Follow Focus Help

[fabulousfilm]

Hi! Have the new letus rod system with the LEX. Do you have a suggestion on what follow focus i should get? IndiFocus or Redrock?
http://www.dvxuser6.com/uploaded/32103/1200136091.jpg

[Pesie]

Redrock, it's not as cheap as the Indifocus, but you want a smooth and solid solution. I also had to decide like you, and am glad I went for the Redrockmicro Follow Focus. Checkout the test on video at http://www.freshdv.com/2007/10/freshdv-reviews-five-follow-focus-systems.html

[Ram S.O.S]

Redrock, it's not as cheap as the Indifocus, but you want a smooth and solid solution. I also had to decide like you, and am glad I went for the Redrockmicro Follow Focus. Checkout the test on video at http://www.freshdv.com/2007/10/freshdv-reviews-five-follow-focus-systems.html


That test is no longer valid for the Indifocus, by pretty much everyone's account the new Indifocus pro is just as good as the RR or other options in it's price range. I personally and an Original Indifocus with the new gearbox and it's great. I'm sure the red rock is also great, I wish they would review the updated indifocus model because this issue comes up a lot and a lot of people refer to those videos.

[DeGrey]

Agreed.
I ordered an IndiFocus for myself just last week. Maybe I'll send it over to Matt at FreshDV so they can get that review updated ;)

[Ted Spencer]

Agreed.
I ordered an IndiFocus for myself just last week. Maybe I'll send it over to Matt at FreshDV so they can get that review updated ;)

Please let us know what you think when you've got it!

[Tim Naylor]

I bought a used Chrosziel from this site for 900. A real steal. Sold my RRock in two seconds. Worth every penny. In retrospect, I'd pay list for its precision and convenience. Its build, machining and weight are a work of art. Best of all since the gear can be attached to the other side, it can be flipped to the otherside of your rods (a problem with the RRock). Focusing from the right side with the RR is pain because it doesn't allow the mattebox to be fitted properly.

[majormorgan]

I second RAM S.O.S on that review, it doesn't do the new indifocus any real justice. Its every bit as reliable as the Redrock and its cheaper.

In the end if it comes down to budget savings, go Indifocus. If its total performance you want then listen to Tim Naylor cos the dude knows what he's talking about.

Richard

[fabulousfilm]

Have anyone seen or tried this? http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/533045-REG/Chrosziel_AC_206_50_AC_206_50_Varilock_Hand_Wheel. html

[cckid]

Had the same question...guess the indi focus would be the way to go since I can't afford myself a chroziel...has anyone tested the indifocus slider system...seem like a good piece of gear wondering how well does it work in real life...how smooth is the move...seting up how fast and...if anyone has had any experience with it please report...

[myCharlie]

I just purchased a IndiFocus Pro. The problem I have is with lens that has a focus ring that sort of moves up and down the lens barrel a bit. How do I use the follow focus for this kind of lens? Are there any other tricks to make use of the follow focus on these lens?

[Tim Naylor]

If you have time, look in the equipment for sale ads. Sometimes a gem pops up. Saw an Arri Lightweight for 850 a month ago. It's about a 2000 dollar FF. Went fast. The SG FF is worth looking into as one reviewer here said its play was something like .3mm or something like that (on par with Chroziel at 1/3 the price).

None of the low cost guys seem to think pulling focus on both sides of the camera is that important. Flipping the gear to the otherside should be mandatory if you want get your mattebox flush to the lens. If it were possible with the RR, I might have kept it. Ask Timur how many times he had to pull focus for me on the right side of the camera and then the left and then the right......

The other issue I had with the RR is the marker always gets bent out of place. To bend it back, you have to disassemble the gear box from the unit and then bend it back. Pain in the ass. This oversight should be addressed ASAP.

Other FF worth looking into is the Petroff. Less than a Chrosz but built at the same level. Haven't messed with the Indy yet. Looks like a bargain.

