Stupid n00b 35mm adapter questions... :D

[the_amo]

OK, just bought a second hand Vibrating 35mm adapter from eBay, and have some (actually many) questions about it... See if you can help me with any


First, these are some photos, taken in photo mode totally zoomed out (though with grain, because there wasn't much light) EDIT: They're taken without vibration. I'll try tomorrow to take some new ones with vibration activated





OK. From them, I've noticed that there is some vignetting, that the focusing screen is somewhat grainy, that light is lower than without any adapter, and that the DOF isn't reduced a lot.

So, I have questions for all these...

-Vignetting. Is my vignetting normal, or higher than normal? And how can I improve it, apart from just zooming in? Is it the adapter's fault, or the lens fault?

-Focusing screen. Do you think it's a bad one, or by the photographs you don't notice a bad quality? (I don't know if it's good, bad or normal). If it's a bad one... Can it be easily changed? I mean, the adapter is a DIY, but are these screen glued or fixed, or are they removable?

-Regarding the light, or the lack of... I HAVE noticed there is much less light than in normal mode. I have seen in other posts that aperture from the lens itself can fix this a bit. I have to try that. But can it also be the adapters fault?

_And, finally, how can I achieve a swallower DOF? Does it, once again, just depend on the lens or also on the adapter? And how can I know if a lens has more or less DOF?


Ok these are my questions :P. I have to tell you that I have almost no experience with these things, 35mm lens, adapters, etc. So please be conscious of that I've searched something like 20 threads for info, but I've just got puzzled so that's why I made this huge n00bish post. Sorry if it annoys or something.

So in conclusion, thanks for any answer you might give me, and sorry for bad english :P

[tkmslee]

First of all, you're zoomed out so it's hard to judge how the image will change after ou zoom in. Are you using an achromat or zoom lens between the camcorder and adapter? That will make a hug difference in vignetting.

[electro]

Yeah, first you need to set up the adapter.

Do you even have a lens?

[the_amo]

I'm not using any lens between teh cam and the adapter, but I am using one (a Canon) after the adapter

tomorrow I'll show you some zoomed in and vibrating pictures. I just thought that maybe seeing the "un-prepared" image would make easier to identify any problem.

thanks

[Cpt.Comix]

First of all, make proper footage, then we can help.

The adapter reduces light, the focussing screen reduces light, your lens reduces light. Everything that is attached in front of the HV20 lens, swallows light, even a simple UV filter. You need a lens with low aperture. Like 1.4 or 1.8 - they aren't that expensive.

Regarding the vignetting: get a proper lens.
Regarding the light loss: get a proper lens.

Also, high quality focussing screens ARE essential. Buy one!

There is no need to turn on the vibrating feature during recording, it will be blurry. It´s for removing the dirt if there is some.

You should read a little bit on the internet or in this forum, seems like you have not yet the basics of the 35mm adapter. I hadn´t these also, but believe, you will have much more fun if you have them, and you understand pretty much more

[markone]

You really should have an achromat between the camera and the 35mm adapter, this will magnify the image from the focusing screen, also you should zoom in to fill the screen so you don't see the edges of the focusing screen.. don't over zoom, but go as wide as you can without seeing the outer edges.

It would help to know what Canon lens you are using on the front of the adapter, as some lenses exhibit more vignetting than others, hopefully the lens you using has manual aperature, as the EOS auto lenses don't and will not work well with your adapter. Post a complete list of your gear, and how your using it, this will help us better diagnoise your problem.

Mark Carey
www.markonehd.com

[mattias]

There is no need to turn on the vibrating feature during recording, it will be blurry. It´s for removing the dirt if there is some.

i'm not sure what you mean. the vibration is most definitely meant to be on while recording, and it doesn't blur the image. any dirt and grain is blurred though, which is the idea. it doesn't remove any dirt, just makes it invisible. while recording. stop the motor and the dirt is back.

/matt

[Mal]

I've added "adapter" to the thread title.

[mattias]

thank you thank you thank you. :-)

/matt

[ZetKey]

Wow So many thanks just for adding "adapter" to the tread title LOL

[the_amo]

OK, I'm Back

Many thanks for the numerous replies, I'll try going one by one... But first,here are some photos with the cam zoomed in and vibration activated.








Of course, they're much better than the photos I put on the first post. I don't think the image is bad, but what I want with this thread (apart from learning more about 35mm adap) is to see how can I improve it.


@Cpt.Comix
-My lens is 1.8, it's just that I hadn't done the aperture trick, and aperture was too low. Anyway, I'll try to find a 1.4

-And, how do I know if a lens has more or less vignetting?

-Finally, I've read a lot in this forum about 35mm adpapters, but actually my attention has always been focused in the pictures, and not the words
Anyway, posts use to have one particular question, so I can't get much general info through that way. But I'll continue informing myself


@markone
-I don't have an achromat. But isn't it the same to zoom in with the cam? That way I don't loose more light and quality.

-My lenses are: an official Canon FD 50mm F1.8 and an old Tokina AT-x 28-85mm f3.5


@mal
Thx



Thanks again for your time.
I'll try uploading a video to vimeo later, with some test footage

[toxotis70]

I have the same setup, and i have the same vignetting...
I thought f1.8 it was enough but i thought wrong .
Canon f1.4 will be better or not ?

[the_amo]

Here's the video:
http://www.vimeo.com/887789

[CBarce]

You need an achromat so you can zoom the camera inside the vignetting on the ground glass. Nobody tells you this, but most adapters, though they have this rectangular frame on the ground glass holder, actually have to zoom inside that to avoid the vignetting. Thats what an achromat does.

Some adapter also use a consender between the GG and the camera to enlarge the image more so the zoom can be accomplished. My Lets35a is set up that way, and when I use it I still have to use a second achromat to get an adequate zoom.

I have just built an adapter using the $ 7 achromat from The SurplusShed, and an double set of Nikon extention tubes and the Canon EE-a screen. The EE-s screen seems to help reduce vignetting It works pretty well ! As good as the 35a, and maybe even better-- certainly faster.

[the_amo]

So then, it isn't the same as zooming right in with the hv20, right?

[Hannibalekta]

I have just built an adapter using the $ 7 achromat from The SurplusShed,

Hey, what is your distance between GG and achromat? I've got the same one and it's about 2,5 or 3 cm away from the GG. Is that to far? I'm not quiet satisfied with the picture. Furthermore I see lots of dust on the achromat lens and it's never gonna vibrate like my GG

[the_amo]

IMPORTANT UPDATE:
I've just realized my adapter is a Letus35 or 35A, 72mm

It's the same as This:
[/QUOTE]

Then every problem was the Canon lens's fault?

[CBarce]

As I said, I have the 35a. When you zoom about 1/3 of the way, you reach the end of cameras ability to focus on the ground glass. Today took the 35a achromat off, and married the 35a with my Cinevate achromat, and that does a great job.....problem is the 35a has no threads, so I had to use tape to join them for this test. Next is to form a better method of joining them.

[the_amo]

How did you take off the achromat??