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SLR Magic APO HyperPrime mini review

Rick Lang said:
I haven’t had any update on my preordered 32mm APO prime in several weeks. Perhaps that is related to the Chinese holiday of which I have no clue about the dates except someone said it was for a month. Well I’m sure that must not be a factor now.
Click to expand...

Chinese New Year was ages ago in February, and that is by far the biggest holiday.

There was however National Day Golden Week, which starts on the 1st of October, so even that ended ages ago.
 
darren scott said:
Some frames from my Ursa Mini Pro and the 25mm SLR magic. The 2 shots that are backlit with the sun, I didn't have the top flap on for the mattebox so you'll see a flare in those.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isuan8431HI
Click to expand...

Some lovely images, Darren. I was curious about the purple fringing I was seeing in one of the shots. I wonder if that was generated by the camera or the lens

I recently picked up the three lens set from Hot Rod, and am awaiting the 32mm. When things slow down, I'm anxious to test these on my Amira.

Best,

Andrew
 
hyperfocal said:
Some lovely images, Darren. I was curious about the purple fringing I was seeing in one of the shots. I wonder if that was generated by the camera or the lens

I recently picked up the three lens set from Hot Rod, and am awaiting the 32mm. When things slow down, I'm anxious to test these on my Amira.

Best,

Andrew
Click to expand...

Thanks Andrew. Tell me the time code of the purple fringing you see and where in the frame. I'll look and see on the raw footage.

I'd love to see the footage from these lenses on your Amira.
 
hyperfocal said:
Some lovely images, Darren. I was curious about the purple fringing I was seeing in one of the shots. I wonder if that was generated by the camera or the lens
Click to expand...

Awesome images Darren. I think there's a hit of purple on the roof rack of a car, very high contrast and to be expected, even with these lenses. It is also true that each sensor may respond differently as well. But shooting into the sun with fine lines you'd expect fringing there and they're very clean.

cheers
Paul
 
paulcurtis said:
Awesome images Darren. I think there's a hit of purple on the roof rack of a car, very high contrast and to be expected, even with these lenses. It is also true that each sensor may respond differently as well. But shooting into the sun with fine lines you'd expect fringing there and they're very clean.

cheers
Paul
Click to expand...

Thanks Paul. And also thanks again for that video you sent me about the lenses.

Yes I see the fringing now...and yes that is a really tough situation for any lens. Rest assured it would look way worse on my Rokinons. Its well controlled here. I have also other examples of backlit silhouette situations which show no fringing. So I'm really happy with the APO performance in that regard.

I had one issue with my lenses and to be honest it has to do with a combination of lens and the Ursa mini pro PL mount. 2 of my lenses had some play in the mount even after locking it down all the way. What was happening is that the Ursa mini PL mount was bottoming out to locked position before locking down fully on the lens. This was happening because the PL ears of 2 of the mounts were slightly too thin. Illya from hotrodcameras explained to me this after i sent a video of the problem

My theory is that the ears on the 25mm PL mount are ever so slightly too thin. Which means that the Blackmagic PL mount is bottoming out when you rotate it to lock before it actually can lock all the way down on the lens. Because it's not tight you can move the lens back and forth and the distance between the locating (witness) pin on the camera.

Now I'm sure the next thing you are thinking is, why didn't the boneheads at Hot Rod catch this? In our own defense this is the the absolute easiest thing to miss, and the hardest to catch- simply because not all the PL mount travel when they are forming their PL (positive lock.) This means the amount of tightening/travel is different from one brand/product to another from maximum open to maximum close. We are talking about tolerances that no consumer camera equipment ever has to hit.

There is an Arri recommended amount of locking travel, but most other camera manufacturers don't know what that is, or even try to hit the spec because most companies reverse engineer the PL mount specs, and I know Blackmagic did that. Being the inventor of the PL mount for the DSLR back in 2009, I can tell you that there's sometimes "massive" amount of variation between brands/companies/products (like .0025" - .0035") even though this is tiny, for a lens ear it's huge. Some PL mounts (like on our lens projector) do not have any hard stops, and you can just tighten and tighten until your lens is 100% snug, this means every lens can be held properly. This is where we tested all your lenses, and every other lens that we inspect.

