Yeah, looks like there's a norwegian production company called Hocus Focus, also some kind of hand-scanner thing.. Too bad if you can't call it Hocus Focus, Pete.
Remote follow focus for £150/$300
- Thread starter hoarp001
- Start date
Yeah, looks like there's a norwegian production company called Hocus Focus, also some kind of hand-scanner thing.. Too bad if you can't call it Hocus Focus, Pete.
Leo Versola
Well-known member
Peter, your unit is looking absolutely awesome and professional. Hats off to your very hard work and top notch talent... It's been fun watching it evolve since March or so and I'm getting more and more anxious to get my hands on one. Being wireless, it's going to be perfect for blocking jib shots and two-person steadicam shots.
I should be in the single digits on your reservation list if I counted correctly ;-)
Cheers from SF
I should be in the single digits on your reservation list if I counted correctly ;-)
Cheers from SF
Peter,
Please put me down for two units.
e
Please put me down for two units.
e
hoarp001
Veteran
Quick update:
Today I have been researching potting. This is a semi-flexible silicone that is applied over the connections and on the inside of the case. Its so the buttons and lights are secure and wont loosen. Its also water resistant and wont let in sand or dust. It will hold all the wires together and keep it very solid and tough in hostile situations.
Second quick update:
The programing of the Hocus Focus has now changed over to a commercial company that specialie in producing electronics for resale. They are also much quicker, and have quoted me two weeks to get it all finished, so we are close now.
Neither the potting or the new electronics developer will affect the price, I budgeted for this in the first place.
I also took the Hocus Focus out for a test run, and it performed very nicely. We stuck the camera on a jib and hung it over a bathtub to get a really cool over head shot. It was perfectly in focus, of course :-D
Today I have been researching potting. This is a semi-flexible silicone that is applied over the connections and on the inside of the case. Its so the buttons and lights are secure and wont loosen. Its also water resistant and wont let in sand or dust. It will hold all the wires together and keep it very solid and tough in hostile situations.
Second quick update:
The programing of the Hocus Focus has now changed over to a commercial company that specialie in producing electronics for resale. They are also much quicker, and have quoted me two weeks to get it all finished, so we are close now.
Neither the potting or the new electronics developer will affect the price, I budgeted for this in the first place.
I also took the Hocus Focus out for a test run, and it performed very nicely. We stuck the camera on a jib and hung it over a bathtub to get a really cool over head shot. It was perfectly in focus, of course :-D
doncamillo
Active member
Good to hear the HF is getting one step closer to completion. I think though, that the picture needs to be rotated 90 degrees 
Any footage you can share with us from that testrun?
Cheers
Any footage you can share with us from that testrun?Cheers
Derrick_SA
Veteran
As soon as I know how much this costs, and I can afford two, I would love to get in a order.
this is gonna be awesome,
- Derrick
this is gonna be awesome,
- Derrick
Potting of Hocus Focus
Potting of Hocus Focus
A question about potting the Hocus Focus. When you sell this, you will give a 1 Year Guarantee I suppose. If after 13 months the purchaser who has a defective unit will have to buy another unit. This is because you cannot repair a POTTED UNIT!!
So can you clarify for all the people who have asked to buy your unit, whether you will be able to repair their unit, or will they have to purchase another unit at the full cost?
I'm not trying to be difficult, but it is a relevent question I beleive. Buyers need to know how long their investment is going to last.
Potting of Hocus Focus
Quick update:
Today I have been researching potting. This is a semi-flexible silicone that is applied over the connections and on the inside of the case. Its so the buttons and lights are secure and wont loosen. Its also water resistant and wont let in sand or dust. It will hold all the wires together and keep it very solid and tough in hostile situations.
Second quick update:
The programing of the Hocus Focus has now changed over to a commercial company that specialie in producing electronics for resale. They are also much quicker, and have quoted me two weeks to get it all finished, so we are close now.
