Need some help choosing at DVinfo.net

Nils Hoover · December 22nd, 2006, 11:44 PM

There is a lot of information on these forums to look through, and its hard to filter out exactly what I'm looking for so i would appreciate any help. I am looking for a 35mm adapter for my panasonic dvc30. One main thing that i want is i want the adapter to be able to mount the same lenses as my digital camera that i have which is the cannon EOS digital rebel xt which i assume means that i need an adapter that can mount EOS lenses, but i am not sure because i don't know much about lenses. I am going to be doing a lot of close up almost macro shooting (for this goofy online series with action figures) but also plan on doing more normal stuff. I would like to keep the adapter under 1000 bucks so i still have some money for some lenses, but i am a tiny bit flexible.

Like i said the main thing i want is to be able to use the same lenses as my digital camera (so i don't have to spend twice as much for both). If more info would help just tell me. Any suggestions are appreciated, but please try to explain why.

Vasi Hasan · December 23rd, 2006, 12:23 AM

I'm in the same boat as you, been reading forums for the last 4 months and still can't figure out which one to get. You'll realize that most people will just praise the adapter they have, which probably means they're all pretty good...although I have a feeling they'll all improve drastically in the next year or so with added stuff like flipped image, etc.

I don't have one yet, but I can tell you what I've discovered so far. there seem to be 3 popular choices for the under $1000 budget; sgPRO, Redrock M2, and Brevis35. They'll all fit your EF lenses, so you shouldn't be worried about that. If you have a thing for pretty looking gizmos hanging off the front of your camera, get the sgPRO, otherwise try and test some yourself before you buy one.

I'm still trying to rent/test some in London, no luck so far....
anybody? anybody? wayne....?

Good luck, and let me know how it goes...
Vasi.

Ben Winter · December 23rd, 2006, 12:58 AM

I'd go with either SGpro or Brevis. My reasoning is this: I started this 35mm adapter quest many years ago, and have built three of my own, bought two Letus35s, and now own a Brevis. I am thoroughly impressed with the Brevis' tried and true reliability and solid construction, as well as minimal light loss. The image is very clean. I've also seen sample footage from the SGpro and have been very impressed with it's balance of bokeh rendering and light loss. I would've bought the SGpro but there is something very unattractive to me about having a box on the front of your camera.

The switchable focusing screens on the Brevis was also a very powerful selling point to me. It is important to note that bokeh and light loss are tradeoffs; you cannot have good bokeh and minimal to none light loss. So in low light situations it is ideal to have a focusing screen that sacrifices bokeh rendering and gives you light performance, while in better-lit situations a more filmic-quality bokeh is acheivable with a switchable focusing screen.

The M2 is nice but a little more expensive, so I would just as well stay cheaper and get something just as high-quality if not more so.

Another advantage of a box spinning-GG design like the SGpro is that the grain doesn't appear at higher shutter speeds where the Brevis may have an issue. You can also close down the SLR aperture farther. (further?)

John Calder · December 23rd, 2006, 01:44 AM

Nils Hoover wrote:
> I am going to be doing a lot of close up almost macro shooting
> (for this goofy online series with action figures)

When you go close-up with action figures, your depth of field relative to your miniature set is reduced, so giving you this kind "film look" and maybe more of it than you want. IMO you do NOT need a 35mm adaptor for the effect you want because it is going to happen anyway because of the way the laws of physics work with miniature sets. Adding a 35mm adaptor in such a situation could be a bad idea.

Also, if you do animation with your action figures, you will do well to use your Canon EOS digital stills camera which kinda solves the problem of how to mount your lenses.

Vasi Hasan · December 23rd, 2006, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben Winter

It is important to note that bokeh and light loss are tradeoffs; you cannot have good bokeh and minimal to none light loss. So in low light situations it is ideal to have a focusing screen that sacrifices bokeh rendering and gives you light performance, while in better-lit situations a more filmic-quality bokeh is acheivable with a switchable focusing screen.

uhhhh, ben...what is bokeh?
(just when i thought i knew enough about 35mm adapters to buy one, somebody throws out another thingy that i have to read about :-/)

Henry Clayton · December 23rd, 2006, 03:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vasi Hasan

uhhhh, ben...what is bokeh?
(just when i thought i knew enough about 35mm adapters to buy one, somebody throws out another thingy that i have to read about :-/)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokeh

Nils Hoover · December 23rd, 2006, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Calder

Nils Hoover wrote:
> I am going to be doing a lot of close up almost macro shooting
> (for this goofy online series with action figures)

When you go close-up with action figures, your depth of field relative to your miniature set is reduced, so giving you this kind "film look" and maybe more of it than you want. IMO you do NOT need a 35mm adaptor for the effect you want because it is going to happen anyway because of the way the laws of physics work with miniature sets. Adding a 35mm adaptor in such a situation could be a bad idea.