The thing you have to remember with still lenses, is because of the tighter focus markings, your FF actually has to be more precise than use with cine lenses. Which is why I can tolerate greater play with PL mount lenses where it would be unacceptable with my Nikons. To address this, Chrosz allows changing gears which I sometimes do if I have a real small but critical pull.

I don't suggest blowing a fortune on anything. But certain things you'll have longer than your camera and are worth getting another paper route for. A follow focus is one of them. A tri pod is another. Add lenses to that. If you buy new you'll go broke fast. Scour the classified, there's gold to be found.

[shiny4]

the best solution coming soon to use also with the srl 35mm lens surpassing also the short focus problem is:
viewfactor "inclino"motor and "impero micro" wired digital follow focus for about 1500$
http://viewfactor.net/forum/index.php?topic=26.0

http://viewfactor.net/forum/index.php?topic=25.0

i'm really exited

[tmnt]

Thanks Tim for the info.

What other dual mountable Follow Focus are in the higher quality class (above the SG, RR, Indi etc) without going too high?

[Tim Naylor]

The two reviews I want to see are the Indie and the SG. Both are reasonably priced. I heard good things about both but have yet to see a good objective review. Things I want to know: Free play/backlash, damping, side switchable, ease of set up and build.

Who's got the goods?

[Kwan]

Mine (Indifocus Deluxe Package) will be here mid next week

[Taylor Rudd]

I just purchased a IndiFocus Pro. The problem I have is with lens that has a focus ring that sort of moves up and down the lens barrel a bit. How do I use the follow focus for this kind of lens? Are there any other tricks to make use of the follow focus on these lens?

I asked the same question a while back. I was told that it should be okay, that the lens gears should still catch. I haven't ordered my indifocus yet (damn tuition), but I hope they are right!

[myCharlie]

I do have the IndiFocus Pro and it's not catching it. I'm having so much problem with my Nikon 55mm macro lens of the focus ring moves quite a bit. The focus ring moves about an inch. So it's not catching it.

[RichardVClark]

The impero micro looks solid.

[Taylor Rudd]

I do have the IndiFocus Pro and it's not catching it. I'm having so much problem with my Nikon 55mm macro lens of the focus ring moves quite a bit. The focus ring moves about an inch. So it's not catching it.

Makes sense. The focus ring on all macros travels FOREVER. Standard lenses shouldn't have that problem.

I was up at school playing with our SI camera today. We have some custom modded Nikon primes - most of them are AIS so there is no barrel travel. However I noticed the 85mm f/2 is an AI and has the barrel travel. I assume this isn't an issue since we went to the trouble of having the lens modded for cinema use.

[Tim Naylor]

Have anyone seen or tried this? http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/533045-REG/Chrosziel_AC_206_50_AC_206_50_Varilock_Hand_Wheel. html

Your just looking at the entire Chrosz DV FF unit. The wheel they're advertising for 500.00 is just the overpriced white know on that rig.

Tim

[Tim Naylor]

Thanks Tim for the info.

What other dual mountable Follow Focus are in the higher quality class (above the SG, RR, Indi etc) without going too high?

Call the good people at Zacuto about the Petroff. It's about 600 cheaper than the Chrosz and 400 more than the Red Rock. It's gears can be replaced with different diameter and pitch. Zacuto can tell you whether it's reversable. Even so, it's profile is much slimmer than than RRock so it may not have the fit issues I had with my RR.

[USLatin]

I heard the RR got a tighter box recently. I guess it is a great performer not too far from the Chroz. I have seen it and it does seem to be a big of a fatty and not being able to switch sides is quite a bad point... so it seems looking for a used Chroziel might be the way to go till the Indi and others get reviewed properly, but...

...have you guys thought about the remote that RR is going to (eventually) put out for $500? More on point, do we know if it would only work on the RR FF?

[Tim Naylor]

Have anyone seen or tried this? http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/533045-REG/Chrosziel_AC_206_50_AC_206_50_Varilock_Hand_Wheel. html

That link is just an ad for the wheel of the FF. What you're looking at is the whole Chrosz FF. It's a bit deceptive in that what you're looking at is about 1600 not the 500 as stated.

