I have 2 EX3's and an EX1 and I'm headed overseas for a month and a half documenting musicians and landscapes in Africa. Right now my budget can afford the Letus 35 Extreme kit from B&H which includes the Zeiss lenses:
Letus35 | LELTEXSCKEX Extreme Starter Cine Bundle for Sony | B&H (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/589733-REG/Letus35__LELTEXSCKEX_Extreme_Starter_Cine.html)

I also see this package that is considerably more money and includes the Nikon lenses:
Letus35 | LELT35UCEX1 Ultimate Cine Kit for Sony PMW-EX1/EX3 (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/589204-REG/Letus35__LELT35UCEX1_Ultimate_Cine_Kit.html)

Can I affectively achieve good results with the first package, the Letus Extreme? I know the limitations with shutter speed and and loosing a 1/2 stop with the Extreme vs. the Ultimate. Any experiences, feedback is welcome. I'm just wondering if the extra $3,400 US is worth it getting the "Ultimate" package.

I have the Extreme, and have been very happy with it. However, they seem to be not very consistent. I have a colleague who's on his third and it's still not as sharp as mine.

From what I've read, the Ultimate is indeed a step up (spinning ground glass rather than vibrating). If I were in your situation, I would buy only the 25 and 50 lens and use the savings to buy the Ultimate. When you need longer focal length, you can just take off the Letus--you'll get some DOF by zooming the naked lens.

Of course, I don't know what you're filming. Good luck though, sounds fun!

Thanks Rob,
I just got through removing the Extreme Kit from my shopping cart and adding the Ultimate Kit at B&H. I do want the 80-200AF lens in that kit for longer focal lengths. I will be shooting African landscapes, sunsets and people- musicians, playing fast pace drumming and dancing. I may want to increase my shutter speeds, and I will be in a very bright environment, and with the f5.6 limitation of the Extreme, I will need to add ND filters to compensate. I am weeding through the shopping cart to afford the Letus 35 Ultimate package. I prefer not to work with the limitations of the Extreme due to my shooting conditions.

Rob, can you explain "vibrating" glass vs. "spinning" ground glass?

Larry.


My first more extensive reply got exterminated on its way up the pipe so here's a second shot, not quite as extensive as the first.

My comments below are valid for homebuilt AGUS35, not Letus Ultimate and should not be considered authoritative for the Le Brothers' product.

1. Do not shoot higher than 1/50th sec just because it says you can. Your outdoors lighting environments are going to be quite hostile for any groundglass work with any adaptor.

2. Your outdoors environments may include very bright, high contrast, red soil, background cumulus clouds. Sun high and slightly forward of camera position may give you an artifact in clouds or on red soil and be impossible to eliminate on both with iris settings.

3. A polariser may help but may also introduce a flickering pure colour artifact in some conditions.

4. I prefer to add ND in front of the groundglass before using camera ND after the groundglass to minimise flare.

If you are cheap like me, a few circles of 2-stop ND gel or even lighting gel if it is scratch-free, shoved in behind the Nikon lens inside the mount is helpful for keeping the camera iris and Nikon iris on their respective sweet spots in combination with camera ND. Even better practice is ND before the lens.

Be mindfull to keep the ND gel from becoming really curved to avoid added internal reflections but slightly curved and slightly tilted is also better than dead flat for the same reason.

5. Adding ND gels may cause a red or ochre colour caste in highlights of textured black objects like wrinkled black cloth. It is an infrared artifact which has been noted with some CMOS imaging systems.

This may be more evident with black stretch selected or later in post when extension of blacks are being attempted. So you may need to stick with camera ND only where there are deep textured black areas in the image.

6. With dark complexioned interviewees, for most faithful rendition of facial exprsssion, try to avoid placing them in direct sunlight, but position them if possible in near to edge of shade and light them with dull reflectors if backgrounds which are themselves photogenic burn out and you need to balance the exposure.

Old white car hoods with light dust thrown on them or opened out cardbox boxes are a good substitute. Our familiar foldable disk reflectors can be a bit savage on the eyes and are just one more thing to cart around.

7. Open areas of fine red textured sandy or red clay soils and bright green leafy nearby vegetation singly or worse in combination can introduce colour casts which might be difficult to grade out.

Reds in dark complexions can be quite artful in a kicklighting sort of a way.

A magenta cast introduced on medium to fair complexions by locally white-balancing in, then later colour correcting for green spill can look positively sickly, especially if this light is mixed with purer light from a reflector. If green spill cannot be avoided, then you just have to suck it up, live within the available means and the reflection of pure light not be used.

Try to use building shade in preference to tree shade unless the tree shade is solid and there is not another green tree or green grass casting a green spill back onto the subject.

If you travel by light air charter, a cool shot is the zoomed-in close-up on the aircraft passing through front-on, swinging through the shot in a taxi-turn off the runway, from 45 degrees through to at least about 45 degress in a following pan. I call these crossovers.

On the Ultimate, with about 50 metres from camera position on a 60 degree line to taxiway/runway junction, zoom position 105mm should be just about right for a Cessna four seat cabin plane or Gipps GA8 Airvan, 85mm for a larger charter or regional commuter like a Cessna Caravan or Twin Otter.

If you want to be on your front seat passenger, remember the pilot sits on left and will come into your shot as the aircraft swings right and obscures your passenger. By this time however the best part of the shot will have already been captured.

If the turn off a narrow runway is going to be sharp, pre-focus on a spot about five feet your side of the main runway centerline in centre of the corners of the intersection and you should be close to sharp. For a wider runway, make that spot about ten feet your side of the main runway centreline. It is a bit of a lottery because of different pilot habits.

Pan to lead the aircraft into the turn with noseroom, at the junction, allow the windscreen of the aircraft to pass into centre of your frame and allow the pan movement to die so that the frame holds steady on your passenger as the aircraft swings. Your pre-focus should be good at this point. As the aircraft swings, reverse your pan and lead slightly ahead for noseroom again then at 180 degrees side-on, allow the aircraft to escape from the frame.

This shot works best if you fill the frame with the aircraft cabin, polarise past the windscreen reflection onto the subject and limit the available background which will be moving through the frame. Polarising without rehearsal can be a pig in a poke, however if you adjust the polariser for darkest runway surface or eliminated highlights on your side of any cone shaped runway markers or corners of rectangular ones, your should be close.

Best settings for this will be shutter "off" to avoid rolling shutter artifacts from the propellor disk as it passes across the subject through the frame as the aircraft turns. Sony's flavour of CMOS performs really well and I think the artifact which can occur is as much related to long GOP compression as it is to rolling shutter.

Using the long end of the zoom on the Ultimate to soften the background will help in reducing the load on the long GOP codec with this shot.

Allow some time in your schedule for at least one time-lapse shot. Because of battery endurance issues, you might be best to shoot this direct-to-camera without the adaptor.

Phil Bloom is a far better source of knowledge on this. He has shot timelapse with adaptors with these cameras and will be able to advise you much more competently on all matters relating to your project than I.

Visit his blog and forum at Philip Bloom Home (http://www.philipbloom.co.uk) if you still have time and ask him for some suggestions. They may well conflict with mine in which case, run with his.

In between the Ultimate and Extreme, there is a package from Zacuto which is called the Elite which blends the backfcous facility of the Ultimate with the Extreme.

Whichever package you choose, it is vital you get in lots of practice with the assembled camera/adaptor combination. You must become adjusted and react intuitively to the overall system and do no silly things like trying to use the camcorder zoom and focus instead of the lens on front or lose concentration on framing and composition because you are trying to think it all out on your feet. On the Africa assignment, if you can shoot safety coverage with a bare camera, do so.

However, two cameras on the job and something as attention-getting as the UItimate or Extreme may result in a lot of distraction of your efforts by people gathering around to have a look. Obstructive officialdom may also intervene to frustrate you. Allow yourself time in your schedule for these inconveniences.

If you have not had firmware update v1-11 done on your EX1, it would be prudent to get this fixed as you will eliminate some battery life hassles where facilities for rechargng may not always be conveniently to hand.

