Wireless follow focus

Perry Wilson said:
My unit will look and work just like the Redrock follow focus V2... except wireless of coarse...
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FYI, I have not bought a FF because the gearing is just all wrong on EVERYTHING made at the moment

(not suprising because they are designed for cine lenses)

it is IMO 'the' issue to consider

the 7d will be worse than the 5d on that front because one is using shorter lenses (typically)

S
 
iPhone and canon SDK

iPhone and canon SDK

I looked into building a wireless follow focus and controlling a follow focus with one of these

http://www.jvl.dk/default.asp?Action=Details&Item=541

But Then i thought since I have a canon 5d mark II why not build an iphone app that uses the canon sdk to change focus. Why bother with the motor.

Another cool thing is using a laser range finder to measure distance and report it to the iphone via bluetooth like this.

http://www.lasertech.com/TruPulse-Rangefinders.aspx

An iphone app can allow you to save que points

One way to cut the cost a wireless follow focus is to make the motor simply connect the the whip port on an existing follow focus rather than reinventing the wheel again.
 
greggreenhaw said:
One way to cut the cost a wireless follow focus is to make the motor simply connect the the whip port on an existing follow focus rather than reinventing the wheel again.
Click to expand...
That defeats the point of a wireless follow focus.

Have you made any progress with the iPhone app?
 
ydgmdlu said:
That defeats the point of a wireless follow focus.
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No, I don't think that's what he's suggesting. He's saying the motor is still wireless but it has the ability to attach to existing follow focus' made by other manufacturers. I think that's a cool idea....and hopefully cuts the expense.
 
Guys, we use the EOS Utility software for operating the 7D from a jib. That means monitoring, pulling focus, aperture, start-stop, etc. Great. WE love it.

So why not find a USB-to-wireless solution and do it the comfortable way, from a laptop, while running with the 7D on a steadicam ?
More than that, if Canon would update EOS Utiliity with a function to let you assign custom midi-controllers (like cheap DAW-remotes, etc) we could assign dials to various functions and have the real feel, rather than pushing the mouse ...

How cool would that be ?

Canon, are you listening ?
 
Electronic zoom motor and gearing for the kit lens would be a nice device too, nobody is making that yet that I know of.

Perhaps proportional switch controling a motor with a wormdrive gear??

2 channel wireless proportional follow focus and zoom control? : )
 
Ian-T said:
No, I don't think that's what he's suggesting. He's saying the motor is still wireless but it has the ability to attach to existing follow focus' made by other manufacturers. I think that's a cool idea....and hopefully cuts the expense.
Click to expand...
Ah, I see. That is a good idea!
 
The wireless USB technology totally sucks right now. I spend a lot of time looking into wusb solutions.

As far as the iPhone app I haven't started the programming yet but i built the interface in photoshop.

I might build it in java for android since they give you more control and no pre approval.

This guy has some software already written but very ugly

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PL19tQVq9Oc
http://www.cinema5d.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=3258&hilit=vector+charlie


The motor solution is cool but between the follow focus, quiet motors, rails, and a the calibration on the lens etc
it alot of overhead when the 5d can do it all via the sdk.

I think if you just want to keep it cheap and simple have a iphone touch or something connected to the 5d and just be able to save focus points mm/duration.

As far as the range finder, this company already does it but its pricey

http://www.cmotion.eu/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=118&Itemid=

The laser tech is kinda cool because you can send continuos distance measurements out the bloothtoth (360 model $$$$) or the 200 model via a serial to bluetooth adapter http://www.aircable.net/serial3x.html

Then the iphone can read the bluetooth distance measurements and send the focus commands out the usb.

I tried to make it the other way wireless to the camera and wired to the range finder but not wireless usb solutions work reliably yet.

I really want to integrate this also http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/powermate/

I wish onone software speed up their development so i would not have to make any software.

http://www.ononesoftware.com/detail.php?prodLine_id=38

this company is adding focus support to their pan/tilt head

http://servocity.com/html/pt-2100_pan___tilt_system.html

I want to buy 2 of these and make a motorized jim arm with them.

