AG-HMC80 with a follow focus

[Philip Goetz]

Has anyone attached a follow focus to this camera? I have a guy who wants to have focus marks and such and I think without it having hard stops or direct drive (i think it is wire control) it probably never manipulates focus the same way twice. I know, I know, buy a GH2 buy a 60D, I know, but he has the HMC80 already but just wants to try to extend its use.

 

[Michael Carter]

The HMC 150 focus readout is very accurate and repeatable if you go "by the numbers" in the viewfinder/LCD.

The manfrotto focus/iris remote is pretty cool - the problem with follow focus on these cameras is the moves are often very very short compared to, say, a DSLR. I've tried marking the wheel on the manfrotto and there are times it's like the width of the pencil line. The manfrotto does have a function where you set the close and far parameters and it automates the stops. I've played with this a little, some user report it can be iffy. You should be able to download instructions for it though. Pretty priceless on a crane.

The "remote circuit posted" sticky here is useful if you can solder. I didn't do the whole thing since I have focus and iris covered, but I did build a zoom and trigger box which I use on cranes and car mounts. Varizoom sells a long cable with the mini and micro-mini plugs. The zoom/trigger uses a micro, but I used a 1/8 stereo jack and got a mini to micro adapter at radio shack (easier soldering and I had a project box with a mini alreay in it).

 

[Barry_Green]

Use a remote focus like the FoXi. Trying to do it off the lens will be a tad silly, but the FoXi should give you really rather precise focus control.

 

[ggrantly]

I've used the Manfrotto focus controller (pf-521 i think) quite a bit and it will stop on the same spots every time. The less focus range you use the better since a small range decreases the sensitivity of the control dial thus making the movement smoother. I don't kid myself that this is as good as a top quality ff, but for the price and what it can do, it is a great product. I use it with both a hpx170 and hmc40.

Grant