Enjoy. If I was younger and fitter and uncommitted, I would want to be along.

My Ultimate does not work with shutter speeds higher than 1/125. It is advertised to work with speeds up to 1/2000th. I had mine sent back for repairs two times which cost me a fortune and it still does not work as advertised. Build quality is horrible.
I feel totally ripped off.

Larry, I cannot recommend strongly enough that you take a good, long *hard* look at some of the feedback on the Ultimate and Extreme and the general mood re. these items right now.

Really.

Jus.

Bob,
Thank you for your detailed reply. I am currently re-reading and examining your words and will reply back soon.

Justin,
Where do I go to find feedback on the Letus? Are people having major issues with this setup?

Larry, also note you should price out that Nikon Kit and Letus on there own. I found it to be cheaper buying the nikon glass seperatley... Also the kit comes with the 80-200mm which is an older lens and I think the 70-200mm is better at least on my D3 it is I do not know what if any advantage it has over the 80-200mm when using with a LETUS besides the obvious 10mm but the 70-200mm glass has been said to be one of the best produced by Nikon.

Larry,

I sent you a private message. I would strongly consider the Zacuto/Letus package if you choose to go the Letus route for reasons I outlined in my email.

Jus.

Hi,

If u coming to Dakar. Send me a message. I'll be happy to met U. And If u need a camera operator in Bamako, I am not so far.... I'v done some shootings a few years ago in Bamako (one with Toumani Diabate), Segou and Kayes.

Bruno Deme

I sent you a private message. I would strongly consider the Zacuto/Letus package if you choose to go the Letus route for reasons I outlined in my email.

I don't know your reasons, but I got mine through Zacuto and it works great. Do they test them?

Does anyone know when they are going to have their relay/direct to EX-3 mount ready!!!!

Thanks Justin for the PM. I have to scramble here to get a package soon- I leave for Africa in 3 weeks and I want a few days to spend with the adapter to get used to it. I will have two camera assistants to help me, so it might be easier to get a quick handle on the 35mm option.

I'm beginning to wonder about the quality/ reliability of the Letus based on my reads.

Where is a good link to the P+S adapter? Is the Redrock Micro a quality product?

RedMicro will soon have a special adaptor for EX Camera.

As much as I love my Letus, I'm curious as to why you want to shoot this with a 35mm adapter at all. They're very limiting and not at all good (in my opinion) for anything run and gun. Focus is difficult (though should be less so with the Ultimate since you can stop down), you have more opportunities to make a mistake (forgetting to turn it on or the adapter's batteries run out), and more opportunities to get dust on your image--plus of course you can't zoom on a prime, and it greatly increases your bulk. Not to mention they degrade your image (or make it soft and cinematic as the case may be).

The EX image is so nice without an adapter--I would look to getting a longer lens to go directly on one of your EX3's (though I'm not sure what those go for) and a wide adapter. Magic Bullet Looks is great at giving a faux blurring of the background if you need that.

Just a thought.

Hi Rob,
I appreciate your thoughts on going with a long lens vs. the Letus. This was my original thought. I wanted to go with a Canon KH-20 or an XS-17 Fujinon. I just don't feel that spending $8,500 for for the Canon 20x is worth the money based the additional zoom range. I will be shooting music videos and music performances, so I will be in situations where it is not run and gun. I figure I will use the Letus Ultimate about 10% to 15% of the trip, but those images will stand out amongst the rest and be worth the investment. I have the weekend to think this out clearly; to decide whether or not to purchase the Letus Ultimate. If I had the bucks, I would no doubt go with the P+S Pro35 adapter, but I feel I should either go with a long zoom lens or the Letus setup. If anyone can talk me into the KH-20 or XS-17, please feel free to lend your words. I'm looking for options that will give me flexibility, ease of use, and most importantly, the best image quality.

Thanks Justin for the PM. I have to scramble here to get a package soon- I leave for Africa in 3 weeks and I want a few days to spend with the adapter to get used to it. I will have two camera assistants to help me, so it might be easier to get a quick handle on the 35mm option.

I'm beginning to wonder about the quality/ reliability of the Letus based on my reads.

Where is a good link to the P+S adapter? Is the Redrock Micro a quality product?

Larry, I can get beautiful images out of my Ultimate. I just wouldn't rely on it as its physical integrity is representative of an enthusiast's product at best. That said, I would feel more comfortable about the support and QC you would get from Zacuto and their version. I have several of their products and not only are they great, their customer service is very good too. I would feel confident that they would work hard to keep me shooting no matter where I was in the world.

The P+S for the EX3 is very new. Can you afford one? At about US$18k the last time I checked, I can't right now, so it would be rental for me and the usual suspects seem to have them in stock for hire. The P+S may seem overkill for the EX3/1 but unless you've seen a decent DOF adapter (The Ultimate, on a good day) on a XDCAM EX using the HD-SDI out on a recorder like the FLASH XDR with 50mbps or 100mbps (I have all of the links in this chain), you won't understand just how special an image you can get. That's why I'm thinking of ways (some straining the definition of legal...) to get me some kind of version of the P+S for my kit. I have played briefly with a Pro35 on an F900 with some Zeiss Ultraprimes and it seemed very robust by comparison.

Jus.

Justin.


If you go with any adaptor, vigilence with relay focus (also called backfocus in relation to detachable lens style cameras) can not be over-emphasised.

The common practice is to establish relay focus by adjusting for sharpest groundglass texture "grain" by closeing the iris of the lens in front to provoke the groundglass texture into visibility and opening up the iris of the relay lens (camcorder lens) to maximum to make the camcorder lens depth-of-field as shallow as it can be before trimming the focus.

Some regard the follwing comment as an urban myth however I observe that there is a tiny fraction more resolution to be had by adjusting the relay focus to the visible image which lies within the depth of the groundglass texture, an uneven surface of pits and peaks which is in the ballpark of three to five microns from bottom of pit to peak.

The only way to arrive at this "fine tune" is with the groundglass running so that it is in its normal operating position and the lens on front of the 35mm adaptor, already in sharp focus upon some finely patterned object. In desperate times, this could be the fabric of a threadbare curtain but it is more useful to take a focus chart with you. Siemens stars are helpful but a chart with varying pitches of straight lines in blocks is better.

Even if your viewfinder resolution is poor, the parallel lines in the resolution blocks throw off visible moire patterns when focus is sharpest. With the Siemens pattern, your eyes can play tricks with you. If you are really stuck, a simple hair comb in front of a piece of paper or sticktytaped to a window glass is better than nothing.

You will be very hard put to get this right with the camcorder viewfinder. A HD monitor or HDTV is about the only way to go. With the P+S direct relay systems for detachable lens cameras, the focus ring is locked off once you have found the setting and you need only check it periodically or if the camera goes through extremes of temperature or is dismantled. Some trust the integrity of the P+S Technik products and this is generally okay to do, but I prefer to check.

Until the vendors of the alternative products finalise their own direct relay lenses, you are stuck with using the camcorder's standard zoom lens and its focus system for trimming relay focus.

It is quite adequate but is more vulnerable to being moved off sharp relay focus and correct relay framing, even if you tape the lens focus ring and zoom rings and select the zoom rocker switches off.

Before you set off, you need to find an underscanning monitor somewhere. I don't think you can set the EX1 or EX3 LCD viewfinder to an underscanning mode like you can the Z1. Use this to establish just how far back you can come with the zoom before you pick up an edge of the optical path.

If you zoom furthur in than you need to frame out the edges of the path, you then crop your relayed image and lose some apparent resolution. These cameras create a crisp image and if the groundglass image is over-soft it will not intercut without being noticeable.

It can be helpful to make up a framing card while you have an underscanning monitor only temporarily. Whilst observing the monitor, set up a large card a fixed distance of your choosing from the taking lens on front of the adaptor.

While looking through the viewfinder, use a sharpie to trace an outline of your viewfinder frame. Then whilst looking at the underscanning monitor, trace another outline of the visible frame edge.

In the field, you can then set your card up the same distance from your lens (the same one you calibrated with), then widen the view with the zoom until you find the viewfinder frame edge, then zoom in just a mere trace.

Some operators simply frame the edge of the path to the edge of the LCD display, then pick an object within the image which rests on the left or right side safe-area guide frame, then zoom in until this object moves onto the LCD display edge. I'm fine with this as a quick fix but there remains a risk that the camera manufacturer has been too generous or too cautious.

Most cameras err on the side of caution and throw much of the usable image outside of the guide frame to assure your subject remains within the final exhibition frame of the common household television set.

The caveat emptor is that optical centricity has to be maintained. Shipping and several cycles of assembly and breakdown can send it off. You need to check, preferably after each transport, by un-taping the zoom ring, widening the view and checking the vignette of the edges of the optical path.

When people initially set up adaptors on rods (rails or whatever else you call them), there is a tendency for haste born of the understandable desire to get out there and drive the thing.

While you can wing it on your own, it is more helpful to have two people on the job setting up. The 35mm adaptor and its mounting system to the front of the camcorder lens should be aligned correctly first, then the remaining fitments adjusted so that there are no mechanical loadings on the camera to 35mm adaptor optical junction.

Many camcorders are of plastic construction and a considerable amount of flex can occur in the casework which can move the optical centre off alignment with the centre of the sensor.

The actual weight of a camera can cause a bending misalignment during assembly. This becomes locked in after all the rails and clamps are secured.

I find it more helpful to offer the camera to the 35mm adaptor's optical junction by pointing the camera and adaptor camera upwards, then joining and securing them together in that orientation. The combination is slightly more awkard to assemble but is easier to get right in that orientation. The extra pair of hands is very helpful with this task.

Adaptors make for great images but they are also higher maintenance for consistent and predictable results to be had. You need to budget for extra operating time if you are going to use one. Haste most often means a ruined shot and becomes time wasted.

Adaptors also lose light, some more than others.


My sense is that allowing yourself only one week to get used to the adaptor is too short a time. In reality it won't happen because of all the other stuff associated with overseas travel. Packing, remembering things, mishaps and somebody else's last minute demands on your time will erode this practice window and you will be learning on the job.

Bob,

Thanks, as ever, for your super informative posts. As it happens, my issue with the back focus adjustment of my Ultimate has more to do with the perceived range of adjustment at one end of the scale, so to speak. It all feels so imprecise! But, I haven't brought this up before because, so far, I have been able to get the sharp focus I've needed - just - using a Zeiss ZF 50mm or 85mm for interview work.

As it happens, I use a TV Logic monitor when using the Letus for the reasons you highlight. It has an underscan mode.

Jus.

Justin.


Kind comments appreciated.

Actually I think I may have become a little confused as to who is going to Africa. Doesn't matter, the wordstuff is written.

Hi Bob,
I'm going to Africa in 3 weeks, and due to time constraints/learning curve, I have decided to forego the 35mm lens options at this time. Your information is very valuable and I will be looking at this thread again when I decide to go with the 35mm adapter. If I purchase anything at this point and if I am allowed to take it out if the budget, I might go for a Canon KH-20 or a Fujinon XS-17.
Thanks again for everyone's input!

~Larry

One option is to get the Fujinon ACM-21 2/3 lens adapter and rent a nice 2/3 ENG lens that with give you the long lens you need.
I have this ACM-21 and have stolen my HPX-500 18x7.6 Fujinon 2/3 lens and it is great, nice and long.

Fujinon ACM-21 Lens Mount Adaptor for Sony PMW-EX3 :: HDV, HD Lens Adapters :: Optical Lens Adapters :: Lenses & Optical Lens Adapters :: Equipment Sales :: Abel Cine Tech (http://www.abelcine.com/store/product.php?productid=1001137)

I have my eye on the Cinevate Brevis MP.1 35MM adapter as they have optimized their one of their Cine Fuse for the EX factory lens and they are working on producing a new EX3 rely lens that is said to be released in the Spring.

Good Luck with the shoot.

Michael Palmer

Larry, Letus Extreme is quite enough to produce beautiful images, and it only loses 1/2 stop of light.

Problem is, it has severe issues with backfocus. They say it is set at the factory, but it was not so in my case. There's no legitimate adjustment; you are expected to disassemble the adapter and arbitrarily pull fragile parts to achieve the backfocus. Not only that, but you are forced to do it repeatedly, since you can only see your result after you re-assemble the thing back.

As you can tell, I'm not a fan of LEX engineering.

Now, I seem to have kicked the beast to the point when it performs as expected; but it did cost me a lot of spoiled blood, lost time, and dangerous assembling/disassembling. Your mileage will vary.

To my knowledge, Letus Ultimate, mostly, is just a grossly overpriced Letus Extreme with backfocus issue fixed. Apparently owners are still unhappy with it though.

Supposedly Zacuto has an adapter that specifically fixes LEX's backfocus issue by replacing crappy Nikon mount block provided by Letus with the Zacuto-made part that should work OK. I do not own that part so cannot attest to it.

But I do own LEX (Letus Extreme), and by looking at B&H kit, I can tell you that one of the best lenses is missing from it.

Zeiss 100mm Makro (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/472574-REG/Zeiss_1424_665_100mm_f_2_ZF_Manual.html/BI/2187/KBID/2932) is truly awesome - I own it, and never regret spending money on it. (If you have a chance, please research what people who are much wiser than me say about that lens. You'll be amazed.)

With it, LEX's image quality is really great.

Bottom line... from my own experience, Letus is voodoo magic (too temperamental and fragile), and I would NOT rely on it solely, if I did a commercial project.

But I would at least try to use it on some shots (preferably in studio), because when it works, it does produce great images with the right setup. (Including Zeiss 100mm lens above, plus special achromat for EX1 that I had to buy separately...)

Of course you need rails (Letus makes very good kit for LEX with the riser that fits EX1 perfectly), and a good follow focus as well...

Comments above are for LEX with EX1 since I own and have experience with it, not EX3.

Alex,
I purchased the M-2 adapter at NAB last year for my EX1 and what a nightmare, I can't tell you how horrible it was dealing with RRM and their so called customer support. I finally found out the guy at this years NAB from Red Rock Micro knew of the EX1 lens issue and knew it wouldn't have very good edge to edge focus but sold it to me anyway.

I have been waiting and as I just posted I am looking at the Cinevate Brevis MP.1 35mm adapter as they have an optimized Cine Fuse specifically for the EX1 LENS. The Brevis also has a variable speed for the oscillation of their Cine Fuse for fine tuning to each lens choice. Cinevate has also said they will produce a rely lens for the EX3 that should make a big difference to those of us still undecided on the right tool.

My question to you is what zoom setting (number) do you zoom out to for the best performance with your adapter. The Cinevate website has some videos that show it somewhere between 67-72 on the zoom.

I appreciate your thoughts,

Michael Palmer

Larry, Letus Extreme is quite enough to produce beautiful images, and it only loses 1/2 stop of light.

Problem is, it has severe issues with backfocus. They say it is set at the factory, but it was not so in my case. There's no legitimate adjustment; you are expected to disassemble the adapter and arbitrarily pull fragile parts to achieve the backfocus. Not only that, but you are forced to do it repeatedly, since you can only see your result after you re-assemble the thing back.

I agree with you Alex about the Letus Extreme backfocus. It's just too fiddly to be a professional solution. The adjustment method for that is too unprofessional and trial and error. They came out with an 'Elite' backfocus add-on for the Letus Extreme for $600 which I'll probably get when I start using the LEX again more often. I used some older Nikon lenses on it and sometimes the images are amazing though. Sometimes it seems they're clearer than without it, which seems impossible but maybe with the zoom in and proper aperture maybe there's sweet spot on the EX1 that can be exploited by the LEX. I'll check out the Zeiss 100mm you mention. Kind of long maybe for me. What subjects do you find it useful for?

Keith, I use my 100mm Zeiss on almost everything :)

I know how it sounds :)

But if you think about it, after certain length, you can simple reframe by increasing/decreasing the distance between the cam and the object, and that's what I'm doing. Beats changing lenses; and none of my other ones, although also good, approach the image quality of Zeiss 100.

