AC160 Follow Focus for AC160A

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DMcneil

Member
Hello All, I've tried to search through the forum for an answer to this but have not seen specifically what I was looking for. So I apologize if this has been answered previously. If so please direct me to that post or article.

Anyway, I am looking for a manual follow focus for the AC160A. Does anyone have any recommendations? I've seen many different models out there but I do not know how to tell what will work specifically with this camera. Would like to have a set up that would allow for both focus and iris control.

Also, I've have seen a couple of posts for an electronic focus/iris control but wasn't sure if I wanted to go this route or not. So any thoughts on what works best (manual/electronic) for the most shooting scenarios would be appreciated! Thanks!
 
On the electronic side of this question, there are a number of candidates...the following can get you started, although I'm sure there are others:
  • Studio 1 ProZoom Pan Zoom Controller (Zoom/Focus/Iris) $120
  • Varizoom VZPFI (Focus/Iris) $149
  • Manfrotto 521PFI (Focus/Iris) $314
  • Bebob Engineering FOXI Focus/Iris control for panasonic $460
I have the Studio 1 model, and it works fine with my AC90. The only thing it is missing is a convenient way to mark the start and stop points for the focus pulling...but they are looking at alternate control knobs for the unit (perhaps adding a white, writeable ring under the knobs that would rectify this...). Both the Varizoom and Manfrotto units have a ring under their control knobs that allow this kind of marking...
 
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You don't really want to go with a manual follow focus. While it will work fine (presuming you have hard end stops on the follow focus), there's no real advantage to it over an electronic follow focus, when dealing with an electronic lens. I would recommend looking at the FoXi, which is a manual-style follow focus but will work with the lens's electronic controls, and has the further advantage of being able to be used remotely.
 
The varizoom also works well on my 160A and AF102. The controls do however require a vey light touch- for me I would prefer slightly more resistance on the focus wheel.
Cheers!
Rod
 
Thank you all for your responses and providing info that will work with the AC160A. I'm going to check out the options you have suggested. I had not heard of the FoXi so will be interested in doing some research on that. I will post back once I've made a choice on something and hopefully provide some useful feedback. Thanks again.
 
I am a fan of Studio1 - ProZoom Pan Zoom Controller (Zoom/Focus/Iris/StartStop).

I did a review of this which you may be able to find and just used it two days ago for an outdoor Shakespeare evening presentation recording
(huge stage with actors at 55 ft, 65 ft and 75 feet, moving quickly every few minutes from one depth position to another).

The event started at 1900 hours where we had some sun, then sunset, ending up with darkness/lighting by 2200 hrs. I was very busy adjusting focus, zoom and iris on the remote as well as ratcheting up on the ND filter setting and panning from one side of the stage to the other.

So, my recommendation is whatever you get make sure it's electronic and that it does start/stop, focus, super smooth very slow to very fast zooms with no jolts,
and iris.

I keep telling myself never to do start/stop between scenes - each time I do this I risk losing the first few minutes of the next scene.

I agree with Rod on the need for a "light" touch - I expanded the diameter of the focus knob on the Prozoom and it does wonders for the remote.
 
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I use the Manfrotto all the time. Really nice unit, focus & iris, and you can cable it out on a crane or for oddball rigs.

On most of these units, you can preset the stops and switch over to that mode. Very handy, and you don't haveto be precise at all - just spin the wheel, The wheel keeps going but the focus stops where it's preset.
 
First I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to reply to my post and provide such great, useful information. Thanks.

After looking at the options available I decided to test out the Studio 1 ProZoom Pan Zoom Controller (Zoom/Focus/Iris) and the Varizoom VZ-ROCK-PZFI (Zoom/Focus/Iris). I purchased both and tested both together (took a suggestion from kwkeirstead from a different post regarding this subject). I decided to go with these two models mostly based on cost. Cost/functionality is always a trade off - in my world at least. So yes, the decision was very cost driven.

