Mark,
I assume you are referring to the Equalizer windscreen for the XL1's onboard mic. If so, the answer is no, there's really nothing wrong with keeping it on. You will, indeed, get some attenuation from any such device. Whether of not it's significant for your own work is really up to you.

I'd recommend doing an experiment in a quiet room with and without the windscreen so that you can determine just how pronounced its effects are on your sound. I've noticed that my Rycote Softies tend to smooth off some of the "esses" in dialog, but it's very hard for my ears to detect much of a difference otherwise.

Yes, the XL1S and PD150 are the weapons of choice over there.

No there is no reason you cannot leave it on all the time, since it does look cool. However, you will get some attenuation with the sock (Equalizer) on the mic.

Typically, I do take it off when conditions permit. Still the EQ is such an improvement over original windscreen I either use the EQ or nothing.

New Earplugs MDR-EX71SL
 

I have just been and got a pair of earplugs to use with my gear. They are the Sony MDR-EX71SL that are the new 2003 versions of the Fontopia earplug series. They are the Sony topguns of earplugs. I use Sennheiser closed back headphones and some AKG and even on the trains / metros I used these headphones...looking a bit like a nerd...but a lot of people comment how I must be a great music and quality fan - which I am. I hated earplugs and always gave them away when I got then. So I was a very hard one to convince...I love quality and hard to sway from good quality headphones, but using them with cam on shoulder sometimes they bang on side as they are a bit large for one cam+mic operation.

But I was in store and saw them and thought "those are the size earplugs should be" so I enquired about the price. Only to find that I was sent from one till to the next as they were the only ones on shelf and eventually after a few people and a few phonecalls no one was none the wiser. So the manager said "OK, the ones slighly larger a a bit cheaper so you can have them for £30. So got them as I was sure that it would be higher price. I looked on website and they dont exist there, so where the high street store got them I do not know.

Well I got them and they are brilliant!!! The bass and sound is very nice and crisp and outbeating some headphones i have tried at more that the price. I tried then on my 24bit system and even MP3s sound nice and crisp. I even tried them with Mexican Cumbia and Banda Music as it has lots of brass and bass, and I'm impressed with the sound and also reproduce "live feel" on unplugged music. With the XL1s they are nice and crisp and seem to protray all the ranges very well and seem great for on-cam, one man cam+mic setup.

They are great and work very well as closed back to block out sound. And fit very snug into the ear canal, not in the outer-region at some wierd angle like other crappy earplugs, and have nice soft rubber plug that grips nicely in ear canal and not itchy like other cheaper plugs. These are the business and nice break from slugging around Sennheisers when you dont need to measure pin-drop clairty on your recordings. I cannot wait to see how these handle in a loud enviroment at blocking out non-mic sounds, but what I have heard so far they are worth buying! So if you head earplugs, but feel like you could use them

For those interested the specs are:

SONY MDR-EX71SL
Driver Unit: Aperture 9mm (CCAW voice coil adoption)
Plug: Gold-plated, Stereo straight Mini Plug
Impedance: 16 ohms at 1 kHz
Sensitivity: 100 dB/mW
Power handling capacity: 100mW
Frequency Response: 6 - 23,000Hz

Anyone have dimensions for rods?
 

Hi all,

I am looking for the exact dimensions of support rods. I'm guessing they must be standard as they need to be interoperable between makes and applications (i.e. any follow-focus would fit on any rods), and I am planning to build my own as a fun project.
What I would need is the horizontal distance between them, the diameter of the rods, and of course the vertical distance between the rods' centers and the lens axis, assuming they sit an equal amount either side of the lens. I need this for an XL1 but I am assuming also that this information would be identical for any camera.
Does anyone have this info? Is there even a website somewhere with this kind of stuff on it?

Many thanks in advance,

Kai.

Standard rods for Chrosziel or cavision are 15mm spaced 60 mm centre to centre. I really don't think that you're going to get exact measurements re the lens axis centre to rods as all of the support brackets and associated mounts are adjustable. Are you thinking of machining your own?

Yes I will be machining my own. I never thought of the possibility of having them adjustable, and would want to avoid it really as I am hanging something heavy in front of my lens, so that ideally the thing would be as few parts as possible. Also it will make machining the thing easier/quicker...

Many thanks for your info.


Kai.

35-350 Lens Support System
 

Back again!

Jeff mentioned a lens support for the 35-350.

While reading this site I noticed this:

http://www.cavision.com/Mattbox/rods.htm

Anyone think this will work for the 35-350?

I don't want "junk" or something that I have to send back.

Input??

Thanks

Help with Monitor
 

I have a problem.

I have project Im committed to this weekend and am currently without a viewfinder for my Xl1s. I have untill friday to figure out a solution to my problem. I am thinking of getting a tv from walmart and using it as a monitor, then returning it after the shoot (I know its dishonest, but Im in a bind!). Is there any way to get the zebra pattern to show up with an external monitor?

Thanks,
Stephen

anyone using 1.6 extender
 

anyone using a 1.6 extender out there how do they like it, and is it still clear looking for something to use outdoors and when im in the back of room shooting at a podium.

I have a 16x manual lens which i wish had a doubler but perhaps the 1.6 could be of help any thoughts. thanks in advance for any feedback.

M

Michel, I use the 1.6 all the time. I use it primarily for wildlife and close-ups. Even with the 16x stock lens I get great video. I also use it with close-up adapters for incredible macro shots of insects. I have NOT tried to stack 2 or more of the 1.6's but maybe other have. I have not had and distorsion or focus problems with it. Bob Safay

Optimum wireless input on XL1
 

(For a wedding video environment) what would be the optimum input configuration for my wireless (EW112)---


1) conneted directly to the on-board mic input...or

2) connected via XLR connector(s) to my MA-100...or

3) connected with RCA adapter to the audio 1 or 2 inputs

Thanks in advance

Does anybody have any input on this particular topic? Thanks,

The shutter speed affects the light getting into the cam, not the frame capture. Frame capture is still 25/50. As shutter speed decreases, though, motion will appear blurred and the image will be lighter (assuming that aperture is not compensated). Faster shutter speed is good (assuming enough light) for 'freezing' motion, i.e. reducing blurring in faster action shots.

I bought a 1.6 and used it quite a bit. That is until I ponied up the big
bucks for an EOS adapter and a 100-400mm USM. The difference between
the two rigs is dramatic. The 1.6 looks pretty good, but it does soften the
image (which can be a good thing). The EOS combo is tons better
in both sharpness, color saturation and in ease of focus imo.

The EOS/100-400 rig fully zoomed out is about what the 16X/1.6 does
fully zoomed in.

Have fun!