Is a B4 mount possible?

[Nick Harris]

I have an incredible cinezoom that I've been using for years that would be a shame to see sitting on the sidelines if I pick up an F3.

Should I just sell it now, or is it even possible to get a B4 mount converter for a s35 imager? It seems to me the back end of the lens would be way too small to use without severe vignetting or god knows what other issues.

Anybody heard of this being achieved before?

[Brian Drysdale]

Apart from the problem of the B4 lens being designed for a 3 chip camera that uses an optical block, the image area wouldn't cover the S35 frame.

Some 16mm zoom lenses have been modified to be used on 35mm cameras, They basically use a range extender type optical design to increase the image area, but you lost 2 stops. Best known of these are the 20:1 zooms, one of which was used on Barry Lyndon.

http://usa.canon.com/CUSA/assets/app...riImager08.pdf

[David C. Williams]

Ablecine make a B4 to PL, but it still doesn't offer full coverage, and only works with in centre crop modes like 3K on Red, etc.

HDx2 B4/PL Optical Adapter :: Specialty Optics :: Lenses & Lens Accessories :: Equipment Sales :: Abel Cine Tech

[Brian Drysdale]

These have been available for Super 16 film cameras for a few years.

[Nick Harris]

Sounds like it's not going to work out too well. I don't want to lose any image sharpness by cropping in on a 1080p image.

Which is a shame because the bokeh on this lens is incredible, and the focal range and constant 2.0 iris are a godsend.

I dunno, it's a $30K lens, Fujinon HAc15x7.3, and I've been using it on an HPX500. When I bought it I was hoping to upgrade to the HPX2700 or 3700, but then the DSLR's came out and now everything is pointing to large frame imagers so I'm thinking that's no longer a good idea.

Although there's always going to be an ENG market for the 2/3" CCD camera, it seems to me like the market for cinema packages on the B4 mount is dwindling. I'd be able to sell just the lens and buy an F3 package... seems like the way to go. If I did, I'd be left with an HPX500 body which I'd need to pick up an ENG lens for eventually (even a cheap CAC lens would do).

Anyone have thoughts on this? I just don't want to sell my baby and pick up an F3 and find that idiotic producers are still enamored with the RED for reasons they don't even understand and there's not much of a market for the competition.

I personally love the image coming off the F3, and I love that it's NOT 4k. I don't need the headache of gigantic file sizes. With 4:4:4 1080P there's more than enough resolution and color depth for extensive effects/chroma keying and grading.

[Paul Cronin]

Nick,

2/3" CCD HD camera and the F3 35mm camera are two different markets and there is room for both.

Only sell if your clients need the F3 and you can't afford both. If your current camera is making money for you now hold on till the gig requires you to purchase new gear. Don't just purchase cause it is new and cool.

$30K for the Fujinon HAc15x7.3 wow on a HPX500.

[Brian Drysdale]

2/3" is going to be doing a lot of TV work for years to come, it's a good compromise for a lot of productions. I the short term, you can always rent 35mm sensor gear until you see how your clients are swinging.

Your zoom lens with the PL adapter mentioned should work with the interchangeable 2/3 Scarlet, which seems like it should out next year. Any images I've seen from it so far look pretty good.

[Emmanuel Plakiotis]

Since the Fujinon is a cine lens that means constant T 2. Thats quite a wide aperture and it is comparable with around F4.4 in the S35 format which is not that bad. If shooting space permits you can always zoom in and minimize the DoF of the image. A zoom in the S35 format that would cover the same angle of view is 16-240 T2. That lens would probably cost a fortune and certainly would have been considerably more heavy. I don't even think it exists.
The F3 with the forthcoming zoom lens would probably cost the same as your lens in second hand market, but I think optically your lens would best the lens zoom bundle of the F3. Also at that price point the bundled Sony zoom could not be wider than F4 which means you don't get more shallow Dof from what you have now. In order to do so you would have to buy additional primes. The Sony primes that come with F3 are quite cheap but we don't know how they perform optically and it still means $6000 extra.

Alternatively you can buy a DoF adapter which will give the same or even more DoF control than F3, albeit at an increase in weight and size and some loss of resolution.

[Nate Weaver]

Originally Posted by Emmanuel Plakiotis

A zoom in the S35 format that would cover the same angle of view is 16-240 T2. That lens would probably cost a fortune and certainly would have been considerably more heavy. I don't even think it exists.

It doesn't. Pretty much all 35 zooms top out at T2.8, and 11-1 for zoom range. They are huge and heavy. Thems the breaks when shooting 35.

[David C. Williams]

If they stick with traditional style designs, it will likely be something around 20-80 T2.8 and about 3kg using plastics.

But, if they come up with an all electronic design ala the EX, with moving lenses, no breathing, stabilisation and so on, that could be very interesting. Hopefully no ramping stops, and more zoom range.