Redrock M2 and EX1

[Peter Rixner]

Hi :)

I know that there are some threads in the archive and I've read them through. But couldn't find a answer to my question.

I've got a Redrock M2 from eBay and guess I've set it up correctly with my EX1. But towards left and right edges things get blurry. Focus in center is perfect. Is this a known problem ? And is there a solution ?

The effect gets worse the more you zoom onto the groundglass.
Is that the EX1 optics ? The Redrock acromat ? Or something different ?

Thanks for any ideas!

Peter

[Gints Klimanis]

Download the tutorial videos from the RedRock site. If you are unable to find them, let me know. They helped a lot (e.g. set EX1 zoom to 67-70mm).

That said, I'm having similar issues with side sharpness. I'm not totally sure if its due to my Nikon lens (50mm f/1.4, usually shot at f/2.8), M2 calibration (whatever that is), or if that is what I should expect.

[James Huenergardt]

The EX1 does not work well with the M2. I believe it has something to do with the Sony/Fuji optics/sensor in combination with the achromat.

If you check out the Letus site, they actually came up with a EX1 adapter/fix so it would work well with the EX1. Redrock has yet to do the same.

Redrock has a MicroX (flip) adapter, but they don't recommend it for the EX1 or even Z1U cameras. There is a film 'Table Manners' that was shot with the EX1 and the MicroX adapter. It looked pretty good.

You may have better luck with the MicroX (which has it's own achromat) than with the HD achromat and the M2 box.

Hope you can get it working well enough for you.

[Peter Rixner]

Thanks so far.

I cannot find those setup tutorials. Do I have to be a registered user ? Still I am not, as I got mine from ebay and wanted first to check if the former owner had already beem registered.

Anyway, I guess I set it up correctly and also have zoom at around 68.

Looking for a solution I googled that problem and found a link where someone thought it might be, that the achromat is too small. Unfortunately I cannot find that page again.

What do You think ? Could that be a solution ? Getting a biiger achromat ? If yes, which one ?

Peter

[Gints Klimanis]

Originally Posted by Peter Rixner

I cannot find those setup tutorials. Do I have to be a registered user ? Still I am not, as I got mine from ebay and wanted first to check if the former owner had already beem registered.

You have to be a registered user. Will the seller give you his?

[John Hedgecoe]

I would suggest visiting the RedRock forums and asking your questions there...

http://www.redrockmicro.com/forum/

Also, they have a video channel where they post tutorials and other videos...

http://www.vimeo.com/redrockmicro

[Leonard Levy]

So far the only good fit for the EX-1 lens is the Letus Extreme and that includes P+S. It a difficult lens to accommodate to an adapter.

[Bruce Rawlings]

I'm using the SGPro without focus problems. Shoot 35 have a new anchromat that fixes the EX1.

[Peter Rixner]

Thanks so far ...

But noone replied to the idea of a bigger achromat.

Has someone experiences with that ?

Peter

[Gints Klimanis]

Originally Posted by Peter Rixner

Thanks so far ...
But noone replied to the idea of a bigger achromat.

Has someone experiences with that ?
Peter

I have a Canon 500D at 77mm, but I haven't had the change to try it with my EX1 yet. Though, the focal distance is 500mm, which is too long. So, I have little motivation to try it. There is a Canon 250D with a 250mm focus distance. I'll check out some others, although it appears that a focus distance in the 75-125mm range is needed.

[Chris Barcellos]

Peter:

I've been fooling with adapters in general, and associated with my FX1 and my HV20.

I am not armed with tech lingo, bit there are two issues on achromats. First is focal length, or how much it allows you to get closer enough to the ground glass to get you into critical focus. The second is being big enough of an achromat to cover give you camera's lens ability to work with out catching softe edges of the achromat.

The reason you get an achromat in first place is to allow your camera to achieve close focus on the ground glass, while you zoom it in to avoid the natural netting from the 35mm or film lens of choice. If you don't get properly zoomed in, you will have dark corners, as well as have out of focus or soft focus edges.

If your achromat is having trouble getting you to that point, you could try adding some distance between camera and ground glass, by adding an extension tube.

Example: Last year I bought a Letus35a, with a 72mm ring. I could get focus with the Letus achromat, but not enough to avoid vignetting and edge softness.

I had also bought instructions to build a spinning adapter from Redrock. For that one, I bought a Cinevate achromat I screwed the Cinevate on my camera and by varying distance between the camera/achromat and the spinning ground glass, I discovered that the best distance was about 5 inches from the ground glass. Coincidentally, my HV20 has similar results.

Point is, each camera is different, and you will have to experiment a bit to get things right on. You definitely want zoom room to play with, so remember that in your indeavors.

[Charles Papert]

Originally Posted by James Huenergardt

There is a film 'Table Manners' that was shot with the EX1 and the MicroX adapter. It looked pretty good.

Here, if anyone's interested.