very sharp wide open, especially the 135 F2. I know that I would have to set the aperture on a DSLR with the DOF preview button since these are all electronically controlled lenses. I have been looking at the Redrock Micro and the Brevis. It seems that someone indicated that the the Redrock might have less grain when the 35 mm lens is stopped down (because of the rotating ground glass element). I know that both systems have evolved quite a bit in the last few years, and so opinions from a year ago might not be as valid as they once were. I would certainly want to use the lenses wide open on occasion, but it might not be worth to me to use an adaptor if shooting stopped down is simply not practical. Does anyone have any thoughts on the "best" adaptor for wider depths of field? Pat

November 4th, 2007, 11:15 PM	#2
Brian Valente Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Hollywood, CA Posts: 293	Hi Pat yes, it's true the rotating screen allows you to stop down much farther without seeing grain. Here's a small movie that demonstrates this (from our product page): http://www.redrockmicro.com/footage/...rture_test.mov Cheers Brian __________________ ========================== Brian Valente Redrock Microsystems

November 6th, 2007, 10:13 PM	#7
Brian Valente Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Hollywood, CA Posts: 293	Great Pat. Glad it helped. As a landscape photographer myself, I absolutely know the importance of stopping down. The M2 with its rotating screen is the only adapter that allows you to stop down past 5.6 without seeing grain. Cheers Brian __________________ ========================== Brian Valente Redrock Microsystems

November 7th, 2007, 09:34 AM	#9
Ethan Cooper Trustee Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Houma, La. Posts: 1,400 Images: 5	oooohhhhh. pretty. Just to clarify, that was shot with a DSLR right? If so, what type? What lens? And where the heck is that so I can buy some land? __________________ ∅ -Ethan Cooper

November 8th, 2007, 02:10 PM	#11
Phil Bloom Trustee Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: London UK Posts: 1,939	Have a look here at http://web.mac.com/philip.bloom/Phil...5mm_Letus.html shot with the letus extreme. Very happy with the results. have had similar great results with my Brevis. Have a look at the Anorexia link on my site for 3 shorts shot with the Brevis. In particular look at part 2 for landscapes. __________________ Philip Bloom Cinematographer, Director, Filmmaker www.philipbloom.net

November 5th, 2007, 08:03 AM	#3
David W. Jones Trustee Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Little Rock Posts: 1,383	Pat, if it were me, and I was wanting a really deep depth of field, as you stated in your post, I would just skip the 35mm adapter and use the clarity of the lens on the camera.

November 5th, 2007, 10:14 AM	#4
Toenis Liivamaegi Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Tartu, Estonia Posts: 579	Pat, don`t forget that you must use your SLR camera body to stop down your lenses as none of the DOF adaptors won`t let you contol aperture on Canon EF lenses. Cheers, T

November 5th, 2007, 05:14 PM	#5
Pat Reddy Major Player Join Date: May 2006 Location: Colorado Posts: 288	Thanks Brian, that demo movie looks great! David, your right, it would in many cases make more sense to use the HV20's own lens for large DOF. If it turns out that the 17-40 F4 looked good at 24 mm and F11, that would be a very nice wide angle option with a lens that I already own. I do like the cinematic look with shallow DOF and the true 24p of the HV20, so I would certainly take advantage of the possibilities if I had an adaptor. Toenis, I will make sure I set the 35 mm lens aperture on my dslr with the DOF preview button. Thanks everyone. Pat

November 6th, 2007, 10:05 PM	#6
Dennis Wood Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 916	Pat, this was done last week with the Brevis flip. The wide angle shots were done with an f4.5 28-200 zoom, at 28mm. I regularly use f4 to f5.6 to keep the 35mm lens at its sharpest.

November 6th, 2007, 11:08 PM	#8
Dennis Wood Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 916	Brian, very nice shot :-)

November 25th, 2007, 04:40 PM	#12
Pat Reddy Major Player Join Date: May 2006 Location: Colorado Posts: 288	Thanks everyone! I've been swamped and out of the loop for a few weeks. Brian, Dennis, and Wayne, thanks for the info. One of the nice things about this site is that manufacturers or their representatives participate. Your companies have great products and respond to user's questions and feedback. Each of you has a presence here and your interactions with each other are cordial and professional. All of this says a lot about the kind of committment you have to quality products and service. Phil, I couldn't find the files you referred to, maybe I looked to late. I am looking into upgrade paths for my equipment. They range from a 35 mm adaptor for the HV20 to the Sony PMW EX1. Right now I'm leaning towards the V1 or XH A1, but haven't ruled out the adaptors. Thanks again. Pat

November 25th, 2007, 05:02 PM	#13
Phil Bloom Trustee Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: London UK Posts: 1,939	hi pat It has changed its name. Go to www.philipbloom.net and click ok letus autumn 35mm __________________ Philip Bloom Cinematographer, Director, Filmmaker www.philipbloom.net