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Rotating lens adapter for Micro 4/3 primes
  • Looking at old TV cameras, you can see some that have three lenses mounted which rotate. Since Micro 4/3 needs an adapter anyway, why not make where you can attach three prime lenses and rotate them while filming? I would buy one!
  • 22 Replies sorted by
  • Like this?
    http://auction-team.de/new_highlights/2010_09/ph/060_b%20%A9%202010%20by%20Auction%20Team%20Breker%20K%F6ln%20Germany.jpg

    That's a system called turret cameras. I posted something about that turret adapters should be made and most people agreed, but not much else. Perhaps it is time to write to Ciecio7 about it? One thing that I think of though is if the GH2's mount is strong enough to hold it?
  • So cool. Thanks for the photo. It could be made from aluminum and I'm sure the GH2 could hold three primes, the 20mm and the 45mm Olly are very light.
  • I would buy one in a heartbeat. Imagine being able to mount 3 fast primes and all three could be a different mount. There is a topic about this in Pro cameras section about this.
  • +1 absolutely would buy one for anything south of $1000. And about the GH2 holding the weight . . . obviously there would have to be a mount on the turret itself. The GH2 mount, while not the strongest, is perfectly capable of bearing the camera's weight.
  • @DrDave: True, but doubt it would work with M4/3 lenses though, as the flange distance would be off.
  • Ah I see. Well, I have plenty of other lenses.
  • sounds like a great idea, would work well for a bunch of c-mounts but not so sure about bigger prime sizes though, cos that thing would really look huge in front of a gh.

    anw the pic posted is a 16mm film cam no?
  • @dizzbit: No, that is a 35mm Arriflex. Here is a picture of one in the hands of Stanley Kubrick:
    http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Arts/Arts_/Pictures/2010/8/11/1281547973106/best-shot-stanley-kubrick-006.jpg

    But I think an adapter like that for Nikkor or FD mount could work, if it came with lens support.
  • i stand corrected. hopefully this idea can work without costing too much. i really like the idea of switching primes without too much hassle.

    else a better investment cld be a good constant apeture zoom lens.
  • Swapping lenses on a GH2 is already so fast and easy, I don't think this is necessary and would just make the camera clunky.
  • I'm wondering of he ever had a good hair day.
  • @ DouglasHorn

    It is semi fast but sometimes not fast enough and sometime impractical. For instance run and gun Documentary style shooting. I shot a feature documentary for director Dav Kaufman called Herpers in 2008 with the HVX200/HPX170. The documentary was about reptile fanatics. Lizards and snakes don't do a second take and don't wait for a lens change. I would use a lens turret probably more than a zoom since the lenses would be faster. Plus zooms have more glass which can potentially degrade the image compared to primes.
  • If you really need to switch primes so quickly, use more than one camera body.
  • I kept a zoom on the Arri S and 2 primes when I was using it. That cam is indestructible. However they can leak light, so half the body is always gaf taped.
  • @Brian202020 - I guess it depends on your frame of reference. I use my GH2s mostly as I would use a cinema camera...where a lens change is a minimum of a couple minutes by two people. A one-man 30-60 second lens change is remarkably fast. But for a doc like that, it sounds like a zoom is more appropriate.
  • @DouglasHorn: Same here. I do almost only narrative work, but whenever I'm in an uncontrolled environment, I always prefer zooms, as they allow me to get an idea for a shot whenever I need it, without me having to compromise.
  • @DouglasHorn & @Gabel

    Yes most of the stuff I do is narrative as well, and for that work I just change lenses. As for zooms for docs, that is what I use currently when shooting docs. This device would probably help some docs potentially become more cinematic. Although I have a GH2, I'd probably use it more on my AF100. I'd pay $1,000-$1,500 easy for a quality lens turret with interchangeable lens mounts. Maybe someone, like @Vitaliy, should make a CAD drawing of one for the contest.
  • I'd like a spring loaded one, or a precision one with fast action that will change lenses in under one second.
  • @Gabel That's an Arri 16St, right? Used it in Film class as a 2nd camera together with an SR2.
    http://arri16s.com/
    http://home.arcor.de/s.neudeck/arri-st.htm
  • @TraunManufaktur: No, it's an Arri 35S, but they are very similar as one can make out.
  • @Gabel -(Re: the first pic you posted) No, it's a Arri 16s, hence, the 16 on the nameplate. I used that and the bl, & sr in filmmaking classes. The one that Kubrick has looks like a 35 2C - like this one...

    http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ZpRITcKN68M/R88NkTId4qI/AAAAAAAAAnc/CdZXWG93u3w/s320/arri2c-2.jpg

    I've never heard of an arri 35s.
  • This could be something really fun to play with, especially for documentary style shoot with primes.