redimp Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 Hey guys. So with your help I've managed to get to a point where my setup is making videos. I still shoot hand held, and that sucks, but I'm getting there slowly.Please watch these two videos before you read further.One and TwoSo I've been working on a little project for the past week or two. I once bought a nifty little camera for $1, it was a half-frame Yashica Half 14. Nothing outstanding about the camera, but the lens is interesting – Yashinon DX, 32mm f1.4. Since it was designed to cover half the 35mm frame I was pretty sure that it will work on BMPCC. In my other topic I was discussing a minimum focal distance that will work on BMPCC with my ISCO Animex S8 2x, and it turned out to be around 28 mil (still needs confirmation), so 32 was definitely going to put me on a safe side. Te camera spent a year and a half (!) in the repair shop. Several people tried to fix it but it was dead for good, so I decided to give the lens a second chance. I will not post a whole bunch of images of the process of adapting the lens to m4/3, I will just say that even though I had nice tools, good motivation and enough time, the lack of experience made the whole thing a pain. But, after a couple of days I took the lens out and it was taking videos. How it looks: One, Two, Three, FourThe first video was shot with no clamps, just Yashinon and hand-held ISCO in front of it. The second one is with clamps and SLR Magic Rangefinder that did the focusing. F 1.4 everywhere.I look at these videos and I see that there is no sharpness at all. Flares are chaotic, especially the glow around light sources. Aperture is 2-blade, so I have to shoot wide-open all the time or face super-weird bokeh (no ND filters yet, so I have to shoot at night only).And the conversion that I did is not good. The barrel of the lens was made to host all the parts that I had to remove in order to take it off the camera, and is not holding up well after they were gone. It is tilting in different directions all the time, causing major issues with focus (basically it has a tilt effect all the time). I am pretty sure the example videos above are that soft because of that issue too. I also think that I did not get the true infinity as I did the conversion, and that is not letting Rangefinder to do it's job well.But, there issues are fixable, in theory. I know some nice people that provide aluminum machining services and can make a new housing for the lens. I can design it in a way that it is fixed focus to infinity to work with my setup. But I am not sure if it's worth it at all.I started making anamorphic setup for one particular reason – my band is going to shoot a DIY music video this winter. We are looking for a cinematic, maybe sliiiightly vintage picture. The video will be people and nature shots most of the time.So now I have a big decision to make. Do I invest in this lens more (it is not going to cost more then $50, but will take time for sure), or do I just go and buy myself a Biogon or Distagon 28 2.8, and settle down with that?I really need your opinion to understand if this image is at all usable. These are the first anamorphic videos I could get out of the camera after all this time, and naturally I am happy that the whole thing just works, but I cannot think critically and figure out if they are any good at all.I will appreciate honest opinions. Thanks guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bioskop.Inc Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 Save yourself the time/hassle & get a good 35mm or even a 28mm.Mir-24M or N (M=M42, N=Nikon Mount) - I've had v.good results with the bigger focus through Isco lens (Widescreen 2000mc) & this lens.Or go Nikon or something similar. redimp and Tito Ferradans 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redimp Posted November 8, 2015 Author Share Posted November 8, 2015 Save yourself the time/hassle & get a good 35mm or even a 28mm.Mir-24M or N (M=M42, N=Nikon Mount) - I've had v.good results with the bigger focus through Isco lens (Widescreen 2000mc) & this lens.Or go Nikon or something similar.I am looking at Biogon or Distagon at the moment. Both 28 2.8, both sharp (what my images lack a looot). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bioskop.Inc Posted November 8, 2015 Share Posted November 8, 2015 I am looking at Biogon or Distagon at the moment. Both 28 2.8, both sharp (what my images lack a looot).Do it, your stuff will look so much better & you won't have to mess about waiting for a lens that might not be that great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tito Ferradans Posted November 9, 2015 Share Posted November 9, 2015 I'm with Bioskop! Just go for a decent lens, it's already hard enough dealing with usual anamorphic quirks, there's no reason to add some more to the mix. redimp 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redimp Posted November 10, 2015 Author Share Posted November 10, 2015 I'm with Bioskop! Just go for a decent lens, it's already hard enough dealing with usual anamorphic quirks, there's no reason to add some more to the mix. Bought this yesterday. Have an adapter with aperture too. I'm having super high hopes that this lens will bring sharpness to my image. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bioskop.Inc Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 Bought this yesterday. Have an adapter with aperture too. I'm having super high hopes that this lens will bring sharpness to my image.Man, you just bought the lens that's nicknamed the "Hollywood" lens - it'll be perfect!!!I'm assuming you realise that the blades don't work (per the seller's details), as you've mentioned you have an adapter with aperture - you could always look to see if they can be repaired, as they'll be better than using an adapter's blades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redimp Posted November 10, 2015 Author Share Posted November 10, 2015 Man, you just bought the lens that's nicknamed the "Hollywood" lens - it'll be perfect!!!I'm assuming you realise that the blades don't work (per the seller's details), as you've mentioned you have an adapter with aperture - you could always look to see if they can be repaired, as they'll be better than using an adapter's blades. Yeah I saw that the blades are not working, but that most probably is just a bad spring. Will attempt to clean them myself, that operation went good for me a couple of times with other lens.Is this the "hollywood"? I thought they call the 28 f2 version hollywood, and this is just called MM (with green 22 aperture mark). No matter what it's called, I am super hyped anyways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bioskop.Inc Posted November 10, 2015 Share Posted November 10, 2015 Yeah I saw that the blades are not working, but that most probably is just a bad spring. Will attempt to clean them myself, that operation went good for me a couple of times with other lens.Is this the "hollywood"? I thought they call the 28 f2 version hollywood, and this is just called MM (with green 22 aperture mark). No matter what it's called, I am super hyped anyways.Oh, thought i saw f2 - my bad eyesight playing tricks on me again.But still, it will be excellent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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