[Tim Naylor]

I heard the RR got a tighter box recently. I guess it is a great performer not too far from the Chroz. I have seen it and it does seem to be a big of a fatty and not being able to switch sides is quite a bad point... so it seems looking for a used Chroziel might be the way to go till the Indi and others get reviewed properly, but...

...have you guys thought about the remote that RR is going to (eventually) put out for $500? More on point, do we know if it would only work on the RR FF?

The RR is tight. And for the money, it's hard to beat. It's play is definitely more than my Chrosz (by not much) but still quite acceptable and much better than some units costing twice as much.

[DavidChia]

Totally agreed with Tim, If i could have afford to keep my Chroziel, I'll would have kept it. But the Redrock that I'm having is very good too. I'm happy with it.

As for the indie focus new follow focus system. Their new whip is not industry standard . So I wonder if the port on their new follow focus is industry standard ?

See for for more info:

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=122116

[USLatin]

So does anyone know if the RR is the only one that will work with the RR remote?

[puredrifting]

Ask Brian Valente, he is usually hanging around here.

Dan

[myCharlie]

I just purchased a IndiFocus Pro. The problem I have is with lens that has a focus ring that sort of moves up and down the lens barrel a bit. How do I use the follow focus for this kind of lens? Are there any other tricks to make use of the follow focus on these lens?

So does anyone have a solution for this? The follow focus becomes useless if the keep moving up and down like this.

[Will Clegg]

How much does the focus ring move up and down the barrel? Movement up and down the barrel is going to be restricted to just less than the combined width of the gear driver and the lens gear.

You may have to get a different lens, as you won't find a FF that moves with the lens barrel. Which lens are you using now?

[myCharlie]

All the lenses I have are Nikons.

28mm f2.8, 50mm f2.8, 55mm f1.4 macro, 135mm f2.8, and 180mm f2.8

The lenses don't move a lot but it does move. I did try with the 55mm macro with those gears from IndiFocus Pro and it does not work because the lens moves as I focus.

[Will Clegg]

I have a 28/2.8, 50/1.4, 85/2, and 105/2.8 and all work with the indiFOCUS and gears. I would say your best bet is to sell your 50mm/2.8 and pick up a 50mm/1.4. It will have almost the exact same FOV as your 55mm/1.4.

I couldn't find any info on the 55mm/1.4... is that a Nikon lens or a Nikon-mount made by 3rd party?

[alpi69]

looking for FF and it is hard to find a cheap solution fast.
Redrock only sells bundles from 600 up i think
Cinevate doesn´t have one (yet)
Indifocus didn´t repsond to e-mail and right now their site is down
SG says it is a 6 weeks lead time

Chrosziel and others are over 1000.

Frustrating to look for indistuff sometimes


EDIT: indifocus website worked soon after I postd this. sorry for the wrong Info!

[Taylor Rudd]

Call Tim at IndiFocus. I'm about to order mine and he hasn't emailed me back yet, but he is ALWAYS near his phone and willing to talk shop.

[weixiang623]

indifocus' website isn't down... i don't get any e-mails back from Tim @ IndiFocus as well, but that doesn't stop him from processing all the transactions. If you want to save as as much as you can, there's that "CINE" follow focus unit that was born in India you can locate on ebay.com (search: Follow Focus), or IndiFocus would be your best bet. However if you want good quality and to stay under a thousand dollars, your best investment would be to go with the Redrock.

http://www.dv.com/reviews/reviews_item.php?articleId=196603447
Review this; food for thought

[Kholi]

Try Trudd's suggestion.

I have a Letus as well and I can't say enough great things about the Redrock Follow Focus. I've used it, Cinetech, and An Arri FF and it's pretty damned solid in comparison. Although I'm not FF expert, I still feel like I've got as much value for the dollar as the other two.

Go Redrock if at all Possible and see if you can get yourself three A or B sized gears instead of different sizes. It's a very solid piece of machinery and will compliment your LetusEx quite well.

:D Can't wait to get the RR Mattebox to go with the Letus as well.

