35mm Adaptor and lense advise needed

Shiv Kumar · September 14th, 2007, 02:56 AM

Where would one get such a system?

Trish Kerr · September 14th, 2007, 07:47 AM

the adaptor places usually sell rails as well - brevis has a set, redrock etc.

I'm not sure about the letus however - and where people get the rails for those - I would send a note to Quyen (letus seller) and ask which are most compatible with his design - his main page product shot has a set of rails mounting the adaptor

Trish

Shiv Kumar · September 14th, 2007, 07:58 AM

Trish,

Thanks for the reply.

Yes Quyen has been extremely responsive. I ordered my Letus the night before and it was shipped last night. He's a night bird I think because we'd been corresponding at 3am.

I did send him an email asking him too.

I found someone who uses these:
http://www.indifocus.com/indiraILS.html

Shiv Kumar · September 14th, 2007, 08:44 AM

FYI:

I just bought the 18" rails from http://indifocus.com
You also need to buy the "T" and strap or something. The "T" slides onto the rails and go over the Letus, the strap goes over the letus thus supporting the weight of the letus (on the "T") and keeping it in place (strap). The mounting is such that you can still swap out the 35mm lens is needed while it's all mounted. Or so I was told.

The best thing to do is call and talk to Tim, since at this point you don't see the "T" on their website so there is no way to order it online. Once you tell Tim you need to support the Letus he knows exactly what you need over and above the rails.

Bill Pryor · September 14th, 2007, 09:54 AM

Trish, I think with any of the 35mm adapters, plus any 35mm lens, you're doubling the length of the camera's lens, at least, and the farther out you hang a weight, even a small one, the more it's going to stress the mount. I really wouldn't want to use one without rails. Just because you can doesn't mean you should (sorta like the built-in mic, or high gain...just because you can....)

John L. Miller · September 14th, 2007, 01:02 PM

I have been using the letus 35FE without rails with no issue for the camera, BUT, the letus will encounter a problem without the rails unless you hold the letus for support while shooting. The aluminum thread ring that threads the letus into the A1 female threads WILL pull out of the letus when screwed into the A1. The weight of the letus, though not much, will cause it to come loose. The thread ring is NOT sealed or glued into the body of the letus. There is a reason for this...it is to allow the thread ring to rotate inside the letus for proper positioning on the A1. You have to tighten the letus to the A1 so it will not move while you are shooting. You may tighten the letus and find that the picture is somewhat sideways and you need to turn the letus more or less to align it. Well, if the thread ring was already tight, you couldn't adjust it properly. Therefore, you can turn the body of the letus while the thread ring remains tight in the A1 and align it properly. I recommend once you do this, you mark the thread ring with the body of the letus so you can then remove the thread ring and either glue or add paper shims to tighten the threadring to the body of the letus. You obviously do not want to get caught up in a shot and loose the letus onto the ground. Therefore, the support rods will certainly provide some safety to that effect. I also recommend using a clear lens protector over the A1 lens that has female threads on the outer side so you can leave the lens protector in place and thread the Letus into the lens protector instead of the A1. That way if you mis-align it and it scratches the lens protector, you can get another one. However, if you misalign it and scratch your A1 lens (which is Way TOO EASY to do), you will have to send it to Canon for about 1200 bucks or more in repairs. I speak from experience. Fortunately, my camera was so new, the retailer took it back and gave me another new one. The lens of the A1 is all the way out to the end of the housing, VERY easy to scratch...I am telling you all, please..use a clear lens protector prior to attempting to screw the letus or any other adaptor to your A1. Hope this helps! J

Trish Kerr · September 14th, 2007, 03:09 PM

yikes - starting to feel like it's having a land mine attached to the end of the camera : )

Thanks for the heads up on the caveats. Definitely worth sharing to avoid unnecessary catastrophies. I've had a neutral density filter on the camera since the first week - definitely don't want to scratch the lens. Nevermind if it's 1200 in the U.S. to fix it, I'd be loathe to find out the Canadian price...

For Bill's comment - I wonder if strain on the mount would even be noticeable before it was too late!

Trish

Bill Pryor · September 14th, 2007, 04:34 PM

A lot of it would depend on how you handle the camera. As John's post said, he braces it with one hand. Still, you know these cameras are definitely not over-engineered in the structural integrity department. Even a big sturdy 2/3" chip camera with a B4 lens mount can have the mount broken off if somebody swings around and clips the foot-long zoom in a door jamb or something. I've seen that happen.

September 14th, 2007, 02:56 AM	#16
Shiv Kumar Major Player Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Gainesville, VA, USA Posts: 327	Where would one get such a system?

