First 35mm DIY Adapter on FX1

[Chris Barcellos]

Well, I'm to the point where I've been able to firm up alignment, and lock things in place with a a bit different design set up.

Adapter is roughly based on Micr35 plans from Redrock, with their spinning ground glass. I used the Cinevate achromat at about $256 delivered. Used a 3inch diameter 5 inch chuck of sewer piping to set the proper distance for focusing with the achromat, FX1 combination.

Picture is attached. Next post, I will see if I can put up clip.

[Bob Hart]

Have been using this one for over 12 months.

http://www.filefactory.com/file/9428f5/

Download process is a bit obscure. You have to scroll down the page until you find the two dowload options, choose the slowest (free). It will throw up a unwanted advertisement first, then you get a second bite at the dowload.

Interesting technique you use to deal with the width of the GG enclosure. On my arrangement I went wide with the rods to allow the GG enclosure to fit down between them and that brought other complications.

Interesting method for securing the rear cross-piece. Is there a separate clamping piece below the rods inside the square channel with threaded holes in it for the screws t pull it up onto the lower surface of the rods?

If so I wish I had thought of that because I have still to invent an adjustable way of fixing to the rods without injuring the surface finish and it seems you have cracked that particular puzzle.
If you get a bit of vertical shake when focussing longer lenses, it may be helpful to use two cross-pieces under the camera, joined by a common plate, with the tripod screw going through the common plate.

Like yourself, I didn't end up doing this although I had made the extra crosspiece.

I instead now use a packing piece between the lens support I put on for the long lens and a thin strap, usually a rubber band over non-moving parts of the lens to keep it from moving, rough and ready but quicker than unfastening an extra support bolt.

I guess from your camera settings you use the manual options as much as possible.

You'll find autofocus works well enough to set relay backfocus and you might crib a little extra sharpness if you give it a momentary switch on with the disk running and the SLR focussed on a subject. It seems capable of finding a happy middle ground if a disk is running out slightly.

The same goes if you are shooting ith the camera tilted up slightly. Without pre-load, CD player motors seem to like to run against the front bearing. Tilt up and the disk will slip back slightly.

You can solve this "float" issue with some small fiber washers between the back of the hub and the front of the motor bearing or using the original pressure plate from the CD player. But if the fit is too tight, then the motor slows and battery life may be shortened. Most times it is a non-issue and something you might only observe when using wide lenses.

Don't leave autofocus selected as there will be the occasional event when the autofocus will try to focus on "though" the groundglass if the camera gets a hint of aerial image from a bright pinpoint light source.

Manual whitebalance and store in "A" or "B" will give better colours overall. Groundglasses seem to confer a slight grimy warm tone to the colours.

If your GG image is satifactorily framed with the zoom setting shown in your .jpg, then you have some useful zoom range remaining for small compositional or framing adjustments, yet you are not in the "light loss" region of the zoom range.

You should enjoy working with what you have there.

[Chris Barcellos]

Originally Posted by Bob Hart

.

Interesting technique you use to deal with the width of the GG enclosure. On my arrangement I went wide with the rods to allow the GG enclosure to fit down between them and that brought other complications..

I am attaching photos with camera off to give you a better view. The enclosure is actually mount on the sides by the support slats runing to the undercarriage, and also by an L- bracket. to the front of the under carriage. The L bracket is slotted so I can raise and lower it to match camera lens.

Interesting method for securing the rear cross-piece. Is there a separate clamping piece below the rods inside the square channel with threaded holes in it for the screws t pull it up onto the lower surface of the rods? .

First the to end cross pieces on the under carriage have a rubber spacer between them and the under carriage. The rods are simple hollow pieces of aluminum tubing.

If so I wish I had thought of that because I have still to invent an adjustable way of fixing to the rods without injuring the surface finish and it seems you have cracked that particular puzzle.

I'm afraid in this version that the I wasn't over concerned about keeping the rod surface unscarred. In fact the sliding cross piece is just riding on holes drilled through the aluminum. Actually, the sliding cross piece currently gets locked into place with a simple screw clamp.

If you get a bit of vertical shake when focussing longer lenses, it may be helpful to use two cross-pieces under the camera, joined by a common plate, with the tripod screw going through the common plate.

Like yourself, I didn't end up doing this although I had made the extra crosspiece.

I actually had a single width of the squaretubing attaching to the tripod mount. Talk about vertical shake !! I just cut two more and slip them on each side of the original one, and that cut down that shake appreciably. I may do the same as you indicate.

I guess from your camera settings you use the manual options as much as possible.

You'll find autofocus works well enough to set relay backfocus and you might crib a little extra sharpness if you give it a momentary switch on with the disk running and the SLR focussed on a subject. It seems capable of finding a happy middle ground if a disk is running out slightly.

The same goes if you are shooting ith the camera tilted up slightly. Without pre-load, CD player motors seem to like to run against the front bearing. Tilt up and the disk will slip back slightly.

You can solve this "float" issue with some small fiber washers between the back of the hub and the front of the motor bearing or using the original pressure plate from the CD player. But if the fit is too tight, then the motor slows and battery life may be shortened. Most times it is a non-issue and something you might only observe when using wide lenses.

