The Future of Follow Focus Now- Optitron by OptiTek

[Brandon J.F.]

There are literally dozens of options available for PL lenses...check our Bartech.

Yeah, I understand. I thought maybe this was a more affordable solution compared to what else is out there.

 

[Jacek Zakowicz]

Choices

Choices

Valentin you may be better off with that Chinese unit from ebay:wink5:
But seriously, this is a very valid question that I'll try to answer:
Our goal for the feel, materials, performance and features was to equal or surpass the top of the line players- Preston, C-motion, Scorpio(?)
I'm convinced we reached this goal with the OptiTron.
There are, undoubtedly areas where we surpass any system: like the weight, power requirement, setup time, complexity(number of components, cables, etc.) Regardless of the price one is willing to pay.
You also should know by now that the number of still lens choices, their performance (optical), weight, zoom range, and yes -price overwhelmingly crushes the cine counterparts.
They are drawbacks, few, and the OptiTron/ProLock-i combo cancels them beautifully. Just watch the video- I explain it there.
As far as the numbers/prices- let's see:
Optitek lens control kit $ 3600
Canon primes $ 500-1500
Canon Zoom $1000-$2500
Professional PL Remote lens control system $12,000-$30,000(?)
Prime lens PL $3000-$20,000
Zoom lens PL $20,000-$80,000

Here you go that's how the numbers play out.
Now add to it the weight advantage, the one cable, auto calibration on the OptiTron and I assure you it's soon becoming the "darling" of ACs everywhere. The precise, infinitely adjustable focus makes them look like geniuses pulling focus on still lenses now.
I would love to hear everyone's opinion on this....
BTW I made up that "Chinese unit from ebay" it doesn't exist.....

 

[SeanBrown]

Love to demo one.

 

[Michael Winokur]

Jacek,

You should make a version that connects to the lens w/o the mount for use on Canon and Nikon bodies, you would increase the market for this exponentially. Maybe some kind of ribbon cable that gets nested into the mount on the camera body.

 

[Artur Kowalewski]

Jacek, i love this adapter/unit, but think about European buyers too. If we add shipping + tax + VAT it will costs... more than 5000 USD ! More than half Scarlett brain. So maybe You can think about 'poor' East European Countries ? Maybe 80% discount ?
And to be serious. This is fantastic equipment, but... and there's one serious 'but' - it's price.
We bought MTF Sony F3 unit + EF adapter two weeks ago. It costs 1450-1500 USD for us (we have in Mike Tapa's MTF discount; i think in B&H it costs about 1800-1850 USD) for unit and EF adapter. And i know it is NOT the same, becuse Tapa's adapter controlls just aperture and IS, no ZOOM, but isn't it better to lower the price and earn the same money ? If You sell 5 sets for 4000 USD or 8-10 sets for 2500 USD it's the same money and more happy users.
Maybe You can revise the price. 1500 USD for main unit and 1000 USD for each adapter. If not... i'm poor and i want it cheaper
Anyway. IT'S GREAT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT. Contgratulations !

 

[Jacek Zakowicz]

Paradigm change has begun

Paradigm change has begun

Not to put the other guys down or anything, but our product is not in the same category, never was. Nikon ProLock wasn't (isn't) and neither is this...
It should be pretty clear from the feature list. Not even close- no comparison.
They make good stuff -just for a different market...
I assure you that this price is the best I can give.
I would not hesitate to put our unit up against the best. And by the best I mean Pro systems costing tens of thousands of $$$
I knew that the perception is a problem.
And I'm willing to put in the time to change it...
Don't compare this against the RR, MTF, etc.
We want to play with the likes of Preston and C-motion. And, believe me - we have what it takes in this product:yesnod:

 

[Artur Kowalewski]

It's not a good information for me, becuse i have to say pass
Maybe in the future i will buy it on 'used equipment market' to test how it works. But i think a lot of PRO's will buy it even for 4000 USD or more right now. Not even 'i think' - i'm 100% sure !

 

[Björn Benckert]

Not to put the other guys down or anything, but our product is not in the same category, never was. Nikon ProLock wasn't (isn't) and neither is this...
It should be pretty clear from the feature list. Not even close- no comparison.
They make good stuff -just for a different market...
I assure you that this price is the best I can give.
I would not hesitate to put our unit up against the best. And by the best I mean Pro systems costing tens of thousands of $$$
I knew that the perception is a problem.
And I'm willing to put in the time to change it...
Don't compare this against the RR, MTF, etc.
We want to play with the likes of Preston and C-motion. And, believe me - we have what it takes in this product:yesnod:

I think people do not really understand the power of your system. Not having to use focus rings, being able to use such low weight lenses, shooting without rods. etc, etc. But there is one thing that talks against it for me is the fact that it's not coming from red. Since we all already have their canon mounts and they got the connectivity with the lenses and also talked about the pro red mote etc. It all makes me look at your system as a something really nice but I rather wait for the RED wifi version. or even wifi and / or miezler focus knob.

