DIY Gearless Follow Focus - DVXuser.com -- The online community for filmmaking

teddybear · 10-06-2009, 05:17 AM

When I made several Plywood skaters, which use 3 skater wheels, I ended up with several extra wheels since the wheels and bearings come in a set of 4.
So one day I was intimately touching and caressing one of the wheels and felt a slight spongey and sticky characteristic that really "grips" so I got one of my lenses lyin around and tried putting em together and found out I can actually use the skater wheel to turn the focusing ring without gears.

Now this wont work on some lenses.
AND this is NOT a Replacement for the real Geared follow focus.

-But so far it works on my old 50mm nikon, 105mm nikon, 20-40mm sigma and the 80-200mm nikon.

Give me a few minutes to prepare and label the construction pics. In the meantime heres the FF on my DSLR rig with other DIY stuffs.

I hope this will save money for some of you guys.

Ted

SlightlyHuman · 10-06-2009, 01:40 PM

think you would be able to post pics of the rest of your rig seperate as well? i am interested in seeing your rails and mount on their own

teddybear · 10-07-2009, 02:52 AM

Heres the construction pics of the DIY gearless follow focus.

This is a guide to making a DIY rail block/clamp.

For those interested in the DIY mattebox, the thread is here.

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=140312

Hope this helps out for those who like making stuff.

Ted

teddybear · 10-07-2009, 08:40 AM

A video during my quick tests a few hours ago.

Also shows different lens types being mounted near the end.

DIY Gearless Follow Focus Test

HHL · 10-07-2009, 10:37 AM

Geez Teddy Bear! You are the FREAKING MAN! This is EXACTLY the type of inspiration that has me coming to this forum everyday. I'm so inspired by the creative solutions that you have put together. ....and ESPECIALLY....thank you for sharing with the rest of us!!! YOU ROCK!!!

Postmaster · 10-07-2009, 10:50 AM

Fantastic job Ted, very inspiring.

Frank

teddybear · 10-07-2009, 12:06 PM

Thanks guys. Glad you liked it.

Ted

Sheldon Charron · 10-12-2009, 10:14 PM

Hi Ted.

Can you please tell me how you set it up to adjust in and out for different diameter focus rings?

Thanks!

teddybear · 10-12-2009, 10:22 PM

Hi Sheldon,

Check out the last picture on the DIY Rail Block clamp I posted above.
You'll see the FF holder(the part i am holding), which also acts as the rail clamp, goes through a hole which i "elongated", for lack of a better term, so it can slide/adjust to maintain contact with the focus ring of different lenses.

Ted

Sheldon Charron · 10-12-2009, 11:14 PM

Cool. That makes sense. Thanks!

10-06-2009, 05:17 AM	#1
teddybear Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Bohol island Posts: 989	DIY Gearless Follow Focus When I made several Plywood skaters, which use 3 skater wheels, I ended up with several extra wheels since the wheels and bearings come in a set of 4. So one day I was intimately touching and caressing one of the wheels and felt a slight spongey and sticky characteristic that really "grips" so I got one of my lenses lyin around and tried putting em together and found out I can actually use the skater wheel to turn the focusing ring without gears. Now this wont work on some lenses. AND this is NOT a Replacement for the real Geared follow focus. -But so far it works on my old 50mm nikon, 105mm nikon, 20-40mm sigma and the 80-200mm nikon. Give me a few minutes to prepare and label the construction pics. In the meantime heres the FF on my DSLR rig with other DIY stuffs. I hope this will save money for some of you guys. Ted Last edited by teddybear; 10-06-2009 at 11:32 AM.

10-06-2009, 01:40 PM	#2
SlightlyHuman Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Ennismore Ontario Posts: 57	think you would be able to post pics of the rest of your rig seperate as well? i am interested in seeing your rails and mount on their own __________________ slightlyhuman.com

10-07-2009, 02:52 AM	#3
teddybear Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Bohol island Posts: 989	Heres the construction pics of the DIY gearless follow focus. This is a guide to making a DIY rail block/clamp. For those interested in the DIY mattebox, the thread is here. http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=140312 Hope this helps out for those who like making stuff. Ted Last edited by teddybear; 10-07-2009 at 10:56 PM.

10-07-2009, 08:40 AM	#4
teddybear Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Bohol island Posts: 989	A video during my quick tests a few hours ago. Also shows different lens types being mounted near the end. DIY Gearless Follow Focus Test Last edited by teddybear; 01-16-2010 at 11:05 AM.

10-07-2009, 10:50 AM	#6
Postmaster Dark Side of the Camera Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Germany Posts: 2,629	Fantastic job Ted, very inspiring. Frank __________________ http://thepost.de/ frankglencairn.wordpress.com http://twitter.com/FrankGlencairn Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, with a cigar in one hand and a glass of gin in the other, loudly proclaiming..."Wow--what a ride!

10-07-2009, 10:37 AM	#5
HHL Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 397	Geez Teddy Bear! You are the FREAKING MAN! This is EXACTLY the type of inspiration that has me coming to this forum everyday. I'm so inspired by the creative solutions that you have put together. ....and ESPECIALLY....thank you for sharing with the rest of us!!! YOU ROCK!!!

10-07-2009, 12:06 PM	#7
teddybear Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Bohol island Posts: 989	Thanks guys. Glad you liked it. Ted

10-12-2009, 10:14 PM	#8
Sheldon Charron Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Winnipeg, Canada Posts: 74	Hi Ted. Can you please tell me how you set it up to adjust in and out for different diameter focus rings? Thanks! __________________ CEO, Creative Director, Enter360 Media Group Inc. http://portfolio.enter360.com Photographer, Director, Writer http://www.sheldoncharron.com http://blog.sheldoncharron.com

10-12-2009, 10:22 PM	#9
teddybear Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Bohol island Posts: 989	Hi Sheldon, Check out the last picture on the DIY Rail Block clamp I posted above. You'll see the FF holder(the part i am holding), which also acts as the rail clamp, goes through a hole which i "elongated", for lack of a better term, so it can slide/adjust to maintain contact with the focus ring of different lenses. Ted __________________ Ted Ramasola http://exposureroom.com/members/teddybear.aspx/ http://ramasolastudio.9k.com Last edited by teddybear; 10-12-2009 at 10:48 PM. Reason: typo

10-12-2009, 11:14 PM	#10
Sheldon Charron Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Winnipeg, Canada Posts: 74	Cool. That makes sense. Thanks! __________________ CEO, Creative Director, Enter360 Media Group Inc. http://portfolio.enter360.com Photographer, Director, Writer http://www.sheldoncharron.com http://blog.sheldoncharron.com

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