Generally PL mount ears thickness isn't a problem with modern lenses, although we rarely get ones from a very prestigious German company with a iconic red logo (maybe 1 in a 100.) We don't usually catch those either, generally what happens is a client can't fit the lens on a director's finder (or some other device) and then that's when we do this dance of figuring out where the problem is located, and usually that means swapping the lens mount. The simple truth is that there's no way for us to know unless every brand builds to the same tolerance (which won't ever happen) or you can try every lens on all every PL mount cameras/devices like director's viewfinders and projectors, which is frankly impossible. The reality is that the PL mounts on the Ursa Mini series are generally quite good with only minimal variations that I've seen. Same goes for the ears on the SLR Magic, I've never had one undersized before, but remember we are talking probably about maybe .0015" and with that tolerances the 25mm lens mount still probably works fine on other PL mount devices with more locking travel, longer locking ears..etc


So in both companies defense, its not anyone's "fault". Illya contacted SLR magic for me...got 2 new mounts. Tested them to see if they were Zeiss standard, and tested them on a Ursa mini pro PL camera before sending it to me. I changed them and all is well...solid as a rock. If i got these from Bhphoto I'd have to most likely send my lenses back. I was still able to keep my lenses and use them on 2 shoots, even though in a less than ideal way.

One more vote for buying from smaller places.
 
Last edited:
I know there are many people pining for more focal lengths of the APO's... anyone heard any rumors about when the 18mm and the 135mm will see the light of day?
 
Kyle R Lancaster said:
I know there are many people pining for more focal lengths of the APO's... anyone heard any rumors about when the 18mm and the 135mm will see the light of day?
Click to expand...

The 32mm isn't really out as yet so it may be a while for those. The 25,32,50,85 set will do for 95 percent of what I shoot though.
 
Well the package arrived Tuesday 20 November 2018 before 6 pm. Much faster than I anticipated. It’s cold outside so I’m letting the lenses acclimate before opening them up tomorrow.

The home is cool (because BC’s major natural gas line blew up a month ago so we are all conserving gas), but it’s a lot cooler flying from Hong Kong.

More photos tomorrow then...

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181121/7cfa0483cf6852f07b1042aea015a717.jpg

That’s the first 1.33x-65 Anamorphot with Focus Gears delivered to an individual. Fujinon got the first ones for their MK zooms. Actually the 1.33x-65 with Focus Gears isn’t for sale yet, but I was able to buy it in advance. It comes with its own lens support.

And that’s only the third SLR Magic 32mm APO titanium PL prime lens released. Hope now those who are waiting will begin to see these hand-built spherical lenses.

Finally, the SLR Magic PL-mFT Adapter with shims!

Such a great day in completing my SLR Magic lens set, began in September 2016, with the normal lens and I’m about to get into anamorphic shooting. 1.33x 16:9 aspect ratio = widescreen.

I’m still waiting for my PD Movie dual focus system that’s due next week which provides simultaneous wireless focus of the APO primes and the Anamorphot (which really removes the last hurdle for using anamorphic adapters for a budget sole operator).

[continued today]

Unpacked and inspected, check. Mounted on URSA Mini 4.6K PL, swapping out the B4 mount this afternoon. First tests, tomorrow morning where I have a couple of hours of sun and cloud. No time for anything fancy yet.

The next two weeks are almost all overcast and raining! Two client shoots mid-December.

The larger shims in the photo are for the PL-mFT Adapter; smaller shims are for the 32mm APO T2.1.

The 1.33x-65 Anamorphot focuses from infinity to 4’. The 32mm APO focuses from infinity to less than 16”.

The 1.33x-65 is used on the APO taking lens at T2.8 for the 32/50mm lenses and T5.6 for 85mm.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181121/c42a159bc314d7bfcf26c5519d8591d4.jpg

The reviewers are correct, that huge Anamorphot actually manages to feel light in the hand. Such a smooth focus ring. The 32mm is smooth and only slightly stiffer focus; the iris is fairly stiff intentionally so one doesn’t accidentally turn the iris (as I’ve done a few times with the Fujinon Cine Zoom).

I always set iris manually, no intention to put a motor on that. The APO and Anamorphot focus will be linked under motor control when the PD Movie arrives next week.

The Sennheiser AVX MKE2 lavalier will arrive next week as it just shipped. Hard to predict delivery as we have rotating postal strikes that could become a national strike shortly! Only in Canada, eh?

So I might put all these pieces together for my mid-December client shoots instead of using the Fujinon: TBD.

Edit
Don’t know if you can see the photos. Doesn’t let me Manage Attachments.
 
Last edited:
Rick Lang said:
Well the package arrived Tuesday 20 November 2018 before 6 pm. Much faster than I anticipated. It’s cold outside so I’m letting the lenses acclimate before opening them up tomorrow.

The home is cool (because BC’s major natural gas line blew up a month ago so we are all conserving gas), but it’s a lot cooler flying from Hong Kong.

More photos tomorrow then...

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181121/7cfa0483cf6852f07b1042aea015a717.jpg

That’s the first 1.33x-65 Anamorphot with Focus Gears delivered to an individual. Fujinon got the first ones for their MK zooms. Actually the 1.33x-65 with Focus Gears isn’t for sale yet, but I was able to buy it in advance. It comes with its own lens support.

