some footage shot with variety of Nikon lenses...
 

I put this together quick for a client demo and have the lenses used listed in the clip - titled when used, just not make and ap:
shot with an xl1 and a 300 series (did NOT spin the gg- can you tell?) the compression (sorenson 3) adds a nice grainlike texture.

nikon 35mm 1.4
nikon 85mm 1.8
vivitar macro 28mm-90mm 2.8
vivitar 28mm 1.9
zenitar 16mm 2.8

all natural light. My lowels got set up before I realized I left my bulbs in storage... duh.

http://www.agencyb.com/rusto.mov

Josh, I like the very first second of the clip the nicest and very different from the rest? What was different, camera gain exposure, lens F-stop or relay iris?

that was the 28mm 1.9 viv all open (both iris') the darker couple following it had the relay iris closed down a bit... when the images lightened up a bit that's basically 2.8 natural daylight.
That 28mm vivitar is a great lens... goes well with the 1.8 nikkors...
the 28mm macro is the macro zoom... nice drop off from a zoom especially...

little birdie goes Cheap Cheap Cheap...

Josh is the purpose of the ground glass to focus off of just like on a film camera? I've heard some say it's to give you film grain. But I heard that once you output to film it makes it softer yet.

Since the uprez will soften the image for you. Also is this using the P+S Comverter or a home made one?

Thanks.

Josh - 2.8 seemed a little dark, very flat lit, but considering you had no lighting I wouldn't expect anything different. My 24mm is rated f2 and does a nice job too. I'd like something wider but may go to Zeiss PL mount for that. 9mm T1.3 is on my x-mas shopping list.

Gary - The ground glass is so the image projected from the 35mm lens has something to project onto, from the other side of the ground glass the image is flipped around and then the digital camera CCD picks up this image. The depth of field from using 35mm film lenses are preserved and recorded on mini DV tape.

Because the glass is ground it has tiny spots on it that when spinning creates the effect of "random" flutters of grain on the image. It does add something to the overall look but usually can only be seen on LCD or Plasma, not really CRT.

As far as outputting to film, there are many methods or processes each which can contribute to the overall amount of "softening". To say it is directly related to the mini35 can not really be said accurately. There are even variables associated with actually shooting the footage which on miniDV can result in sharp or soft images. For proof of that, see my thread http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...threadid=35194 which contains shoots from 3 different days, and 3 different sets of images with varying degrees of sharpness - Hm, that doesn't say a lot about my ability to be consistent does it? : )

Josh's unit is a PS Technik converter series 300, not a home made one.

It's nice to see someone else's footage with the Nikon 35 f/1.4 which is by far my favorite lens in my set. Looks good.

lenses
 

Hello Guys,

I would like to know if the 35 mm lenses I have listed will work on my new XL-2 with an adapter of course? I have an old 35 mm film Nikkormat EL Camera bought new in the seventies. The lenses I have are:

Nikkor 28 mm 1 : 2.8 wide angle
Nikkor-H.C Auto 85 mm 1 : 1.8 portrait
Nikkor 200 mm 1 : 4 tele
Nikkor-Zoom 80~200 mm 1 : 4.5 zoom
Nikkor-Zoom 43~86 mm 1 : 3.5 zoom

Digital is all new to me so excuse my ignorance.

TEB

They will work on the mini35 with the nikon adapter..
dunno about the xl2... I'll take that 85mm if you don't end up using it.

Thomas

Any Nikon lens will work with the PS Technik Digital Image Coverter (also known as the "mini35") providing you have the Nikon mount for the mini35. With the mini35 you have the choice of various lens mount options (each sold seperately) ie. Canon, Nikon, Contax, PL, Panavision & Leica.

There are only two points you need to consider when using SLR lenses.

If they are "automatic" lenses (usually marked AF) then you are unable to set the aperature (f stop) of the lens. This means you are unable to control the exposure of the scene using the lens and would have to rely mainly on a variety of various rated ND filters.

Since your lenses are all the old manual kind (MF) then you can simply use the iris setting of the lens to reduce your light when necessary. However with the series 300 mini35's you can not shoot about f5.6 or you begin to see the spinning ground glass in the mini35. The new series 400 mini35 does not have this issue.

If using the mini35 with a Canon XL1 or XL2 you can use the secondary relay iris to also control light, but from my experience shooting with the mini35 I do not recommend any setting over 3.

Again based on my experience withi mini35, your lenses rated over f3.5 will work well outdoors on sunny days, but if it's overcast or you are shooting indoors I'd say f3.5 is not fast enough and you'd need a load of lighting to make up for it.