For West Aussies Update
 

For those interested in groundglass based image relay to video, who want to see the real thing, Steve Rice has advised me that the new P+S Technik MINI35 "Compact" will be demonstrated here in the West at :-


Curtin University in Bentley - Monday 9/07/207 at 1pm.

FTI Fremantle - Tuesday 10/07/207 at 1pm.


I understand that a representative from the company, Mr. Tony Liberatore will be in attendance.

Steve currently operates a MINI35-400 on a JVC GY-HD100, with mattebox, follow-focus and other enhancements.

He bought in the MINI35 and geared a set of Nikon lenses after seeing the principle demonstrated by a home-made AGUS35.

I went along to the Curtin Uni demonstration day today at the studio in building 209. Quite interesting. Tony from P+S also brought along the Skater Dolly.

After the demo went into recess for coffee, I sat on the floor like a fool and played with this thing like a kid with a toy truck. Nobody was fool enough to ride it though I am sure it would be strong enough.

Groundlevel shots with a Mini35 and a Nikon 12mm - 24mm zoom I took along, retreating the dolly and zooming in to keep the subject sized the same was dead easy and looked stunning, even if the subject was an old telephone on the floor.

A remote control motorised option was also demonstrated.

A specimen of the Mini35 "compact" was there but not demonstrated. A 0.5 f-stop light loss is claimed for the version of the "compact" I looked at.

Unlike the fullsized Mini35, the version shown does not flip the image so is a marriage made in groundglass relay heaven for the HD250, is shorter and should be a natural for on-the-shoulder work.

It seems that individual "compact" models are specific for a particular camera type and not modular like the fullsized Mini35.

Whilst rods for mattebox exist on front of the unit, the carry-through rod support and universal camera mount/baseplate design of the Mini35 has been eliminated in the "compact" in favour of custom mounts for specific cameras.

Tony also mentioned an enquiry received regarding using the Mini35 for 35mm frame sized relay to Super16mm motion picture film cameras. I gave this a try earlier this year with an AGUS35 and a CP16R, so it seems my experiment might not have been such a fatuous one after all.

He wanted to take a picture of my homemade AGUS35 to go in a sort of rogue's gallery of ugly home made adaptors.

I consented to this after being assured in front of witnesses I was not going to be sued for patent infringment. People making their own one-offs for personal use apparently does not give P+S any grief.

The piece-de-resistence was a snorkel device which fits to PL mount and accepts PL mount lenses. If only this thing had been handy when in-car moving shots were needed 6 weeks ago.

Steve Rice then just about went into cardiac arrest when his JVC HD100 and the Mini35 took a ride on the hood of the vehicle on top of a Miller sucker and strapped down by flat webbing. DoP Jim Frater set it up and assured him it wasn't going any place it shouldn't and it didn't.

The show goes on again at FTI Fremantle tomorrow at 1pm.