Peter Robert Perenyi
New member
As I reread my review I realized how long it has become. I am sorry but I felt I should tell you in real details the way it was...
I would like to share my shopping experience with you. For my upcoming production needs I needed a follow focus device for my 8 Nikon lenses and my Sony XDCAM EX1. After about a three day research on what follow focus unit to get I decided on a Red Rock Micro. The reasons for my decision in order of importance were: Quality, Ease of Use, Price and Craftsmanship, meaning how long the device may hold out, BUT as I had already gone over budget, I really had to consider the money issue. I thought to myself, being a race friendly guy as well as the foreign made item costing almost half the price of local competitors', it would be an OK thing to do, just this once, to give an Indian company a chance. So I ordered their follow focus. I forgot to mention, that prior to ordering, I was informed by them that the craftsmanship of their product was very very outstanding. So I pushed the button and hoped for a somewhat risky internet order, to go through properly. So, it did. The item did arrive. I was happy as a kid, who outsmarted the system and saved around 300 dollars. Wow! I thought I am getting smarter with time, but only till I tested the unit. My first reaction was screaming like a stuck pig. The freaking thing had a huge backlash. After turning the focus wheel one way, by stopping and attempting to turn it the other way (as it often happens for focus pullers who try to follow busy actors or whatever else) the unit wouldn't turn the driver wheel backwards right away. The focus wheel instead turned a good 7 to 10 degrees free, with NO LOAD, before it began turning the driver wheel backwards. Titanic! Ouch!! Then, I attached the 12" whip. The whip by the way looked very poorly manufactured and made a relatively too loud snapping sound as it took off forward or backwards. It also kept slipping out of its square socket! Eeech! Then I force tested the system just as it would happen in some real life cases. As I forced the focus wheel by holding down the driver wheel a little, the driving wheel SLIPPED ALL AROUND ITS DRIVE SHAFT!!! Now, the unit became totally useless. It was more than feather light easy to rip the gears! I got furious, but I didn't feel like writing back and forth to India explaining etc etc. I have lost enough time already! Instead I was thinking of tossing it into the East River. With the long flexi whip I could sling it out real far, I thought. At least one good feeling for my discounted 350 dollars!
Then I quickly backtracked, counted my blessings and ordered the RedRock Follow Focus with its whip. Now being somewhat experienced, when it arrived, I exactly knew what to look for in a follow focus. It was like a dream come true! A beautiful looker too! No backlash, tight yet smooth run, bull strength, and most importantly for double system shoots no audible snapping sound when I used the whip. Also, this whip stayed in its socket no matter which way I tortured it. It truly is a superbly designed and finished product. Get it! You won't regret!
I shared all of this with you so you won't make the same mistake. Ahh, one more thing!! I always found it upsetting when illegal, unethical and not even truly functioning copies of our expensive product designs are being sold to us in our own backyard. Even though the Indian made stuff visually is almost identical (at first glance only) DON'T BE FOOLED! It's a crappy knock off that only brings more crap of lots of bad luck! So there you have my story! Thanks for reading!...
I would like to share my shopping experience with you. For my upcoming production needs I needed a follow focus device for my 8 Nikon lenses and my Sony XDCAM EX1. After about a three day research on what follow focus unit to get I decided on a Red Rock Micro. The reasons for my decision in order of importance were: Quality, Ease of Use, Price and Craftsmanship, meaning how long the device may hold out, BUT as I had already gone over budget, I really had to consider the money issue. I thought to myself, being a race friendly guy as well as the foreign made item costing almost half the price of local competitors', it would be an OK thing to do, just this once, to give an Indian company a chance. So I ordered their follow focus. I forgot to mention, that prior to ordering, I was informed by them that the craftsmanship of their product was very very outstanding. So I pushed the button and hoped for a somewhat risky internet order, to go through properly. So, it did. The item did arrive. I was happy as a kid, who outsmarted the system and saved around 300 dollars. Wow! I thought I am getting smarter with time, but only till I tested the unit. My first reaction was screaming like a stuck pig. The freaking thing had a huge backlash. After turning the focus wheel one way, by stopping and attempting to turn it the other way (as it often happens for focus pullers who try to follow busy actors or whatever else) the unit wouldn't turn the driver wheel backwards right away. The focus wheel instead turned a good 7 to 10 degrees free, with NO LOAD, before it began turning the driver wheel backwards. Titanic! Ouch!! Then, I attached the 12" whip. The whip by the way looked very poorly manufactured and made a relatively too loud snapping sound as it took off forward or backwards. It also kept slipping out of its square socket! Eeech! Then I force tested the system just as it would happen in some real life cases. As I forced the focus wheel by holding down the driver wheel a little, the driving wheel SLIPPED ALL AROUND ITS DRIVE SHAFT!!! Now, the unit became totally useless. It was more than feather light easy to rip the gears! I got furious, but I didn't feel like writing back and forth to India explaining etc etc. I have lost enough time already! Instead I was thinking of tossing it into the East River. With the long flexi whip I could sling it out real far, I thought. At least one good feeling for my discounted 350 dollars!
Then I quickly backtracked, counted my blessings and ordered the RedRock Follow Focus with its whip. Now being somewhat experienced, when it arrived, I exactly knew what to look for in a follow focus. It was like a dream come true! A beautiful looker too! No backlash, tight yet smooth run, bull strength, and most importantly for double system shoots no audible snapping sound when I used the whip. Also, this whip stayed in its socket no matter which way I tortured it. It truly is a superbly designed and finished product. Get it! You won't regret!
I shared all of this with you so you won't make the same mistake. Ahh, one more thing!! I always found it upsetting when illegal, unethical and not even truly functioning copies of our expensive product designs are being sold to us in our own backyard. Even though the Indian made stuff visually is almost identical (at first glance only) DON'T BE FOOLED! It's a crappy knock off that only brings more crap of lots of bad luck! So there you have my story! Thanks for reading!...
I just can't read that long continuous texts.. sorry
