I tried setting up my Ex-1 last night with both a Letus EX and a Brevis Flip and in both cases had a bad time getting anything close to decent corner focusing. Anybody else try this ? How did it work for you?

Lenny Levy

Philip Bloom bro.....
Look him up.
http://www.philipbloom.co.uk/Philip_Bloom/Home.html

tried Philip - no reply yet.

I know with the Redrock M2, you need about 2" of spacers, at least that what they said.

I haven't tried my Redrock M2 with my EX1, but will soon.

A quote from Letus Forum:

"Some EX1 users may experience a spherical anomaly from the EX1 lens. For example. on our test EX1, the right side of the screen seems to be darker than the left. If we swing it quickly to the left and return just a bit, it goes away and then reappears. This indicates there is something going on with the hardware of the EX1.

For the focusing issues, we have looked at the EX1 lens and will have a solution to compensate for the problem is in production now.

This is NOT a problem with Letus35 Extreme, it is the problem with the Sony EX1.

In the mean time, please see this image for focusing help.

http://www.letusdirect.com/images/misc/EX1-focus-help.jpg
-DeGrey"

I am able to get very good focus with this method, takes a little tweaking though.

This is how I achieve "Critical Focus" with the EX1 and LetusEX QT movie shows how @
http://web.mac.com/stevecahill/Steve_Cahills_Blog/Blog/Entries/2008/1/13_Critical_Focus.html

Steve thanks for that! I whish I had seen that when I first got the LEX. Would have saved me a lot of time testing and writing questions to Letus :)

Sami

Thanks Sami and Steve, I'll watch the blog vidoe and see what's possible.

Well i just watched the video and I guess there's no trick it just depends on what you're shooting and what you're doing with it. At least I know that everyone is having the same issue and that the manufacturers are working on it.

Thanks, Can't wait for a fix though.

By the way, for what its worth, my method of working with any adapter is to carry a 3-4' resolution chart with me on the set and double check the focus whenever i can with the 35mm lens on the rig., I just back & forth beween the 35mm focus and the video cam. Seems very safe and relaible. Of course it wouldn't work if you like Philip out by yourself shooting gorgeous landscapes, but on a set its reliable.

Lenny

I have the M2 and have been tweaking to get the perfect balance. I have similar problems with the edges but not light/dark issues so much as clarity. I find it similar to what I have achieved with my XH-A1 and prior FX1. Perfection is tough and the EX1 and adapter are only part of the chain. A lot also has to do with the lenses you use and I wish I had some Zeiss primes. These were focused dead-center so I am going to try the off-center suggestion. Here are a couple of pictures of my focus tests using cheap old nikon primes.

Pics of setup:
http://www.tampahighdef.com/exfocus/fullexrig.jpg
http://www.tampahighdef.com/exfocus/closeup.jpg

Focus tests:
http://www.tampahighdef.com/exfocus/nikon50.jpg
http://www.tampahighdef.com/exfocus/nikon100.jpg

One more test, less zoom, further from the camera.

http://www.tampahighdef.com/exfocus/nikon50mm-0130.jpg

Just did a audio interview with Phil Bloom over @
http://web.mac.com/stevecahill/Steve_Cahills_Blog/Blog/Entries/2008/1/30_Meet_Philip_Bloom.html

Also a interview with Hein Le with Letus over @
http://web.mac.com/stevecahill/Steve_Cahills_Blog/Blog/Entries/2008/1/28_Meet_Hien_Le_Letus_Company.html

did hien say how far out he is with the achromat/diopter for the EX1
vince

Not in the interview.. My guess real soon. I will post a critical focus test as soon as I get my glass, for all to see. Standby.....

good news. eager to see the results.

vince

don't listen to my interview. It's nonsense.

On my dungeness short i got some cracking edge to edge with the ex1 and letus. Just wish i knew what I did.

I to am waiting for the letus fix. I expect it will be a must buy for anyone with a Brevis too (perhaps the SGPRO?) as it will fix that close up focus issue.

sorry for the slow reply Lenny, been having a very busy week. Am shagged and need a long sleep! Love to know if anyone has more luck than me with the brevis/ flip/ ex1

Had a EX1 on loan over the weekend to tryout, amazing camera! I hate to say it but I think might produces a better picture than my Xdcam F350. I own a Brevis and the Flip which I usually use on my HVX200. The flip is a great improvement over the standard unit, not just that the image is the right way up, but the longer optical path means the HVX is now focused at about 6 feet (rather than macro) and on the longer end of the zoom. This gives much better edge to edge sharpness. I've always liked the look of the Brevis, but now it is even better!
Getting to the point, I tried it on the EX and it works OK. The edge to edge sharpness is not great and there is some darkening on the left and right of the screen. I think it related to the Fuji zoom not the Brevis. If you zoom out enough to see the whole focusing screen of the Brevis there is no light falloff or edge softness. As you slowly zoom in the edges of the frame darken and go soft. I don't think it is enough to stop me shooting with an adapter, the images still look beautiful and the problem is not that obvious in real images as in test charts.

Hi!

I tried out my EX1 with my Brevis flip (CF1Le) yesterday and got pretty good results. Of course the same edge softness appered as with the Letus, but it is absolutely useable! And I must point out, in the areas where there is focus(3/4) the image is increadibly sharp!
What anoys me though is how the Brevis attaches to the camera. Should be some kind of quick look mechanism.

I don't think it is enough to stop me shooting with an adapter, the images still look beautiful and the problem is not that obvious in real images as in test charts.

I agree completely. Especially as these HD cameras keep getting better and better, the extra lenses and adapter glass tradeoffs become somewhat more obvious to us. The end result is what matters.

I don't know how you guys tolerate "its good in 3/4 of the image". I get fired for 3/4 sharp. I can't afford to do a job and have the director who I've just sold on the beauties of using an adapter say - : " what the hell is wrong with corners" - its just not professional.
I tested yesterday and found it was tolerable @ 5.6 and above on the EX-1. better at f8 but wide open on the EX - yikes.

- Lenny Levy

Letus, Redrock, Letus, Redrock??? It seems the Redrock has taken a back seat when matched to the EX1 versus Letus. Is this because one is better than the other or is one being promoted better by contributors to this forum. I'm trying to make a good buying decision and want to cut thru the fluff.

Jack,
There is more information than anyone could possibly absorb on the 35mm adapter forum. You left out the SGPro and the Brevis which are just as popular as the other two. Of the three the Redrock has so far not changed hardly at all in the last 2 years while the other manufacturers have been constantly improving their units. There are pros and cons to all of these products and discussing them can get pretty complicated.

Tony above said: "If you zoom out enough to see the whole focusing screen of the Brevis there is no light falloff or edge softness." All I can say is I saw serious softness in the corners of all the adapters on the EX though I haven't tested the SG with its own flip.

My belief is that if you want to use one for the Ex, I would wait until the adapter makers (mainly Brevis and/or Letus) revamp their optics to handle the EX.
You can get some good images out any of the 3 on the EX right now (don't know about redrock), especially if you're outside, but if you are indoors in a production situation I think you will be in trouble. It depends what kind of work you do. If you cut and direct your own stuff it doesn't matter.

lenny levy

Phil, On my Ex-1 I tested the Brevis Flip with a Brevis and an SGPro Rev2, as well as a Letus yesterday.

Oddly I had the opposite experience and had the best luck with the Brevis Flip on Brevis adapter. All I looked at was charts though and they all looked soft in the corners with the video camera open anywhere beyond f5.6. I felt Brevis had the least vignetting though and the flatest field. No shadow on the right side. Its possible the Letus was sharper in the center, but I was looking for the best compromise focus spot between corners and center. What f stop have you been using your EX at when shooting with the letus? I thought they all looked pretty good at f8.

Jack,

I have had the Redrock M2 for 3 years now and have been pleased with the results I have gotten with an FX1 and XH-A1. That said, I think it is hard to quantify objectively against others since there has not been that many objective comparisons. I was thinking of buying the Letus but am holding off for now since I don't know if I would really gain anything over the M2. I would like to see some focus chart tests with the Letus and EX1. I put my better tries up with the Redrock M2 earlier in this post. Is there anyone who can post some Letus resolution chart tests? I know there is a fix coming for the Letus and EX1 but I would like to see ANY resolution test in 1920X1080 because I would like to know if it would really be a better solution for the EX1.

Bryan

You want sharp, have you tried a Lensbabies, see the blog @

http://web.mac.com/stevecahill/Steve_Cahills_Blog/Blog/Blog.html

Steve, thanks for the tip. I just happen to have a Lensbaby. My edge focus issues are completely cured :)

http://www.tampahighdef.com/lensbabyfocus.jpg

About edge-to-edge sharpness on the EX1 (Letus Extreme)

I've ordered a letus for it myself and the problem with sharpness in the edges it's an issue with the EX1 - not the Letus. Of course the EX1 is sharp without the adapter but it's not the same as other cameras.

However - Aaron at Letus told me that they are making a screw-on adapter to put in between the fujinon lens and the letus so that you get edge to edge sharpness.

Looking forward to this

we've been testing the EX with the P+S tecknik and so far so good.

Jim Martin
Birns & Sawyer

[QUOTE=Jim Martin;822959]we've been testing the EX with the P+S tecknik and so far so good.


Jim,

Not sure what that means. Do you have sharp corners when the EX is wide open?

Lenny Levy

Jim, what upgrade is needed to get the P&S 400 to accept the EX1?

When the lens Dept finishes and they're happy, I let you know the details......at least the ones I undrstand

Jim Martin

What anoys me though is how the Brevis attaches to the camera. Should be some kind of quick look mechanism.

I kinda hate that as well. They say they're working on a quick release for it.

Brevis- has alot of set screws, they need a all in one unit, too much can get out of adjustment, perhaps their next gen will be good.