Need some EX-3 Advice

[Michael Shive]

I’d also be interested to see what your thoughts are on the value of this bundle:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/589733-REG/Letus35__EXTREME_STARTER_CINE_BUNDLE.html

[Don Greening]

[Michael Shive] ” know that the EX-3 can handle interchangeable lenses but which ones will fit? Can anyone provide good recommendations on what lenses to buy (macro, standard, telephoto) “

Since the stock lens for the EX3 is a Fuji you can go to the Fujinon web site and have a look at what else is available to screw on to the camera without the need for a 35mm adapter:

https://www.fujinon.com/Broadcast/ProductCategory.aspx?cat=27

[Michael Shive] “Also, I’ve watched Phillip Bloom’s reviews of the EX-3 and Letus Extreme 35mm adapter and am wondering what the advantage of the Letus Extreme is if you can have interchangeable lenses already. Is it just to open the camera up to a wider variety of lenses that will fit? “

Not really. To drastically over-simplify the principle of how 35mm adpaters work, the objective is to reproduce the look of 35mm film. Products like the Letus Extreme have a large mirror inside it that the picture from the lens is focused on. The larger the picture the shallower the depth of field for a given focal length. In essence, the mirror becomes the camera’s imager. With this setup you can have the camera’s zoom set to full wide and still have a very shallow DOF. This is impossible to achieve with the camera alone, even with a good HD lens. The camera then simply records the image on the mirror. It all has to do with imager size and keeping the iris open far as possible.

[Michael Shive] “price is not a big concern. “

It will be. You can spend over a hundred grand for a set of Cooke Primes.

The resident prime lens guru here at the COW is Todd Terry. He’s unique in that he not only knows a great deal about prime lenses but he’s also willing to talk at length about the subject. If you can wait until the next Creative COW Magazine is published before you purchase anything expensive Todd will have an article in there about primes: what they are and how to use them, which ones to buy for various shooting needs etc. Definitely a read worth waiting for.

– Don

[Denis O’keefe]

What are you going to be shooting? The EX-3 is a fine camera, and can be rigged for news, documentary, film style shooting, green screen work and on an on and on.
If you’re doing wildlife maybe you need some really long glass, if you have to work inside a phonebooth a super wide may be necessary, but for general work, just get a camera and start shooting – the extras that you need will be apparent along the way
The letus is great, it takes the camera to a different level, but it also drags it far from “point and shoot”. I find I have to work slower, which often means the pictures are better. But not always. If the assignment is to shoot a lot in a little bit of time, and make it all look pretty good, shooting the EX-3 clean is the way to go.
The most valuable accessory is the brain behind the camera – get one and start shooting – everything will then become clear.
(sounds kinda zen – doesn’t it)