Digital Video - December 2008 - (Page 14)

FIRST LOOK LETUS ULTIMATE 35MM LENS ADAPTER The rod support setup on the Letus Ultimate system. with the Letus Extreme adapter (reviewed in DV May ‘08). Pricing was announced at $4,500, which immediately drew comparisons to the $10,000 P+S Mini35. Following NAB, after Letus worked out the final kinks in the system, they shipped me beta unit #4. I’ve been shooting with it for a while now, and I’m happy to report that the Ultimate has exceeded my already high expectations. Setting up the Ultimate, I was immediately struck by the build quality of the unit. Constructed of milled aluminum, it is extremely solid, and the fit and finish is equally good. While not as fully integrated and heavy-duty as the P+S design, the Ultimate takes all the positive elements of the Extreme adapter and improves on them. It’s basically the same size as its younger sibling, though a beefier shape. The Extreme’s interchangeable lens mount design essentially remains but has been upgraded with an external mount collimation ring. Top filmmakers know proper filtration while shooting is a better way to control image NEW than relying on iffy & expensive postproduction to save a shot. For the first time, Century offers a fully-professional matte box and a matched set of 4”x4” filters selected especially to help videographers balance exposure, control depth of field and compensate for limited dynamic range—at DV affordable pricing. Pro Lightweight Essential-5 Affordable 4”x4”Filter Kit: Mattebox • ND .6 Solid The professional 0DS-MB4 • ND .6 Soft Edge Graduated 4-210 MB-210 clips on • Polarizer or add the optional 15mm • Black Frost 1/2 Diffusion supports. No vignetting: the • Warming Skintone Enhancer wide shade covers popular Century 5 Filter Kit with lenses even when equipped multi-compartment with wide angle converters. One rotatable 4"x4" filter slot Filter frame included • Holds one fixed 4"x4" filter in front end of the hood • • Must-have Mattebox & Filters for DV/HDV Production! pouch included. 801 C48 70- 800-228-1254 • 818-766-3715 Simply unlock and twist the ring to collimate the lens mount. No need to remove lens mounts and the unit remains sealed. It’s a brilliant design that I immediately appreciated. The Ultimate uses a spinning ground glass, a first for Letus. Rotation speed can be adjusted in levels from 1 to 99 by using an electronic control and LED display on the back of the unit. This allows you to tune the adapter on the fly for specific camera shutter speeds. The unit is virtually silent and vibration-less when running. Powered by AA batteries, the Ultimate can also run on 12V power. There is a low-battery warning light. The default configuration features a PL mount, but ten additional lens mount options are also available. The Ultimate is a flip adapter, so images are recorded upright on the camera, simplifying monitoring in the field. The weight of this unit virtually requires a rod support system of some kind. My review unit came with a beta version of their $600 rod support system, offering threaded 15mm rods and extensions and height-adjustable camera and adapter supports. By print time, Letus should have released a $4,500 B4 relay lens option, further positioning the Ultimate in the high-end HD market. Letus Ultimate image quality is possibly the best I’ve seen on a lens adapter system to date. It’s important to stress that, as this is a First Look review, my remarks are anecdotal, and I have not yet shot proper comparative chart tests. However, after working with every major lens adapter system on the market, that’s not a statement I make lightly. This really is an amazing unit. Images are consistently sharp edge to edge and visually grainless. I tested the unit at shutter speeds up to 1⁄1000 without any adverse image issues. Indeed, smooth, grainless video can even be shot at the high f/16 and f/22 stop range. Most adapters perform well in the f/4 to f/8 range and start to exhibit ugly grain and artifacts at extremely high f-stops. The Ultimate does not appear to be limited by this issue. Sharp, deepfocus images can be obtained, given enough light. Speaking of light, loss is minimal with what appears to be a half stop of light lost in the system. And bokeh rendition is exactly what you would expect from spinner design; smooth, clean and sharp, with a minimum of the typical lens adapter frosted diffusion effect. It is truly a joy to work with the Ultimate. A standard Letus Ultimate package includes a lens mount of your choice, an achromat and connection ring for your camera, D-tap power cable, waterproof case with cut foam, and a height-adjustable rod support bracket. It also comes with a one-year warranty. DV www.dv.com www.schneideroptics.com http://www.schneideroptics.com http://www.dv.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Digital Video - December 2008

Digital Video - December 2008 Contents DV Expo Gallery First Look: Ultimate 35MM Lens Adapter Vidock GFX Pro Videostudio Pro X2 Instant Expert The Making of Roman Close-up: Dave Ruddick Crypto Camerawork Click To Play DV101 Production Diary

Digital Video - December 2008

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