Support rods from adapter base at DVinfo.net

Matt Manning · October 3rd, 2003, 12:35 PM

Hello all,

I was looking at some photos of the adapter and began wondering exactly how the support rods mount. I can see they extend from the rear of the base, but can they extend from the front too? If so, would you have to have another set of rods for the front? It looks like the camera itsself rests on the rods extending to the rear.

I am really wondering about mounting a matte box on 15mm rods from the adapter. It is possible or would I need another support plate? Most of the photos are with these big Cooke Primes and stuff mounted on Arri (I think) plates. I would be using Nikkor Primes.

Sorry for the long post... Thanks for any help.

-Matt

Mizell Wilson · October 3rd, 2003, 12:52 PM

Matt,

If you take a look at the photo of the Min35 on our front page you'll see a striped down version of the unit.

The basic answer to your question is that the unit comes with integrated slots for 15mm rods, along with a set of rods at inital purchase i.e. we do provide you a set of rods but any length 15mm rods can be utilised. The nice thing about the rods that come with the unit is that they slide back into the unit support rods for easy storage.

The integrated 15mm rods are set to the same film standard as all LWS systems so any standard film accesory will work just as if it was a 16mm or 35mm camera. That being said there are some additional tweaks that need to be done if Nikons will be used e.g. you will have to purchase gear rings for the lenses so they will integrate properly with a follow focus and you might have to create your own neoprene or styrofoam light rings if the particular lens doesn't meet up with any of the standard mattebox step rings.

Mizell

Matt Manning · October 3rd, 2003, 12:55 PM

Thanks Mizell. Helpful as always. Answers all my questions. I couldn't tell that the Rods slid into the camera support rods. It's all so much clearer now! Thanks!

-Matt

Matt Manning · October 3rd, 2003, 01:10 PM

While we are on the subject, what sort of focus gear rings work with studio follow focus units? Will gears for underwater housings work (if it is made for the specific lens)? If not, could you point me towards some that will work? From the threads I have read, I may not be the only one wondering about this.

Thanks again!

-Matt

Chris Hurd · October 3rd, 2003, 01:14 PM

Matt -- sorry this is a bit off-topic, BUT -- it looks like you just made the 100,000th post here at DV Info Net. Send me your mailing address... I've got some shwag for ya! Congrats, and many thanks for number 100K.

Matt Manning · October 3rd, 2003, 01:33 PM

Hurray!!!

Mizell Wilson · October 3rd, 2003, 01:53 PM

Congrats to Matt and super congrats to Chris for such a wonderful site!!!!!!!!

Drinks for everyone....on Chris...just have your bartender send him the tab ;)

mizell

Charles Papert · October 4th, 2003, 01:51 PM

Matt:

OK, you ready?

The standard gear pitch is .80M, which is most PL mount lenses (Zeiss, Cooke, Angeniuex etc). Modern lenses use this same gearing for focus, iris and (where applicable) zoom, but you will occasionally see a smaller pitch for iris. The Panavision standard is 32 pitch for focus (which is essentially interchangeable with the metric measurement of .80M), 48 pitch for zoom and 64 pitch for iris.

Video lenses use a metric system also: Canons use a .50M, while Fujinons use a .60M for focus and zoom and a .40M for iris.

What this means realistically is that if you want to be covered for a follow focus, a 32 pitch gear will work for just about any cine lens, and you would also need a .50M gear to use with the manual lenses for the XL1, for instance.

Gears made for underwater housings will have the same pitch etc. as follow focus gears, but they may not mount the same.

Matt Manning · October 6th, 2003, 08:31 AM

Thanks Charles.

It seems like it would make everybody's life a little easier if there was just one standard gear pitch. Guess we should just be thankful there are geared lenses at all. How would all those "Vertigo" zoom/focus shots look without them? Not good, I'll bet.

Thanks!

-Matt

Charles Papert · October 7th, 2003, 02:04 AM

Probably worth mentioning that you may come across some older prime lenses that don't have gear racks on them, Matt...beware! They can be retrofitted, and any good rental house will have done so, but it's something to keep an eye on if you find them on eBay or whatever.

