Cutting/removing the lens off a HVX ?

[Dennis Hingsberg]

Has anyone here tried or have any experience removing the stock lens from a HVX? Anyone gone that far in taking one apart that they could provide testament to it's ease or difficulty? Any manuals or such would be highly appreciated.

I'm looking at designing a 35mm mod for HVX cameras that will yield an overall brighter setup compared to traditional methods.

In theory the mod could provide an effective light "gain" of 2 stops when using 35mm setup.

This would effectively mean you could bet back to the cameras original working ASA. (ie. approx 400 for the HVX) Currently with most 35mm add-on adapters you end up with an approximate working ASA of 100, or between 50 and 60 once you throw a 35mm lens into the equation.

This is impractical for most film style lighting setups, particularly indoor.

If you don't understand the relationship between ASA, f stops and shutter speeds? Here's a really good read: http://www.uscoles.com/fstop.htm

[Robert Lane]

Dennis,

I would not even recommend attempting such a venture, regardless what your level of technical expertise is. I don't remember where I saw it, but somewhere on the 'net you'll find a cutaway view of the HVX and other handheld cams currently on the market which clearly illustrates why this would be a completely destructive operation.

The lens elements and the internal mechanisms that control them are literally integral parts to the body; you could not disassemble the lens from the camera without adversely affecting both the imaging chip and the rest of the camera electronics, not to mention completely ruining the built-in seals that protect the imaging chip and other sensitive internal parts from dust and other airborne contaminants.

What you're proposing to do - create a 35mm lens adapter that doesn't shoot through the built-in lens - has always been a sought after dream for most of the handheld cam owners, and one reason cameras like the XL series and the JVC 100/150 series are favorites for those with lens adapters.

In short, physically removing the lens assembly and associated mechanisms means you would in effect permanently change and even destroy an HVX - or any other camera with a built-in lens. The money invested in trying to create such a device would be better spent in purchasing a camera body designed for removable lenses.

[Jeff Kilgroe]

Originally Posted by Robert Lane

I would not even recommend attempting such a venture, regardless what your level of technical expertise is. I don't remember where I saw it, but somewhere on the 'net you'll find a cutaway view of the HVX and other handheld cams currently on the market which clearly illustrates why this would be a completely destructive operation.

If anyone wants to donate their HVX, I will gladly attempt such an operation. ;-) My work is absolutely NOT guaranteed. Hehe... I promise I will return all parts after the experimentation is done and they will show no more signs of wear or use than can be expected with excessive amounts of cutting, grinding, prying, breaking and filing. Oh, I promise I won't use a torch unless I've had a few beers first.

[Sam Jankis]

Originally Posted by Robert Lane

In short, physically removing the lens assembly and associated mechanisms means you would in effect permanently change and even destroy an HVX - or any other camera with a built-in lens.

What about the guy who modded his FX1?

[Robert Lane]

The advice given was that it's not recommended and with this type of mod there is a much greater chance of completely destroying the unit than having any success. There will always be those who are willing to make sacrifices in the spirit of experimentation.

[Barry Gribble]

Originally Posted by Robert Lane

In short, physically removing the lens assembly and associated mechanisms means you would in effect permanently change and even destroy an HVX

I do believe that was the point. We've had people talk about taking about DVX's here to mod the electronics... I'd be interested to hear if anyone has dug in with the HVX.

Anything can be disassembled, especially given that it was assembled in the first place. I've known many people who would buy $5000 electronic equipment and take them apart... mostly to make them better. It's a lifestyle choice.

[Jon Fairhurst]

It's like Vegas, isn't it? Only bring the money to the table that you are willing to lose. And have fun whether you double your wad, or lose it. Also, learn the rules and strategies of the game before you trade your cash for chips.

The gamble of modding an HVX might really pay off.

...or not.

Could be a fun project though.

[Dennis Hingsberg]

Sam, thank you for that link. I was extremely impressed by the mod-work performed by Matteo Ricchet and will be contacting him in the not so distant future.

I appreciate everyone's comments here. It is true that such an idea would seem so absurd to some but realized by others.

The obvious solution is to just go with the XLH1 or HD100 and come up with a direct add on adapter. But so far when weighing price, footprint, functionality, P2 card vs tape vs SDI, etc.. the list goes on and on and the choice to do this to an HVX becomes more and more obvious.

I'm currently looking to buy a HVX used and will go from there. Such a task will certainly not be an easy or fast one but certainly possible. I've had a lot of experience modding Sony equipment over the years as well writing code for modchips - likely some of that experience will come in handy as time goes on.

Thanks again everyone for your posts so far.

If anyone has diagrams or anything else that might be helpful (like a smashed up HVX for sale) please let me know.

[Barry Gribble]

Good luck Dennis, and keep us informed.

[Chris Barcellos]

I love the plan, and the guts, and the fact it is backed up by technical experience. I saw the Italian FX1, if I recall.. and would love to know what the ultimate results were...

[Alister Chapman]

Don't forget the multiplication factor using 35mm lenses on 1/3" CCD's. Your going to be stuck with some pretty long focal lengths.

[Matt Burton]

Originally Posted by Alister Chapman

Don't forget the multiplication factor using 35mm lenses on 1/3" CCD's. Your going to be stuck with some pretty long focal lengths.

Not if ground glass is employed !
Think Brevis but without the stock lens.

[Dennis Hingsberg]

Found this image on Matteo's site.

http://www.eidomedia.com/hdv/test/fi...IMG_0164_R.jpg

This is exactly like something I'm looking to do.

[Matt Burton]

Originally Posted by Dennis Hingsberg

Found this image on Matteo's site.

http://www.eidomedia.com/hdv/test/fi...IMG_0164_R.jpg

This is exactly like something I'm looking to do.

So do you think you could pull it off ?

[Jeff Kilgroe]

Originally Posted by Dennis Hingsberg

Found this image on Matteo's site.

http://www.eidomedia.com/hdv/test/fi...IMG_0164_R.jpg

This is exactly like something I'm looking to do.

I would say it's possible with the HVX... I'm not sure what you really hope to gain from it though -- lots of time and effort spent on such a thing could easily be applied somewhere else. Given the way camera prices are shuffling about these days and it looks like systems such as RED will deliver 10X or more what the HVX is offering for about 4X the price, I'm seeing less attraction to modifying low-end cameras. As much as you mod the HVX, it's still going to be a noisy, pixel-shifted, 1/3" CCD block... IMO, a much more worthy hack would be to get RAW footage out of the thing like what Andromeda has done for the DVX.

But then again.. As Barry Gribble said above, "it's a lifestyle choice". Too right... Some people just like to tinker with things. Personally, I don't find a lot of appeal in tinkering with something I've paid several thousand $$$ for... I tinker with my computers, but I still wait until the fair market eBay value of my notebook is $500 or less before I hack it to pieces and build a robot out of it.