Letus FE vs Letus Extreme at DVinfo.net

Yang Wen · October 12th, 2007, 03:36 PM

I want to get a Letus FE for my DVX for wedding use. I've read about sub par construction quality of the FE, it seems like the Extreme with its aluminum body can fare better.

One major issue though is weight. does the Extreme require the use of rods?

WHat do you guys have to say about the build quality of the FE in general?

Aaron Pinto · October 13th, 2007, 11:14 AM

Yes, the Extreme works best with a set of rods. I have attached a demo unit to my camera without rods for testing and it worked but that is a lot of weight to hang off the filter threads. So, I would say that rods are HIGHLY recommended.

Comparing the Extreme to the Flip is apples and oranges. The Extreme is using a prism instead of a mirror like the Flip uses. They are two entirely different adapters. The Extreme is solid milled aluminum while the flip is a plastic/aluminum composite.

You can see a comparison chart of the adapters here:
http://www.letusdirect.com/letus35-c...son-chart.html

The Flip is still a solid performer. If you are on a budget, the Flip will still shoot excellent footage (you can see some sample footage on LetusDirect.com for both the Extreme and Flip).

Another option is to split the difference with the Economy. This uses the new internals of the Extreme coupled with the plastic/aluminum build style of the Flip. This keeps the cost and weight of the Economy down.

If you can't decide between the Extreme or the Flip, the Economy is a great mix of both worlds.

If you have any specific questions about any of these adapters, please do not hesitate to contact me directly. I would be more than happy to help.

Yang Wen · October 15th, 2007, 10:07 AM

Aaron,

I want to use this for wedding videography. I suppose with a support rod system, the Extreme will be too cumbersome to add/remove ?

Will the Economy work well without rods? I'm assuming the use of the prism results in the meager 1/2 stops of light lose? Are there any other benefits?

Aaron Pinto · October 16th, 2007, 07:16 PM

The Economy should be fine without rods if your 35mm lens isn't very heavy. It's really up to you. I personally don't run any adapter without a rods support system in place just to be on the safe side.

I have a set of Cavision MiniDV rods on my XH-A1 / Flip combo and it's pretty quick to take off. I simply remove the rods then un-thread the Flip. I can do that in under a minute and be back to the plain camera.

Peter Sieben · October 17th, 2007, 01:33 PM

Hi Aaron,

I read your suggestions about the rods. Yesterday I took the step and ordered the Letus35 Extreme for my DVX100. So far I've got used to work with my DVX100 with one plate attached to it's bottom, to switch quickly between my Vinten Pro5 tripod (which has a Manfrotto 501 head) and a Manfrotto FigRig. I still have to decide which rods I want to buy for my DVX100/Letus Extreme combo. Is there a way I can leave my current plate on the camera and attach the camera quickly to the rods and Extreme adapter without removing my current plate that's on my DVX100?

Toenis Liivamaegi · October 17th, 2007, 01:59 PM

Peter, you might use some sort of QR adapter that uses the same 501 plate on one of the Cavision`s rod systems ...
I have one QR adapter of that kind but unfortunately it doesn`t fit the sort-of-new 501HDV head anymore.

T

Peter Sieben · October 17th, 2007, 03:24 PM

Hi Toenis, thanks for your reply. Do I understand you correctly that you advice me attaching my camera to the rods and that the rod has an adapter that fits to my 501 head easily (plug & play)? This would be great, but will a tripod hold the rods with all the weight attached to it, not well balanced (a lot of weight on the front)?

Bob Hart · October 17th, 2007, 10:52 PM

I would favour the use of rods support with a shoulder pad, the mattebox on front and suffer the extra weight.

The confidence factor alone is worth it. The elimination of the possibility of a little path deviation is worth it. (P+S Technik would hardly be wrong in making their unit intengrated with a rods system.)

It is not a matter of "if" but "when" you stray under a stairway or low balcony ornament while shooting and "CLOUT". You may have a hanging eyeball, detached retina or a simple bungeye and there may be a bent lens. If you have the mattebox on front it will offer some protection to you and the lens.

Chances are, you will be able to sit in the corner to lick your wounds and beckon your camera assistant over for his or her moment of glory and hand across a camera/adaptor which remains in one piece and still works.

October 12th, 2007, 03:36 PM	#1
Yang Wen Major Player Join Date: May 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 991	Letus FE vs Letus Extreme I want to get a Letus FE for my DVX for wedding use. I've read about sub par construction quality of the FE, it seems like the Extreme with its aluminum body can fare better. One major issue though is weight. does the Extreme require the use of rods? WHat do you guys have to say about the build quality of the FE in general?

