Various M35 topics
 

Using pre-Assembled version with existing rails/support

I'm currently using a 4x4 Chrosziel MB (it's the 411-53 complete with french flag/side wings and 15mm support rods) with my DVX100A and of course I'm interested if I would be able to still use most of this stuff with a pre-assembled version of the Micro35.
So for folks like me there should be a version available only including the unit itself and no supporting system at all I guess.
Of course I will have to get extension rods because of the additional length required when mounting the Micro35 + lenses in between the MB and the DVX.
Furthermore I would be interested (because of my limited 35mm lense knowledge) if the 411-53 would be okay with most commonly used 35mm lenses in regard to vignetting etc.
Thanks in advance! :)

Cheers,
-Sören

PS: James did I interpret your last posts correctly and you started manufacturing of pre-assembled units? How much would something like that (adapter without support/rods/rails) cost me - and is there already a (long?!) queue set up (=how many weeks/months waiting time is there already ;o) in regard to pre-assembled units...

Soeren,
I don't have a price for just the adapter without rails. If more people ask for this option, I'll probably create a price for it. I'm breaking down everything into parts for everyone to order from now. So if you just need a gg, then you'll be able to buy one.

You can get really wide with 35mm lenses and my guess is that you'll start to vignetting at some point. I just got a 12-24mm Sigma and I'm sure it would vignette at 12.

I'm selectivly taking DVX100A orders to help get the production line finalized.

James

Thanks James for taking the time!

Well if you need a case/user in regard to pre-assembled kit usage with existing Chrosziel support & rods etc. - count me in! ;-P

So the normal pre-assembled kit would include the adapter, rails and also the support plate?! Or only adaper & rails? Of course I would take that too if the adapter is the most expensive part and it wouldn't save much nonetheless to get it without rails & support...

I'm currently in the process of switching to the Sony-Z1E (the european version of the Z1U) ... but I guess that shouldn't make a big difference because it's 72mm and pretty wide angle as well (about the same as the DVX).

I'd be very much interested in an adapter-only version but for the estimated 5 grand I'd take the full fledged one too. ;)
So how could one "apply" to be selected? :-))

Not much info on the site
 

James, will you be placing more information on your site for potential buyers? It would be good to know if you need to buy anything else other than the adapter for your camera or not. What exactly it comes with - rails included? Cost.

Even the manual order doesn't state what included in the manual? i.e. Does it list suppliers of parts? Does it have metric measurements? etc.

Cheers
Aaron

what run-and-gun should mount for micro35?
 

question, (I'm getting way ahead now) what would be a good shoulder mount with rails even longer , to support this ???

and I'm not talking about a full size DV rig pro ( I already have a magiqcam ) , so just looking for a run-and-gun light shoulder mount with 2 handles ?

James ? any idea ?

Hey Wesley,
It depends on the camera. If the camera has an eyepiece like the XL1/XL2, then there are several solutions out there. Check B&H.

For the Flip-out LCDs, that's a different story because the camera has to be pretty far forward so you can see the lcd. I've got a design for the DVX that will allow you to mount handles to the micro35 rails. Then a small plate under the rail mounting plate. I also added some weight to the back to help keep things balanced. I'm sure it would work for most cameras.... I'm sure it will make the product list.

James
www.micro35.com

Yes James, I'm using a DVX 100A too.

I'm anticipating your kit package now, as I doubt I'll find the parts in your book in Singapore here.


Pray tell when you're shipping it ! and how I can make payment to you !!

DIY Kit vs. pre-assembled
 

(Since I didn't see this thread anywhere else I figured to start a new one)

Which should we buy, the DIY kit or the pre-assembled unit? I'd like to think I'm like other people on this board in that I have experience as a DP, but very little (read: none) building my own 35mm adapter. Sure, I'm handy and have had to jerry rig a lot of weird stuff, but building my own micro35 from a kit, aahhh.. I just don't know.

How are others feeling about this, and perhaps James could comment on the skillset and tools required to build this thing (while we await our guides :-) )

Cheers

Brian

personally i think if you dont have alot of patience for alot of things, you will probably want to buy the kit pre-assembled... but i for one like building things and learning how to make things and all that jazz ... not matter how long it takes, but other people want it now now now! you either gotta be will to take the risk that you might mess up something while building it and learn from it or just not waste your time and buy one pre built.

thats my .02 cents.

cody

That's good points and I share your desire for hands-on. I guess for me it was more reflecting on skill required vs. desire. I love to work on it and learn, but I don't relish the idea of spending $250 for the kit and messing it up.

This is cool...
 

I for one am thrilled about the kits and the guides actually being an option here for consideration in addition to buying the "ready-made" version...

I am curious and would like to build from the kit but have to admit that I want the FIRST unit I get to be the pre-assembled one.

That way, I know what I should strive for in terms of assembling the kit from scratch.