Don't leave autofocus selected as there will be the occasional event when the autofocus will try to focus on "though" the groundglass if the camera gets a hint of aerial image from a bright pinpoint light source.

Manual whitebalance and store in "A" or "B" will give better colours overall. Groundglasses seem to confer a slight grimy warm tone to the colours.

If your GG image is satifactorily framed with the zoom setting shown in your .jpg, then you have some useful zoom range remaining for small compositional or framing adjustments, yet you are not in the "light loss" region of the zoom range.

You should enjoy working with what you have there.

Thanks for the hints Bob. You are actually one of the ones responsible for getting me back interested in this technique.... Sometimes I might even curse you because of it.... but all in all it has been very interesting. See my photos posted below for further detail.

[Chris Barcellos]

Here is a low res test of the system. I note that I didn't center "sweet" spot on GG well, and caught some vignetting. Shot with overhead light in room on, no other light. 50 mm Pentax lens wide open at F1.4. 1/60.

[Chris Barcellos]

Here is a first try at and hand held set up with the DIY Micro35 See post 26 in this thread: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...t=78436&page=2

[Leigh Wanstead]

Hi Chris,

Well done ;-)

I am interested to diy myself too.

Can you give a detail price list of building material? I just want to know how much I need to spend before I start the work.

TIA

Regards
Leigh

Originally Posted by Chris Barcellos

Adapter is roughly based on Micr35 plans from Redrock, with their spinning ground glass. I used the Cinevate achromat at about $256 delivered.

[Chris Barcellos]

Leigh:

Box from Radio Shack $ 6.00

Micro 35 Book with the disk from Redrock, 50.00

Lens Cap for you particular Lens, about $5.00 to $10.00 on Ebay or

CD player to get motor out of, 10.00

I actually bought a full length of 3in Pipe to experiment with, about $15.00

The Achromat came from Cinevate for about $260.00 including shipping.

(Note: In looking at Redrock M2 I see that a set up with the FX1/Z1 series does not have an the length of extension between ground glass and camera, leading me to believe their achromat may work better. It is about $400 as I recall. )

I probably spend another $50 on aluminum tubing, and hardware and such.

I would probably like to buy more "positive" lens mounts, as the lens cap adaptation can be a problem. Those seem to be available throught some of the 35mm makers... for up to $100.00

Then, of course, there are the 35 mm lenses..... I had some Pentax lenses, and since everyone else is doing Nikon, I thought I would try Pentax to see how they worked..... adding to the experimental nature of this project.

[Bob Hart]

Nothing wrong with the few Pentax lenses I have seen.

The lens mount ring for Nikon can be bought as a trade part. The older FM2 e 4 screw mount is easier to deal with. The newer five screw mount is harder, only because you need to take more care getting the centres right.

I imagine that Pentax may have a similar arrangement though I have not studied it. The locking mechanism is usually difficult for the homebuilder to replicate.

With the Nikon, I find that if you incorporate the flat spring which fits in behind the mounts, the friction from this is adequate for most lenses although a dry lens which has become tight on the focus adjustment may still screw out. I don't know if Perntax use the same method.

If the Pentax method is the same, you may need to chisel out or use an engraver to cut out some clearance reliefs in your casework to permit the spring to fit where there are bends in it. The thing looks like a thin corrugated washer.

[Chris Barcellos]

Thanks for info Bob. I am doing the DVC7 Challenge here on the forum, and I think I will give it a go with my adapter to see what I can do with it....

[Leigh Wanstead]

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the detail answer.

Is it hard to do for average guy to buy the plan and follow the plan?

TIA

Regards
Leigh

[Chris Barcellos]

Leigh:

Well the plan actually has a detailed list of parts and where to order and buy. You can follow them explicitly. I just looked at that and adapted with stuff from Home Depot and Radio Shack, so mine is substantially different-- but the plans give you the confidence to work from and adapt, and also, the all important GG disk comes with it. Nothing highly technical. The most important things involve alignments, and locking them in place, and set the distance of the ground glass disk from the prime lens.

Incidentally, there are no plans for the rail system. I designed my own, which most can copy just from my pictures, or you can develop your own based on others.... again, mine involved drill holes in square and round aluminum tubing I got at Home Depot... If you have the tools, you should be able to do it. I do have a drill press which made it a bit easier, but I think a hand held drill is also usable.

[Leigh Wanstead]

Hi Chris,

Just to make sure if the plan including the ground glass and there is no need to buy extra ground glass, right?

TIA

Regards
Leigh

Originally Posted by Chris Barcellos

Leigh:

Well the plan actually has a detailed list of parts and where to order and buy. You can follow them explicitly. I just looked at that and adapted with stuff from Home Depot and Radio Shack, so mine is substantially different-- but the plans give you the confidence to work from and adapt, and also, the all important GG disk comes with it. Nothing highly technical. The most important things involve alignments, and locking them in place, and set the distance of the ground glass disk from the prime lens.

[Chris Barcellos]

Yes, it was that way when I bought it a year ago from Redrock. It was my understanding also that we had access to buy a second GG at a lower price having bought the original, which is something I am trying to findout about. See www.micro35.com

[Leigh Wanstead]

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the information.

Regards
Leigh