Is it possible to sell DIY 35mm adapters?

[Lau Ho Ming]

I'm currently participate a University's ebay selling competition. I need to make as much profit as possible to win the game.
I'm thinking what is the market of DIY 35mm adapters.
I've been making DIY adapters for years and they are only for my own Film project use.
I'm familiar with the technique of DIYing adapters.
I used the SGPro R3 of my friend.
And I'm confident that I make an adapter that is as sharp as the SGPro, and without obvious vignette problem. Similar lightloss to SGPro.
However I can't reproduce the SGPro bokeh performance. And can only stop down to maybe f8 to f11.(SGPro can stop down all the way to f22)

But my adapter gonna be lightweight(like the Brevis type)...screw-in tube type adapter. And very modifiable. Adjustable focal flange. And a concept of very quick and easy interchangable GG system(My target is to be able to switch GG within one minute). SGPro R3 Achromat.And a decent "semi-professional" outlook. But right now I can only make an adapter for Nikon lens.

How much people would pay for such adapter?
What about USD$400(don't forget only the achromat costs more than $150)?

http://sweb.cityu.edu.hk/50682819/frame/5.jpg

[Scott Harris]

Vibrating or static?

The current going rate for static is $175, and for vibrating about $275 (both without achromat, so add that to those prices)... A really top quality vibrating with achromat should fetch $400.

If you could show a picture of the adapter you plan to build/sell, that would help.

[Ben Winter]

The DIY adapter market is already oversaturated. I wish you luck on your enterprise but there are already too many sellers, in my opinion, to suggest that there is any real estate left for new developers unless you can develop something new.

The SGpro can achieve its bokeh performance through its spinning design; the diffuser plate can diffuse very well yet dissipate the grain because of its speed of movement. If you are developing a vibrating design you simply won't be able to duplicate the performance. Your switchable diffuser idea is a good one. Also be sure to have adjustable oscillation through a potentiometer.

Why only Nikon mount? Canon FD is a better bet for lens selection, I can't understand why people fork over the money for the Nikons.

What macro lenses are you using for your design? $150 sounds rather on the cheap side actually, for anything decent.

The SGpro's design is a tough one to beat; but, good luck. Are you CADding anything or is it all put-together parts?

[Noah Yuan-Vogel]

i think there is a definite space in the 35mm adapter market for someone with a good design to really clean up. i have never bought a 35mm adapter because they are all so very far from perfect.

every adapter chooses a trade off between low light loss or good bokeh, and most of the adapters out there have serious backfocus issues. the nicest looking ones (makes nice pictures), g35 and sgpro are the hardest to actually get (not publicly available/1+month lead time), and the M2 is a real pain to set up or adjust or even change the battery. and pretty much everything has edge-to-edge focus issues.

i think these are all things that could be improved in a new design. personally, if your bokeh wont be as good as sgpro, why would we buy it? ok many people dont know what bokeh is or how to look for it so they might buy it if the price is right.

ben, are you sure about the spinning mechanisms effect on bokeh? i have noticed that spinning adapters M2/sgpro do produce better bokeh, but i assume it is just because their ground glasses were designed to diffuse the image more.

i agree about canon fd, in my opinion it is the best base mount since it has the shortest FFD so any other mount can be adapted to it without optics and without throwing off backfocus. plus there are plenty of nice fd lenses that are fast and dirt cheap.

[Lau Ho Ming]

Spinning adapter can produce better bokeh=usually right.
Since bokeh depends on the diffusion of GG.
More diffusion=>more realistic bokeh.
Rough GG=>more diffuser=>more grain.
Spinner adapter can hide grain better than vibrating adapter.

[Ben Winter]

Originally Posted by Noah Yuan-Vogel

ben, are you sure about the spinning mechanisms effect on bokeh? i have noticed that spinning adapters M2/sgpro do produce better bokeh, but i assume it is just because their ground glasses were designed to diffuse the image more.

Not sure if I worded it poorly or you read it wrong, but I was referring to a spinning design's ability to dissipate grain if you use a more diffusive focusing screen...thus more effectively rendered bokeh with minimal grain. It's a tradeoff that spinners are better equipped to deal with.

[Lau Ho Ming]

But more diffusive screen=big lightloss. Isn't it?

[Greg Bates]

Don't listen to Ben, he's owned a lot of adapters, if your adapter is awesome he may just have to own another one....just like me. ;)

[Lau Ho Ming]

Ben,
That is the SGPro rev3 achromat :p
I owned one and it is great.