USER HINTS: Installation/removal of CINEFUSE 2

[Dennis Wood]

Swappable diffuser removal/installation: CINEFUSE 2

November 2007 update: The new CF2 and CF2Le are no longer "sandwiched". Install them as you would CF3 or CF3L!

Note: The Brevis diffusers are delicate. Handle only by the edges…and never touch them with your bare fingers. Micro-fibre cloth or lens tissue work well.


1. Remove the adapter from your camera, and set it with the achromat down, on a clean, dust-free surface. Make sure your hands are clean, and you have a microfibre cloth or lens tissues on hand. You’ll also need the small allen key provided with the Brevis unit as well as a small Phillips screwdriver (star).

2. There are four set screws at the rear of the unit that penetrate the carbon fibre tube. Remove them by unscrewing counter-clockwise.

3. Lift the carbon fibre tube complete with lens mount straight up and set it aside.

4. You should be left with the diffuser plate and rear ring assembly sitting in front of you. Grasp the diffuser plate with one hand, lifting the whole unit slightly off your work surface and with the other, unscrew the two Phillips screws holding the diffuser plate on.

5. Set the unit down and remove the GG retainer plate. Do not remove the stock diffuser.

6. Handling the diffuser option screen by the edges only, blow off the surface with dry air, and place it over the stock diffuser so that the shiny side is up, and the diffuse side is touching the stock diffuser.

7. Place the diffuser option holder (has two holes in it) over top and carefully align it so the diffuser drops in, the motor slot is over the motor, and the two screw holes line up.

8. Tighten the two screws down, again supporting the GG plate with your free hand. Check and then check again to make sure the two diffuser are tight to each other and the screws are fully inserted! If you turn the adapter on with the diffusers loose you will damage both!

9. Affix the carbon fibre ring back on and you’re done. There is a notch where the switch body sits, so it can only go back on one way. If there are any dust or carbon particles inside, now’s a good time to blow things out, clean the internal surfaces of the dust shields etc.

Please note, these instructions are copyright and should not be reprinted or published in any way.

[Noah Posnick]

Thanks for posting this Dennis! Can't wait till I get the Brevis and the Cinefuse 3. I assume it will be the same process to remove/install. It's tough just reading through it without having the unit in front of me. Maybe it will be more clear once I have it, but either way, photos to go along with the steps would be much appreciated.

[Jon Wolding]

So the stock diffuser is NOT removed?

[Dennis Wood]

Pics would be nice, but unfortunately until the patent process is done, I'm a bit reluctant to post them. It's just pre-patent damage control

CF2 requires CF1 in place. CF3 is a complete replacement for CF1.

[Noah Posnick]

Understandable. That's interesting about the CF2 being put on top of the CF1, while the CF3 just replaces it. How does the light loss of the CF3 compare to the combo of the CF1/CF2?

[Dennis Wood]

The CF3 is a bit more on the light loss side. I've finally got all the CF3 production parts/equipment here, so I can do a proper comparison shoot between bare cam, CF1, CF2, and CF3.

[Jon Wolding]

Well, I made a stupid mistake this morning when I went to install the CF2. I took out the lens mount... luckily you provided me we accurate flange info, so backfocus was attainable.

Seeing Thursdays footage, I noticed some dust in the Brevis. This morning I learned that most of the particular matter inside the Brevis is NOT dust. It's filings from the diffuser mount discs that have been shaken off. So I took my time pulling as much of the plastic specs out, air dusting the hell out of everything, and checking against a solidly-lit BG. It worked out, I think... haven't seen the footage yet.

[Dennis Wood]

Jon, we blast the units with about 125 psi, then assemble every unit in the clean flow bench. When they leave here, each unit is inspected to make sure it is clean both inside and outside. That said, with the savagery of shipping (fragile means nothing) and extended use, there's bound to be a few particles showing up so a clean after some use is probably a good idea.

A major caution here is to remove the diffusers before doing this or make sure the air being used is clean/dry and free of propellant (if canned) We use a compressed air system with both inline filtration for water/oil/dust, as well as very fine filtration right at the gun. This insures we don't damage or contaminate anything.

The clean flow bench has been invaluable in improving final assembly here with respect to dust.

[Jon Wolding]

Dust wasn't the problem... it was the frayed edges of the GG holder that broke free. That said, I cleaned it once, removed as much frayed plastic as I could, air-dusted it all, and checked the assembled unit in front of even lighting (backlit piece of white paper). I haven't had to open it up since. Though I might have to... I can barely feel it vibrating (you can hear it in quiet places) - I might turn it up just to know it's on (w/o checking the LED)!

[Rafael Metz]

Dennis, is there a "towards frontlens" side on the Cinefuse or are both sides the same?

[Jon Wolding]

Dennis, is there a "towards frontlens" side on the Cinefuse or are both sides the same?

There is a shiny side... it faces out.

[Dennis Wood]

With CF2, you must follow the instructions exactly...meaning the CF2 element's shiny side is towards the 35mm lens.

[Noah Posnick]

Are the instructions any different for the installation of the CF3? I'd like to put mine in to see how differently it responds to the CF1 for tests tomorrow. Just want to make sure I don't screw anything up.

[Chan Ee Jien]

When I remove the carbon tube and inspect the diffuser, the shiny side of the CF1 is already facing the rear (the camcorder) and the other non-shiny side is facing the 35mm lens. Is this correct? I notice that the above posts mention the opposite when installing the CF2 (where the shiny side is facing the 35lens instead).

Regardless, the diffuser only fits in one way so I remove and install the CF3 in the same direction.

[Dennis Wood]

Yikes...I just realized there's no CF3 install guide! Chan, it replaces CF1 exactly in the same configuration. CF2 is quite different in that CF1 stays in place.

I'll get this up asap.

[Noah Posnick]

Alright, thanks Dennis.

[Michael Pilipp]

Oh Dennis, i understand nothing! I need a new cinefuse, but i dont know which: CF1, CF2 ore CF3. And the discussion here about which side of the cinefuse have to look toward objetkiv i dont understand to...

- CF1 is the lightest?
- CF2 is more diffuser, but it needs .5 stops more light? But you need the CF1 too? It is so a sandwich? So it ist not my way?
- CF3 is the best? But it needs ??? more light? It will work without CF1 (i damaged it ...)

Is the shiny side the side with the with laser polished ore the blank?

Are CF1 and CF3 cinefuse in stock?

Please help a poor german to explain.

Thank you!!!!

[Noah Posnick]

Any news on that CF3 installation guide?

[M Boerner]

ok - I don't get it.
For Cinefuse 1:
Which side has to be towards the 35mm lens?

I have the shiny mirroring side towards the 35mm lens.
That's the only way I get correct flange distance
with my EOS and FD mount. The other way
I have to pull the mount circa 1mm out.
But that's impossible with the FD mount...

[Jon Wolding]

CF1 - shiny side faces camera lens.

CF2 - sits in front/on top of CF1 w/ shiny side facing 35mm lens.

CF3 - shiny side faces camera lens.