35mm Adapter necessary?

[thefilmgeek]

I've seen tons of amazing results out of using 35mm adapters, such as the Letus, but I have to wonder is that really necessary to get a cinematic professional looking video shot?

Do good camera angles and solid lighting play a much larger role than a 35mm adapter ever could, or will I have to invest in something like the Letus in order to get that professional film quality look to my footage?

 

[ThomasKoch]

Good lighting and good shooting will win out every time over an adapter. I have a RED rock and find it creates great images for certain applications. Other times, I find it too cumbersome to use due to lack of light, or time. The adapter practically doubles the amount of time required for each setup.

Same goes for Jib and dolly, etc. They make great looking shots, but add complexity and time to the setup.

 

[thefilmgeek]

I'm shooting a feature this summer, and I don't have the money for a 35mm adapter yet (all my funds are going into camera, sound equipment, lighting, etc)

I was just hoping I wouldn't be completely disappointed in the results from non-adapter footage.

 

[WideShot]

This is the problem with technology, people think they need it to be professional.

Just remember:

A great DP can shoot with a VHS camera and achieve great results with lighting, camera angles, and a good director at the helm, and a good art department to design sets.

A bad DP can shoot on super 35 with all of the above and turn out something that looks like a home movie, or worse, ruin a picture by not knowing how to work a camera correctly.

That's an extreme example, but the truth is, properly utilized, a 35mm adapter can produce very film-like video. Improperly utilized, it looks like you're filming through the bottom of a coke bottle.

 

[Will Vincent]

Well said, Wideshot.

 

[thefilmgeek]

Welp, what I'm hoping for is achieving a good cinematic quality with just the camera, sans adapter (XH-A1).

I think I'll be alright, I just see all this amazing Letus footage and drool.

 

[devhaven]

Good question though... im using the xl-h1 right now on a shoot and i am able to get a narrow DOF to a certain extent, especially on close ups...its sometimes difficult to achieve though...however, its better than i thought it would be on this camera.

I'm getting a really nice picture on this camera without the DOF adapter but next time i use this camera i would like to see about using one.