Follow Focus Questions

CookFX Productions

CookFX Productions

Well-known member
I've had my letus extreme for some time now and have been getting know it, and how it works with my dvx 100a and so on. Side note just scored a 55mm canon fd 1.1.2 lens at a camera store for 50 bucks super deal and its a really clean lens no scratchs or fungus. But I finally have enough money for a new tripod which I just ordered and Im about to get a Follow Focus. And here's what I got questions on, Im thinking of going with an Indie system, it seems about all i can afford and get my bang for my buck unless someone can give me another suggestion thats around 450$ and whats the best things to along with the package to get started with. Im not to familiar with the systems. I was thinking of getting a speed crank, and a small 12'' whip. Is that good start up kit? To also go along with the gears. Also I know the crank is used to do pulls with zooms faster right? What does the whip do? Like I said shooting cinema style is new to me, I've got the basic Ideas of the 35 adapter down finally. But now putting in the Follow Focus, Im going to be adding in some new learning time here.

Brian
 
Remember that no follow focus will work with your 55mm FD lens out of the box. You'll need to get gears for each lens that you intend to use with your follow focus. Some folks really like Zacuto's gears, including myself! All of Zacuto's products are just top-notch, but they're very expensive. My rig is uses mostly Zacuto hardware-- check it out at magichatfilms.com

Some people also like RedRock's gears. They're a bit bulkier, but I hear they work just as well.
 
Brian,
Do you have a rails setup already? You can't successfully use a follow focus without rails. Whips enable your AC to pull focus from a distance further away. They give the camera operator more room to work. The speed crank is a worthy investment if you're going to be doing lots of fast pulls. Personally, I have both the Redrock and Zacuto follow focuses. I love them both.

Post a picture of your rig and I'll try to help you out more.
 
This is what i have been using, the camera on a shoulder mount with letus rails and extensions , with a boom and a homemade monitor. The case has the following lenses 50mm 1.4, 50mm 1.8 28mm 2.8, 35mm wide 2.8, 35mm 2.8 35mm 3.5 100mm 1.4, zoom 28-85mm 2.8/ macro 1.4
Zoom 80-200mm .1.4.0. Then I have the 55 on the way, and a bogan manfotto 516 117b tripod in the mail aswell. There all canon lenses I have a minor in photography, and use alot of these lens' and others that arent pictured in my photo classes. And they just so happened to the right lenses to work with the camera, I dont use a lot of the 35mm lens' Besides the lower fstop one and the wide angle. There real grainy. Really looking for a 85mm thats not the same price as a follow focus.
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How do you hold that thing? Seems like a long way to stretch your hands to reach the grips from the shoulder pad distance.

A follow focus would work great for you. Zacuto has a $1000 system but that's out of your price range. Best bet is for you to go with the Redrock follow focus bundled with the different sized lens gears. You could easily switch gears between your 7-8 different lenses in a matter of seconds. It's really your best bet.

This will cost you more than $450... any good system will! But it won't be $1000!

You shouldn't have much of a learning curve to get used to it. Maybe a day or two to get used to the direction of ration for a follow focus. If it's just you, forget a whip or speed crank for the time being! Learn to focus using the follow focus's knob first.
 
I just put the grips out so far so that it would balance itself with every thing on there so i could step away and take a pic. Ill check out the redrock. I got some cash, but yeah if its not 1000$ Im in the market. Thanks man. The redrock looks good for the price, looks a lot more heavey dutie and the gears look better than the indie system, the extra 300 is prob worth it.
 
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For the gear sizes the sizes that they have I have 28, 50, 35, 35 wide, 100 mm and 28 85, and 85-200 zoom lenses should all those fit the a-c gear size? I printed the sheet off and i think i understand it but i want to get a little 100% clarification. Plus I have a 55 mm lens coming and thats a fat lens I think that would fall under the D. Prob worth ordering the extra gear?
 
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