Follow Focus from Redrock and the HVX200

Steve Shovlar

Steve Shovlar

DVXuser Sponsor
Just had an email from Red Rock, the maker of the M2 35mm adaptor, that they taking orders now for their follow focus, which will be shipping in about 4 weeks time. And it will work straight away with the HVX200.

This time they will have the product ready before they take the money. And the really good news is, the follow focus will cost less then $500!
Here's the info, with some pics.

http://www.redrockmicro.com/mff_preview.htm

Needless to say I have my name down for one. I think they are essential bit of kit and even more so if you use a 35mm adaptor.
 
Is this designed to be used only with a additional lens and adapter or can it be used with the hvx standard lens? I don't see why there wouldn't be an adapter for the Leica as a standard option.
 
Says on the info page it works great with DV and HDV camera lenses. So the HVX-lense should work aswell...
 
I wonder,
If it works with Other adapters - they say stand alone camera too.
Very Nice if it Does:thumbup:
 
I have been following the development of the Redrock follow focus from the begining and it will fir onto the HVX200/ZU1 etc. Redrock are making different sized cogs to fit a variety of lenses and cameras.
 
Steve:

Have you used the Micro 35? I was a Beta tester for the G35 (now the Cinemek). While I very much liked that adapter, I wonder if it will ever ship? Can you tell me anything about the Micro 35 or point me to any tests or reviews of it?

Best,

Dan
 
so... if i were to buy the RR follow focus system, i would be able to use it on the stock HVX lens, AND on an SLR lens attached to the micro35, IF i bought the correct cog for the lens? any clue how long it would take to change out the cog? i've never bought a follow focus, so i'm trying to grasp everything....
 
dosborn said:
so... if i were to buy the RR follow focus system, i would be able to use it on the stock HVX lens, AND on an SLR lens attached to the micro35, IF i bought the correct cog for the lens? any clue how long it would take to change out the cog? i've never bought a follow focus, so i'm trying to grasp everything....
Click to expand...

That's exactly correct. Redrock reckon it will only take a few minutes to add the cog to a lens and put the whole thing together. They have made a database of Nikon, Canon and other popular lenses, as well as standard already fitted camera lenses that are on the HVX200/ZU1 etc and you just order the cogs that fit the lenses you own.
 
puredrifting said:
Steve:

Have you used the Micro 35? I was a Beta tester for the G35 (now the Cinemek). While I very much liked that adapter, I wonder if it will ever ship? Can you tell me anything about the Micro 35 or point me to any tests or reviews of it?

Best,

Dan
Click to expand...

Hi Dan, before I go any further I will say I am not attached to Red Rock in any way, shape or form. I am just a hppy customer of theirs.

I am still interested in the G35, but it is taking an extremely long length of time to come out. Too long, and that's why, when Red Rock announced they were going to release the M2 (new name for micro35) I paid the money and waited for it to arrive. It took about 10-12 weeks, but I got it and the build quality is excellent. And since I have owned it, Red Rock have perfected the rotating ground glass no end. At first the GG was a little too frosted, and gave a soft image. Then, on the second generation GG, it was too clear, causing ghosting in certain lighting circumstances.

Since then Red Rock have released a third generation GG, and this time the results have been spectacular. And on top of that the updated GG has been free to owners of the M2. It is quiet, built like a brick sh*thouse, and of the highest quality. I truly belive that Red rock have drastically underpriced the M2. Whether it's because they want to sew up the mini35 DOF market before the others get to market, or they underestimate what they can charge for this fine product. Either way at the current price getting one is a no brainer as far as I am concerned.

And so to the red rock Follow Focus. Priced at only $500 for the basic setup, if it built to the same standards at the M2, then its a win win situation for anyone who needs/wants a Follow Focus. I have found since using the M2, that a follow focus is desperately needed. I have my name down on the waiting list and as soon as the FF is out, I will pay up straight away. This time Red Rock have stated they are making a large batch of them before they start to sell them, reducing the wait for customers to no more than a week I should guess.