[puredrifting]

I have the RR FF and while I too am not an AC and do not have a ton of FF experience, I feel that the RR is very solid and a good value.

At this point, I think using cheap Nikon lenses is what would be a limiting factor in achieving perfect follow focus, rather than the RR. The still camera lenses really bite for manual focusing in comparison to cine lenses. The Nikons breathe a lot, have to short of a throw and are just clunky, the RR does it's best to keep up and works well but in comparsion to real cine lenses, are terrible. Look nice but bad to focus with. I personally think that you would gain very little by having a much better, more expensive FF if you are using still camera lenses.

Red Rock Rocks.

Dan

[USLatin]

I asked Brian about using the FF with the remote. It seems it is not something that works off the FF but a completely different unit that could be set up on the other side of the lens like the Arri remote. Also he said you will be able to have them set up at the same time and the motor shouldn't be damaged by having the FF engaged on the other side. So I guess he is standing by the product if it were to become damaged from the extra torque. So now all we need to find out is if it will respond well with the extra drag but if it will work then it should be fine.

Has anyone used the Zacuto gears?

[Tim Naylor]

Maybe out of your range but someone has a Chroz in marketplace for 1000.00. If you can get the scratch who knows - you may be able to pick it up for 900 or so. That's a steal.

[niccollsdp]

indifocus' website isn't down... i don't get any e-mails back from Tim @ IndiFocus as well, but that doesn't stop him from processing all the transactions.

Well, atleast it's good to know that I'm not the only one who can't even get the time of day from Tim at Indifocus.
I'm looking into buying gears for all my lenses and a speedcrank for my RR FollowFocus. I've emailed him repeatedly requesting photos of both, but no luck. I was able to reach him over the phone, but you can't really see something over the phone, so he promised to send me photos. So much for promises. He doesn't answer emails, but he'll gladly take your money? Well I'm not really into buying something I've never seen before, and I'm not into starting now. Sorry to rant, but I was looking into getting the gears ASAP for a upcoming shoot, and I mentioned this to Tim over the phone. He assured me he'd send them that night, he didn't, I wasted a bunch of time waiting for him to get back to me and now the shoot has passed.

Maybe next time time Indifocus updates their website they'll actually put pictures of all their products on it...

Anyway, from what I've read since then, I'm guessing/hoping that Indifocus gears wouldn't work with my RR. Though, I'm a little confused about this, since it seems to say on the Indifocus website that they offer .8 CinePitch lens gears. I asked Tim about this in a couple emails, but well, you know the rest. :badputer:

Since I'm done with Indifocus, can anyone recommend lens gear rings that will rotate 360, and are around $30-40 a piece? I know it's cheap, but I'm looking to outfit all my lenses, so I'll need 6 rings and am not looking to spend $450-500 just on gears...

BTW, if anyone talks to Tim Ovel, tell him to get his email sorted out as it's now cost him at least one customer.

Thanks!

paul niccolls
dp/nyc
www.niccollsdp.com (http://www.niccollsdp.com/)

[Ram S.O.S]

Well, atleast it's good to know that I'm not the only one who can't even get the time of day from Tim at Indifocus.
I'm looking into buying gears for all my lenses and a speedcrank for my RR FollowFocus. I've emailed him repeatedly requesting photos of both, but no luck. I was able to reach him over the phone, but you can't really see something over the phone, so he promised to send me photos. So much for promises. He doesn't answer emails, but he'll gladly take your money?

I thought that Tim was not responding to me via email and I found out that all of his emails were going to my bulk mail and he actually sent me what I asked for without my response even after receiving a somewhat negative email from me that he didn't deserve. This is probably not the case for you, but you might want to check just in case.

[Wayne Kinney]

can anyone recommend lens gear rings that will rotate 360, and are around $30-40 a piece? I know it's cheap, but I'm looking to outfit all my lenses, so I'll need 6 rings and am not looking to spend $450-500 just on gears...


Our type 2 lens gears have full 360 degree travel. check them out on our website www.shoot35.com

[RichardVClark]

I would recommend the SG follow focus to anyone. Great build quality at a great price.