Toenis - I'm really looking forward to seeing the final release of the CineDOF adapter, a superb way of incorporating the Canon Microlens Array focus screens. All the best & thanks for sharing the info.

Psst, would this do? www.cinedof.com (this is a non functional preview)
I really hope we can launch a fully functional web environment next week so everybody can place an order...
... actually we`ve had stocks for two weeks already.

Cheers,
T

Hi Everyone.

I am getting very excited to try this new toy!

For those of you that will do it yourself, dont' buy the focusing screen from a retail store
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?ci=1&sb=ps&pn=1&sq=desc&InitialSearch=yes&O=productlist.jsp&A=search&Q=*&bhs=t&shs=Canon+EE-A+&image.x=0&image.y=0
They cost $35.

You can buy them from canon's parts department for about $5 each. Just call up Canon and ask for their parts dept.

Peace, Rolland

Psst, would this do? www.cinedof.com (this is a non functional preview)
I like the mockup of your site. I even got a little chuckle from the cameramen... they looked familiar...

OK, I'm getting together all my necessary supplies,

http://cgi.ebay.com/Macro-Extension-Tube-Set-for-Nikon-S1-S2-S3_W0QQitemZ7532447521QQihZ017QQcategoryZ79000QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Macro-Extension-Tube-Set-for-Canon-Elan-II-7-Rebel-A2_W0QQitemZ7532447538QQihZ017QQcategoryZ79000QQcmdZViewItem

$20 on ebay for USA buyers.

Sam, those cameramen are indeed inspired from that "Fight lazy workers!" by unknown artist from 1931.

We have Nikon units (55mm diametre) in stock if anyone is interested in pre- release purchase. Just PM me.

Cheers,
T

I ordered a Pre-release unit from Toenis last Monday, so expecting delivery in the next few days, (UK). I have all the parts ready, so I'll literally be able to put it together, get some test shots & report back here with my findings.

The Cinedof looks to be a very promising device at $50, but like my dear old gran used to say "the proof is in the pudding". Keep you posted!

Does anyone know if the Canon gl2 or Sony VX2100 need the 250d Dipoter to work with the cinedof unit?

thanks Rolland

Rolland, can you verify if those tubes from Fotodiox/QualityFoto are with 58mm threads and with inner diametre of 55(.3)mm?
If so then this ebay shop is one of the best places to get stepping rings, Cokin filters, holders and hoods.
I`ve dealt with them before but havent brought extension tubes from them.

Cheers,
T

T,

Did you get my last email?

Hi Toenis,

I was wondering how you fix the the mechanism inside the macro tube.
The Thorlabs ones have been so popular for so long with static diyers because of their retaining rings and threaded interior which also allows for very precise back focus adjustment.

Also, on the subject of camera to adapter fastening, if one were to use nikon macro tubes, with a nikon male at the video camera end, then you could use the nikon BR3 macro adapter (no idea what it's for in stills photography) together with a male-male 52mm macro coupler to give some thing that could be attached to the video camera's filter thread via suitable use of step up step downs.

Oh yeh, would your device be capable of vibrating the nikon type D screen with it's inbuilt condenser?

cheers

Dave

OK I just got my ebay tubes in
The ebay extention tubes have the followign theads Canon about 59mm Nikon about 57mm

Very odd sizes.

I have 55mm and 58mm filters so I was able to guess the sizes.

Peace, Rolland

David, vibrating screen holder should be clued inside the tube with epoxy, hotglue etc after backfocus adjustment. As it is 8mm thick it aligns itself quite well and can be fixed with few drops of epoxy or even with bondo. It can be fixed with small scews too but this wouls require more tools than just a drill.

Rolland, that is the main problem with those tubes that some of Nikon ones are with odd threads and some are with standard 58mm threads. The main disadvantage is that those with 57mm threads are with smaller inside diametre too. Canon EOS/EF tubes are also with uncommon M60 0.75 threads that only Hasselblad used for some lenses.

Fortunate thing is that one can fit a metal ring ripped from common 55mm rubber lens hood inside the EOS/EF tube very snuggly and with little bit of threadlock it will remain there forever and one will have a standard 5mm threads on adaptor. We haven`t yet figured out how to port those uncommon threads on some Nikon tubes with parts available to everyone.
Maybe we will just come up with custom size stepping rings for different tubes.

Best regards,
T

OK, I have been messing around with my cheap Ebay extention tubes. If you buy a 52mm UV filter and a 58mm to 52mm step down ring you can easily epoxy glue the assembly into the cheap ebay tubes using some epoxy like JB Weld.

Same thing for the Canon tubes except you use a 55mm UV filter and a 58mm to 55mm step down ring. I might leave the UV glass in there to protect the focusign screen from dust as an added benefit.

The filters fit pretty snugly. they just need a bit of epoxy to hold them in place.

Since The VX2100 and Canon GL2 are both widely used DV cams, I'm assuming most people will use a 58mm mounting thread, but you can use any step down ring to accomplish the appropriate size.

peace, Rolland

Now that I am thinking about this.

Wouldn't a rotating filter mount like those on polarizer filters be better for this project?

Afterall the focusing screen needs to be aligned to the camera sensor and the idea of screwing the tubes in and out sounds like a bad idea to me. Wouldn't that change the distance and hence focus area?

Peace, Rolland

I'd be cautious about the glue. I know people had problems ruining their Nikon Screens when they used superglue for something. So, just be careful.

With those marco tubes of yours, how do you you adjust the focusing screen so that it is the perfect distance from the back of the SLR lens? It's probably a stupid question but I'm a little confused.

Would rotating the focusing screen so that it is perfectly horizontal and locked into position be a problem as well?

Also, am I correct that at the ends of the macro tubes are a male and a female lens mount, and these lens mounts screw off with 55mm threads that can be stepped up or down to fit the appropriate camera?

I am very much intetested in your project and can't wait for your vibrating piece to be available. I got the 35mm adapter bug about a month ago and built my own adapter just from lurking around here. Now I'm looking for a cleaner solution...

Hopefully soon, T, will be able to get a prototype to me for the 3inch thorlabs or the 2inch and I can easily find a solution for the tubing, but that would require him to make larger diamaters, smaller and might make it, better or worse. My only fuss with the bigger thorlabs tube are the macro's. It sucks to have a bigger tube and a small macro or have a bigger macro meaning more money. So it's just considered fickle. I think the macro tubes have a slr lens mount on the end. So that means, you have to find a way to mount a lens coupling to your camera, then mount the tube for the vibrating hassy. The vibrating hassy for a 2inch tube only has to be 51 in diameter and wonder if that's too small.