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Richard Gillespie

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Letus Extreme with HV30 Test

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This is my first outing with the Letus Extreme. I took it along with a Canon FD 20mm F2.8 and 50mm F1.4 lens to Park Guell here in Barcelona not far from where I live. I started filming about 4pm. It had been a very overcast day but it turned out to be one of the clearest days I have known here. I shot for about 3 hours and that included a break for a beer! Edited in FCP and it's pretty much as it came from the camera I have only adjusted the gama on some of the shots. The music is from shockwavesound.com a library I have used for a long time and would recommend.

Comments

Shiv Kumar

August 12, 2008 06:20 PM

Richard,

The thought the images were really good. I loved the 20mm shots you had in there. I especially liked the shots with the people sitting on those colored benches.

How do you go about using the Letus35 Extreme with your HV30? I thought one had to buy the Letus mini for the HV30. I have a Letus35 Extreme and have been using it with my Canon XHA1. I also own a Canon HV30 and so I'm curious.

Richard Gillespie

August 27, 2008 01:10 PM

Shiv, I am pretty pleased with the way the extreme is working out. The 20mm is OK but seems to vignette quite a lot, I want to get hold of an f2.0 24mm Canon FD. I like the FD lenses because they pull focus in the same direction as I have always worked. This came in very handy doing the EuroGames video that I put up on here. Take a look let me know what you think, I am pretty pleased with some of the focus pulls, generally I was working at f2.8.
The HV30 seems to work well with the extreme I just needed 2 step-up rings to fit. Letus actually suggested it to me over the mini when I said i wanted to use the adapter with other cameras. I haven't tried it with anything else yet. I am pretty astounded by the picture quality coming from the HV30 to the point of thinking is it worth putting anything else on the back-end of the extreme. I like to hand hold occasionally and the extreme/hv30 combo makes it just about do-able, I doubt I could do it with anything bigger or heavier. The only problem that I seem to suffer with the extreme/hv30 is an unwanted vibration when I have my pan bar attached. I haven't been able to work out what is causing it. It may even be the CMOS sensor/shutter on the HV30 that doesn't like the vibration. I just don't know but to be honest, it doesn't cause too many problems because I normally have a hold of the pan bar anyway. It's a nice combo for me and the LCD on the HV30 is pretty sharp. I have a little Hoodman for it which works well. Best wishes, Richard

Shiv Kumar

August 27, 2008 01:57 PM

Hi Richard,

Thank you for all the info you've provided! What is a step up ring exactly? I'm guessing they fit between the Letus Extreme and the HV30? A kind of adapter that adapts 72mm thread ring to what fits on the HV30? And where would I buy these things?

Richard Gillespie

August 27, 2008 02:06 PM

Shiv, In the USA you can buy step-up rings here http://www.adorama.com/. I bought mine in the UK from http://www.discountfilmsdirect.co.uk/. The rings are very inexpensive. You need to go from 43mm to 72mm if that is the thread size of your extreme. Hope that helps.

Shiv Kumar

August 27, 2008 02:14 PM

Hi Richard,

Thanks for the prompt reply! I'll check these out. Yes, I use a Canon XHA1 and the thread ring diameter is 72mm. The 43mm part helps too since I would have had to look it up :).

Adam Montanaro

September 21, 2008 10:15 PM

This is what I'm doing

I've been using an XL-2 for a few years with my Letus Extreme. But for a while now, I've been looking for a more compact solution (one trip to Italy with my full setup was all it took to convince me). So when the Letus Mini was introduced I decided to sell my whole rig and invest in a Mini with an HV30. But ater seeing this, I was excited to think I could keep my extreme and work with that instead. I borrowed a friend's HV30, went down to B&H and bought two step up rings (43-55mm and a 55-72mm), and the end result was a very portable, relatively light set up that took a fabulous image through my EF lenses! So now, as I don't have to buy a Mini, I might not even have to sell my XL-2, (which I love with the heat of a thousand suns). Anyway, I'm heading own to B&H this week to get my own HV30 and I can't wait to start shooting!

One little thing... it seems you need to be careful with the step up rings. I dind't think I screwed it on all that tight, but now I can't seem to get the 72mm ring of my Letus, at least using as much force as I dare to use. Luckily, the part of the Letus that attaches to the camera seems replacable - it's just a small metal ring, so I might just leave the step-up ring on this one and order a new adapter to camera connector for when I want to use it with my XL-2 again.

Another note: because of the weight of the Extreme, I was using it with my rods, for which I had to make some major adjustments due to the small size of the HV30. But once it was all assembled, it was very pleasant to shoot with hand held. I'm going to just by a Cavision grip (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/310699-REG/Cavision_RS15HS_RS15HS_Single_Handgrip_for.html) to complete the package, which will allow me to distribute the weight evenly.
Adam

Richard Gillespie

September 23, 2008 06:58 AM

The only downside to the HV30 with the Extreme is that I have found under certain situations that the vibration from the Letus can cause the shutter on the HV30 to roll. This generally happens when I have the pan bar attached to my tripod which seems to exasibate the vibration.

Adam Montanaro

September 26, 2008 05:24 PM

My setup now

OK - I'm set up! The nice folks down at B&H helped me adjust my Cavisions to adapt the hulky Extreme to the HV30 - You can see it here:
http://gallery.me.com/adam.elder#100245/IMG_3829&bgcolor=black

Here's my first sample footage:
http://gallery.me.com/adam.elder#100237

I'm having a little bit of trouble adjusting to this camera, but as I get the feel for it, I have high hopes. The rig is compact, light and easy to hold. I especially like the Cavision double grips that slip right onto the rods. Gives a lot of stability.

I'm having a little issue seeing too much grain in medium light situations, but I think my Extreme batteries might simply be running low. I'll do some more tests tomorrow.

Derek Doublin

October 04, 2008 03:38 AM

Yes!

Hallelujah This is the rig I have been looking for!!! I've been searching for a decent handheld HD system that can use 35mm lenses for a year now. I own a Sony EX1 and an HVX200 and have never been happy with how bulky the 35mm adapters make those cameras. I am a huge fan of handheld cinema and hate being locked down. Thank you for posting your rigs online!!!

Adam, Richard I am very, very interested in your set up. Can you post some pictures of the rig in your hand or on your shoulder? How far does the LCD sit from your face? Is the extreme really that much bulkier and heavier than the mini?

Thanks!

-Derek