Hi all,
Basically i am looking to find anyone that has used nikon lenses using a simple adaptor and how they found the results,(hard to use,loss of quality etc) if anyone could shed some light on longer zoom work (wildlife,sport etc) i would be really appreciative.Thanks and keep up the good work

I am a purchaser of the LETUS ultimate. I am wondering what array of lenses(for the EX3/nikon) is worthy of consideration for overall use.

Hi Mick,

I am interested in the same adapter. I have been using a similar adapter with my Sony HVR Z7 HDV camera with fantastic result ! Mounted on the Z7 the SLR lenses become effectively x7 stronger and if you work with superb lenses you will get mind blowing results!
I assume it will be the same with the EX3 but the crop factor will be something around x5 (I think) and quality will be even better !!!
Two people that I know can make this adapter - Les Bosher Les Bosher - Camera Engineer (http://www.lesbosher.co.uk)
and Mike Tapa MTF SERVICES HOME PAGE (http://www.mtfservices.com)

Les has promised to get this adapter done very soon as he is working on this right now.
Mike Tapa hasn't answered my emails regarding this issue although I got the Z7/Nikon adapter from him and I am very happy with it.
When I hear something new I will let you know.

Cheers,
Ofer
http://www.oferlevyphotography.com

Ofer,

Thanks for the referral.
What lenses are you using?

Hey Bill,

My wifes family is from Las Cruces!
Do you know Dale Dannhaus?
How do you like your Ultimate?
I just sold the Extreme as it couldn't give me the higher shutter speeds I need.

Mike tapa makes the converter - and it works absolutely great. The EX3 with a Sigma 120-300mm lens - makes pictures that are very sharp and crispy.

Do you have any footage???
I just ordered the adapter from Mike's website.

Hi,

do these guys make or even consider developing a Canon mount for EX3? Funny that both of them doing Nikon only.

Problem with Canon EOS is that they don't have aperture rings. The FD lenses have a problem with the back-focus distance not being quite so accommodating to adapters. This is why there seems to be a Nikon bias, it's nothing personal!
Steve

Mike tapa makes the converter - and it works absolutely great. The EX3 with a Sigma 120-300mm lens - makes pictures that are very sharp and crispy.

Do you have the footage?
I'm concern about the magnification. It said that it will have 5.5 X magnification.

Do you have the footage?
I'm concern about the magnification. It said that it will have 5.5 X magnification.

Farishad, it's not really "magnification" so don't worry. There is no glass in the MTF adapter. Your camera simply crops the image that the 35mm lens is sending to it, because your sensor is much smaller than 35mm film. Actually it's about 5.5 times smaller. Makes better sense now right? This term "magnification" really throws people off when it comes to using adapters on video cameras. Delete that word from your mind. Insert "Cropping". Much less confusing.


Here are two frame grabs, both using the MTF adapter and a 300mm Nikon 2.8ED. The Long Billed Curlew (http://www.reelsense.net/QT/EX3/Curlew.tif) was shot with an HD200.

The Mallards (http://www.reelsense.net/QT/EX3/Mallards.tif) were shot with an EX3 - which I can't use very well yet to save my life. Only shot with it one weekend so far.


No worries on the MTF adapter. It's a fantastic piece of work, built/designed very well. You will be over joyed using it.

Hi Eric,

Your pics looks great. BTW the pic of the mallard shows two Northern Shoveler.

Main differences I see are much more resolution in the curlew and massively more detail enhancement in the shovelers. Thats's why they look sharper, but a really harsh look.
Steve

Mike, the MTF adapter (I have) is extremely useful. The first thing you notice though is that you don't have a hand grip to hold the camera however the camera becomes extremely light once you take the Fujinon lens off the body. There is no loss of clarity at all. So far I use standard primes. I haven't gone above a 105mm which would translate into roughly a 550mm lens on a 35mm camera. Obviously you are shooting completely in manual mode. It's fine.

The adapter seems pricey to some but being a short run machined unit I am not complaining. I think it is good value considering the flexibility it gives with inexpensive lens.

Main differences I see are much more resolution in the curlew and massively more detail enhancement in the shovelers. Thats's why they look sharper, but a really harsh look.
Steve

Hi Mick,
I have been using the Nikon to EX3 Mike Tapa's adapter for the last few months and I am extremely happy with the results.
Quality of the footage doesn't look inferior to what I am used to from my still photography.
Based on my experience my advice to you:
Use top quality lenses only. I mostly use the 300 f2.8 ED AIS, 400 f3,5 ED AIS, 500 f4 ED P and 600 f5.6 ED. All of them deliver stunning results when used properly:

I never use a teleconverter as it degrades the image way too much.
I only shoot in early morning or late afternoon light. No one should expect to get wonderful results in harsh light - this is not going to happen with any camera.
Avoid shooting wide open or too closed. I find that shooting at f8 - f11 delivers the best results with these long telephotos.
I mostly shoot at -3 gain.