 

[Jacek Zakowicz]

Paradigm shif continued

Paradigm shif continued

I think people do not really understand the power of your system. Not having to use focus rings, being able to use such low weight lenses, shooting without rods. etc, etc.

Thank you Bjorn!!
Exactly my point.
I know a lot of you guys get it but did we need a guy from Sweden to spell it out?:wink5:

But there is one thing that talks against it for me is the fact that it's not coming from red. Since we all already have their canon mounts and they got the connectivity with the lenses and also talked about the pro red mote etc. It all makes me look at your system as a something really nice but I rather wait for the RED wifi version. or even wifi and / or miezler focus knob.

Perfect!!!
That's exactly what we hoped to run with:
Top of the line , high end, $13K+ systems.
We can deliver the goods (quality and features) just need the shift in perception....:yesnod:

 

[Robert Horwell]

Jacek,

i'm happy to be in the fist 20 for sweet deals, i sent you my email but haven't heard from you.

 

[ckarcher]

Jacek, Have you considered an optional control unit that could integrate with a handgrip- a rotating handgrip, etc? Something to think about in the future. It would be great for even more compact / single user applications.

 

[Jacek Zakowicz]

Jacek,

i'm happy to be in the fist 20 for sweet deals, i sent you my email but haven't heard from you.

No worries Robert,
I've got you down.
Just haven't responded to the emails yet- busy day..

 

[ckarcher]

put me on that list too? I sent a PM yesterday. I've got a long list of projects to shoot in the next few months

 

[Robert Horwell]

Jacek do you think there will be a zoom functionality available, maybe map one motor onto the system?

 

[Mark K.]

Remember guys, this is the price of a single Zeiss CP.2, to get smooth, controllable, repeatable focus pulls with ALL of your Canon (and eventually Nikon glass). As a cost equation, it works out pretty heavily in your favour if you don't have the funds for owning or renting PL-glass.

 

[Jacek Zakowicz]

Exactly my point- thank you. Plus no matter what price you'll never get such lightweight and simple setup with PL lenses

 

[Lee Saxon]

Red found out Nikon is a lot trickier than Canon / than they expected, I'm interested to see just how soon the Nikon version appears.

 

[Nils Ruinet]

I've been hoping for such a device for a long time.

Now a few important questions remain :

- Most Canon lenses aren't parfocal, so if for example on the 24-70mm you get your focus right at 70mm and then zoom out to 24, you'll need to re-focus your lens, otherwise your image will be soft. Have you found a work-around for that huge issue ? Does your device adapt when you change focal length on a zoom ? If not, how can you keep accurate focus marks on your focus ring ? They will be right at a given focal length, and off at others... That's actually the biggest issue I have when using Canon lenses.

- I would really like to see a full screen video you recorded while doing some slow (and faster) focus pulls on different lenses, to see how smoothly their internal motors are able to handle those precise and slow focus pulls. I'm concerned that those wouldn't be very smooth, that one would feel small steps or hicups. I really hope that's not the case.

-The controller seems a bit bulky (and heavy, but maybe I'm wrong), and not very comfortable to handle for an assistant.

- I actually like the ability to see and set the iris on the touchscreen with Reds Canon mount. Isn't there a way to pass the iris info to the camera and let it handle that part ? Also, it's a bit of a pitty to lose the AF features that the Red has to offer, there are some situations where this has become handy. Would be nice if we were able to switch between both.

- Price. It's not cheap, plus it sucks having to buy a new Canon mount for those of us who already own the Canon Red mount. The price is similar to a working Bartech package, which includes a motor, a receiver and a Wireless controller. I'm not saying yours is expensive, it's just more than I was hoping for such a device. Nobody knows what Red will come up with, if and when they finally do announce their Redmote PRO. I guess it will be at least as expensive, if I judge by their latest annoucements (Meizler, wireless and so on).

Anyway, I'll be following this closely, it's good to finally see something in the right direction.

 

[Jacek Zakowicz]

Paradigm shift- continued

Paradigm shift- continued

I've been hoping for such a device for a long time.