Also, if you do animation with your action figures, you will do well to use your Canon EOS digital stills camera which kinda solves the problem of how to mount your lenses.

One thing i really want is a shallow depth of field which i can not do with out moving way back with my camera and zooming way in, and even at that point its hard to get much of one. I would deffinitly just use my digital camera, but its not stop action. I was serious when i said it was goofy. I use fishing wire in a Team America style. If you want to see the first one i made here it is: http://youtube.com/watch?v=343ekZ4rGfo the intro is really bad and i plan on putting a lot more work into the next ones.

Any way. I am starting to narrow it down a little bit, my question now is: With the cannon EOS digital rebel xt the type of lense it uses is EF? or what is the lense type for that?

EDIT

Well it looks like my camera uses EF and EF-s lenses, and im guessing that the EF-s lenses arn't really supported by any of the adapters based on their nature, but which adapters can you get EF mounts for?

December 22nd, 2006, 11:44 PM	#1
Nils Hoover Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: ithaca ny Posts: 57	Need some help choosing There is a lot of information on these forums to look through, and its hard to filter out exactly what I'm looking for so i would appreciate any help. I am looking for a 35mm adapter for my panasonic dvc30. One main thing that i want is i want the adapter to be able to mount the same lenses as my digital camera that i have which is the cannon EOS digital rebel xt which i assume means that i need an adapter that can mount EOS lenses, but i am not sure because i don't know much about lenses. I am going to be doing a lot of close up almost macro shooting (for this goofy online series with action figures) but also plan on doing more normal stuff. I would like to keep the adapter under 1000 bucks so i still have some money for some lenses, but i am a tiny bit flexible. Like i said the main thing i want is to be able to use the same lenses as my digital camera (so i don't have to spend twice as much for both). If more info would help just tell me. Any suggestions are appreciated, but please try to explain why. __________________ http://nils.tv www.vimeo.com/nilz

December 23rd, 2006, 12:23 AM	#2
Vasi Hasan Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: U.K Posts: 38	Join the club Nils... I'm in the same boat as you, been reading forums for the last 4 months and still can't figure out which one to get. You'll realize that most people will just praise the adapter they have, which probably means they're all pretty good...although I have a feeling they'll all improve drastically in the next year or so with added stuff like flipped image, etc. I don't have one yet, but I can tell you what I've discovered so far. there seem to be 3 popular choices for the under $1000 budget; sgPRO, Redrock M2, and Brevis35. They'll all fit your EF lenses, so you shouldn't be worried about that. If you have a thing for pretty looking gizmos hanging off the front of your camera, get the sgPRO, otherwise try and test some yourself before you buy one. I'm still trying to rent/test some in London, no luck so far.... anybody? anybody? wayne....? Good luck, and let me know how it goes... Vasi.

December 23rd, 2006, 12:58 AM	#3
Ben Winter Trustee Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Hollywood, CA Posts: 1,675 Images: 1	I'd go with either SGpro or Brevis. My reasoning is this: I started this 35mm adapter quest many years ago, and have built three of my own, bought two Letus35s, and now own a Brevis. I am thoroughly impressed with the Brevis' tried and true reliability and solid construction, as well as minimal light loss. The image is very clean. I've also seen sample footage from the SGpro and have been very impressed with it's balance of bokeh rendering and light loss. I would've bought the SGpro but there is something very unattractive to me about having a box on the front of your camera. The switchable focusing screens on the Brevis was also a very powerful selling point to me. It is important to note that bokeh and light loss are tradeoffs; you cannot have good bokeh and minimal to none light loss. So in low light situations it is ideal to have a focusing screen that sacrifices bokeh rendering and gives you light performance, while in better-lit situations a more filmic-quality bokeh is acheivable with a switchable focusing screen. The M2 is nice but a little more expensive, so I would just as well stay cheaper and get something just as high-quality if not more so. Another advantage of a box spinning-GG design like the SGpro is that the grain doesn't appear at higher shutter speeds where the Brevis may have an issue. You can also close down the SLR aperture farther. (further?) __________________ BenWinter.com

December 23rd, 2006, 01:44 AM	#4
John Calder New Boot Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Auckand, New Zealand Posts: 13	Close-up gives film look anyway Nils Hoover wrote: > I am going to be doing a lot of close up almost macro shooting > (for this goofy online series with action figures) When you go close-up with action figures, your depth of field relative to your miniature set is reduced, so giving you this kind "film look" and maybe more of it than you want. IMO you do NOT need a 35mm adaptor for the effect you want because it is going to happen anyway because of the way the laws of physics work with miniature sets. Adding a 35mm adaptor in such a situation could be a bad idea. Also, if you do animation with your action figures, you will do well to use your Canon EOS digital stills camera which kinda solves the problem of how to mount your lenses.