Both products seem to be very well built, quality products. I was impressed with both of them. They both seemed to operate functionally as specified. Both were very easy to figure out how to connect to the camera (AC160A) and operate the zoom, focus and iris functions. Not real rocket science anyway. The Studio 1 unit has about a 21" connector cable and the VariZoom has about a 37" connector cable. I also purchased a 25' extension cable from Studio 1 which worked with both units. I had a little trouble getting the Varizoom unit plugged into the jacks of the camera with the 90 degree angle plugs. The jack cover and battery were getting in the way. A bit of the same problem with Studio 1. But the extension cable I purchased has straight jack plugs which were much easier to install.

As stated above both units worked well functionally. However the zoom function was a bit different between the two. The Studio one uses a knob (same type knob as on focus function) where the Varizoom uses a rocker type control. Both started and stopped zoom functions smoothly and I could control the speed easily enough with both. As stated in other reviews the rocker may be a bit more easy to use in fast run & gun situations but the Studio 1 isn't functionally inept in that environment once you got used to the knob control I would think. One feature the Studio 1 had over the Varizoom zoom function which could be useful; is the Studio 1 will allow you to start a zoom and it will just continue until you stop it or it reaches the zoom end points. It will run at a constant speed as well. The Varizoom would stop it's zoom once the rocker was released. A drawback on the Studio 1 is that you have to manually move the knob back to center position to stop a zoom in progress or reverse the zoom. The Varizoom automatically returns to neutral position via a spring mechanism. The zoom function wasn't the most important function for me on these units so this wasn't a deciding factor either way. I could work with both I think.

The one primary function I wanted out of a remote focus unit was to be able to accomplish operations like a rack focus or have an AC pulling focus. I felt both of these products are way too sensitive to really accomplish either with the degree of accuracy I had hoped for. I think it may be a function of the remote control units themselves as well as the electronic focus used in the camera. Just using the focus ring on the camera alone it is difficult for me to hit focal points without doing an over/under. These units helped that only marginally. I set up two focal points (a MF4.30 to a MF8.0 at full telephoto) and tested doing rack focus between them. I still had problems hitting the marks just watching the MF numbers on the LCD and external monitor I had connected via high speed HDMI. I tried using marks on some blue tape on the units and that helped some but was still unable to attain a consistent, repeatable rack focus between the two points. So this is the most disappointing hit on both these products. I couldn't test a focus pull using an AC yet but I'll guess that hitting focus is going to be a problem because the movements are just far too sensitive.

I played around with a bigger knob - helped very little. I even tried using a standard bottle cork pushed onto the knob stem with some standard sewing pins pushed into the cork for stops. That actually worked the best but still could not hit the marks exactly at MF4.30 and MF8.0. Would hit close at 7.9, 7.8 or 8.10, 8.20 etc. So I'll probably play around with it some more to see if I can rig up some other Wile E. Coyote contraption to help hit more precise focus marks. Bottle corks and sewing pins aren't the most professional looking gear.

Iris functioned as specified. It was sensitive too but I see less problems with iris as it will not require as much change for a given shot once exposure is set. Of course this could be different in a run-gun situation.

So over all I think the functionality and quality of the products are just about equal. The Studio 1 does have toggle switches that stick out verses slide switches on the Varizoom. So a potential break point or possible point to inadvertently bump with your hand. But the switch position to run the unit in manual mode is the down position making it harder to accidentally hit the switch up to the Auto position. But I don't see it as a major problem.

I've decided to keep the Studio 1 based on the relative equal quality and functionality between the two units. So price (Studio 1 at $120 verses Varizoom at $231) makes the call. Again, I would have liked to test the Manfrotto 521PFI and Bebob Engineering FOXI but as stated in my world the cost/functionality trade off is the big ugly gorilla sitting on my back.

So that's my story. Hope it may be helpful for someone else. Thanks again everyone!
 
Try the Manfrotto. It is in a different class than the two you tried, and provides much more functionality and much better ergonomics. You can set limits on the focus range that let you be much more precise. If you want focus control, this is the bare minimum that will be useful. I've tried the be oh, and prefer the Manfrotto, but it is also useful. Investing 150 in a focus controller that doesn't let you be precise is worse than investing 300 in one that does...

I posted a a long review of he Manfrotto a few years back; try and find it for some detailed discussion. http://www.dvxuser.com/articles/article.php/14
 
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