I need help! Follow focus advice.

[gandalfrodo]

Hey guys (and gals), so I've been researching the past couple days 'cause I will soon be in the possession of a Letus Exteme and am going to need some accessories. I've narrowed it down to getting some indiSYSTEM gear and I need some advice on a follow focus.

indiSYSTEM offers two follow focuses the indiFOCUSmini HERE and the indiFOCUSpro HERE. I've been reading forum after forum and it seems that with the rise in popularity in DRSL camera rigs there have been follow focuses designed for them like the indiFOCUSmini and the D|Focus HERE. I was considering both of these as possibilities as a follow focus for my potential rig. Now before you go guffawing, let me explain that as most indy filmmakers I am bro-oke. So naturally I am looking for the best financial option.

Let me explain where I need advice. Between the two follow focuses I have narrowed it down to the indiSYSTEMmini. The reasons being, for one the price, for another the fact that it comes with a full set of SNAP! gears HERE, and also the fact that the D|Focus does not offer whip support, whereas the indiSYSTEMmini offers a whip and crank for $50 HERE.

My only major concern with the indiSYSTEMmini is the fact that it does not offer a height adjustment. Now, of course I can slide it inward so that it is touching the bottom of the lens gear, but I get worried that might not be enough. I feel that somehow the hand wheel (the knob) would get obstructed by the lens or the adapter at that point.

So my question to you is this. What should I do? Should I go with the indiSYSTEMmini, or should I shill out the extra $150 for the indiSYSTEMpro? Basically, what do you think?

Thank you all very much for your input :smile:

 

[gandalfrodo]

BTW, I am acquiring this gear for a shoot that starts in four weeks so the sooner I can get this advice the better. Thank you! :smile:

 

[smithy]

Here's my advice...if your willing to spend that kind of money of the Letus Extreme, why go so cheap for a follow focus? That said, Focusing is the most important item you would need. I would rather spend the money on a quality field monitor before putting down money for a follow focus. You cant focus anything thru you camera LCD as well as a external field monitor. You can't focus what you can't see, especially in low light situations. As for a follow focus, if you get a bad one, then there is too much play and your focus will drift and you would end up focusing manually and abandon the focus all together. Total waste of time and money.

 

[gandalfrodo]

Thank you for your input. Yeah, I was trying to meet a budget. I just finished a month of set pa work on an indy feature so I was using the extra money I made to finance gear for an upcoming project of my own. But the more I think about it, the more I consider putting the things I really need on my credit card.

The Letus is used, I'm buying it off a friend for $800. But like you said, I'm most likely better off shilling out a few extra bucks. As for the field monitor, some day my friend, some day :smile: