Letus 2/3" Compact Relay*::*Letus Relay Lenses*::*LetusDirect (http://www.letusdirect.com/cart/letus-b4-relay-compact.html)

Will that attach onto the EX3 body?

What are your thoughts on the new relay? There's also the pro version..

Letus 2/3" Pro Relay*::*Letus Relay Lenses*::*LetusDirect (http://www.letusdirect.com/cart/letus-b4-realy-pro.html)

Edit: Jumped the gun. I realize that the EX3 is 1/2" so no it will not fit. But there was talk of a 2/3" to 1/2" adapter.. I got a little over my head!

The new relay will fit the EX3 with the adaptor that comes with the camera. (at least that's how I understand it)

Your just swapping one lens for another..? I thought they were going to have a mount, direct to camera. Camera-letus extreme-35mm lens. It's just still, Camera-lens-Letus-35mm lens. What are you gaining? And now you'll need to spend 0ver 11,000.00 for whole thing, lens, letus, rail system. Wow.

What are you gaining?
Apparently, less light loss and a "one piece design", but agreed, uber expensive for what you get. Honestly, this would be great on a SI-2K. I could see this being feasible there.
-C

Your just swapping one lens for another..? I thought they were going to have a mount, direct to camera. Camera-letus extreme-35mm lens. It's just still, Camera-lens-Letus-35mm lens. What are you gaining? And now you'll need to spend 0ver 11,000.00 for whole thing, lens, letus, rail system. Wow.

Have to totally agree. You are removing the stock lens, which is designed to work well with the camera it was made for, for another lens costing $6000. For that you could almost buy another EX3!

Is it worth $6000? ( plus impost duty and VAT) =£5800 in the UK!

Unless you have money to burn on gaining a stop or so, and are doing some kind of higher end production, it doesn't seem at all practical.

Perhaps others think differently and I would like to hear their views on investing in it.

I was wrong.... A "little birdy" just told me:

"With this new adaptor on the EX3 the image will be cropped. A separate 1/2 inch adapter is on it's way."

That's all I know.

I was wrong.... A "little birdy" just told me:

"With this new adaptor on the EX3 the image will be cropped. A separate 1/2 inch adapter is on it's way."

That's all I know.

a 35mm lens to 1/2 censor B4 mount relay would be ideal. I know upside down image and DOF coming from the lens alone but that's the ticket for putting inexpensive but good glass on the camera! I would like to see something like this for about $2,000!

Dean, that's not what's coming. This will be a "relay lens" that removes the need for using the stock EX3 lens WITH a Letus Ultimate. So you would still need BOTH the Letus Ultimate and the yet to be released relay lens.

The main advantage to the relay lens is that it would have a lower f-stop (larger aperture) than the stock EX3 lens. It will probably also be much shorter in length so your rig wouldn't be so front heavy.

The big question is the cost. Hopefully it will relatively affordable.

The big question is the cost. Hopefully it will relatively affordable.

Its going to be $6000 plus taxes.

Your just swapping one lens for another..? I thought they were going to have a mount, direct to camera. Camera-letus extreme-35mm lens. It's just still, Camera-lens-Letus-35mm lens. What are you gaining? And now you'll need to spend 0ver 11,000.00 for whole thing, lens, letus, rail system. Wow.

I believe that the relay system was always going to be another lens. There was no other way for the image in the ground glass to get to the CCD/CMOS without another lens. The adaptors just were not made to work any other way. There are many weight/size advantages to the relay though, and I wouldn't be surprised if its a sharper image too.

Hopefully the 1/2 will be a bit cheaper. But I guess the compact would be the way to go. Would rather loose a little bit of stop over shooting through 12 plus pieces of glass.
Still cheaper than $27,000 dollar Pro 35. Glass will always cost us.

Dean, that's not what's coming. This will be a "relay lens" that removes the need for using the stock EX3 lens WITH a Letus Ultimate. So you would still need BOTH the Letus Ultimate and the yet to be released relay lens.

The main advantage to the relay lens is that it would have a lower f-stop (larger aperture) than the stock EX3 lens. It will probably also be much shorter in length so your rig wouldn't be so front heavy.

The big question is the cost. Hopefully it will relatively affordable.

I know it's to be used with the letus but ... I was just dreaming. There's a 2/3 relay made in Greece and there's a B4 mount with a Nikon mount made in England I think. It would be sweet to have the relay attach to lens directly. I've got the SGBlade coming and I'm up for something on this level but ... I'll wait and see!

A little more info from my secret source:

"The Letus EX-3 relay is ready to go. It's a F/1.5 lens. It's shorter than the longer B4 mount but longer than the shorter one. Get it? "

Still waiting on cost. (hopefully not $6000)

I want it.. but I'm not willing to pay over $3,500!

^^^^^^I agree.

PHOTO!
Philip Bloom Blog Archive The Letus Relays are almost upon us! Updated with picture of EX3 Relay (http://philipbloom.co.uk/2009/01/28/the-letus-relays-are-almost-upon-us-2/)

Phil, it looks great. Any idea on price for the EX3 version yet? also have Letus made any provision for a remote control of the EX, Canon or Fujinon variety? without it there is only a proprietary Sony remote socket on the EX-3 right? that would make handheld shooting a little tricky.

Dan

I asked Phil this on the Alternative imaging forum but does anyone else know the answer?

I haven't seen/heard about pricing yet. I don't understand the other questions....sorry. You have to focus and expose using the manual controls on the 35mm lens.

I'm talking about the VTR trigger on the lens, it will be removed if you take off the stock EX lens. You still have the trigger on the camera top plate but its in a pretty awkward postion for hand held stuff. Other HDV cameras normally have LANC or some other method offered to do this which allows a remote with VTR trigger to be attached to a handgrip or whatever, the EX-3 only has a propriatery Sony socket on its back plate which as far as I'm aware the controller is very expensive. Hope that makes thing clear.

The Fujinon 2/3 inch EX adapter has a Fujinon remote socket on its adapter http://www.abelcine.com/store/product.php?productid=1001137&cat=248&page=1. From there you can trigger from a broadcast zoom demand or controller. I was wondering if the Letus mount had a similar arrangement.

Dan

[QUOTE=Mitchell Lewis;1004235]I haven't seen/heard about pricing yet. QUOTE]

It's $6000 for the Pro and $3500 for the compact. Its been mentioned several times, including Phil Bloom on his blog and by Hein himself.

Steve,

But how about the price of the special EX3 version, that's what we're talking about here. Looking at Phil's picture it looks to be a pro with a special adapter but can anyone confirm this?

Dan

[QUOTE=Mitchell Lewis;1004235]I haven't seen/heard about pricing yet. QUOTE]

It's $6000 for the Pro and $3500 for the compact. Its been mentioned several times, including Phil Bloom on his blog and by Hein himself.


Those are prices for the B4 mount versions not the special one (shown in the photo above) for the EX3.

The good news is that I've "heard" that the EX3 version will have an adjustment for three things. 1) Focus 2) Zoom 3) Aperture

I for one am VERY happy to learn I won't have to give up my "master aperture adjustment" by switching to a rely lens. Now let's just hope it doesn't cost more than $3000. (my guess is that it's going to be quite a bit more because it has these three things)