And you can even get extreme closeups with this same lens, since it is a macro!

For specific wide angle shots, of course, you will have to change the lens.

By the way, Zeiss 100mm Makro (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000U3WU14?ie=UTF8&tag=mo7iescom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000U3WU14) is also available here (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000U3WU14?ie=UTF8&tag=mo7iescom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000U3WU14) - although it says only 1 left in stock now.

what zoom setting (number) do you zoom out to for the best performance with your adapter.

Michael, on my EX1, I go to Z68 - at which point the entire ground glass is covered.

The Zacuto sold Letus Elite fixes the Extreme back focus problem with the (available separately) backfocus add on. This is actually made by Letus, not by Zacuto.

The Ultimate is spinning GG not Vibrating GG like the Elite and the Extreme.

I would throughly recommend getting the Elite rather the Extreme as the back focus issue is a 'mare to fix.

The EX3 relay, I am told, will be out very soon!

Hey Phil, thanks for the correction - indeed the backfocus add-on ring is made by Letus and carried by Zacuto. (For some reason, B&H does not have it separately from the adapter kits at the moment.) I learned about it just before you posted :))

Elite adds almost 50% to the cost of Extreme. If you are facing a shoot, and are hell-bent on using Letus, I agree - get Elite to avoid backfocus issues.

I was considering purchasing a backfocus adapter recently, but after my pull-and-pray session my LEX backfocus still holds... So I guess I'll just wait until it gives in, and then buy the Letus add-on ring (http://www.letusdirect.com/cart/letus-elite-upgrade.html).

I have to say that, especially comparing to the cost of the entire LEX, the backfocus ring's $600 price tag appears unreasonable - especially for something that should have been part of the original LEX design to begin with.

Totally agree. Is it too expensive. As far as I know it is a Zacuto exclusive hence no B&H.

The extreme really should be discontinued and replaced with the elite as the back focus is absolutely essential...

Phil, or anybody that has the Elite add-on, does it completely eliminate the need for the fiddly back focus push and pull procedure holding the ground glass? It's hard to find info on what this Elite upgrade does. I can see that it has a ring, I assume that ideally it will somehow move the vibrating ground glass forward and backward, but it's hard for me to see how it would retrofit back to the Extreme design. Does it put another lens in front of the vibrating ground glass? If so it seems that this would add a bit of quality reduction as light needs to go through another layer of glass, and we're depending on that glass to be good quality. Also if it's just moving the focal point forward and backward it doesn't help if one of the sides of the ground glass is closer than the other, which is something I've also noticed. Thanks for any information.

I assume that ideally it will somehow move the vibrating ground glass forward and backward, but it's hard for me to see how it would retrofit back to the Extreme design.

I don't have it, but I guess it just allows to move the lens mount closer / further from the GG, so you don't have to go through the push/pull procedure any more.

Keith.


As I understand it, the Elite modification replaces the existing Extreme front tube with a new front tube which includes a short-throw telescopic facility enabling the front which holds the lens mount of choice to be adjusted closer or furthur from the groundglass.

There should be no need to mess with the actual position of the groundglass itself unless the unit has suffered a really, really, bad clout in shipping, the groundglass has been shifted off-axis and you are getting a soft edge in the image.

A maybe bonus with the Elite, is that with the wides and ultrawides, say 14mm f2.8, you may be able to macro them a little bit by pushing the backfocus adjustment to its forward limit to get real close focus on a subject. ENG lenses use the backfocus helicoid to do macros. Phil Bloom may be able to confirm if you can macro the Elite.

____________________________________________________________________________
Seeing as how other people post footers, let's see if I can do it too.

(Sony HVR-Z1P, Sony PMW-EX1 on loan, Recent infatuous dalliance with SI2K, Home-made AGUS35, Letus Extreme - modded, Letus XL - modded, P+S Technik Mini35-400 - yes modded (for EX1), no-name computer with PP2, Prospect4K. Bolex H16RX5S16 Cinema Products CR16RS16.)