Neither the potting or the new electronics developer will affect the price, I budgeted for this in the first place.
I also took the Hocus Focus out for a test run, and it performed very nicely. We stuck the camera on a jib and hung it over a bathtub to get a really cool over head shot. It was perfectly in focus, of course :-D
A question about potting the Hocus Focus. When you sell this, you will give a 1 Year Guarantee I suppose. If after 13 months the purchaser who has a defective unit will have to buy another unit. This is because you cannot repair a POTTED UNIT!!
So can you clarify for all the people who have asked to buy your unit, whether you will be able to repair their unit, or will they have to purchase another unit at the full cost?
I'm not trying to be difficult, but it is a relevent question I beleive. Buyers need to know how long their investment is going to last.
hoarp001
Veteran
No, it is a relevant question but I have thought about this. Im not using the black potting, im using the softer polyurethane stuff (abit like bahtroom sealant) and you can peel it off with abit of effort. Anyway, I am confident enough in my work that it will NOT break within the one year warranty period (or at all). If it does, you will get a new unit. I think the potting is a small price to pay, i think it will prevent more damage than cost me in replaced units.
I do have a vague idea of what im doing here syncman.
I do have a vague idea of what im doing here syncman.
I am not saying you do not know what you are doing, this was not adverse critiscism, but simply a question that occured to me, with 30 years experience of building electronics, that may not have occured to the purchasers.
I am sorry that you don't like my questions regarding members interests, but if you are going to sell units, advertised on this site, then I think you should be
perfectly honest with the members of the site.
I will not make any more comments, and the "punters" can decide for themselves if it is a good buy. My reason for raising this was that you have admitted on this site you are not an Electronics Engineer and I think it is morally correct that members are not mislead in any way.
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hoarp001
Veteran
Im not being in any way dishonest, I had thought about the potting compound thing. The Hocus Focus has been in development for a while now, approaching a whole year (from when I first did the prototype) and ive had a lot of time to think about this stuff.
Its not that I dont like your questioning at all, but I don't really like the way you assume that I have not already considered what you are saying.
Im not an electronics engineer by trade, but Ive done a fair bit. Coding this is beyond my skils, so I have farmed it out to someone who knows exactly what he is doing, whilst I can concentrate on doing the cosmetics and the functionality of the unit.
No one is being mis lead.
Before the HF is ready to sell, im sending beta units off for testing. Ive already tested the current prototype on a beach for a week (sand and sea water is pretty hostile) and im not going to sell anything that I do not believe is up to the job, and I am certainly not going to sell anything that I think has any chance of breaking. I am an honist person and I do not do that kind of thing.
I would appricaite if you would just trust that I know what im doing please david.
Its not that I dont like your questioning at all, but I don't really like the way you assume that I have not already considered what you are saying.
Im not an electronics engineer by trade, but Ive done a fair bit. Coding this is beyond my skils, so I have farmed it out to someone who knows exactly what he is doing, whilst I can concentrate on doing the cosmetics and the functionality of the unit.
No one is being mis lead.
Before the HF is ready to sell, im sending beta units off for testing. Ive already tested the current prototype on a beach for a week (sand and sea water is pretty hostile) and im not going to sell anything that I do not believe is up to the job, and I am certainly not going to sell anything that I think has any chance of breaking. I am an honist person and I do not do that kind of thing.
I would appricaite if you would just trust that I know what im doing please david.
yzmotoxer807
Well-known member
Is it getting hot in here?:grin:
By the way, I too would be very interested in one of these if it would fit my budget.
By the way, I too would be very interested in one of these if it would fit my budget.
I just wanted to say Peter, that despite our personality clashes I do in fact think you are very talented guy.
The Hocus Focus for example....... I have followed the progress of this from the very begining. It takes someone with skill and tenacity to get as far as you have with what is a complex unit to design. I don't think there will be many members that understand how complex it is. :thumbup: