Review of Quyen Le's Letus35

[Michael Maier]

Hey Greg, first, chill dude. :D
As a potential customer, I have the right to compare and criticize any new products coming to the market, and I'm sure all of the manufacturers know that and knew even before they brought them out, or they wouldn't do it. Because if you are not prepared to take criticism, you can't fight your way out there in today's tough market.

Originally Posted by Greg Bates

Well chop your lens off and get to shooting,

I don't have too. I will buy a HD100 ;)

[Dan Diaconu]

Only 2-3 features? No MV? No MOW? No shorts? Nothing for festivals?
ummmmm.... slim Greg, very slim...

but you know what? I'll have it on my page by this evening (I hope) and I am accepting orders. If you order it now, you'll have it before X-mass (and once you order, you'll access all <<unpublished on my site>> tests, so you can SEE first hand the diff between all "dis an'dhat")

Obviously, same warranty. Not happy, send it back within 7 days for full refund. How's dhat?

Just in case you want to know more, you’ll be able to SWITCH DIFFERENT SCREENS (taste.. lighting conditions, etc) AND ADJUST the amplitude of the movement (not only the speed) to your likeness.
(circular only, elliptical motion discontinued, sorry)

[Michael Maier]

Originally Posted by Obin Olson

I have seen that stuff, I don't know why you guys are going on and on about it, it's not that sharp and it's using mpeg-2 compression! I guess the camera is using some "sharpen" on the image, maybe this is why your thinking it looks "Really sharp"?

I am not impressed

Well, the low light clips don't look all that impressive. But that close up on the girl looks incredible. Yes, it's using MPEG2, so one more reason it looks impressive.
Having said that, your footage with the Letus35 looks great too. That guy shot HDV. Maybe if you use your Letus35 with a HDV camera it will look better? You seem to be getting great results out of your Letus35, but we will most likely never be able to repeat it, as you are not really sharing anything concrete about your set up or the macro you are using.

[Greg Bates]

Originally Posted by Dan Diaconu

Only 2-3 features? No MV? No MOW? No shorts? Nothing for festivals?
ummmmm.... slim Greg, very slim...

but you know what? I'll have it on my page by this evening (I hope) and I am accepting orders. If you order it now, you'll have it before X-mass (and once you order, you'll access all <<unpublished on my site>> tests, so you can SEE first hand the diff between all "dis an'dhat")

Obviously, same warranty. Not happy, send it back within 7 days for full refund. How's dhat?

Just in case you want to know more, you’ll be able to SWITCH DIFFERENT SCREENS (taste.. lighting conditions, etc) AND ADJUST the amplitude of the movement (not only the speed) to your likeness.
(circular only, elliptical motion discontinued, sorry)

Oh boy Christmas comes to Gregs hous'e early. Letus on my Canon/and the Mighty on my DVX. Or HVX, or Xl H1.

[Dan Diaconu]

I made the same mistake I criticize Giroud yesterday for; stick to the topic of the thread.
Sorry Quyen. Gev, post on "new moving....", please.

[Quyen Le]

Dan,

I didn't start this thread and you don't have to say sorry to me. If you want to say sorry, say it to Mr. Ben Winter.

There is a good achromat that can help improving the Letus35. Anchoroptics part number AX32559 or AX75238. What you need to do is remove the glass of the macro lens on the Letus35. Place this achromat in with the flat side facing GG, the curve side to the camera. There will be some gap there between the ring and the achromat, fill it with glue. Clean the glue that sticking out above the ring then put it back in place, it will improve the unit greatly. Hope this helps, thanks.

Quyen

[Craig Bellaire]

Have you added one of these to your adapter now?

[Greg Bates]

Not only that but I am a loyal adapterplace customer.

[Craig Bellaire]

I might be as soon as he fixes the GG and the PCX...

[Quyen Le]

I start shipping out the new achromat on recent orders. I do charge $50 more for a unit. Because of back log, some order will be delayed as much as 1 week. I will also look into the PCX to see if I can find a better replacement. I think our GG is up to the task now and I don't feel it needs any improvement at this time unless our betatesters or customers can prove that I am wrong. Thank you for all your inputs.

Quyen

[Ben Winter]

Wow...I haven't looked at this thread for a long, long time....wow. Definately didn't think this would explode into a 14 page discussion.

Anyway, I really can't complain with the achromat I have now but of course you guys have a higher need for quality.

I feel it needs a rod system to support it

It's a careful balance. If you don't use a rod system, you need to make sure the adapter is light enough so there isn't unnecessary strain on the threads and camera, but heavy enough so it's inertial mass allows the adapter to stay still when pulling focus. I originally thought the adater was shaky, but then I realized that my tripod simply allowed a slight amount of shake. Holding the camera steady while pulling focus fixes a lot.

Needless to say, there's a lot of people jumping on the bandwagon for building these devices and selling them commercially. We've got this SG35 (what is this one again?), the G35, the Letus35, Wayne's spinning ground glass one (is that the SG35?) and a multitude of already semi-pro machined adapters like the Micro35, that German/Swedish deal (that big long aluminum tube), the MovieCine or whatever that is, then the Mini35, the Pro35, and now my own adapter, the FifteenPlusTwentyEquals35. Is there no end?!

So many of these adapters are "still in production" I feel like a good 2 or 3 of them will just end up being a waste of time. People will sift through the choices and find the one that costs the least and has the sharpest picture, and the rest will lay by the wayside. What needs to happen here is a shift in quality: The homemade adapters need to cater to different budget levels if they plan on making any money. A person faced with a choice of 3 different adapters that cost [about] the same are going to get mighty detailed in terms of performance, and then it gets ugly--they start paying attention to the smallest complaint a reviewer might give. Vibrating, rotating, static, or which ones support which lenses, which has the sharpest picture or best light transmittance or weight or support systems--all are going to be a medly of difficult choices and everyone's going to be scrutinized to the finest detail so the buyer can squeeze out every penny. I mean, I guess I'm saying 'good luck', but whew...this sucks.

[Lloyd Choi]

Hey Obin- could you post a picture of your rod system?

Thanks

[Craig Bellaire]

I ordered my adapter yesterday and forgot to ask what size is the camera side of the adapter thread is for I get a step up ring... thanks

[Lloyd Choi]

58mm I believe...

[Kin Kwan]

I'm actually trying to buy one of these adapters, but the website, www.adapterplace.com, seems to be down. Is it only my computer or is there something wrong with the website? I would really like to get one asap! Also, how long does it take for one to receive the adapter after placing their order?

Thanks!