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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

PL Mount 11-16mm f2.8 Prototype, Manual Iris

Roberto Lequeux said:
Very encouraging. What filter did you have on the last stage?
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IR+ND 0.9/1.2

Roberto Lequeux said:
I wonder if an MB-20 would also clear it on the wide end using a solid NB or IR on the last stage.
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No problem as long as they are at least 4x5.65.

Roberto Lequeux said:
I am also concerned with the use of 4 x 5.6 grads on the first stage and not having enough room to adjust their line on the sky enough.
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Didn't test 4" filters. I suggest you use 5.65 x 5.65 grads in the MB-20 anyway. They should work no problem.
 
Make the Tokina better? Just add water :-)

Make the Tokina better? Just add water :-)

Finally got the 11-16 Duclos lens conversion underwater.
The first dive John Friday, owner operator of a Gates DEEP RED housing, tested the edge to edge sharpness of the varying focal lengths. The edge softness WFO at 11mm was resolved after a minor adjustment to the dome port with extension rings. We were pleasantly surprised.

The lens was shot side by side with a Zeiss 14mm prime and the Arri 8R under low light conditions. Set up was 4k 16:9, 23.98, RC 36.

This $3K lens impressed us at all focal ranges and stops.
The remainder of the shoot the 14mm stayed in its case.

Well done to the Duclos clan - this lens is now a work horse in our UW arsenal of PL lenses.
I will forward hi rez images of the test to Paul to make available to interested clients since we can not post images until after the film airs in 2010.

Placing my deposit when I'm back in town.

Keep your dorsals up,

Sharky

Image of John Friday at work with a GATES DEEP RED. This housing is a work of art BTW. THe lens control adjustments took the Tokina in a matter of minutes. Nice work John (and Howard).
 

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That's a great shot Ken - I'm thrilled that the Duclos / Tokina 11-16mm is a killer lens for UW work.

I'm going to stop procrastinating and get my OW certification and join underwater fun - just booked a flight to Bali.

Matt Uhry
www.mattuhry.com
 
Matt Uhry said:
That's a great shot Ken - I'm thrilled that the Duclos / Tokina 11-16mm is a killer lens for UW work.

I'm going to stop procrastinating and get my OW certification and join underwater fun - just booked a flight to Bali.

Matt Uhry
www.mattuhry.com
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Matt,

Well, as getting certified goes, you could have done a heck of a lot worse than Bali, you're treating yourself well :-) But once you get your c-card, my advice as someone who's been shooting underwater for 24 years (from the awesome days when we had a housing for the camera and another one for the u-matic recorder tethered together by articulated tubing :-) is to then dive, dive, dive and dive some more. The quality of your shots underwater is directly proportional to the level of your skills as a diver, and that takes time to build...

You're in for a treat!
 
Rudi Herbert said:
Matt,

Well, as getting certified goes, you could have done a heck of a lot worse than Bali, you're treating yourself well :-) But once you get your c-card, my advice as someone who's been shooting underwater for 24 years (from the awesome days when we had a housing for the camera and another one for the u-matic recorder tethered together by articulated tubing :-) is to then dive, dive, dive and dive some more. The quality of your shots underwater is directly proportional to the level of your skills as a diver, and that takes time to build...

You're in for a treat!
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Thanks Rudi- We went skin diving in north Bali last year but did not plan enough time to get certified. It's just for fun, really - I'm not interested in trying to work as an underwater camera operator. The few times I've needed UW on jobs, I got highly skilled and talented people to help me and it worked out great.

Have you had a chance to dive with the Duclos / Tokina 11-16 yet ? Were you in the first batch ?

Matt Uhry
www.mattuhry.com
 
I used to dive A LOT. Was first certified when I was 10 years old... Although, I have never shot a single frame of video professionally while diving in open water. Taken lots of stills... Sadly, I haven't been diving in nearly 7 years now... Not since having kids and really cutting down on the traveling. I've been itching to get back to it though and wouldn't mind picking up an underwater housing to fit a compact Scarlet rig, the Tokina seems like it would be a great lens for this.

...Bali. You're making me jealous. :)
 
Matt Uhry said:
Have you had a chance to dive with the Duclos / Tokina 11-16 yet ? Were you in the first batch ?

Matt Uhry
www.mattuhry.com
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Matt,

I was undecided on the lens, as the RED set up I use now and then uses Nikon lenses for weight/size considerations, and even that is proving to be too heavy for what we're doing. We've been doing mostly deep freediving (no tanks) down to relatively deep water (60 meters/200 ft) where a team of divers is dragged along a fixed set up running tethered to ropes that can take us horizontally, vertically and diagonally at speeds impossible with breathing gear, but this means that however good freedivers we are, we still need the smallest/lightest housing there is, and the RED/Nikon combo is still too heavy, so I don't see myself needing the Duclos lens just yet, although I will buy it for sure. That said, I've tried the still version on a 35mm adapter with an EX-1 and it looks gorgeous...

As for underwater videography, I always encourage people to work on it, even if you hire pros for paying jobs. It is one of those endeavors where every noticeable bit of progress brings great joy to the shooter, and as with other technically complex things like a steadicam, you'd be surprised how much usable footage you can get here and there when you persevere...
 
Want to rent Duclos lens for a shoot next week

Want to rent Duclos lens for a shoot next week

I want to try out the Duclose 11-16 on a shoot next week. Anyone own one in LA or Nashville area (that is where my shoot is)? We can rent or trade - we have all of the RED lenses including the primes..and a Duclos on order :)

I am in LA/OC.

Brad
 
I love this lens...and so does my blood sucking friend.

She is about 2foot maybe less in front of the camera. 11mm maybe 12
 

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Tokina 11-16 using Deep Red underwater housing

Tokina 11-16 using Deep Red underwater housing

As Ken Corben mentioned in his post above, we had some great results with the Tokina 11-16 converted by Duclos. It's a great wide lens for underwater work. There is slight distortion at the wide end when behind a dome port, but a the same time i did not have the proper dome port as John at Gates did not have enough time to make one up for me. I hope by moving the lens further inside the dome, a good deal of the distortion will go away. HOWEVER, that said, it's an incredible lens for underwater work and super sharp. It's in my kit as a keeper.
 

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Matt, any idea when you'd have more available for fresh orders?
 
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