October 13th, 2007, 11:14 AM	#2
Aaron Pinto Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Wichita, KS Posts: 52	Letus Extreme Yes, the Extreme works best with a set of rods. I have attached a demo unit to my camera without rods for testing and it worked but that is a lot of weight to hang off the filter threads. So, I would say that rods are HIGHLY recommended. Comparing the Extreme to the Flip is apples and oranges. The Extreme is using a prism instead of a mirror like the Flip uses. They are two entirely different adapters. The Extreme is solid milled aluminum while the flip is a plastic/aluminum composite. You can see a comparison chart of the adapters here: http://www.letusdirect.com/letus35-c...son-chart.html The Flip is still a solid performer. If you are on a budget, the Flip will still shoot excellent footage (you can see some sample footage on LetusDirect.com for both the Extreme and Flip). Another option is to split the difference with the Economy. This uses the new internals of the Extreme coupled with the plastic/aluminum build style of the Flip. This keeps the cost and weight of the Economy down. If you can't decide between the Extreme or the Flip, the Economy is a great mix of both worlds. If you have any specific questions about any of these adapters, please do not hesitate to contact me directly. I would be more than happy to help.

October 16th, 2007, 07:16 PM	#4
Aaron Pinto Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Wichita, KS Posts: 52	Economy without rods The Economy should be fine without rods if your 35mm lens isn't very heavy. It's really up to you. I personally don't run any adapter without a rods support system in place just to be on the safe side. I have a set of Cavision MiniDV rods on my XH-A1 / Flip combo and it's pretty quick to take off. I simply remove the rods then un-thread the Flip. I can do that in under a minute and be back to the plain camera.

October 17th, 2007, 01:33 PM	#5
Peter Sieben Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 345	Hi Aaron, I read your suggestions about the rods. Yesterday I took the step and ordered the Letus35 Extreme for my DVX100. So far I've got used to work with my DVX100 with one plate attached to it's bottom, to switch quickly between my Vinten Pro5 tripod (which has a Manfrotto 501 head) and a Manfrotto FigRig. I still have to decide which rods I want to buy for my DVX100/Letus Extreme combo. Is there a way I can leave my current plate on the camera and attach the camera quickly to the rods and Extreme adapter without removing my current plate that's on my DVX100? __________________ Peter / Orphic Film www.orphicfilm.nl and www.myspace.com/orphicfilm

October 17th, 2007, 03:24 PM	#7
Peter Sieben Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 345	Hi Toenis, thanks for your reply. Do I understand you correctly that you advice me attaching my camera to the rods and that the rod has an adapter that fits to my 501 head easily (plug & play)? This would be great, but will a tripod hold the rods with all the weight attached to it, not well balanced (a lot of weight on the front)? __________________ Peter / Orphic Film www.orphicfilm.nl and www.myspace.com/orphicfilm

October 15th, 2007, 10:07 AM	#3
Yang Wen Major Player Join Date: May 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 991	Aaron, I want to use this for wedding videography. I suppose with a support rod system, the Extreme will be too cumbersome to add/remove ? Will the Economy work well without rods? I'm assuming the use of the prism results in the meager 1/2 stops of light lose? Are there any other benefits?

October 17th, 2007, 01:59 PM	#6
Toenis Liivamaegi Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Tartu, Estonia Posts: 579	Peter, you might use some sort of QR adapter that uses the same 501 plate on one of the Cavision`s rod systems ... I have one QR adapter of that kind but unfortunately it doesn`t fit the sort-of-new 501HDV head anymore. T

October 17th, 2007, 10:52 PM	#8
Bob Hart Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: PERTH. W.A. AUSTRALIA. Posts: 4,477	I would favour the use of rods support with a shoulder pad, the mattebox on front and suffer the extra weight. The confidence factor alone is worth it. The elimination of the possibility of a little path deviation is worth it. (P+S Technik would hardly be wrong in making their unit intengrated with a rods system.) It is not a matter of "if" but "when" you stray under a stairway or low balcony ornament while shooting and "CLOUT". You may have a hanging eyeball, detached retina or a simple bungeye and there may be a bent lens. If you have the mattebox on front it will offer some protection to you and the lens. Chances are, you will be able to sit in the corner to lick your wounds and beckon your camera assistant over for his or her moment of glory and hand across a camera/adaptor which remains in one piece and still works.