If you want to know more about the M2, check out their forum. You will then read what people are saying about the M2 that actually own it, rather than some folk on here who have yet to even see one but are prepared to slag it off regardless.

http://www.redrockmicro.com/forum/

Cheers
Steve
 
Hi Steve:

Will the Cinemek EVER ship? When I best tested last Summer, they were hoping for an August 2005 release. We are now getting ready for Spring of 2006 and still, no pre-orders? It's a great product and the guys that make it are very cool but jeez, what's the use if it's just vaporware you cannot buy?

Thanks for the feedback on the Redrock system. I have to say, just from looking over the test footage, while overall I like the image that the M2 puts out, it does not look as good as the stock lens with nothing in front of it. I am not talking focus or depth of field, I am talking color and dynamic range, the images I see so far from the M2 look to be a bit washed out. Then again, I am just looking at small QT and TIFF images on a 15" Powerbook, perhaps on video in high res DV or even DVD the M2 images look better in comparison to the stock images?

I noticed the same thing when I beta tested the G35. I loved the depth of field, but since I was shooting DV, the image did not hold up as well as I would have liked by the time I flipped it in FCP, there was a softness and grain that was not a good thing. I guess it goes back to old optical engineering adage of, "nothing you add to the front of lens can improve the raw quality of the image, it can only remain the same, at best and will probably degrade the image most of the time". That damned DV codec just falls apart even with just a flip in DV colorpsace.

I anticipate shooting a higher resolution HD image in 4:2:2 color space with the HVX-200 will largely mitigate my complaints but it's going to really suck not having any sort of hack even for flipping the image as you shoot. Using an outboard monitor is not possible when you are chasing tanks on a battlefield, dodging race cars going past you at 100 mph or trying to capture BTS footage while remaining low-key on a TV set, these are all situations I have been in over the past 6 months and would like to be in again with the HVX-200 once it arrives.

Best,

Dan
 
Pure drift:
I hear you ...
I wanted the HVX + G35 for awhile
and I imagine my run and gun workflow as such:
I clip an 12" ApplePB onto my light steadicam vest
and capture directly into it (assuming I can get a 100g 7200 drive into it)
from the HVX with a G35 and a Follow Focus/Rod Rig
The 12" screen can be flipped and used as a monitor...

Now:
I don't know now really about either of my dream products
and little birds are telling me to wait for Nab in April
Since it will be most likely a month after I can get my hands on an HVX anyway
Cheers


puredrifting said:
Hi Steve:

Will the Cinemek EVER ship? When I best tested last Summer, they were hoping for an August 2005 release. We are now getting ready for Spring of 2006 and still, no pre-orders? It's a great product and the guys that make it are very cool but jeez, what's the use if it's just vaporware you cannot buy?

Thanks for the feedback on the Redrock system. I have to say, just from looking over the test footage, while overall I like the image that the M2 puts out, it does not look as good as the stock lens with nothing in front of it. I am not talking focus or depth of field, I am talking color and dynamic range, the images I see so far from the M2 look to be a bit washed out. Then again, I am just looking at small QT and TIFF images on a 15" Powerbook, perhaps on video in high res DV or even DVD the M2 images look better in comparison to the stock images?

I noticed the same thing when I beta tested the G35. I loved the depth of field, but since I was shooting DV, the image did not hold up as well as I would have liked by the time I flipped it in FCP, there was a softness and grain that was not a good thing. I guess it goes back to old optical engineering adage of, "nothing you add to the front of lens can improve the raw quality of the image, it can only remain the same, at best and will probably degrade the image most of the time". That damned DV codec just falls apart even with just a flip in DV colorpsace.

I anticipate shooting a higher resolution HD image in 4:2:2 color space with the HVX-200 will largely mitigate my complaints but it's going to really suck not having any sort of hack even for flipping the image as you shoot. Using an outboard monitor is not possible when you are chasing tanks on a battlefield, dodging race cars going past you at 100 mph or trying to capture BTS footage while remaining low-key on a TV set, these are all situations I have been in over the past 6 months and would like to be in again with the HVX-200 once it arrives.

Best,

Dan
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top