PCX stands for plano-convex lens which means it is flat on one side (plano) and has a positive curve on the other (convex). There are different letters that designate how the different lens types are made. P = plano, D = double, CX = convex, CV = concave.

Here is a link that describes how the PCX lens (also called condenser lens or field lens) improves the image by dispersing the light http://topcontechnotes.home.att.net/...tem/page4.html. The link is to page 4 of 16 that completely breaks down the SLR camera's imaging design, which is the exact same technology used in these adapters. I recommend reading all of the pages, they'll help you get a much better understanding of the designs.

One other advantage to using a PCX lens is that the flat surface can be ground and used as the ground glass.

Thanks for the help.


On the matter of reading through the post. This I have actually already done. When I stumbled across this forum by accident, I found the agus post and started reading there. Before I knew it, I had spent all night reading them and it was 7am. At the end of the agus posts, it mentions that there is a new topic started on the static adapter, which brought me here.I read through these, that very morning till about 10am. In retrospect, maybe it wasn't such a good idea to do this.Reading for so long, I may not have been able to take so much in, but it was addictive reading and was something that was incredibly interesting. From when I first started reading in this topic however, the posts have come thick and fast. There are now twice as much.Trying to catch up or find things you may have missed,has become more difficult.Especially when you are searching for parts or waiting for them to arrive.It's hard to get perspective.

thanks

Louis Demontez
 

Paolo Rudelli have start new place to discuss about the adaptor but in french. It's interesting because everything is separate by element or section. Section for each element of the adaptor.So it's easyer to find what your looking for.This could be a interesting way to go if the new thread ("Alternative Imaging Methods ) become available.

Alain Dumais

Ps: here is the link
http://forum.aceboard.net/i-36808.htm

2.5" PVC Source in Canada
 

Anyone know where to get PVC piping in 2.5" width in Canada? The only available sizes at Home Depot / Building box are 2" and 3", no .5". This is both in the electrical and plumbing departments. I asked an employee who told me 2.5" is a special size only contractors can order in bulk. Any ideas?

Test whit cylinder lense.
 

From Brett Idea

Here's is my first test whit a cylinder lens.
I have use a 2X lens that is made from acrylic ,very cheap for testing the theory, that I have grind the plano side ,still some scratch on it.
On the left side ,the image normal, right is the image scale to 16-9 ratio( aprox)

http://www.kheops-tech.com/~ad3d/16-9test.jpg

Alain Dumais

Heres my test clip, in Quicktime format.

Its a Panasonic DV953, static 35 w/ condensor and macro(S35CM), Olympus OM1 lens, no correction done in post. And NO ZOOM! thats the whole frame.

When I focus, the damn lens zooms in and out, its a piece of crap lens, I should get a nikkor someday that is more zoom stable.

Right click save as, 10mb
http://aequantum.com/alian35.mov

Heres my setup
http://aequantum.com/35test2.JPG

Finally done! (until I get a nikkor anyways)

16/9
 

Alailn

super your test of cylinder lens

how exactly you put the cylinder lens in your aldu35 ???

A+

PAolo

Aldu35 for xl1
 

this is my Aldu35 version for the xl1 mounted on the camera, notice the flipped eyepiece which rightsides the image.

http://www.dinoreyes.com/images/cam1.jpg

the adapter on top of this next pic is made with a achromat diopter and pieces below are the parts broken down and numbered to show the stacking order. the next version i'm making will use a holographic diffuser and a condensor lens.

http://www.dinoreyes.com/images/cam2.jpg

i'll post up some test video soon...
-d

XL1
 

some body never tink or try to remove the lens of XL1 end put strong condenser lens to "send" the image direct to the CCD ??

yes paolo, the relay lens is the tricky part of this unit. i had a lengthy discussion with some optical professionals concerning this matter. what i learned is that optics and optical tricks are a bit of a mystery in that you won't know what happens until you put the right sequence of lenses together and discover from there. in the end they wanted to charge me 5-10k (USD) to "attempt" at solving the problem. i thought it would be much cheaper solution to just buying a fast wide lens that i could reuse anyway...

btw, nice french site-i know how the french love cinema....
-d

here's a down and dirty video (qt) test with the xl1 version, with a fast 55mm master lens, something like this...

http://www.dinoreyes.com/images/test11B.html

Here another maybe interesting link for lense

http://www.oriel.com/netcat/VolumeII...ge/v3t1cyl.htm


http://www.oriel.com/netcat/VolumeII...e/v3t4disk.htm

Alain

Which Cylinder Lens?
 

OK, So I'm probably going to ask a dumb question but lets just say I slept through all of my optic design classes.

How do you determine the squeezing power (no idea what the correct term is) of the cylinder lens? All of the supplier sites I've visited only offer dimensions and Focal Length. What is a 2X lens? Is there a way to calculate the 2x from the diameter and the Focal Length? These lenses are expensive so i would like to buy the right one first time around. Can someone (ahhmm Brett?) give a quick leyman's tutorial on lens terminology? I think many of us newbies would find it very useful. Better yet, can someone just make a recommendation as to which lens to get for the different aspect ratios? Thanks. Joe

Oh yeah! one last question.
Alain, did you replace your condenser lens with the cylinder lens or did you add it to the cylinder lens? Did I understand correctly that the cylinder lens would replace the condenser (PCX)?
BTW, Alain, your first images with the cylinder lens look great! How much tweaking in post did you do (beyond fixing image orientation)? Thanks for the link to Thermo Oreil. Joe

John Gaspain,

Your rail design is great! It looks even more solid than the P&S. The way it adjusts for cameras and lenses is simple, functional, and has good lines. I haven't seen many designs, but yours has some good ideas. I'm thinking of using stainless rails and aluminum stock, but I need it to somehow be able to adjust balance on a heavy duty fluid head.

Joe Holt
 

Yes I have replace the condenser and the GG whit the cylindric lens that is grind on the plano side.
I have only rotate 180 deg and squash it by aprox .7 verticaly, that's why I say 16-9 aprox. The lens we are looking for should be a cylinder lens that has a horizontal power of 1.33X.

Alain