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SLR MAGIC-RANGEFINDER CINE Adapter
  • grisnjamgrisnjam

    My apologies if there is already a topic on this ...

    Thoughts on this new adapter from SLR magic?

    PR:

    The SLR MAGIC-RANGEFINDER CINE Adapter is an optical device with integrated follow focus gears. When adapted to a compatible taking lens, one could override the focus control of the taking lens with the RANGEFINDER’s built-in focus ring that provides calibrated focus markings from 3’6 ft to Infinity.

    The SLR MAGIC-RANGEFINDER CINE Adapter is highly recommended for users wanting to have single focus capability on the SLR Magic Anamorphot adapters as well as users wanting to have cinema like manual focus capabilities on autofocus lenses.

    It seems that it acts as a external focusing mechanism that sits in front of the lens. I figure you set your lens (or taking lens + anamorphic adapter pair) at infinity focus and then you can use the range finder to control focus with the benefits of:

    1. focus gears
    2. hard stops
    3. distance markings
    4. repeatable focus pulls even on fly by wire lenses
    5. a single focus for dual focus anamorphic setups

    This is what I read into the announcement at least.

  • 34 Replies sorted by
  • B3GuyB3Guy

  • B3GuyB3Guy

    Here are some screenshots. Hopefully I get a video up too, so folks can see focus pulls. I does breathe, but not obnoxiously, it's fairly subtle. It flares big blue "bokeh" flares, which rob the Kowa of some of its ability to flare horizontally, but what can ya do? the ability to quickly focus far outweighs any minor faults with this thing. Overall, it is high quality and it worked wonders on my projection anamorphic setup. There's a longer writeup on my setup and the Rangefinder in the flickr album description:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/68917223@N05/albums/72157659802564846/with/22182848755/

  • PierreBPierreB

    Received 2 notices from Adorama that its still on backorder...read somewhere it should start shipping end of Sept.

  • B3GuyB3Guy

    I pre-ordered. Anyone recieved theirs yet?

  • sammysammy

    @Sebfarges ,does it reduce the close focus distance, for example i have a 2x anamorphic that can focus as close as 3.5 ft , will adding the rangefinder cut that in half? when will this be available?

  • sebfargessebfarges

    The Rangefinder is working from around 1 meter to infinity, and no vignetting on my 35mm lens, at least in 4k

  • sammysammy

    Is the rangefinder kind of like a variable closeup filter? I bought a cheap variable closeup filter +1 to +10 , and seems to do the trick for close focus ..but it was a tiny thing, thus lots of vignetting

  • sebfargessebfarges

    My new movie with SLR Magic Rangefinder :)

  • CRFilmsCRFilms

    A few words on stealing.....

    EDIT: go to 30:28 for how they reverse engineered the PC rom bios. I put the time code in the youtube link but it didn't translate.

    Now granted, I'm not remotely a legal expert, but I have benefited from stealing. If Apple and the PC clone makers hadn't stolen what they did....the PC revolution would be a lot different. And yeah, I can understand it sucks when you're on the receiving end of the "theft", but as a consumer who's benefited from Apple and other companies stealing....my wallet is grateful.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @JohnBarlow

    I do not think words or such have big impact.

    If you want to protect something you need to use legal ways.

  • JohnBarlowJohnBarlow

    and more from me

    https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=863276333749962&id=704770636267200&comment_id=863797783697817&notif_t=feed_comment

  • grisnjamgrisnjam

    More from Andrew:

  • JohnBarlowJohnBarlow

    MONKEY SEE, MONKEY DO is a pidgin-style saying that appeared in American culture in the early 1920s. The saying refers to the learning of a process without an understanding of why it works. Another definition implies the act of mimicry, usually with limited knowledge and/or concern of the consequences.

    QUESTION: SO WHEN IS A RANGEFINDER NOT A RANGEFINDER?

    image image image image image

    ANSWER: WHEN IT IS AN ORIGINAL RECTILUX 3FF

    Say NO to those who willfully copy and plagiarize the original work of others.

    John Barlow Chief Design Architect, Programme Manager, Rectilux products IMPRINT TAKEN

  • sebfargessebfarges

    SLR Magic 1st hands on :) thanks for watching

  • sammysammy

    @grisnjam thanks, i guess for me with the isco 36 since it has one focus system, is will this allow for closer focus distance with the isco 36 with out needing to add closeups, plus if its smoother focus style or not,if its less and smoother turning ill be more in on this if the image is not too effected by it.

  • grisnjamgrisnjam

    @Marciok

    Yes, check out Andrew's post, he mentions:

    "Since it only arrived today however I’ve not yet had time to go in depth with it and gauge performance. Initial samples showed it produced a usable image with my Isco CentaVision 2x anamorphic even at F2.0 and although it did soften up the Canon 24mm F1.4L at F1.4 the image was still impressive and likely far sharper from F2.8. "

  • MarcioKMarcioK

    And there is some image quality compromising, I guess?

  • kingmixerkingmixer

    I guess part of the confusion was the name. Rangefinder focusing to me, means having that square in the middle of the screen and lining up two ghost images to achieve focus. Thanks grisnjam

  • grisnjamgrisnjam

    @kingmixer It is a variable diopter that sits in front of the lens, in effect replacing the internal focus mechanism. You set focus on the lens to infinity and then leave it there and then focus with the Range Finder. Since the filter is focusing the lens it will 'fix' lenses that have heavy breathing.

    @sammy When using it with an anamorphic adapter you set the taking lens and anamorphic adapter to infinity focus and leave them there and then attach the Range Finder which now gives you a single geared focus mechanism with 240 degrees of movement and accurate distance markings. It does claim to improve minimum focus distance on some anamorphics but only testing will tell by how much.

  • sammysammy

    this looks interesting, but like kingmixer im little confused , So I would use it to focus ? how much closer will it get me to focus if im using isco 36 ?

  • kingmixerkingmixer

    Count me as one of the people confused by this. So would I be able to use this as a way to shoot with my leica M lenses, but fix their focus breathing?

  • grisnjamgrisnjam

    Also other user tests coming in:

  • grisnjamgrisnjam

    Looks like Andrew has one and should be posting tests soon ...

    http://www.eoshd.com/2015/07/slr-magic-rangefinder-converts-dual-focus-anamorphic-aka-kowa-to-single-focus-and-more/

  • balazerbalazer

    Found an image of the thing: https://www.facebook.com/wolfcrowsocial/posts/941374369260331

    MSRP is $599 US: http://www.dpreview.com/articles/5288245325/slr-magic-unveils-hyperprime-cine-50mm-t0-95-lens-and-magic-rangefinder-cine-adapter

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

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