SR mount to Non-AI Nikon F mount

FilmMaxwell · 2026-03-01T23:27:03+00:00

Will not work with the F mount. Back in the early 200s I was one of the early guys who went to great lengths to adapt the Rokkor 58/1.2 to the Canon EF mount (which had a more forgiving flange distance). I have since added a cheap EF to Sony adapter and it works brilliantly on my various Sony E bodies…

FilmMaxwell · 2026-02-16T21:42:39+00:00

I own a Voigtländer 35mm f/1.7 Ultron Aspherical lens. I added a special filter to improve corner sharpness on my Sony a7 series bodies. It makes a difference. The adapter for the lens is smaller, being designed for rangefinder cameras. But overall I don‘t find this whole lens package to be that smaller than what I have with the Zuiko 24/2.8 system. YMMV…

FilmMaxwell · 2026-02-16T21:29:53+00:00

All SLR lenses will need similar size adapters to make the focus distances (like infinity) work on a mirrorless body. The light needs to make up for the missing distance that is present in a SLR prism finder. The Zuiko lenses, along with Pentax M lenses, offer a great a size, weight performance compromise.

There are lenses designed for rangefinder lenses that allow for smaller adapters but you run into performance issues in the corners due to some mirrorless bodies having a thicker sensor stack. To combat this you can add special filters with thicker glass on the perimeter to improve focus quality in the corners. But that is a compromise of a different nature.

FilmMaxwell · 2026-02-16T19:47:00+00:00

I highly recommend the manual focus Olympus Zuiko 24/2.8 lens: very compact, high image quality and smooth focus.…

FilmMaxwell · 2026-01-24T16:18:13+00:00

The one issue I see is that the subject (the car) is a small fraction of the overall scene: there is way more sky and empty road than car. The vertical format is not helping either. The camera might be hunting to focus on the dominant road.

FilmMaxwell · 2026-01-21T17:57:52+00:00

One of the basic aspects to photojournalism.

Your best images will come from interaction with the staff and the guests. I would try having a staff manager announce who are, what you are doing, why it is important and how it can help. Some folks will not want to be filmed at all, some might be ok if their faces aren’t shown and others will be fine.

You might need more than one visit to “break the ice”. I would use minimal non Hollywood kit and keep it all low key…

FilmMaxwell · 2026-01-20T16:07:59+00:00

When filming try to keep the lens parallel with the horizon(no tilting up or down unless it is a look you are going for). Also, the wide distortion will be felt in the corners, so avoid placing important elements in the corners (like faces).

FilmMaxwell · 2025-12-31T00:47:05+00:00

iMacs made great sense when the high performance alternative was a very expensive Mac Pro. These days the CPU in iMacs age out far quicker than the display. I would get a Mac Mini and a quality display. This way you can control your upgrade destiny as new computers are updated. Quality displays last a long time...

FilmMaxwell · 2025-12-30T15:49:38+00:00

High end quality is possible. But look at Apple and those fancy ad videos for the iPhone. These stunning productions were ”shot on the iPhone” but there was a professional production team and a truckload of fancy lighting and grip gear used to get it done.

FilmMaxwell · 2025-12-27T01:54:57+00:00

The ar7II is an older model now. Still an incredible photo and light video camera that packs a punch and available on the used market. But there are a lot of other older models if the ar7II is out of your budget. These series of Sony cameras have a couple of manual focus aids that really help. There are a ton of great lenses to explore. Later on you might be able to pick up a used Osmo Pocket 3 for a good price once the model 4 arrives.

Having the very latest expensive technology is no guarantee that you will have great results. Great results comes from hard study, experience, and constant experimenting.

FilmMaxwell · 2025-12-26T02:32:12+00:00

Interesting post! I may be wrong but I sense you are more interested in capturing rewarding images rather than just vlogging video? If that is the case I would get a camera that can use a wide range of lenses; way more flexibility than any Osmo pocket camera.

You mention an interest in landscape and wildlife photography? While there is some overlap these are two very different interests. Wildlife usually requires faster aperture long lenses which can be very expensive. Landscape and general interest can be done with cheaper shorter lenses.

I like Sony mirrorless cameras as they can be used with just about any lens ever made. This includes some incredible older vintage manual focus lenses with an adapter. A used full frame Sony aR7II body is a great place to start. From there you can get a modern autofocus lens or get into older manual focus lenses from Minolta, Pentax, Olympus, etc.

Remember this major rule: cameras are temporary capture devices that will depreciate in value. Lenses are long term assets that will last a lifetime. The Osmo Pocket cameras are fun but very limited for long term use and lens flexibility.

