Pulling Focus on A Glidecam/Stedicam?

J

Jim Ritscher

Well-known member
I wonder if anyone has successfully pulled focus on a FS700 or similar, using a rig such as Glidecam HD4000 plus X10? (ie., the complete vest system). Possibly a second person with a long whip. I could think of a large number of reasons why it's impossible, but if someone has actually done it, that would offset all those reasons.
Jim
 
Yes, shoot with a wide lens for deep focus, plan for tracking shots or lateral moves that don't require focus pulls, or rent a wireless follow focus like the Preston linked above or the less expensive BarTech system.
 
Do NOT attempt to have focus pulled while flying the cam. I was doing a couple of steadi shots on an indie short and was using my pilot (since it was the rig I owned).
The director and DP insisted on having focus pulls on a couple of shots... I right away ofcourse objected to this, but we went ahead anyways.

It simply removes the idea of the camera being steady completely. It feels like someone it trying to counter your every move.
Apart from that the matbox, the masterprime and adapter and the focus unit made my rig too heavy so the arm was hanging. Well... some people just have to learn by trial and error I guess.
But we're here to tell you.... wireless is the way or not at all.
 
Yea, its a remote follow focus unit. No way your gonna have someone or something connected to the camera that would in any way, effect the "float" of the camera.
Other then that, you can enable autofocus. And some cameras can offer "priority" face tracking so it focuses on s specific face outta the crowd. But you'd never use that in a professional situation.
Wonder why no one is making better use of R/C gear to make a simple pull focus outta servos? You can get some really accurate movement with practice... and even program "digital" servos to make very specific movements.
Sorry, i know its a tangent... but just triggered the DIY in me... But $2000+! for a basic unit... ouch!
 
This will work in a pinch if you practice a little.

Get a 16" tie-wrap and fasten it around the focus wheel on your lens, leaving the 6" or so sticking out on the right or left. This is now a springy dampened arm.
An assistant focus puller can now gently nudge focus without upsetting the camera too much, like I said practice as a team. It is pretty easy and cheap. By memorizing the angle of the arm you can be quite accurate, on the 700 a 35mm lens is pretty good for this, you can try longer but it gets harder.

Here is a short version I often leave on the all my lenses if I don't use a FF on rails, this is on an EX3 (only photo I had of it), but it works on any lens and comes off in seconds.

cheapFF.jpg
 
Last edited:
daihard said:
Yea, its a remote follow focus unit. No way your gonna have someone or something connected to the camera that would in any way, effect the "float" of the camera.
Other then that, you can enable autofocus. And some cameras can offer "priority" face tracking so it focuses on s specific face outta the crowd. But you'd never use that in a professional situation.
Wonder why no one is making better use of R/C gear to make a simple pull focus outta servos? You can get some really accurate movement with practice... and even program "digital" servos to make very specific movements.
Sorry, i know its a tangent... but just triggered the DIY in me... But $2000+! for a basic unit... ouch!
Click to expand...

Interesting idea. I have some RC gear (transmitter, receiver, and some servos). Possible, but a little more than I want to take on right now. Also, there is the problem that many servos go back to center when you release the joystick, so you would have to pull focus all the time while the system was in use. I know someone who uses RC to control a pan/tilt head on a boom. Anyway, thanks everyone for the ideas.
Jim
 
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