Hi Jane

it is too long and much too slow. I wouldn't touch anything over f2.8

Aim for prime lenses around f1.8 or f1.4 if you can afford them. My sigma 20mm is f1.8 and my vivitar 135mm is f2.3. my 35mm, 50mm and 85mm are f1.4/ I have a zoom that is f2.8 24mm to 70mm and it works fine.

I have now uploaded a hgh resolution file

http://www.1080studio.com/philipbloom/jvcbrevis2.mp4

it is over 60mb. Thanks to Chris Witzke for hosting the file for me!

those were very artistic shots man, did you use the 20mm with the brevis35 can you post any grabs how sharp was it !!! thanks

http://web.mac.com/philip.bloom/iWeb/Shootout/JVC%20HD%20201e%20and%20Brevis%2035.html

thanks!

click the link above and look at the stills from the film. picture 2 and 4 are the 20mm

Wow is that ever a long rig! Now I know what I have to look forward to. Hey, at least it works. -Until the relay comes about.

Is that the professional tripod plate I see under your camera? Does this help in some way? Did you already say what rails you were using? Thanks.

yes the jvc has front and back sony professional tripod mount connectors for the VCT14u plate and my tripod is a vinten vision 11. It does help as the camera is completely secure. It needs to be with that weight and balance.

The rods on the JVC are cavision ones but I recommend the ones from DVTEC. Cheaper and better made.

with regards to relays for the jvc...is there anyone with much experience with the mini 35 who thinks it could be possible to take the relay for that camera and use it with other adaptors out there. likewise, take quyen's letus relay and adapt it for other adaptors?

Hi Phil....
If not relay lens, what about the one made by Les Bosher in UK?
Will that kind of adapter will work in achieving DOF in JVC HD201?
I'm a newbie here and still don't have any DOF adapter yet.

Great test, thanks foir doing this, have some questions though;

What do you mean with the M2's edge to edge issue?

How do you read/ can you use such a resolution chart for setting up your adapter?

Farishad, you're from Jakarta? Me either=)

Farishad, you're from Jakarta? Me either=)

Yup, I read your posts. Did you get your adapter yet? I'm thinking of getting either SGPro or Brevis...it's for an indie feature length that I have plan to shoot this June, pending for the rainy season now...:)

Yup, I read your posts. Did you get your adapter yet? I'm thinking of getting either SGPro or Brevis...it's for an indie feature length that I have plan to shoot this June, pending for the rainy season now...:)

No, I haven't get the Brevis yet=( You may pmail me (it's: iansalim@yahoo.com) for an enchanting discussion about adapters=) Rainy day is a mess, just make sure you don't do indie feature about FLOOD =)

As promised, a quick test of the Brevis and Low contrast + ND filter:

This is with Low contrast filter power 5, and a .9 ND Filter
Brevis + FX1, Canon 55mm f1.2 at f5.6:

http://www.frozenphoenixproductions.com/tests/test1.mov

Some may say "but wait! That filter just makes things look washed out." It provides more detail in the shadows and I like it because it provides an image much more keen to color correcting as well as evens out the image for better latitude.

Ben, the bokeh of that footage doesn't look very good. Is it just me?

Ben, the bokeh of that footage doesn't look very good. Is it just me?

I hope so :) I spent an extra $100 for the CF3 just to get that bokeh looking right. Watch the specular highlights on the car; you get that perfect, well-shaped disc; not the 'desired' (whatever that means) "neutral" bokeh, but the hard-edged bokeh. This is what you most commonly see in film productions, and I'm going for film emulation, so...

Farishad.


Les Bosher's adaptor is for putting another lens directly on the video-camera.

( Video-camera >> Les Bosher adaptor >> SLR lens >> Subject. )

It is a metal ring with video-camera mount on the rear end and new lens mount on the front end. Les Bosher's adaptor is not a groundglass based relay adaptor.

Les Bosher's adaptor could be used to fit a SLR still camera lens to the video-camera. On front of this lens can be fitted a good close-up lens.

These all could then become a relay lens for a groundglass based relay adaptor.

( video-camera >> Les Bosher adaptor >> SLR lens >> Close-up lens >> groundglass based image relay adaptor >> SLR Lens >> Subject. )

This is nearly the way Quyen Le does it for the Letus35 except he removes the Minolta mount from the Minolta 50mm still-camera lenses he uses.

He then puts a new specially made JVC HD100 or Canon XL mount on back of the Minolta lens. He also uses a biconvex lens between the close-up lens and the groundglass.

Ben, I like it with the contrast filter. I've used the FX1 and it loves to clip the highlights and drown the blacks so I think that was a good investment. Which brand did you end up getting again? Thanks.

Ben, I like it with the contrast filter. I've used the FX1 and it loves to clip the highlights and drown the blacks so I think that was a good investment. Which brand did you end up getting again? Thanks.

This was the Low Contrast #5 filter by Tiffen.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=6414&A=details&Q=&sku=58397&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation

I like how the filter looks, but I think I see grain from the Ground Glass. Are you seeing that? You might have to turn up the oscillation some on the Brevis.