October 3rd, 2003, 12:35 PM	#1
Matt Manning New Boot Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Little Rock, AR Posts: 10	Support rods from adapter base Hello all, I was looking at some photos of the adapter and began wondering exactly how the support rods mount. I can see they extend from the rear of the base, but can they extend from the front too? If so, would you have to have another set of rods for the front? It looks like the camera itsself rests on the rods extending to the rear. I am really wondering about mounting a matte box on 15mm rods from the adapter. It is possible or would I need another support plate? Most of the photos are with these big Cooke Primes and stuff mounted on Arri (I think) plates. I would be using Nikkor Primes. Sorry for the long post... Thanks for any help. -Matt

October 3rd, 2003, 12:52 PM	#2
Mizell Wilson Sales: Reflecmedia Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Linden, NJ Posts: 147	Matt, If you take a look at the photo of the Min35 on our front page you'll see a striped down version of the unit. The basic answer to your question is that the unit comes with integrated slots for 15mm rods, along with a set of rods at inital purchase i.e. we do provide you a set of rods but any length 15mm rods can be utilised. The nice thing about the rods that come with the unit is that they slide back into the unit support rods for easy storage. The integrated 15mm rods are set to the same film standard as all LWS systems so any standard film accesory will work just as if it was a 16mm or 35mm camera. That being said there are some additional tweaks that need to be done if Nikons will be used e.g. you will have to purchase gear rings for the lenses so they will integrate properly with a follow focus and you might have to create your own neoprene or styrofoam light rings if the particular lens doesn't meet up with any of the standard mattebox step rings. Mizell __________________ Posts before Feb 2004 were on behalf of ZGC, afterwards they're all mine!

October 3rd, 2003, 01:14 PM	#5
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,366 Images: 513	Matt -- sorry this is a bit off-topic, BUT -- it looks like you just made the 100,000th post here at DV Info Net. Send me your mailing address... I've got some shwag for ya! Congrats, and many thanks for number 100K. __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

October 3rd, 2003, 01:53 PM	#7
Mizell Wilson Sales: Reflecmedia Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Linden, NJ Posts: 147	Congrats to Matt and super congrats to Chris for such a wonderful site!!!!!!!! Drinks for everyone....on Chris...just have your bartender send him the tab ;) mizell __________________ Posts before Feb 2004 were on behalf of ZGC, afterwards they're all mine!

October 4th, 2003, 01:51 PM	#8
Charles Papert Wrangler Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 6,810	Matt: OK, you ready? The standard gear pitch is .80M, which is most PL mount lenses (Zeiss, Cooke, Angeniuex etc). Modern lenses use this same gearing for focus, iris and (where applicable) zoom, but you will occasionally see a smaller pitch for iris. The Panavision standard is 32 pitch for focus (which is essentially interchangeable with the metric measurement of .80M), 48 pitch for zoom and 64 pitch for iris. Video lenses use a metric system also: Canons use a .50M, while Fujinons use a .60M for focus and zoom and a .40M for iris. What this means realistically is that if you want to be covered for a follow focus, a 32 pitch gear will work for just about any cine lens, and you would also need a .50M gear to use with the manual lenses for the XL1, for instance. Gears made for underwater housings will have the same pitch etc. as follow focus gears, but they may not mount the same. __________________ Charles Papert www.charlespapert.com

October 3rd, 2003, 12:55 PM	#3
Matt Manning New Boot Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Little Rock, AR Posts: 10	Thanks Mizell. Helpful as always. Answers all my questions. I couldn't tell that the Rods slid into the camera support rods. It's all so much clearer now! Thanks! -Matt

October 3rd, 2003, 01:10 PM	#4
Matt Manning New Boot Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Little Rock, AR Posts: 10	While we are on the subject, what sort of focus gear rings work with studio follow focus units? Will gears for underwater housings work (if it is made for the specific lens)? If not, could you point me towards some that will work? From the threads I have read, I may not be the only one wondering about this. Thanks again! -Matt

October 3rd, 2003, 01:33 PM	#6
Matt Manning New Boot Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Little Rock, AR Posts: 10	Hurray!!!

October 6th, 2003, 08:31 AM	#9
Matt Manning New Boot Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Little Rock, AR Posts: 10	Thanks Charles. It seems like it would make everybody's life a little easier if there was just one standard gear pitch. Guess we should just be thankful there are geared lenses at all. How would all those "Vertigo" zoom/focus shots look without them? Not good, I'll bet. Thanks! -Matt

October 7th, 2003, 02:04 AM	#10
Charles Papert Wrangler Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 6,810	Probably worth mentioning that you may come across some older prime lenses that don't have gear racks on them, Matt...beware! They can be retrofitted, and any good rental house will have done so, but it's something to keep an eye on if you find them on eBay or whatever. __________________ Charles Papert www.charlespapert.com