Chip for enable iDynamic with legacy manual focus lenses with adapters

apefos

The iDynamic feature boosts the shadows something about 1 fstop brighter and helps a lot for video work for increase the dynamic range. But it just works good with native M43 lenses with eletronic contacts. So maybe this programable chip could make the camera enable the idynamic with old legacy lenses without electronic contatcs. This chip can send fstop information to camera. The chip could be installed in the lens adapter, see:

http://store.tagotech.com/product_info.php?products_id=526

apefos

Some discussion about the Tagotech Dandelion chip (it is programmable):

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/36267976

http://www.fourthirds-user.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3746

http://www.flickr.com/groups/1084614@N23/discuss/72157630709899306/

apefos

More about Dandelion chips, including a russian manufacturer (I do not know how to programm these chips, I am just curious about):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dandelion_chip

http://filmprocess.ru/micro43.html

http://www.mu-43.com/showthread.php?t=36643

http://www.peleng8.com/af-lens-adapters/af-chip-dandelion-micro-4-3-af-chip-dandelion-iv-generation-for-micro-4/3.html

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/41495840

apefos

I did some read in the Dandelion Chip website and it seems it is not so difficult to programm the chip. Programming the chip is just to choose the fstop and focal lenght it will inform to camera. So the chip will send to camera the information about the Fstop and Focal Lenght... (Example: 20mm f2.0) Maybe with this information the camera can enable the iDynamic and lift the shadows using legacy lenses... This would be amazing for the GH2... I am thinking about to order one of these chips... Just afraid of damage the GH2 camera... maybe it would be better to try this in a cheap body first...

apefos

I did some reading and also got an email reply saying the m43 dandelion chip has 50mm f2.8 default pre-programmed information. I believe this would be good just to say to the GH2 body there is a lens attatched and then the camera would enable the iDynamic... Probably there is no need to inform to camera the exact Focal Lenght and exact fstop being used in the manual lens... If the exposure is average correct, maybe the iDynamic will be enabled... In theory this can work... But to be sure I need to order one chip and test...

apefos

I just ordered one chip... (m43 generation 4 dandelion)... international shipping takes some time... so time to wait to see what happens...

The website has all information in how to glue it in the adapter:

http://www.peleng8.com/how-to-glues-af-chip-for-olympus-43-micro-43.html

http://www.peleng8.com/correct-position-of-af-chip-for-43-and-micro-43-mount.html

http://www.peleng8.com/how-to-glue-af-chip-dandelion.html

spacewig

Maybe chip should be programmed to tell the camera it is always at f/22 so that it thinks the image is always underexposed? Isn't that when iDynamic kicks in, when part of the scene is much darker than another part. Not sure how it works.

apefos

This is interesting idea, thanks. I also do not know how the camera decides when to enable iDynamic, can be using the fstop information, can be an image analyses, or both... or anything else... tests will answer...

apefos

Chip is shipped with registered number. This is the ebay listing page:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/350647719548?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

brudney

afaik the idynamic functions kicks in when when you're OVERexposed ~3 stops.

apefos

If you use a manual focus lens in adapter without eletronic contatcs you need to overexpose the image to make the camera enable the idynamic.

But if you use a native M43 lens with eletronic contacts you do not need to overexpose the image, you can keep the highlights just before clipping and the camera will enable the idynamic to lift the shadows (if there is shadows in the scene).

This is what I would like the chip to do, to trick the camera simulating the presence of a native lens, so the camera can enable the idynamic in images correct exposed to the highlights.

In the link below there is a topic where I discuss the behavior of idynamic with native lenses and legacy lenses. The post number 8 is a report when I found the problem using legacy lenses:

http://personal-view.com/talks/discussion/4813/i.dynamic-behavior-it-just-works-good-with-m43-lenses-does-not-work-with-nikon-and-canon-fd-lenses

"Hi, I found the problem. The i.dynamic works great with the Lumix 14-42mm kit lens. But it does not work good with legacy nikon and canon fd lenses. The tests I did was with Nikon and Canon FD lenses and the i.dynamic just enable when there is overexposure. With the Lumix lens the i.dynamic works great and enables without overexposure. It seems the camera needs the aperture information from the lens to i.dynamic works properly."

apefos

I did some tests using GH2 with the 14-42mm kit lens.

It does not matter the focal lenght, fstop, shutter speed, iso or focus. The iDynamic behavior is the same for all combinations I tested. Also it does not matter if highlights are clipped or correct exposed... So what makes the camera enable it? Simple: if there is a contrast situation in the image (some areas with light and some areas with shadow) the camera enable it and lift the shadows (highlights keep untouched). If there are just shadows (an underexposed image) the camera does not enable it. This makes sense: iDynamic was developed to increase dynamic range in contrast situations, if there are just shadows you do not need iDynamic, you need to increase the overall exposure.

Considering this test, if the camera can get the default f2.8 50mm information from the dandelion chip just to do the trick and make the camera "think" there is a native lens in the system, probably iDynamic will be enabled using legacy lenses. It seems there will be no need to program the chip with the focal lenght and fstop beeing used each moment, maybe 50mm f2.8 information all the time can be fine, it is just to simulate the presence of a native lens, because iDynamic is enabled considering the presence of a native lens and what is really mandatory to enable it is the contrast between light and shadow inside the image, even in manual exposure mode...

This is my theory... needs tests... including tests to know if GH2 will recognize the information from the chip...

apefos

Here in Brasil we have a popular expression which says "fazer uma gambiarra" or just "gambiarra"...

I did some try to find an english translation to this and I found these expressions: gadget, contraption, gizmo, fix, improvisation, to jerry-rig, to do a MacGyver on something...

Oh God... I confess I am so tired about this low budget route... why not just buy native m43 lenses and make things work properly?...

Problem is here in Brasil we need 2,20 REAL to buy 1 DOLLAR... also dut import tax is between 80% and 100%... also we get paid less for our job comparing to working in USA... But no complaints, complaints are for losers, let's move on...

apefos

The Dandelion chip arrived yesterday.

I did a perfect instalation in the FD to M43 adapter, chip is correct aligned. It just have 7 contatcs, not 11 as the lenses, and the manufacturer website says to align with the central pins.

When mounting the adapter in the GH2 the camera shows this message:

"PLEASE CHECK THAT THE LENS IS ATTACHED CORRECTLY"

It seems the chip is incompatible with the GH2

aljimenez

Try to move Picture Quality to JPEG Fine, then set HDR to ON. Now iDynamic will be on for manual lenses.

zcream

@aljimenez Does this work without the adapter ? And for video ?

aljimenez

Works for video with the only Metabones adapter I have, Minolta MD to m43.

Sangye

@Apefos thanks for your diligent work. For me, it would be well worth it. I don't like native M43 lenses in general. I'd much rather use a Speedbooster and cine glass.

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