manual wired focus motor for lens gear

M

matthewd5

Veteran
hello.

i have the chrosziel follow focus with the rods and the gear on the lens.

the thing i really want is just a motor that i can manually control the focus with.

i would mostly use this when the camera is on the crane and it isn't practical or possible to reach the follow focus control wheel while the camera is in motion.

there are too many shots where i need to change the focus while the crane is making a large change in location.

a simple motor tied to a remote wheel via a wire would be great.

i don't know where to find a motor that is quiet enough.

matthew
 
A synchro from a hobby shop specializing in model planes would be a start. That might be easier to control than a regular motor geared down. (It would also be repeatable.)(It could also be computer-controlled for those repeatable shots.)
 
r/c airplanes/heli were my first thought.

i wasn't sure if anyone here had tried to do anything like this before?

i don't even need the remote part. just having the ability to control it over a cable from 10-15 feet away would be great.

it could be useful on the dolly as well so i could focus on the focus adjustment and let someone else work the dolly movement.

i guess i need to get an r/c motor and some other parts and play with it.

i haven't done any rc planes or helicopters in a long long time.

matthew
 
I've never worked with r/c anything, so you've got the advantage.

Although I did spend eleven years working with 60' satellite dishes and their big synchros. Should be the same...just a lot smaller. :)
 
but i had a great niche, i would find guys who loved to build airplanes or helicopters and then they would get bored.

i would buy the finished plane or helicopter for pretty much what the parts cost and then the guy would build another one.

so i never got into the nuts and bolts much.

i don't know if i just need a servo and a remote wheel or if i need a motor.

the servo's look like they are more for throwing the linkage for a rudder etc.

i need to rotate the focus wheel/gear

the trick is to find a small gear that meshes with the follow focus gear.

matthew
 
Probably 32 pitch, but possibly 48. I think. :(

You DO mean an add-on gear for the focus ring, right? Not trying to mesh up with the rubber thingie already there?
 
yes.

i have the chrosziel gear that goes around the lens barrel.

the chrosziel follow focus meshes pretty well with the gear around the lens.

matthew
 
Y'know...if I already had the follow focus...I'd attach a whip to the thing and connect *that* to the synchro/servo/motor, rather than trying to make something to mesh up with the camera. The hard work has already been done, right? :)
 
?

i have the whip but the whip is a big flexible thing.

if you have a gear that is solidly in place, and you have a nice metal bar support system nearby, wouldn't that be the most secure and reliable way to attach something?

i don't see how i could use the flexible whip to connect to in a solid way.

i thought about using the square hole that the whip plugs into for a manual focus connection.

matthew
 
I'm sure Gen meant belt, Matthew. A rubber belt, like the ones used in car motors, just smaller... or something similar.
 
i was thinking about something similiar to the wheel that chrosziel has, mounted on the rail next to it and then a wide belt strung between them.

the only problem is that would mostly mean buying a SECOND follow focus from chrosziel...

for that much money i would just buy the hollywood version that is wireless with the screen so you can remotely see the cameras picture.

matthew
 
Well, you don't need the exact same wheel, just something similar and a way to mount it on the rods with the motor. Shouldn't be that hard.
 
Nope, I meant the flexible whip that goes into the knob. Since it is flexible, you can mount the motor assembly just about anywhere, then let the motor/synchro "take the place of" your hand when focusing.

Why go through the trouble of creating a new mount and attachment, when you have everything already?
 
Here's what I was going to get for my Steadicam Flyer. It's what 99.999999% of video Steadicam operators (and Jimmy Jib operators) use to control both zoom and focus since video camera guys typically don't have the luxury of a separate assistant to pull focus. May be a bit more tech/cash than you were looking to spend, though ($1,795).

Stanton Jimmy Jib Zoom/Focus System for Steadicam
 
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