I like how the filter looks, but I think I see grain from the Ground Glass. Are you seeing that? You might have to turn up the oscillation some on the Brevis.

Ken, thanks for reminding me. Since I started experimenting with the CF3 and tighter apertures I have been meaning to fix that.

Thank you very much Ben for your test footage and it looks very good, much lower contrast and it proves to me that a lot of careful work is required when using adapter. I find the edge to edge isn't sharp, more like looking at the TV box through a thin layer of glass, but the center of the image look beautiful.

I understand that both Brevis & SGPro are still improving, I will hold my decision until June (the time I pack-up and go back home to continue video business ;p).

thanks again :).

I find the edge to edge isn't sharp, more like looking at the TV box through a thin layer of glass, but the center of the image look beautiful.

I have a sneaking suspicion this is because of the RR achromat, which I am supposed to be getting replaced with the Cinevate achromat. It has other problems as well such as chroma aberration which is apparent in the test video.

Ing, there's much better footage out there from the Brevis. I can get edge-to-edge sharp no problem with my HD100. But on the HVX not so much (not at anything below F4 on the camera lens). Best to ask Dennis about your concerns with your specific camera.

Thank you Chad, yes I have bothered Dennis many times before and I see both Brevis & SGPro are both improving a lot over time, so I will hold down everything until June and see which one give me the best option...

Kind of a sad day to me, I injuried my knee 2 months ago and doctor said I might need a surgery and put some screws into the bone... and I can never play sport anymore...

life is hard, I am just 33...

Wow man. That is sad. I feel for you. But there are lots of stories where people prove doctors wrong by a lot of hard work and rehabilitation. So don't give up yet. You may not be able to take it to the max anymore but there's a lot you might be able to do yet.

Thank you very much Chad :).

Yes, I now try to stay positive and make my mind gone away.

20 years ago I've broken my right arm, although I didn't get fully recovered but I still feel a bit lucky as it is my "right" arm... I am a lefthander.. now I got my left knee injury.. perhaps it is my faith to do something else.. mm.. be a good cameraman, the one who can't run.. urh!

Sorry to hijack this interest 35mm adapter topic, I will go quiet for a while...

Thank you everyone in DV forum especially Phil, Ben, Dennis, Danny, Ian & many more who love to see things behind a window frame...

As promised, a quick test of the Brevis and Low contrast + ND filter:

This is with Low contrast filter power 5, and a .9 ND Filter
Brevis + FX1, Canon 55mm f1.2 at f5.6:

http://www.frozenphoenixproductions.com/tests/test1.mov

Some may say "but wait! That filter just makes things look washed out." It provides more detail in the shadows and I like it because it provides an image much more keen to color correcting as well as evens out the image for better latitude.

Ben -
Any suspicion as to what is causing the blue fringing on the white highlights of the portion of the frame with the tree?

Ben -
Any suspicion as to what is causing the blue fringing on the white highlights of the portion of the frame with the tree?

That is chroma aberration caused by the achromat. I just ordered a better one which is on it's way.

http://web.mac.com/philip.bloom/iWeb/Philip%20Bloom/Syon%20Park%20in%20Winter.html

Shot mostly on my DSR 450 but also on the HVX 200 with no adaptor.

I get quite a few emails from people asking about which adaptor to get for which camera...I can't really answer that any clearer than in the shootout. But I do think people are thinking it is the solution to getting beautiful pictures. It isn't.

Take a look at the above link then compare it to my "Richmond Lock" short. http://web.mac.com/philip.bloom/iWeb/Philip%20Bloom/35mm%20Shorts%202.html

Sure, what you get with an adaptor is that lovely shallow DOF but not having one should never stop you producing lovely stuff! Most of the shots in the "Syon House" short are not about shallow DOF but about composition, using exposure, ND, Shutter, white balances (and Matte box) in the best way you are able to. I could have done just about every one of those shots using my z1, or jvc, or HVX etc...all with no adaptor.

I love my adaptors but sometimes you don't have to use them!!

Best,

Phil

Sure, what you get with an adaptor is that lovely shallow DOF but not having one should never stop you producing lovely stuff!

Very well put, I think the idea is very much lost quite easily behind the array of tools available today, including the SGpro. Nothing will look lovely unless shot properly.

http://web.mac.com/philip.bloom/iWeb/Philip%20Bloom/Syon%20Park%20in%20Winter.html

Shot mostly on my DSR 450 but also on the HVX 200 with no adaptor.

I get quite a few emails from people asking about which adaptor to get for which camera...I can't really answer that any clearer than in the shootout. But I do think people are thinking it is the solution to getting beautiful pictures. It isn't.

Take a look at the above link then compare it to my "Richmond Lock" short. http://web.mac.com/philip.bloom/iWeb/Philip%20Bloom/35mm%20Shorts%202.html

Sure, what you get with an adaptor is that lovely shallow DOF but not having one should never stop you producing lovely stuff! Most of the shots in the "Syon House" short are not about shallow DOF but about composition, using exposure, ND, Shutter, white balances (and Matte box) in the best way you are able to. I could have done just about every one of those shots using my z1, or jvc, or HVX etc...all with no adaptor.

I love my adaptors but sometimes you don't have to use them!!

Best,

Phil
Phil, as much as those were beautiful shots I couldn't help but notice the over-sharp "digital" feeling melt away toa more organic film look when the Brevis adapter is used. Maybe that is compression and not the actual footage?

Watching the short on the screen at full res here and yes it doesn't look quite the same as stuff done using the adaptor but things like sharpness (yes it is sharp, but not too sharp) are all things which can be tweaked in the settings.

Shots like the clouds rolling over the sun can not be acheived with an adaptor due to my using a 20x zoom with 2x extender to get it.

Don't get me wrong I am not knocking adaptors. I will always be first in line to sing their praises, the point I am trying to raise is too many people are thinking it is the answer to making their stuff look better...there are so many things to do first before taking that leap.

Once that leap has been made be prepared to have a steep learning curve because shooting good stuff consistantly on an adaptor is tough. It takes much longer, is much slower and there are so many limitations. Don't forget the cameras out there are all capable of shooting beautiful pictures, as long as you know what you are doing! After all a good stills man can take cracking pics using a cheap digital camera...it's how you use the tools you have!

I use my Brevis a lot to achieve a certain look for some projects. It is a tool for me, like my Matte box is a tool and my Dolly and track is a tool.

By the way, have a look at my Virtual Water piece on my site. I had a lot of fun making it, all done on the XDCAM hd and all post done on final cut pro. I was going to use my Brevis but I just didn't have the time, the shooting schedule was too tight. I am very happy with the end results.

Phil,
Great work, as always, with Syon footage. Absolutely lovely and beautiful. I think it is inspiring to remember that tools alone do not make for great work.

(That said), with all the tools in your arsenal, why did you shoot that piece on the DSR and not the XDCAM HD? Just curious.

Oh, and despite what I said....tools can be great and fun, and I finally ordered my Brevis yesterday.

B

i actually had half hour to do some shots, i was working for a news channel doing a story on early blooms. Had the rushes so decided to cut them together at weekend.

My parents were attending a formal last night and asked me yesterday afternoon to take some pictures of them with their digital camera. The manual control is really quite shoddy as it's one of those cheaper built-in zoom cameras, and I'm used to the control an SLR offers, but I was able to lock down the settings. I shot the first photo with a .9 ND and the Low Contrast filter, and the second with just the ND. The Low contrast filter requires a levels adjustment in post but offers greater latitude. You'll see how with the levels locked down, the Low contrast filter wards off overexposure while still allowing you to expose more for the shadows, like you would with film (instead of exposing for the highlights as you would for video). You see less of this effect with something with already low latitude like HDV but the effect is still there.

I like the way your father looks in the first shot (with the low contrast filter) and your mother looks better in the second. It has more to do with the pose than the filter, but the overblown highlights seem to have a smoothing effect on the face. The brighter colors in the foliage on the second shot look more appealing. I'm assuming you didn't do any color correction yet on the first shot. Bringing up the mid-high colors would give that nice bright feel from the second shot while retaining the details preserved by the greater contrast. It's amazing the difference of the range between the shots. It's not even an extreme sort of shot as there isn't sky in the background yet the difference is clear. The shadows are brighter and the highlights noticeably darker with the filter.

I have an Ultra Contrast 3 filter on the way as I'm hoping to get some of the latitude improvements the adapter brings at times when I don't have it installed. I also have an interesting idea about how to use a contrast-reducing filter along with the Brevis. I'll let you know if it was a stupid idea or not.

I did not get a Low Contrast 5 filter because I don't have a 4x4 mattebox yet. The best I have is a Cokin filter holder and they don't have any low contrast filters that size. The only thing that even came close was a 72mm Ultra Contrast 3. I'm thinking I will need to add some sort of light diffusion filter to simulate the effect of the ground glass, but I can probably approximate that with a digital filter in post until I work things out.

http://web.mac.com/philip.bloom/iWeb/Some%20like%20it%20shot/life%20of%20crime.html


this is a link to a clip from a short I have recently made using my JVC HD201 and the Brevis 35mm with the new CF3L diffuser.

I have posted an update to my shootout with a few comments on the two new diffusers from Dennis Wood and Cinevate on my shootout page

http://web.mac.com/philip.bloom/iWeb/Some%20like%20it%20shot/life%20of%20crime.html

Good looking stuff, Phil...

thanks v much. The new completed edit looks great. Very happy with the 3 I have finished. Only one to go!

Just had a chance to check that clip Phil. CF3L on the HD200 is looking great :-)

Was that at 30p or more? The motion looked pretty video-y. Otherwise that's insanely shallow DOF.

Really? No 25p...don't forget that is a compressed version