Looking to upgrade condenser - any suggestions?
 

My condenser is pretty good, but I am getting some softness along the edges and some barrel-distortion. IT is concave and not the cemented one (I can't remember what that is called). That is why I am getting softness, I believe. So in the market for a better one, a strong one. Any suggestions?

David,

Are you using it against the GG to eliminate vignetting, or close to the camcorder as a close up lens? I have 3 brand new, unopened 50mm PCX lenses no longer needed.

I am using it to combat vignetting. I have it right against my DV camera lens right now (the condenser). Interestingly enough, it seems to work best against the camera lens...

David,

To eliminate vignetting, it needs to be close to the GG, not the DV lens. This will give you massive softness. What is the spec of the lens your using?

Well, with the Letus35A, it already has a rectangular achromat next to the GG - and as I had heard before from other (including myself now) - there is still vignetting. Putting the condenser right beside the DV camera lens really really helps and completely eliminates the vignetting, but of course, now the softness comes in.

David,

I simply dont understand. The closer the PCX is moved towards the camcorder, the more the vignetting should increase, not the other way around.

It looks like this :

DV>condenser>Letus Macro>Rectangular achromat>GG> SLR

Without the said condenser, lots of vignetting.

David,

OK, this makes more sense now. I think you should contact Quyen Le. Best way to eliminate the vignetting is a stronger PCX (to replace the rectangular one) or to increase distance between GG and cam.

Thanks Wayne.