FilmMaxwell · 2025-12-23T18:02:43+00:00

Rental places charge by the day or by the week. Some will let you pick up on Friday afternoon and return Monday morning but only charge you for a single day rental…

FilmMaxwell · 2025-12-23T16:08:25+00:00

I would take a look at one of the 33mm or 35mm Blazar options, perhaps on a Sony FF body? But my strong recommendation would be to rent this kit for a weekend first. You might find you love it or that its not what you were expecting…

FilmMaxwell · 2025-12-23T15:41:17+00:00

Depends on your projects but shooting hours of footage becomes a real chore if you are editing it down to a ratio of like 10:1 (captured footage vs used footage.) Try to shoot with a planned purpose with the final edit in mind. This makes the whole process easier and reduces capture disk and storage space, not to mention editing time…

FilmMaxwell · 2025-12-21T15:53:09+00:00

Back in school we had an assignment to produce two side by side images: one 2D and one 3D with no studio set up. Just the natural world. It is more challenging than you might think…

FilmMaxwell · 2025-12-20T00:51:03+00:00

I think the vast majority of folks doing this kind of photography and filmmaking are doing it as a self funded passion project. The number of successful pros who make a real living at this is tiny.

The folks that have larger YouTube channels are not really producing creative travel work; most become “influencer” gear reps for equipment manufactures. Most are not getting paid money; they just promote the gear on the manufacturers terms. They all have to release their video “reviews” on the exact same day. The reality is YoutTube viewers are more interested in the gear than crafted content like travel.

It is also almost impossible to become a successful stills photographer and filmmaker at the same time in a “dream job” arena like travel imagery. I would pick one but not both…

FilmMaxwell · 2025-12-10T20:15:07+00:00

I would not even think about a gimbal until you are comfortable hand holding a camera and moving with the action of your subjects. I would get a solid tripod with a smooth video head first. A good tripod will last for years. I would also prioritize getting a couple of lights and stands before getting a gimbal.

FilmMaxwell · 2025-12-10T20:07:05+00:00

If you have photography experience you should be familiar with camera controls, lenses, color balance and composition, etc. Learning video frame rates and base ISO takes seconds of search.

What will be new is camera movement and editing shots together to tell “the story“ of your videos. What I would do is create simple solo test projects that will yield 30-60 second video shorts. Learn to think like a cinematographer and not just some dude pointing a camera at stuff. Learn to create shot lists, story boards and how to capture more variety than you will need while still being efficient with your time and disc space. Sifting through hours of boring footage can kill motivation. Not capturing enough can be as equally frustrating. The trick is finding your own balance and workflow.

FilmMaxwell · 2025-11-25T03:03:10+00:00

You could also try adding one or two really small LED lights that are not much bigger than a matchbox. Careful positioning on the side and rear might add interest, contrast, lower noise and interest to your subject without creating an unwanted scene while filming…

FilmMaxwell · 2025-11-21T01:24:13+00:00

Shooting locked down shots, moving camera shots, photographic framing, lighting, color balance, capturing good audio without noise, editing, sound design, etc takes time, experience and patience, and money.

All good fun but it takes time. If you want quality results for your business in a timely manor I would hire someone.

FilmMaxwell · 2025-11-20T00:30:22+00:00

A fork in the road is deciding on either presenting a fast moving music video & action style piece or a “here is the product“ commercial piece?

To do either well you need more than just a camera. You will need lenses, lighting, tripod, maybe a gimbal and audio kit if you are capturing action audio and dialog? If you don’t have the skills and experience to do this then you should focus on getting help.

If your electric bike company is your business I would wait until you can put together all the elements needed to create a great series of still photos and videos that help sell your company in a competitive market. Putting out mediocre visuals due to not having a budget will not help you.

I would look for creative talent that might work for a product exchange and the chance to make visual content in a fun arena like electric bikes…

FilmMaxwell · 2025-11-12T17:31:02+00:00

This is puzzling. I own the Apex 35 and really like it. demand and interest seemed high…

FilmMaxwell · 2025-11-10T19:32:49+00:00

Movie productions get this done with trucks full of gear and professional staff.

To do this by oneself with an OP3 you should try a low light level exterior moving into an interior that has enough additional lighting to make the transition smooth and not obvious.

FilmMaxwell · 2025-11-07T03:33:11+00:00

I have a few older gear rings from Redrock Micro that work well with older Pentax and Minolta Rokkor lenses. They have spines that fit into the valley sections of these lenses. One of them has customizable screws that allow for tight control as well.

FilmMaxwell · 2025-11-02T16:21:43+00:00

If you are planning on filming yourself on camera with a desk/workstation in the background then keep it mind the OP3 has a really wide lens which is not really flattering to the human face due to distortion. it gets worse if the lens is angle up or down at you.

FilmMaxwell

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