September 14th, 2007, 07:47 AM	#17
Trish Kerr Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 294	the adaptor places usually sell rails as well - brevis has a set, redrock etc. I'm not sure about the letus however - and where people get the rails for those - I would send a note to Quyen (letus seller) and ask which are most compatible with his design - his main page product shot has a set of rails mounting the adaptor Trish

September 14th, 2007, 07:58 AM	#18
Shiv Kumar Major Player Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Gainesville, VA, USA Posts: 327	Trish, Thanks for the reply. Yes Quyen has been extremely responsive. I ordered my Letus the night before and it was shipped last night. He's a night bird I think because we'd been corresponding at 3am. I did send him an email asking him too. I found someone who uses these: http://www.indifocus.com/indiraILS.html

September 14th, 2007, 08:44 AM	#19
Shiv Kumar Major Player Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Gainesville, VA, USA Posts: 327	FYI: I just bought the 18" rails from http://indifocus.com You also need to buy the "T" and strap or something. The "T" slides onto the rails and go over the Letus, the strap goes over the letus thus supporting the weight of the letus (on the "T") and keeping it in place (strap). The mounting is such that you can still swap out the 35mm lens is needed while it's all mounted. Or so I was told. The best thing to do is call and talk to Tim, since at this point you don't see the "T" on their website so there is no way to order it online. Once you tell Tim you need to support the Letus he knows exactly what you need over and above the rails.

September 14th, 2007, 09:54 AM	#20
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	Trish, I think with any of the 35mm adapters, plus any 35mm lens, you're doubling the length of the camera's lens, at least, and the farther out you hang a weight, even a small one, the more it's going to stress the mount. I really wouldn't want to use one without rails. Just because you can doesn't mean you should (sorta like the built-in mic, or high gain...just because you can....)

September 14th, 2007, 01:02 PM	#21
John L. Miller Major Player Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Huntington, WV Posts: 260	I have been using the letus 35FE without rails with no issue for the camera, BUT, the letus will encounter a problem without the rails unless you hold the letus for support while shooting. The aluminum thread ring that threads the letus into the A1 female threads WILL pull out of the letus when screwed into the A1. The weight of the letus, though not much, will cause it to come loose. The thread ring is NOT sealed or glued into the body of the letus. There is a reason for this...it is to allow the thread ring to rotate inside the letus for proper positioning on the A1. You have to tighten the letus to the A1 so it will not move while you are shooting. You may tighten the letus and find that the picture is somewhat sideways and you need to turn the letus more or less to align it. Well, if the thread ring was already tight, you couldn't adjust it properly. Therefore, you can turn the body of the letus while the thread ring remains tight in the A1 and align it properly. I recommend once you do this, you mark the thread ring with the body of the letus so you can then remove the thread ring and either glue or add paper shims to tighten the threadring to the body of the letus. You obviously do not want to get caught up in a shot and loose the letus onto the ground. Therefore, the support rods will certainly provide some safety to that effect. I also recommend using a clear lens protector over the A1 lens that has female threads on the outer side so you can leave the lens protector in place and thread the Letus into the lens protector instead of the A1. That way if you mis-align it and it scratches the lens protector, you can get another one. However, if you misalign it and scratch your A1 lens (which is Way TOO EASY to do), you will have to send it to Canon for about 1200 bucks or more in repairs. I speak from experience. Fortunately, my camera was so new, the retailer took it back and gave me another new one. The lens of the A1 is all the way out to the end of the housing, VERY easy to scratch...I am telling you all, please..use a clear lens protector prior to attempting to screw the letus or any other adaptor to your A1. Hope this helps! J

September 14th, 2007, 03:09 PM	#22
Trish Kerr Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Canada Posts: 294	yikes - starting to feel like it's having a land mine attached to the end of the camera : ) Thanks for the heads up on the caveats. Definitely worth sharing to avoid unnecessary catastrophies. I've had a neutral density filter on the camera since the first week - definitely don't want to scratch the lens. Nevermind if it's 1200 in the U.S. to fix it, I'd be loathe to find out the Canadian price... For Bill's comment - I wonder if strain on the mount would even be noticeable before it was too late! Trish

September 14th, 2007, 04:34 PM	#23
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	A lot of it would depend on how you handle the camera. As John's post said, he braces it with one hand. Still, you know these cameras are definitely not over-engineered in the structural integrity department. Even a big sturdy 2/3" chip camera with a B4 lens mount can have the mount broken off if somebody swings around and clips the foot-long zoom in a door jamb or something. I've seen that happen.