Hey, just letting you all know I FINALLY have my M2 and XL2 setup in a way that will yeild some decent footage. I will be shooting some camera tests this week, wo we can all get a good idea of how the XL2 and M2 compliment eachother.

I have also been trying to set up the XL2 for run-and-gun with an M2... no easy task. I am close, just waiting on a Cavision shoulder-brace...

http://img319.imageshack.us/my.php?image=xl225om.jpg

Footage to follow soon.

i love that arm for ur monitor, what is it and where can i get one?!

matthew,
what exactly is that M2? Any info links?
Bruce Yarock

a 35mm adapter. check out the ALT imaging forum or the P+S technik forum for info on them

The M2 is a 35mm adapter available from www.redrockmicro.com
Great product, decent price. Wish they would come out with a relay lens dammit!@ (Just kidding Brian).

As for the arm, it is available here http://shop.store.yahoo.com/cinemasupplies/isarmwi1baan.html

Nifty little product. One knob to tighten everything!

Matthew,

thanks for sharing the m2 and the arm information. I logged the sites for returning to at a later time!!!

I am really looking forward to seeing some of your footage!!!

Hey Matthew,

Which monitor did you decide to buy? How is it regarding focusing?

Hey, I ended up with a Lilliput 7" LCD 16:9. It has VGA resolution, so 800x600. Great for focusing and such. Colours are a tad weak, and it is really reflective (even with touchscreen removed) but I am trying to find a petrol hood to help that!

Are you left-handed....or left-eyed? hehe. I noticed the eyepiece is reversed to the other side.

::: Connor

OH, because the image from the M2 is rotated 180 degrees. The monitor is flippe dupsdie down on the proper side, while the EVF is upside down on the left side so Ican check accurate colours every now and then.

Matthew,

I was just wondering what you film with the rig?? The run and gun must be fun with all the weight.

any footage coming soon??

It looks like the M2 is just an adapter and that you will need to get a 35mm lens for it. The M2 web site is difficult to gather info on pricing. How much is the M2? Also, how much are 35mm lens'? Can you use a canon/nikon 35mm photocamera lens with the M2?

Any input is appreciated :)

I am currently using 35mm SLR lenses from Nikon. You can also get a canon mount, PL mount, Cooke, Arriflex, etc. Basically, a different mount for any lens... but yes, it is jsut an adapter. All the prices are on their site, but SLR lenses range from $100-$2000 so it's quite open!

From your picture it looks like the M2 fits in front of the 20x lens. Is that right?

I was looking at getting the Canon lens adapter but this looks intriguing. Can you tell me why you went with this rig instead of the Canon?

The Canon EF adapter multiplies your SLR lens's focal length by 7.6 X. This is because a 35mm film frame is 7.6 times larger than a 1/3 inch CCD (like an XL2). The M2 (and various other adapters) allow the 35mm lens ot project a true 35mm image onto a sheet of spinning (or vibrating) ground glass and then your video camera films the image off of this glass, so you get a full 35mm image with true 35mm Depth of Feild. I recommend checking out the alternative imaging section of this forum...

I couldn't find any setup tutorial link on the forum especially with XL2. Do you know of any links I can refer to?

Hi Matthew,

I have a quick question for ya, If someone is going to purchase the Redrock M2 adapter, does this mean that the 20x Fluorite lens wont work with it right off the bat? Or does the adpater fit right on to the 20x 72mm lens?

Your rig looks incredible!

Fits right on out of the box. No step-up ring needed unless you want to hard mount it (which is strictly optional)...

Regards,

~J

Thanks Jeff!

So everything is there inside of the M2 kit (And maybe all the other ones like the SGpro, Letus and such...) and all you basically need is a 35mm still lens to go with it? This all makes sense now, and I am starting to appreciate how far video is going to go to be film, it's so remarkable I am just in awe.

Cheers,

I can't definitively speak to any DOF adapter aside from the M2 (which I own). If you buy one of their bundles, it comes with everything you need aside from 35mm lenses, including:

1. Rod and rail system
2. M2 adapter
3. Achromat for focusing on the ground glass element

It costs around $1,000, and absolutely works right out of the box for the XL2... Which may be a bit of a misleading statement now that I think about it. From a 'do I need to buy anything else' standpoint, an M2 bundle + at least one 35mm lens will get you there.

On the other hand, from a knowledge standpoint, adding a DOF adapter takes any video camera a couple steps farther away from 'point-and-shoot' and a couple steps closer to 'you really do need to have some idea of what you're doing to make the most of this equipment.' Fortunately there is a thriving forum community similar to what we have here at DVi, and many of us are willing to volunteer our time and knowledge to get new folks up and running. It took me a couple weeks of experimenting before I was comfortable enough with it to use it 'for real,' and I still feel like I'm learning new things with it every day. Anyway... Hope that helps clarify.

Regards,

~J

It looks like the M2 is just an adapter and that you will need to get a 35mm lens for it. The M2 web site is difficult to gather info on pricing. How much is the M2? Also, how much are 35mm lens'? Can you use a canon/nikon 35mm photocamera lens with the M2?

Any input is appreciated :)

all of our pricing is available under the purchase menu from our home page. It's all there :)

Hi Mathhew-
Did the package come with those sweet handles or are they after-aftermarket if so share the details. FYI I made a monitor hood for my 7" using black corrugated plastic and hot glue that works great on the cheap if your wallet is still a little too warm.

The hand grips do not come with the M2. I don't know what kind Matthew has, but I believe Cavision makes ones just like that.

BTW, as pointed out on the Redrock website, a shim kit (which Redrock optionally provides) is required to use the M2 with an XL camera.

Another thing to note about the M2 is the lead time in ordering. They say it all over their website, but it's worth repeating here... From the time you lay your cash on the barrelhead, you can expect a minimum of 4 to 6 weeks of waiting (lately it's been more like 8 weeks) before you'll get your M2. This is because Redrock builds each M2 to order.

Personally I was lucky enough to be able to borrow my friends M2 while I waited for mine to arrive, but I know for a lot of people on the M2 forums, the wait is a painful and frustrating one. Just something to be aware of going in...

Regards,

~J