One as the base and the other as the head. They said the metal can handle the weight if the jim arm is counter balanced.
 
Cinevate has an inexpensive remote solution for just this application. We showed it at NAB09 but basically it's a remote focus motor controlled by a hand unit. All power and control to the focus motor is provided via a very inexpensive CAT5 network cable up to 300ft.

The remote unit can handle six focus points and the operator can program and hit his/her points without looking at the monitor. Programming focus points is pretty a matter of finding your points and hitting one of four program buttons on the remote. No power is required at the remote end as it's supplied via CAT5, and the base unit takes 4 pin XLR 12volt.

It's designed (and tested already) for use too on Steadicam to manage remote focus by the operator. Units like the Steadicam Flyer already have 4 pin XLR power so it's plug and play on these systems with no extra power required. Price for the system is expected to fall under $750.

Cheers,
Dennis.
Cheers,
Dennis.
 
Hi Dennis,

Do you have any images we can see of this?
What will power the unit via a CAT5 lead? I mean are there any sorts of batteries for mobile use?

When do you expect the product to be available?

Matt.
 
I'm sure Peter (hocus focus) can comment on the possibility of a reliable wireless FF for under $1500.

You can make CNC machined parts all day, if the mechanics of the unit aren't correct it won't work and won't sell. Bartech, Preston, Arri, and C-Motion have been doing this stuff for years. There is a reason why some of it is very expensive.

If you want a radio RC controlled gear system, you may be able to pull it off for under $1000, but you would never find a paid gig choosing to use it. You are purely marketing to the hobby crowd. Here are the constraints:
-Reliability (cold weather, interference, lack of cheap plastics)
-Repeatable focus pulls every time
-0 Latency
-Respectable battery life
-Respectable power options (P-tap, Camcorder Batteries [sony is common])
-Proper sized gearing with various pitches
-High Torque motor for stiff lenses
-No backlash on the motor (major issue with short throw SLR lenses)
-Proper mounting options for motor
-Proper mounting options for RX
-Proper ergonomics for hand unit (including marking disc and hard stops specific to the lens range)

Not trying to say you can't pull off some sort of unit, but any experienced AC will tell you how crucial these specs are. Also, a wired unit can only work a small percentage of the time on a steadicam. Imagine a tethered steadicam trying to swiftly move from position 1 to 2 and then into profile and so on while the AC wrangles a cable and does their job focusing and staying out of the framing (and sometimes spotting too).

All the power to you, but don't be surprised if you are met with a lot of opposition. The "I can build a wireless follow focus" guys are a dime a dozen. No surprise...many sort of fall off the map after a couple months.
 
the absolute best way is to motorize a manual FF.
If you got a problem, you can switch to manual mode, or simply use it manually because wireless is not required.
and if you use precise servo positionning (that is dead easy) , you can set up you scene manually and at each position you want to keep, hit the memory button and mark the disk (ideally you would get a disk with a ring of led, or a backlit LCD) that shows position. Then you just need to recall postion.
http://www.varitronix.uk.com/?pid=11
Going with small processor (there are so many) is the key, since you can offer lot of feature for free (it is just programming) , correct bug afterward (software update) , let people customize for special purpose, compensate eventual mechanical flaw, allow interfacing with other modules (communication, display, measurement).
To make it cheap you have to think about these points, but not implement them.
And about plastics. Plastics are everywhere, and they perform often better and cheaper than their original counterpart. (lens, gear, casing).
the advantage of plastic is you make an expensive mold, but after, you can produce thousands part for almost free. with metal parts, each parts cost you the hell in material and work.
So yes i would stay with plastic even if it feels cheaper.
(well , the most expensive part of the Hocus focus is a plastic part , the 115 pounds Storm case with custom cut foam !!!. In my DIY store, they sell the same case for about 30$)
 
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Sorry guys I have been taking a break getting ready to begin my classes leading up to my bachelors for Mech. Eng. been working on mounts and handles I just can afford to get them milled yet...
 
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