Story Telling–Canon XHA1 and Letus35 Extreme By Shiv Kumar On ExposureRoom

Comments

Gary Conley

March 20, 2008 06:20 AM

Really nice piece of work

I was particularly drawn to the lighting. It really set the mood for this production. Rebecca is looking as lovely as ever. Shiv you are a master at everything you do.

Shiv Kumar

March 20, 2008 06:33 AM

Did you read the story behind this video? Take a look at the description above the video.

Yes, evening light is one of the best lights to shoot in. It's a soft light and a low angle which translates to long soft shadows. The sun's light is very harsh and produces deep stark shawdows.

I'm just learning :). But thanks for the encouragement!

Willem Van den Broeck

March 27, 2008 09:46 PM

Are those Canon FD lenses? Really nice images. I find your changing focus on a lot of close-ups, worked out really well. I could often feel the texture of what you were filming.

Shiv Kumar

April 08, 2008 11:22 AM

Willem,
They are Canon EF lenses (The Auto focus kind). The lens I was using in particular (the 85mm f/1.8) is a great lens.

Glad you liked the effect :)

Will Mahoney

April 30, 2008 10:17 AM

Great video. I like the evening colors.

Shiv Kumar

April 30, 2008 03:17 PM

Thanks Will!

Anh Trinh

May 04, 2008 04:47 AM

Great job Shiv!
I didn't know the letus35 extreme can use EF mounts. I thought only FD prime lenses work. cool!

Shiv Kumar

May 04, 2008 05:04 AM

Anh,

Thanks! Yes, when I purchased the Letus35 FE (before I replaced it with the Extreme) I was told the same thing. I was actually told that I could buy the Canon EF mount but that I wouldn't be able to stop down the lens. That kind of put of off and I went for the Nikon mount and bought a few Nikon Lenses even though I had a bag full of Canon EF lenses.

Then one day while I was playing with my DSLR I accidently happened upon the solution. Most Canon cameras have a button whereby you can stop down the lens to see what it would look like through the view finder with the lens stopped down. Normally because you need to be able to see, they don't stop down the lens until just before you take the picture, so this button stops down the lens so you can look through the view finder and get a feel for the exposure.

I thought I'd try and dismount the lens while I had this button pressed to see what happens. Being an electronics grad. I know how this kind of stuff works and had a hunch. Well the hunch paid off. The lens came off the camera stopped down to what I set it to. So that gave me the ability to use my bag of EF lenses with a Letus. So when I upgraded to the Letus Extreme I ordered the Canon EF mount and have been using it since.

Note that you need your DSLR with you if you need to change the f stop, but I’ve never needed to do this more than once (that is just before starting a shoot).

Anh Trinh

May 04, 2008 05:01 PM

Cool! thanks for the tip on stopping down the lens.
Btw, to answer your question about Premiere CS3, I still don't see the HDV presets. All I see is an empty folder named "HDV". I'm running the trial version btw. Does that have anything to do with it?

Shiv Kumar

May 04, 2008 05:03 PM

Yes, the trial version does not allow you to edit HD footage :). I had the same issue before I bought PPro CS3. I mean how are you supposed to try something if it's not feature complete? I made a big noise about it on the Adobe forums, but they didn't budge.

Will Mahoney

May 06, 2008 12:17 PM

Man, if you're just starting out, as I am, you can't beat Elements for $99. I'm very happy with it. Now, I'm sure that when the budget opens up around here that I'd like to get myself the full version, or maybe even another platform. But Elements is doing good for me.

Alejandro Hernandez

June 06, 2008 11:27 PM

Gran video

Es increible lo que has hecho con tu camara, muy bonitos colores, y excelente manejo de la luz. felicidades por tu nuevo juguete.

Shiv Kumar

June 07, 2008 12:17 AM

Thanks Alejandro.

Cat Jones

June 24, 2008 10:06 PM

I was drawn to Rebecca throughout the peice... And the Black Horse! Love the horse shots and the windy road. Your film inspired me and that's when I know something is done well. Great editing , music choice was good. Watching this reminded me of being a child and you get the world to yourself for the day to explore. Rebecca is beautiful! You captured her spirit on film despite her running from you.

And yes I greatly encourage any computer advice regarding HD, I hav entered a new world that I have very small knowledge of. Thanks!

Shiv Kumar

June 25, 2008 01:54 AM

Hey Cat,

Nice to see you here! I was wondering when you'd come around :).

I'm thrilled that this piece has such an effect on you. It's always fun to get out there and shoot but in this piece I remember clearly that I got the most thrill while I was editing it. Trying to tell a story (something/anything).

I've been given a few pieces of advice by one master in particular (Steven Dempsey), and I hope to one day re-edit this.

Thanks for writing!

Ed Dellis

March 08, 2009 05:50 AM

Caution when dismounting XL2 lenses with power on...

I know this is primarily an HD site, but I just joined and I'm SD. So, please forgive me if I'm asking this in the wrong place.

It cost me several hundred dollars to repair my XL2's wide zoom lens one time when I inadvertently removed the lens before shutting the camera off...it's a mistake you only make once, believe me.;-)

I, too, had a bunch of Nikkor lenses left over from my still photography days. So, I mounted a Nikkor-adapted Letus EX on the XL2's MANUAL lens, and I couldn't be happier with the footage...except for one thing.

The limited zoom range of my longest reach -- the less expensive 70-300ED -- leaves me wanting to use my longer, crisper, and smoother EOS Series-L zoom glass: a one-touch 100-400mm.

The Nikkor 70-300 is too new and its sticky O-ring seal prevents me from pulling smooth zooms manually. It's a preferred two-touch, so I can motor-zoom it after I hit the lottery and get the Viewfactor Inclino programmable set up which would also let me do remote focus pulls off the same control at the touch of a button. Has anyone tried this multiplex set up yet?

Lastly, have you tried using any of the EOS lenses back on the still camera after removing them with the power on?

TIA