I teach at a film school here in Toronto and I already discussed the notion of the kits as being a project for our students doing the production courses - what better way to help them understand the advantage that such a system would afford when they're say shooting with DVX or HDV?

This is great and I know everyone is eager... I am waiting on the edge of my seat - James, no more trips!

Unless of course you're coming my way to deliver my micro 35!

Cheers, everyone!

Something tells me we're coming up on the "7th innning stretch...?"

Mark

Questions
 

What is mailing address? There is no Pay Pal for some countries.

Is it designed to work with Sony FX1?

If I buy kit for 250 USD, does it include close up lens? Does it include the rails to which follow focus and matte box fit?

Have you shot resolution charts with Sony HDV and compared them to no 35 mm adaptor shots?

Is there vibration that effects extremely long telephotos?

How many F stops you lose with the adapter?

What mount the adopter comes with? Is it T mount, or what?

Hi Radek - several of your questions are answered throughout this list, but here are a couple of answers as I understand them:

What is mailing address? There is no Pay Pal for some countries. -

GO TO WWW.MICRO35.COM FOR MORE INFO ON ORDERING, THOUGH YOU CAN'T ORDER ONE YET

If I buy kit for 250 USD, does it include close up lens? Does it include the rails to which follow focus and matte box fit?

THERE IS NO LENS WITH THE KIT, AND I UNDERSTAND THE PLAN IS TO HAVE THE RAILS AS PART OF THE KIT

How many F stops you lose with the adapter?

ABOUT TWO

What mount the adopter comes with? Is it T mount, or what?

JAMES IS WORKING ON A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT MOUNTS - NO CLEAR ANSWER YET (AT LEAST THAT I'VE HEARD)

Hey Wesley,

I'm from Singapore too, however, I am currently in Hollywood, Universal Studios, taking a 1 year course in Filmmaking and Directing.

I will be returning to Singapore during the summer for a 2 month holiday, and to check out the indie scene there, which I last saw was next to nothing. Anyway, e-mail me at daryl@fong.com.sg if you wish to meet up or chat or whatever.

I currently own an XL2 and a Mini-35 300 series. Both are NTSC versions. I realize that on the Mini-35, you must have the apertures or f-stops as open as possible so as not to see the circular gg spinning. I use Nikon lenses at 1.4 to 2.8 for the best results. Anything higher than 2.8 and I can see the gg spinning. Guessing because the XL2 has a higher resolution.

Just wondering if the Micro-35 will have the same problem? Especially when it comes to f-stops higher than 3.5 or 4. I heard it doesn't use an oscillating gg and the image might be inverted. I know James hasn't tested it out on an XL2 yet, and I can't wait till he does. Would like to get a Micro-35 and test it out for myself too.

Mattebox/Focus Puller When Using micro35?
 

I'm close to purchasing a Cavision mattebox and focus puller for my Sony Z1U - but the possibility of getting a micro35 to work on the thing sometime soonish is giving me pause.

Am I correct in surmising that the mattebox wouldn't fit the lenses we'd be using and the focus puller would be useless as we wouldn't actually be focusing with the Z1U?

Any insight welcome.

FYI--the mechanism is a follow focus; the individual who uses it is a focus puller.

Thanks Charles! Er, imagine I substitute "follow focus" for "focus puller", might you then have any insight into answers to the actual question?

If you buy a mattebox that rides on 15mm rods, it should fit any lens. You might have to attach a rubber wide angle lens hood to your lens to keep light from striking the back side of your filters if the lens has a small O.D.

The follow focus will work with any lens that has a focus gear installed. Provided, of course, it had the same tooth pitch as the gear on the FF. It would be a pain to use the little rubber (or plastic, can't remember) gear that Cavision uses on the lens.

<<If you buy a mattebox that rides on 15mm rods, it should fit any lens>>

well, not really...there are some mighty large diameter lenses out there, both in the cine and still 35mm worlds. A 4x4 mattebox that is standard issue for DV these days will vignette with many wide angle 35mm lenses also.

Steven, your question about the follow focus depends on what lenses you will be using with the Micro35 or whatever adaptor you are planning on. As Larry pointed out, a good f.f. will have interchangeable gears that will be compatible with any lens. I have 32 pitch (Cine standard), Canon and Fuji for mine.

You are right, Charles. I should have said "most any lens". My 4x4 Chrosziel works fine with my 18mm lens, but I wouldn't even think about mounting it in front of my 10mm. Sorry if my statement was misleading.

Many thanks guys! I think I'll put off any MB and FF purchase at least a week or two until I get a better sense of how real the micro35 is. I think people will remain split as to whether what James has put together is a revolution or something akin to a hoax until guides/gg actually start landing in mailboxes.

More questions
 

I was wondering if there would be a way to attatch the adapter directly to the lens mount for cameras with removable lenses (i.e. XL1/1s/2) so those of us with such cameras won't have to deal with the elongation of an already enormous lens.

