dvxStephen
Active member
Having been spoiled by the super slow zoom of a Fuji ENG 2/3" camera lens, which allows a push in so slow that it's basically subliminal, I've been looking for a way to slow down the HVX's zoom for slow creeps.
The HVX's power zoom's slowest speed is still way fast for "almost-invisible creep" and I don't find it easy to get smooth, super slow zooms manually either. The zoom ring, while improved over the DVX's, is still just geared too fast for that, at least in my hands.
I've discovered that my Cavision 4x4 matte box, which I bought for my DVX and have since mounted on my HVX, has a hidden asset. Cavasion's rail-based follow focus gear system, which they sell separately for around $900 retail, can be kludged fairly easily to run the zoom of a HVX. I've got one mocked up at the moment, and while not perfect, it's a significant improvement over the zoom ring.
It would be better if the gearing was even slower, actually, but it's noticeably easier to work than the lens ring.
The trick to make this work is that you need gear teeth on the HVX's focus ring. I cut the mid-section out of cavasion's $99 DVX focus gear ring, so it's long enough to go well past where it's needed to mate with the follow focus, but still short enough to stay clear of the HVX housing where the housing encases the back side of the lens.
I have mounted this gear segment on the zoom ring of the barrell, for the moment, with low tack (desktop) double sticky tape. I'm thinking I'll use hot glue as a more permanent solution, but I'm open to suggestions on what adhesive would do the trick without permanently scarring my HVX!
There isn't much torque involved, though, so even the double sticky is working in informal tests.
The clearances are tight, as the body of the HVX around the iris knob protrudes such that the focus gear barely slides up the rails far enough to do the job, but it does work. I cheated the gear a bit forward on the lens barrel relative to the zoom ring to help with the mating, and even with that, it's only catching half the teeth -- but since there's so little force involved, it seems just fine.
With the foxi handling focus, and the freedom to mount the foxi any number of places, this pair of rotary controllers seems like a pretty good setup.
I'll post a picture one of these days if anyone's curious.
Stephen Gagne
The HVX's power zoom's slowest speed is still way fast for "almost-invisible creep" and I don't find it easy to get smooth, super slow zooms manually either. The zoom ring, while improved over the DVX's, is still just geared too fast for that, at least in my hands.
I've discovered that my Cavision 4x4 matte box, which I bought for my DVX and have since mounted on my HVX, has a hidden asset. Cavasion's rail-based follow focus gear system, which they sell separately for around $900 retail, can be kludged fairly easily to run the zoom of a HVX. I've got one mocked up at the moment, and while not perfect, it's a significant improvement over the zoom ring.
It would be better if the gearing was even slower, actually, but it's noticeably easier to work than the lens ring.
The trick to make this work is that you need gear teeth on the HVX's focus ring. I cut the mid-section out of cavasion's $99 DVX focus gear ring, so it's long enough to go well past where it's needed to mate with the follow focus, but still short enough to stay clear of the HVX housing where the housing encases the back side of the lens.
I have mounted this gear segment on the zoom ring of the barrell, for the moment, with low tack (desktop) double sticky tape. I'm thinking I'll use hot glue as a more permanent solution, but I'm open to suggestions on what adhesive would do the trick without permanently scarring my HVX!
There isn't much torque involved, though, so even the double sticky is working in informal tests.
The clearances are tight, as the body of the HVX around the iris knob protrudes such that the focus gear barely slides up the rails far enough to do the job, but it does work. I cheated the gear a bit forward on the lens barrel relative to the zoom ring to help with the mating, and even with that, it's only catching half the teeth -- but since there's so little force involved, it seems just fine.
With the foxi handling focus, and the freedom to mount the foxi any number of places, this pair of rotary controllers seems like a pretty good setup.
I'll post a picture one of these days if anyone's curious.
Stephen Gagne