Overall IMHO these are fantastic camera and adapter when used properly will deliver the goods - big time.
Good luck!
Ofer Levy Nature Photographer (http://www.oferlevyphotography.com)

I would have said it's the other way around. The Curlew looks enhanced, esp the bill/beak while the Shovelers look smoother and more natural.

I would have said it's the other way around. The Curlew looks enhanced, esp the bill/beak while the Shovelers look smoother and more natural.

Hey, stop using my name in vain!
;)
Cheers
Steve Shovlar

Sorry Alister, must be going crazy, that's what I meant to say! Curlew massive detail/sharpness enhancement, more res in the shovelers. Just got back from 8 hour Scotland drive, excuse my brain being a bit tired!
Steve

Just found this thread still active. I have nothing material in full HD on the web. But as said in other posts there is no glass in the adapter and therefore I do not suspect it to degrade the quality of the lens. Anyway I think using a teleconverter makes the picture less sharp and the iris should be between 5,6 and 11 for great pictures. With heavy weigt lenses you should use a support for the lens or else the video would shake when turning the focus. The Nikon lens adapter is really a great thing for me because I use a lot of tele and a lot of macro. The TVstations love pans showing a spider and not just pictures showing a black spot supposed to show a spider....

You guys are analyzing yourself silly. NEITHER the Shoveler nor the Curlew were/are detail enhanced - in the camera or in post. Actually I don't know this EX3 at all yet, so maybe by default it gets detail enhanced in camera (although not by my settings). But I know for sure that the HD200 image (Curlew) actually had it's detail set WAY down into the negative scale (ala Paolo Ciccone's True Color PP for the HD200). Both images however did get a quick 3-way color enhancement - including bringing down the blacks. Maybe that's what you guys see?

Here's the original, straight from the EX3 with 300mm Nikon & 1.4x extender, Shovelers (http://www.reelsense.net/QT/EX3/Shovlers_noCC.tif)(may God strike me down right now for misnaming them, by dropping a bucket load of Mallard poop on my windshield)

Here's the original, straight from the HD200 with 300mm Nikon, Curlew (http://www.Reelsense.net/QT/EX3/Curlew_noCC.tif)

I would not post a detail processed image - to show what a lens, an adapter, or a camera can do.

The Curlew still shows lots of image processing. Even with detail turned down or off all cameras still do some image processing. The curlew has a very electronic or video look while the ducks look more organic, more like film or indeed real life. It's this natural, high resolution but without edge correction look that I love from the EX.

The curlew has a noticeable black edge to the front of it's breast and a white edge around the tail feathers there is also a lot less fine detail. More contrast perhaps but less detail. The ducks on the other hand show beautiful intricate detail to the feathers without any black or white edges.

I think the extender is spoiling the duck image it is quite soft and at first I thought the focus was off, but I think it's the extender softening the entire image.

On opening the files in Photoshop I see that the Curlew shots is 2.64mb or 1280x720 and the Shovlers is 5.93mb or 1920 x 1080. Resolution will appear sharper at the lower resolution. If you downsize the Shovlers shot to 1280 x 720 then you will more or less have the same degree of sharpness. Of course the two shots have their own good and bad points (technically speaking) The Curlew has a higher contrast so appears to be sharper, but in reality I don't think this is the case, I am assuming it is the same lens you have used. It would be interesting to see an identical scene under controlled/repeatable conditions

Apply an Unsharp Mask filter to the Shovlers picture after downsizing and the image jumps out - Amount 100, Radius 1.0 pixels, Threshold 0. This could be applied to your footage too

Both those frame grabs are at the native resolution of the cameras/sensors that recorded them.

Same clip, seconds later GULLS (http://www.Reelsense.net/QT/EX3/Gulls.tif), straight from the HD200. I can't wait to get the EX3 set up as well as we had the JVC.

Keep working at it Eric, you will get there and beyond with the EX3

Seriously considering the Ex3 Nikon Adaptor, but the price is............well not cheap to say the least!

When I look on Ebay at those adaptors from Hong Kong for a fiver and compare, this adaptor seems extortionate in comparison. There's a Nikon adaptor from Hong Kong which is an extention tube. Has a similar Nikon mount and tube rather than a flange where the EX3 attaches, but is £4.99. Of course its not the same thing but not a lot different.

And its 57 times cheaper!

I understand the EX3 adaptor is of limited demand. I understand that MTS have to make a profit. I understand that no one is twisting my arm to buy it. But at £285 +VAT its Zacuto/VF Gadgets prices plus some extra.

Moan over. I want one but flippin' eck!!