Lens cap for setting the aperture and exposure is finally here at DVinfo.net
DV Info Net

Go Back   DV Info Net > Canon EOS / MXF / AVCHD / HDV / DV Camera Systems > Canon XA and VIXIA Series AVCHD Camcorders > Canon VIXIA Series AVCHD and HDV Camcorders

Canon VIXIA Series AVCHD and HDV Camcorders
For VIXIA / LEGRIA Series (HF G, HF S, HF and HV) consumer camcorders.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old February 4th, 2008, 09:29 PM   #1
Trustee
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Niagara Ontario Canada
Posts: 1,121
Lens cap for setting the aperture and exposure is finally here

DVinfo users,

I just finished the long road of testing and development of a lighted lens cap called the "Lytecap" - for the Canon HV20/HV30 that gives the user the ability to set the aperture at 2.8 (or any range) whenever they desire. At 2.8, there is 0dB of gain to the image from the range of +6 to -11 when clicking through the exposure.

The Lytecap fits over the barrel of the hv20/hv30 and makes setting the aperture easy as pie.

Have a look at the site :

http://www.lytecap.com

I am a member here, so I hope this is taken the right way - just trying to get the word out to help the hv20 owners and budding film-makers (it will help me as well, I can't lie).
David Delaney is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 5th, 2008, 07:20 AM   #2
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: England
Posts: 53
Very interesting mate!

How does this work exactly (Im not expecting details on design, just what it allows you to do).

Im a newbie to all this, so please forgive me.

Does this device allow you set exposure, and shutter speed separately now?

Thanks for posting
Jim
James Millward is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 5th, 2008, 08:03 AM   #3
Obstreperous Rex
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: San Marcos, TX
Posts: 27,368
Images: 513
Quote:
Originally Posted by David Delaney View Post
I am a member here, so I hope this is taken the right way.
It's all good, David -- thanks for posting this!
__________________
CH

Search DV Info Net | 20 years of DVi | ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!
Chris Hurd is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 5th, 2008, 12:58 PM   #4
Trustee
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Niagara Ontario Canada
Posts: 1,121
The user has always been able to set the exposure manually and lock it, but you were getting camera GAIN with the wrong aperture. With a 2.8 aperture (which you can select with the Lytecap), you get 0dB of gain throughout the entire manual exposure of -11 to +6. This leads to a more filmic look.
This also helps with shooting films or shorts because you can set the HV20/HV30 to the same aperture and exposure each and every time.

Thanks for the props Chris!

http://www.lytecap.com
David Delaney is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 8th, 2008, 10:45 PM   #5
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 78
thanks

Thanks. Pretty interesting. I have my 35mm adapter (Brevis) always attached to the cam, so I'll wait to see what your version for DOF adapters looks like. Keep us posted.
Michael Panfeld is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 10th, 2008, 03:44 PM   #6
Trustee
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Niagara Ontario Canada
Posts: 1,121
Looking into working out a different version for 35mm lenses adapters. After I get all the orders out, I will continue with the testing. I have only the Letus35A at home, but it should be close enough to the others to have the desired effect.

Thanks for the interest.
David Delaney is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 14th, 2008, 07:29 PM   #7
Trustee
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Niagara Ontario Canada
Posts: 1,121
Ok, I finally put up a video showing a walk-through of using the Lytecap (where I found time to do this, is still a mystery to me).

http://www.lytecap.com/multimedia.htm
David Delaney is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 17th, 2008, 01:48 PM   #8
Trustee
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Niagara Ontario Canada
Posts: 1,121
A note :
If anyone has emailed me about the Lytecap and NOT received a reply, please let me know - my email is giving me a bit of grief...
David Delaney is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 17th, 2008, 02:32 PM   #9
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Cary, NC
Posts: 132
This really is a good idea. Congrats.

I'm sure it will help a lot of people out there, myself included. For 20 bucks especially.

Like Michael said - would be especially great to see one for 35mm lenses. However i don't know off the top of my head how this would work, because you usually have to zoom out completely in the HV20 when you lock the exposure. (this isn't REQUIRED, but its usually the way you wanna do it i thought). So zooming in and out and having to set the backfocus may be tricky. No more tricky than we already have to do, but i wonder if there is a way to compensate with the Lytecap so no zooming is necessary?

I don't know.

Great job!
Dale Backus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 17th, 2008, 10:19 PM   #10
Trustee
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Niagara Ontario Canada
Posts: 1,121
There isn't any issue with zooming in. The gain stays at 0dB once you set the aperture to 2.8 the first time and lock it. After testing the HV20 1/2 zoomed in and fully zoomed in, I adjusted the exposure from 0 to +6 for both zoomed settings and the gain is always 0dB, so that is great news.
Tonight I actually came up with a way to connect the Lytecap to 35mm adapters, but haven't had a chance to test it out. Fingers crossed.
David Delaney is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 18th, 2008, 12:42 AM   #11
Inner Circle
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Elk Grove CA
Posts: 6,838
David:

1. Help me out here so I understand. Why is 2.8 magical and how do you know that gain will not be employed.

2. I shoot in Cine mode exclusively, and I see in your demo that this covers TV mode. Does the cap work in that mode too ? I usually adjust my Cine mode setting until I get 1/48 of a second, then I thought I could depend on that in Cine mode, no gain would be added.

Thanks for the cool device ! I shoot with the 35a too, and will be courious how the testing works out, and how it is adapted
__________________
Chris J. Barcellos
Chris Barcellos is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 18th, 2008, 02:21 AM   #12
Regular Crew
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Cary, NC
Posts: 132
Interesting... glad to hear you've got it figured out!
Dale Backus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 18th, 2008, 10:15 AM   #13
Trustee
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Niagara Ontario Canada
Posts: 1,121
Chris,

Barry Green can explain things more elegantly than I can.
http://www.dvxuser.com/jason/hv20/
David Delaney is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 18th, 2008, 11:45 AM   #14
Trustee
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Niagara Ontario Canada
Posts: 1,121
Chris, I have also updated my blog which explains what I did to get the 0db of gain.
David Delaney is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 18th, 2008, 12:30 PM   #15
Inner Circle
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Elk Grove CA
Posts: 6,838
Thanks for that link to Barry's page again. It does confirm what I have been trying to do with Cine mode. So have you developed a process with your lens cap light that works in Cine mode ?
__________________
Chris J. Barcellos
Chris Barcellos is offline   Reply
Reply

DV Info Net refers all where-to-buy and where-to-rent questions exclusively to these trusted full line dealers and rental houses...

B&H Photo Video
(866) 521-7381
New York, NY USA

Scan Computers Int. Ltd.
+44 0871-472-4747
Bolton, Lancashire UK


DV Info Net also encourages you to support local businesses and buy from an authorized dealer in your neighborhood.
  You are here: DV Info Net > Canon EOS / MXF / AVCHD / HDV / DV Camera Systems > Canon XA and VIXIA Series AVCHD Camcorders > Canon VIXIA Series AVCHD and HDV Camcorders

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

 



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:00 PM.


DV Info Net -- Real Names, Real People, Real Info!
1998-2024 The Digital Video Information Network