FS7: Zacuto Z-drive and Tornado follow focus

see-mann

see-mann

Active member
short question: some experiences with the Zacuto Z-drive and Tornado follow focus? I searched the forum, but all i found are some older threads about selling it (...) I do a lot of Run/Gun/Event-stuff, have already the Zacuto baseplate and i think, it could improve the stability of my setup and help me with focus-pulling as a one-man-shooter. Unfortunately here in Germany it's not easy to find a place to test it...
 
My biggest turnoffs to Zacuto's system is the Z-Drive doesn't work with a Matte Box, & the Tornado seems to be designed almost exclusively for shoulder work.
 
You are right, but I would buy it only for shoulder work - already i have a "normal" follow focus from Redrock. My concern is not only that it will cost another bulk of money, but also it will add another bulk of weight to the FS7...
 
Hey,

I've owned and used the z-drive for a few years now with the FS7. I'm not sure exactly why Bern thinks it can't be used with a matte box, maybe because it protrudes further forward than other perpendicular FFs, but it works fine with all of my lenses and a bright tangerine misfit atom. HOWEVER, despite trying it a few times, and enjoying it WHILE rolling, I hardly ever bring the tornado out on shoots with me anymore, because it is quite heavy and unwieldy, so I found myself taking it off and trying to shove it into my pocket too often between shots or setups.

I do find the forward angle useful for HH pulling, especially as the FS7 needs to be so far back on the shoulder to balance with most smaller lenses. I imagine a perpendicular FF would be sticking into my jaw with most of my lenses!

What are your specific reasons for wanting to replace the Redrock? Maybe I can offer more detailed guidance from my experience...

Cheers,

jason
 
Heard the Z-Drive wouldn't work with a Matte Box directly from Zacuto during CineGear.

Just Googled & found...

"Hi Paul,

You are correct, the Z-Drive cannot be used with a mattebox when working shoulder mounted. We do not make an extension. Sorry to disappoint. If you have more questions please contact our tech/sale team at sales@zacuto.com or 312 863 3456

-Zacuto (Rachel Kenton)"

http://www.zacuto.com/z-drive-and-tornado
 
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jasonbrooks said:
What are your specific reasons for wanting to replace the Redrock? Maybe I can offer more detailed guidance from my experience...

Cheers,

jason
Click to expand...
My Redrock is a perpendicular FF and you say it:
"a perpendicular FF would be sticking into my jaw with most of my lenses!"
Also it's hard to reach it with your left hand when you do HH and shoot alone. It's hard to hold it like that, right hand on the Shape extension handle, left hand in front of your mouth. There is no real balance... in the videos i saw, the Zacuto tornado and z-drive look like a good mixture of stabilization and focus pulling in one. But promo-videos are one thing, the other side is the real life. The tornado alone weights about 363g according to bhphotovideo, plus the z-drive. A lot of additional stuff on the frontside...

@jasonbrooks do you have an extension unit or anything else as a counterweight on your FS7? I have the naked cam, just the Sony BPU batteries and because of that the FS7 on the Zacuto baseplate is a great way behind my shoulder.
 
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I had one but sold it.

I liked it, and it works great but I didn't like the weight of it and it made it difficult to set down on the ground.
 
Ja, it seems to me everyone has similar experiences: works great but is "heavy".
Update: just found a used bundle at Adorama - Tornado + z-drive 475,-$ + 54,- shipping to Germany.
Cheapest new in Germany is 735,-$. I took it (...)
 
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Zacuto first makes this very heavy accessory that adds to the front of the rig and THEN complains that cameras are front heavy and therefore you need to buy their other accessories that solve this problem. They did a similar thing with FS7 where they pushed it so far back on a shoulder to the point where the stock EVF was getting into the frame. Solution? Buy their expensive gratical system. Same old.
 
broughtonfilm said:
Zacuto first makes this very heavy accessory that adds to the front of the rig and THEN complains that cameras are front heavy and therefore you need to buy their other accessories that solve this problem. They did a similar thing with FS7 where they pushed it so far back on a shoulder to the point where the stock EVF was getting into the frame. Solution? Buy their expensive gratical system. Same old.
Click to expand...

I reckon you're drifting into conspiracy territory there man. I'd be the first to agree that Zacuto are definitely guilty of often egregious over-pricing, but your examples don't really add up. Re: zdrive, you'd have to have rails (and therefor some sort of baseplate) to mount any FF in the beginning, so how is that market creation? Re: the universal baseplate system and the Sony loupe, surely the fault lies with Sony and their nonexistent research into CoG, combined with a ridiculously long loupe.

Call me a fanboy, but I think their designs are smart, their builds solid, and their design approach honest, even if they should clearly put on a permanent 50% off sale!

J
 
Hey peeps - I know this is an old thread - just wanted to know if anyone here is using the Z-Drive/Tornado combo on a Canon C200 with the Orange Tangerine Atom matte box with any lens, I wonder if the cine lens makes a difference, still waiting on my lenses to get in.

I know @JasonBrooks said he was able to use the Atom with the z-drive without it hitting it, but then again its a different lens/cam setup. Hoping someone has similar setup with the C200

Thanks.
 
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