The mount situation has been taken care of. Nikon, Canon AF and MF, pentax, PL, and OCT-19 will be available.

New pics of the new mounts will debut on the new website.

see you soon!


james
www.micro35.com

That's great - best news I've heard all week - Thanks James!

Patent
 

P+S has some patent on adapter in Europe, I think. If I have unit shipped to Europe, is there problem? Is U.S. O.K. ragarding patent stuff?

Radek you shouldn´t worry, as long as you get your machine and use it, it´s ok.

But i don´t know what would happend if you try to sell it, then, if it´s in a minor scale i don´t really think you will bring their attention, but at a big one dragging lot of publicity, there sure be a clash of interest.

P+S have the problem anyway asking this huge money for a tageting market of poor indie filmakers!

The most important tool for somebody like me is a camera, the mini is an accesory, so it shouldn´t be more expensive than it. James is doing a great job trying to make the Micro work.

I´m waiting anxiously, lucky that meanwhile there´s NAB to mess around!

James
 

Hey, can we get an exact ship date? You get asked at least once a day on these forums, and the response is always "sometime this week"... pleeassseee tell us the truth. What day are you shipping? This week? Thanks

Micro35 and AG-HVX-200
 

James - any thoughts on the compatibility with the forthcoming panny HD camera?
thanks

we are....
 

going to see a whole lot of flurry after next week. Certainly, 35mm lens used in combo with the new panny HD cam will be a very sweet thing.

no kidding - I can't wait to see what kinds of images that combo produces. I can't even imagine...

16x9 with GS400
 

Hi,

I am very interested in the adapter, however just wondering will I be able to shoot in widescreen using a Panasonic GS400 in 16x9 mode?

Thanks

Robert

GS400 - smaller than 72mm of DVX....
 

the GS400 is smaller lens diameter than 72mm of the DVX for which micro35 is currently customized...

as an ardent future end-user of micro35, I welcome the possibility for other cams to be supported...

The GS400 certainly is a great little camera very worthy of having some sort of d.o.f. solution realized... it's a great value for the money - if I had to suddenly buy a new cam, with limited funds, I'd take the GS400...

You might be able to use "step-up" rings to get the adapter to fit - but your actual field of view and maybe another type of condenser/macro would be different at the "back end" of the micro35 to make it work for the GS400...

Good luck!

micro35 on the Sony Z1 HDV ?
 

Anyone knows if this will fit/work too ? on top of the Pd-150/170s.

Z1 has same 72mm thread as DVX...
 

My hunch, having shot extensively with both DVX and Sony HDV FX1/Z1, is that tweaking the micro35 for Sony HDV will be minimal to negligible - both share 72mm thread... from using various wide angle adapters etc. between the two cams, the fields of view seem pretty similar, as is the zoom/macro capability - maybe to get it perfect, the "back end" of the micro35 (the part that attaches to the camcorder) will need some tweaking in terms of condenser/macro fine-tuning of distances to make it "bang-on" but it shouldn't be too big a hassle...

I too am very excited to try out the micro35 with Sony HDV - it should rock!

Though one does wonder if these adapters are up to the HD challenge. We see a resolution loss even in SD so I'm guessing the image would be rather poor in HD.

The director, Christopher Haring (insert oomlots onto the "a" please) has shot two really well made music videos with the FX-1 and the micro35. The results are amazing, and I'm still trying to buy the music.

The Z1 will give you added benefits.
Discussed on another thread here.
See "Emanuella" and "Such a Surge."

http://www.hmanvisions.com/links.html

Jeff Patnaude

Jeff, excellent point
 

I just saw the new "Magnum" clip too - I think the FX1/Z1 may actually hold an important advantage for the micro35 due to its inherent low-light superiority - everyone with these type of adaptors talk about the fact that because you're shooting through additional elements (ie. glass, focusing screens or gg's, etc.) you lose stops - well, the opening to Magnum clip at night is incredible...

also, don't forget that Olivier dude from Blacksheep who's got the home-made adaptor - their system is more primitive due to static, home-made design - but they've achieved some impressive results.

Haering's stuff shows yes, we MUST HAVE micro35 for Sony HDV...

And now that Sony Vegas 6 NLE allows Sony HDV to achieve TRUE 24p (yes, it's true! - check out the news... it's EVERYWHERE)...

James and Redrock - pls. do not neglect Sony HDV - I'd say it's definitely a priority over say developing for PD-150 or XL2... if you've chosen the XL2, you're not WORTHY enough a shooter to DESERVE d.o.f....

Oh geez - I'm just kidding folks!!!

Smile!

Weren't these shot with the mini35 not the micro35?

It's really hard to tell resolution from compressed files. Any chance we could get a res chart shot?

Mark,
Sony is next my friend, and I can't wait!

james
www.micro35.com

James...
 

if I ever have children, and if I ever a son... I'll name him...

Micro 35...

Now, wait...

"James."

Thank you, dude! That is the news I wanted to hear!