Hot Rodding the Canon 7D – Part 2

I met Illya Friedman at a recent Abel Cine event on the breakthrough Canon 24p firmware announcement. His LA-based Hot Rod Cameras modifies stock DSLRs (not only from Canon) to accept pro lenses. The design and quality look good, an important consideration if you’re giving up a camera to have its lens area re-machined.

Abel Cine has an exclusive distribution deal to offer the Hot Rod 7D-PL Mod for the Canon 7D; it enables you to use any of the multitude of quality 35mm PL-mount cinema lenses with this less costly DSLR. Check out this brief video preview with Abel’s Andy Shipsides to see just what Hot Rod is up to.

Just came across D.W. Leitner’s posting on Illya’s Hot Rod 7D mod. David had seen an earlier version at Sundance and as usual he thinks broadly, contrasting Illya’s grassroots approach as compared to a camera company which touts its “revolutionary” technology…”Unprecedented affordability coupled with cinematic results is fanning democratic upheaval from below, this time sans leadership, business plan, or righteous posturing.” You can read all of David’s posting here.