Any shot anything with an FX1 - using a DOF adapter?

David Delaney · July 21st, 2006, 06:20 PM

Did the original Letus GG not do it for you?
I wonder why some footage is soft? Do you think it is the GG or the achromat?
I was thinking about the homedepot bags again. I think the best method would be to stretch one of those bags across the Letus 'hole' and use it as a GG. It would be thin and have less light loss.

Mikko Parttimaa · July 21st, 2006, 07:35 PM

Really soft image is usually a combination of bad GG, achromat and lens. Sometimes distance beetween lens and GG can be off. I have even heard that HDV codec doesn't like highly visible grain too much. This could also soften the image.

Letus seems to be the softest adapter out there.

Ben Winter · July 21st, 2006, 08:49 PM

David, those home depot bags are singular-direction diffusors, in that they only diffuse in one direction. Don't know what I mean? Basically, really, really ugly bokeh.

There are bags that universally diffuse though, the trick is finding them.

David Delaney · July 22nd, 2006, 03:31 PM

Hey Ben,

Before I go and buy DVFilm maker, any tips on it? I have the FX1 on rent right now, so I am trying to figure out as much as possible in a short amount of time...

Ben Winter · July 22nd, 2006, 05:16 PM

I haven't honestly played around with it much, but I did do a comparison a while back between FX1 interlaced and de-interlaced footage.

On my 42" plasma, 60i -> 30p looked about the same (except being progressive of course). 60i -> 24p looked fantastic as well but I think I could see a little resolution loss.

The settings menu is pretty straightforward, I didn't play around with the 24p editing options since I wasn't editing the 24p segment, but it looks pretty powerful. The only silly stuff is the red boost? and the "add grain" thing which I haven't really tried but from the sound of it appears silly. I'd think anyone halfway professional would do those things in After Effects or something similar. Oh well.

Overall, I wouldn't trust my deinterlacing to any other program, and its half the reason I own a Sony cam in the first place.

Dustin Cross · July 22nd, 2006, 08:56 PM

David,

No vignetting with the Letus35flip and the FX1. Just make sure you use a monitor with underscan to verify how much to zoom in. With the LCD you are getting overscan and it will look like you aren't vignetting, but you are.

I have a friend here with an Red Rock M2 and we are going to do some tests between it and the Letus35. See how they compare with lightloss, resolution, CA, etc.

With the little bit we played with them it seems they are about the same in light loss and resolution. The Letus flips the image and has less CA than the M2, but the M2 has no noise when the lenses are stopped down, where the Letus is only usable from wide open to about f4.

Andrew Dean · July 22nd, 2006, 10:18 PM

I shot part of a short film using an fx1 and a letus35 flip enhanced. I put some frame grabs and a clips at http://www.5501.com/adapter

cheers,
-a

John Kang · July 23rd, 2006, 09:45 AM

I forgot to mention that you can do a check for Nicholas Bartleet on Dvinfo.net or go to his website at www.pixelloft.com to see what's he done.

He uses a homade adapter with his fx1. His work with it for a musical group called 3L was used by Sony on their HDV tour. The groups video also aired on MTV.

Check out Akala music video as well.

Wayne Kinney · July 23rd, 2006, 11:25 AM

Nick's just posted his newest music vid here: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=72041

David Delaney · July 23rd, 2006, 12:34 PM

The images look great, even better than I had hoped for with the FX1. I was worried about sharpness because I think the LetusFlip has a much better GG/achromat/macro than the Letus35A.

July 22nd, 2006, 03:31 PM	#19
David Delaney Trustee Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Niagara Ontario Canada Posts: 1,121	Ben Winter - FX1 - dvfilm maker - tips? Hey Ben, Before I go and buy DVFilm maker, any tips on it? I have the FX1 on rent right now, so I am trying to figure out as much as possible in a short amount of time...

July 22nd, 2006, 08:56 PM	#21
Dustin Cross Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 133	David, No vignetting with the Letus35flip and the FX1. Just make sure you use a monitor with underscan to verify how much to zoom in. With the LCD you are getting overscan and it will look like you aren't vignetting, but you are. I have a friend here with an Red Rock M2 and we are going to do some tests between it and the Letus35. See how they compare with lightloss, resolution, CA, etc. With the little bit we played with them it seems they are about the same in light loss and resolution. The Letus flips the image and has less CA than the M2, but the M2 has no noise when the lenses are stopped down, where the Letus is only usable from wide open to about f4. __________________ Mahalo, Dusty

July 23rd, 2006, 11:25 AM	#24
Wayne Kinney Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Brighton, East Sussex, UK Posts: 938	Nick's just posted his newest music vid here: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=72041 __________________ Thanks, Wayne.

July 21st, 2006, 06:20 PM	#16
David Delaney Trustee Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Niagara Ontario Canada Posts: 1,121	Did the original Letus GG not do it for you? I wonder why some footage is soft? Do you think it is the GG or the achromat? I was thinking about the homedepot bags again. I think the best method would be to stretch one of those bags across the Letus 'hole' and use it as a GG. It would be thin and have less light loss.

July 21st, 2006, 07:35 PM	#17
Mikko Parttimaa Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Finland Posts: 45	Really soft image is usually a combination of bad GG, achromat and lens. Sometimes distance beetween lens and GG can be off. I have even heard that HDV codec doesn't like highly visible grain too much. This could also soften the image. Letus seems to be the softest adapter out there.

July 21st, 2006, 08:49 PM	#18
Ben Winter Trustee Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Hollywood, CA Posts: 1,675 Images: 1	David, those home depot bags are singular-direction diffusors, in that they only diffuse in one direction. Don't know what I mean? Basically, really, really ugly bokeh. There are bags that universally diffuse though, the trick is finding them.

July 22nd, 2006, 05:16 PM	#20
Ben Winter Trustee Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Hollywood, CA Posts: 1,675 Images: 1	I haven't honestly played around with it much, but I did do a comparison a while back between FX1 interlaced and de-interlaced footage. On my 42" plasma, 60i -> 30p looked about the same (except being progressive of course). 60i -> 24p looked fantastic as well but I think I could see a little resolution loss. The settings menu is pretty straightforward, I didn't play around with the 24p editing options since I wasn't editing the 24p segment, but it looks pretty powerful. The only silly stuff is the red boost? and the "add grain" thing which I haven't really tried but from the sound of it appears silly. I'd think anyone halfway professional would do those things in After Effects or something similar. Oh well. Overall, I wouldn't trust my deinterlacing to any other program, and its half the reason I own a Sony cam in the first place.

July 22nd, 2006, 10:18 PM	#22
Andrew Dean Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Motukarara, New Zealand Posts: 475	I shot part of a short film using an fx1 and a letus35 flip enhanced. I put some frame grabs and a clips at http://www.5501.com/adapter cheers, -a

July 23rd, 2006, 09:45 AM	#23
John Kang Major Player Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 219	I forgot to mention that you can do a check for Nicholas Bartleet on Dvinfo.net or go to his website at www.pixelloft.com to see what's he done. He uses a homade adapter with his fx1. His work with it for a musical group called 3L was used by Sony on their HDV tour. The groups video also aired on MTV. Check out Akala music video as well.

July 23rd, 2006, 12:34 PM	#25
David Delaney Trustee Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Niagara Ontario Canada Posts: 1,121	The images look great, even better than I had hoped for with the FX1. I was worried about sharpness because I think the LetusFlip has a much better GG/achromat/macro than the Letus35A.