2005Cameras (Film/Video/HD) forum
Comparison of the Movietube with PS Techniks Mini35 and Pro35 digital cinema adapters
21 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- The Movietube uses an inverted camera design with a microcrystalline film screen instead of rotating ground glass, potentially requiring less power and providing better light transmission than rotating glass solutions.
- The Movietube balances well on cinema arms when properly rigged with appropriate counterweights, performing at the lightest spring setting.
- Image quality from the Movietube is comparable to PS Techniks units, with finer and more static grain that is easier to remove in post-production than grain from rotating ground glass.
- The Movietube has a tighter and more responsive balance mechanism compared to PS Techniks, behaving more like a film camera for handheld operation.
- Build quality and operational versatility of the Movietube are considered superior to some PS Techniks configurations, though the increased camera height can be problematic for certain shots.
- The Movietube is priced lower than the Mini35 while offering features like a prism to keep the camera upright, making it suitable for professional client work.
- Cheap cinema adapters using ground CDs as gates are not comparable in quality to the Movietube or PS Techniks and are unsuitable for professional work.
- The tall profile of the Movietube can provide a higher center of gravity, which may improve gimbal performance when used with lighter cinema arms without significantly adding weight.
Depends on
- The Movietube is only compatible with miniDV or HDV cameras.
- Participants had limited hands-on experience at the time of discussion; the Movietube was relatively new to market.
- No definitive data on power consumption differences between systems was provided.
- The discussion did not resolve comparative costs when renting with additional lens packages versus alternatives like Varicam.