DiGi35 with Arri PL Mount

[Tony Relph]

Hi everyone,

Sorry that I havent posted anything for a while, I have been away again, just got back.

I am just finishing off the last few mounts for the DiGi35 and then it will be ready. The unit is away at the moment as someone is doing some test footage for the DiGi35 website that will be live shortly, they are also taking some professional photos of the actual unit for the brochure etc.

Below is a link for a picture of the DiGi35 adapter with an Arri PL mount. (Sorry about the quality, nice proper pictures are coming very soon).

Price is also going to be lower and will include rail system with camera mount (Almost finished)

http://www.geocities.com/anthonyrelph/digi35PLmount.JPG


I welcome comments.



Thanks,

[Tony Relph]

Contained within the adapter (below the mount) are the electronics for an oscillator which we are testing to improve the image for HD (switch and blue LED is at the rear as well as access to the 3V lithium battery which is also embedded into the DiGi35). I understand that the G35 is also going this route.

[Wayne Kinney]

Tony,

Looking good. Could we perhaps see a picture from the side, showing the adapter?

[Tony Relph]

DiGi35 side view (without mount):

http://www.geocities.com/anthonyrelph/digi35side.JPG

Again, apologies for the picture quality, proper pics coming this week.

[Bob Hart]

Tony.

Will you eventually move to continuous extrusion stock for your adaptor bodies if not already.

If you have not already and your design is not locked down yet, an enquiry to Pyser SGI in your neighbourhood relating to their PNP-HG IR intensifier and where they get their extrusion stock from might be worthwhile.

The appliance size and shape is sufficiently close to your design as to warrant a slight redesign if the extrusion they use is not tied up exclusively in their own patents. Parting off from extruded stock is a cheaper way of doing things than finishing off diecasting or CNC milling from solid stock.

The IR intensifier uses a 2/3" or 18mm display but the tube diameter is wider. The bottom part of their extrusion provides the space for two small 1.5v batteries.

[Tony Relph]

I have already finalized the DiGi35 design. I decided to design an all in one unit to reduce the cost of production, stress on the body from heavy lenses and to be ergonomic for the user. I have managed to get a good price on each unit for milling.

The DiGi35 and mounts will be available from stock for next day delivery to UK and immediate delivery to the rest of the world.

[Sean Michael]

Hey Tony,

Does your adapter flip the image right side up or is it upside down? And is it a static or moving adapter?

[Tony Relph]

Due to the cost implications on using prisms etc the cost would increase the cost of the DiGi35 hence the cost of the mini35 and movieTUBE. Including the light loss, for now I have decided to incorporate an LCD screen that inverts and reverts the image. The idea of the DiGi35 and others adapters like the sgpro and m2 they are the alternative AFFORDABLE solution.

Initial testing on standard DV works very well as a static solution but because of the high quality expected with HD I have decided to incorporate an oscilating system. I believe that the G35 has now taken this route too.

[Tony Relph]

I have a DiGi35 unit built with prisms to flip the image H & V but people who are intersted in the DiGi35 would rather save money and light loss and flip in post.

[Mikko Parttimaa]

That design somehow reminds me of MPIC. Adapter is usually a box or a tube. This one looks as.. ummm... "artsy" as its name would make you imagine, I like it. When are we going to see footage? I want to see how this one performs static!

It just makes me wonder. What is going to be your gimmick? Everybody has something. Letus35 is cheap and flipping, Brevis35 has low light loss, Go35 is static with great bokeh... What are you going to add?

[Sean Michael]

How many stops of light are you losing with the prism?

[Sam Jankis]

Any HD footage yet?

[Stephen Pipe]

Hi Tony

That looks a really tight compact design.Clients always like to think their money is being well spent so the more proffesional it looks the happier I am.

What's the price for your adapter, what do you get and how long does it take to make and deliver?

I've got a couple of jobs coming up where they can't afford film so I need a cheaper tape solution, and I'd rather not keep hiring 35mm adapters from arri media. It would also be nice to have someone in the same town to be able to talk to if there's any problems.

Lastly do you have any example footage I can look at?

Stephen

[Tony Relph]

Sorry that I havent replied for a while. There have been a few problems. The adapter was damaged in transit by Royal Mail Special Delivery, being the only prototype it caused chaos.

Footage will be retaken using a Z1 and HVX200 using 18mm, 25mm, 35mm, 50mm and 85mm Arri T1.3 Hi-Speed Zeiss (PL Mount) Lenses once the new housing is made.

There is a new front page at www.digi35.co.uk and the rest of the website should be finished by next week, the brochure too.

All I can do is apologise to everyone, I know that you have been waiting but I have to make sure the adapter is right first time otherwise I will have ZERO sales.

Sean - The amount of light loss with the prism is about 2 stops. I am looking at other, more high quality prisms but the better they are, the more expensive they are meaning that the adapter costs more = MINI35 prices, well not quite but a lot more. That is why I have decided to go with the LCD screen option. I have brought an LCD screen and I have had the polarity reversed and it has flipped the image. Then I just turn the LCD upside down and fit into a purpose made case, attach it to a bracket that will be available for the DiGi35 and Hey Presto - One adapter with inverted and reverted image. My electrical geeky friend did the LCD screen. This will be an option available on the DiGi35.

[Ben Winter]

Originally Posted by Tony Relph

I have brought an LCD screen and I have had the polarity reversed and it has flipped the image. Then I just turn the LCD upside down and fit into a purpose made case

I don't understand. Why reverse the image and then rotate it? A 180 degree rotation by itself gives you a correct reorientation. If you're doing what I think you just said you did, you're ending up with a rightside-up but backwards image.