Guerilla35

kaos1000 · Jun 10, 2005

Mr. Mullen,

In my trials and tribulations trying to get depth of field out of my DV camera, I have been inspired to see products like Guerilla35 and the like. The test footage for Guerilla35 looks fantastic, and I was wondering if you have heard of or had any experience with these new lens adapters for DV.

Thanks much,

kaos

David Mullen ASC · Jun 10, 2005

I don't have any experience with those things. The cheaper, simpler versions of the P&S Technik like the Guerilla35 basically just don't have a motorized spinning groundglass to hide the grain of the groundglass, to save on cost and weight and size.

On a small TV screen, this might be fine but for anything on a large screen, you'd just want to make sure that the groundglass wasn't adding an obvious pattern of static grain over the image. Test, test, test.

Brad Hoover · Jun 13, 2005

Guerilla35

The reason the Guerilla35 does not employ a spinning ground glass is that the imaging screen IS NOT a ground glass and as such does not add grain to the image. I had the opportunity to test a prototype version of the Guerilla35 and found the results to be very impressive. I'm a pretty much a film snob and usually hate DV (or any video), but I was still impressed.

Although I do know how the imaging screen on the Guerilla35 is constructed and how it works, I believe it's a trade secret so I can't say anything more about it.

If there is anything that can make DV a more viable tool for creative filmmaking (that doesn't cost more than the camera itself) I believe the Guerilla35 may be it.

Go to their website and read some of the reviewers comments.

David Mullen ASC · Jun 13, 2005

Just look at the thing and use some logic: it HAS to be some form of groundglass... the lens image has to be projected onto some sort of 35mm-sized surface in order to be picked up by the video camera's lens PLUS retain the image characteristics of the lens used on a 35mm camera.

Clear glass won't work, no glass won't work, a simple relay tube won't work, so that leaves some sort of glass with a surface texture in it. It just may be a very finely-ground surface, but it would still be a ground-glass. I suppose it could be a form of frosted plastic but it's the same principle: a SCREEN of some sort to stop the light and allow an image to form on it. And that screen has to have a texture or else it would be clear.

The only other design option I can think of would involve mirrors and projecting the lens image onto a white surface, etc. but that would be even more cumbersome than a P&S Technik.

Jonathan Houser · Jun 20, 2005

Greetings,
I am the owner of H&H Optics makers of the Guerilla35. David, you are correct. We do use a focusing screen. However, our technology is totally different from P+S. Here are some sample clips. This is a wonderful service you provide for these young filmmakers. Keep it up!

www.guerilla35.com/newdemo.html

Thanks again!

Jonathan Houser
H&H Optics
Seattle, WA

David Mullen ASC · Jun 21, 2005

So is it for sale yet? How much? (Not that I own a DV camera yet...)

Jonathan Houser · Jun 21, 2005

David Mullen ASC said:
So is it for sale yet? How much? (Not that I own a DV camera yet...)

David,
We are projecting a release date of late July. Our pricing is a little hard to figure as we are still tweaking designs to keep costs as low as possible. Here are some ballparks

Adapter $999
Rear camera bayonet mount ~$150
Front Lens Mount ~$125-$200 Depending on PL Canon Nikon or Leica M
Arri mini spec Bridge plate and 18" rod support. ~$500

The system does not need rod support for primes but it's recommended for zooms. Also, you will be able to use any Arri Mini Follow focus or Matte Box. We will be looking for Beta testers for the production model in July. Would you be interested? You would of course need to borrow a DVX and some Nikon lenses from someone

Thanks again!

Jonathan