And that’s only the third SLR Magic 32mm APO titanium PL prime lens released. Hope now those who are waiting will begin to see these hand-built spherical lenses.

Finally, the SLR Magic PL-mFT Adapter with shims!

Such a great day in completing my SLR Magic lens set, began in September 2016, with the normal lens and I’m about to get into anamorphic shooting. 1.33x 16:9 aspect ratio = widescreen.

I’m still waiting for my PD Movie dual focus system that’s due next week which provides simultaneous wireless focus of the APO primes and the Anamorphot (which really removes the last hurdle for using anamorphic adapters for a budget sole operator).

[continued today]

Unpacked and inspected, check. Mounted on URSA Mini 4.6K PL, swapping out the B4 mount this afternoon. First tests, tomorrow morning where I have a couple of hours of sun and cloud. No time for anything fancy yet.

The next two weeks are almost all overcast and raining! Two client shoots mid-December.

The larger shims in the photo are for the PL-mFT Adapter; smaller shims are for the 32mm APO T2.1.

The 1.33x-65 Anamorphot focuses from infinity to 4’. The 32mm APO focuses from infinity to less than 16”.

The 1.33x-65 is used on the APO taking lens at T2.8 for the 32/50mm lenses and T5.6 for 85mm.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181121/c42a159bc314d7bfcf26c5519d8591d4.jpg

The reviewers are correct, that huge Anamorphot actually manages to feel light in the hand. Such a smooth focus ring. The 32mm is smooth and only slightly stiffer focus; the iris is fairly stiff intentionally so one doesn’t accidentally turn the iris (as I’ve done a few times with the Fujinon Cine Zoom).

I always set iris manually, no intention to put a motor on that. The APO and Anamorphot focus will be linked under motor control when the PD Movie arrives next week.

The Sennheiser AVX MKE2 lavalier will arrive next week as it just shipped. Hard to predict delivery as we have rotating postal strikes that could become a national strike shortly! Only in Canada, eh?

So I might put all these pieces together for my mid-December client shoots instead of using the Fujinon: TBD.

Edit
Don’t know if you can see the photos. Doesn’t let me Manage Attachments.
Click to expand...


Nice. Rick how much was for the PL -MTF adapter?. I didn't know SLR magic had one or I would have gotten it. I got one from the Polish place on ebay. Ceico I think the name is. Everyone says they are good...so yeh. Got it to put on my Pocket 4k.
 
Darren, the Ciecio7 is fine. It’s what SLR Magic used before they built their own. I preordered it quite awhile ago. I think it’s going to be $400 but it’s quite sturdy and the advantage is that I can shim it. If it’s not yet available in the usual places, I think it will be added when stock for the 32mm APO builds.

I know some folks weren’t interested in the 25, 50, 85mm set when it was missing the normal lens for Super 35. But I hope people take another look at the set now or when I can get some footage up. The rains here that normally hit heavily throughout November held off, but the 32mm and the geared 1.33x-65 Anamorphot weren’t quite ready. Now the rains are here, I won’t be able to do much outdoors. And I don’t shoot charts. Unfortunately I don’t think I’ll have any talent in front of the lens tomorrow and the talent behind the lens is very green with zero experience with the Anamorphot and the PD Movie won’t arrive in time to demonstrate. I have a shoot planned in early January that will put it all through its paces by which time I should have the BMPCC4K shooting 1.33x-65 anamorphic with the APO 32mm tasking lens and the Mini 4.6K shooting BTS.
 
Rick Lang said:
Well the package arrived Tuesday 20 November 2018 before 6 pm. Much faster than I anticipated. It’s cold outside so I’m letting the lenses acclimate before opening them up tomorrow.
Click to expand...


I've not really followed the anamorphot side of things at all. I didn't even realise they'd work with the APOs so i am very interested in what you think of it and what the images look like as well. The APO might make a difference here...

I'll post some more stuff from the APOs once i have permission. Been crazy busy recently (sadly not shooting this time)

cheers
Paul
 
Hi Krzysztof, I own the m43 and E mount PL adapters which are shimmable, and was on the fence to order the EF-PL adapter, but hadn't noticed that the current model isn't. I'll wait for the new version, thanks for the heads up!
 
darren scott said:
Got my 32mm in today. Will be testing it on upcoming shoots with my Ursa mini pro. Glad to have all four now. These should cover 95 percent of what I shoot. I hardly go wider or longer than this range. Hope to put up some footage soon for y'all to see.
Click to expand...

Hi Darren! What are your impressions now that you have all 4 lenses?
 
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