Now a few important questions remain :

- Most Canon lenses aren't parfocal, so if for example on the 24-70mm you get your focus right at 70mm and then zoom out to 24, you'll need to re-focus your lens, otherwise your image will be soft. Have you found a work-around for that huge issue ? Does your device adapt when you change focal length on a zoom ? If not, how can you keep accurate focus marks on your focus ring ? They will be right at a given focal length, and off at others... That's actually the biggest issue I have when using Canon lenses.

We can certainly let you set custom offsets if needed. But I have tried 4 or 5 24-70 lenses and they were all parfocal. If your lens is off at the wide end it means that the lens back focus or/and the camera flange depth is incorrect. It has nothing to do with parfocality.
We don't get many still lenses for repair here but when we do get them for "parfocality" issues it's most of the time the back focus and sometimes the combination of the back focus and camera flange depth. The owners seem to think that using still lenses excuses them from servicing and maintaining them properly. That has to change or the results will show the poor maintenance- especially with the precision of the OptiTron.

- I would really like to see a full screen video you recorded while doing some slow (and faster) focus pulls on different lenses, to see how smoothly their internal motors are able to handle those precise and slow focus pulls. I'm concerned that those wouldn't be very smooth, that one would feel small steps or hicups. I really hope that's not the case.

The focus pulls on L lenses, and most EF-S lenses are very smooth- we would not offer this product otherwise.

-The controller seems a bit bulky (and heavy, but maybe I'm wrong), and not very comfortable to handle for an assistant.

The controller is about the same size as the Preston- the smallest one channel unit. The RR unit looks like a loaf of bread compared to it
It weights 15 oz(400g) and with the battery 23 oz(650g) and we made sure it's very nicely balanced so it doesn't strain the wrist on extended jobs. We got lot of compliments from pro ACs about the ergonomics. We are very proud of the way it came out. The enclosure is machined aircraft grade aluminum .
It also features witness marks so it's very convenient to use hand-held, rod mounted operator side or dumb side. Battery lasts about 2 days of operation.

- I actually like the ability to see and set the iris on the touchscreen with Reds Canon mount. Isn't there a way to pass the iris info to the camera and let it handle that part ? Also, it's a bit of a pity to lose the AF features that the Red has to offer, there are some situations where this has become handy. Would be nice if we were able to switch between both.

As soon as Red releases the serial port protocol we'll be happy to oblige

- Price. It's not cheap, plus it sucks having to buy a new Canon mount for those of us who already own the Canon Red mount. The price is similar to a working Bartech package, which includes a motor, a receiver and a Wireless controller.

You can always sell the Red mount- they hold their value real well.
If Bartech fits your line of work better, by all means get it. We are not in the same league, not the same level of performance or features. I know this will come up a lot but we are aiming at high end with this product and it's not a fair comparison. You get what you pay for....

I'm not saying yours is expensive, it's just more than I was hoping for such a device. Nobody knows what Red will come up with, if and when they finally do announce their Redmote PRO. I guess it will be at least as expensive, if I judge by their latest annoucements (Meizler, wireless and so on).

Now we are talking !!!!
The upcoming RED solution looks wonderful- fully integrated- all in one module. It adds quite a bit of bulk to the camera.
It's $13K and, as it stands now you need a $5K hand unit to drive lenses. With the other bits you need to spend closer to $20K.
It's a good value IMO- if you have the budget. Probably better value thatn anything else out there (except the OptiTron of course:001_cool
You get what you pay for Nils....

 

[Nils Ruinet]

We can certainly let you set custom offsets if needed. But I have tried 4 or 5 24-70 lenses and they were all parfocal. If your lens is off at the wide end it means that the lens back focus or/and the camera flange depth is incorrect. It has nothing to do with parfocality.
We don't get many still lenses for repair here but when we do get them for "parfocality" issues it's most of the time the back focus and sometimes the combination of the back focus and camera flange depth. The owners seem to think that using still lenses excuses them from servicing and maintaining them properly. That has to change or the results will show the poor maintenance- especially with the precision of the OptiTron.

Ok, but would you be able to do this automatically ? Like detecting the focal length and adjusting the offset automatically ? That would be perfect ! If you're able to make this work, this may dramatically broaden the situations in which we're able to use Canon lenses. For now, complicated focus pulls and zooming while shooting are situations where I'd rather use PL lenses. If you're able to change this, then your system is certainly worth its price.

Regarding parfocality of Canon lenses, sorry but from all I've read AND experienced so far, most of them are not parfocal. The 24-70 definately isn't, even with correct back focus. I just got the new 24-70mm II, and it is not parfocal. Not too far off, but not close enough. The 70-200 2.8 IS II isn't. The 24-105 IS isn't. The 16-35 isn't. And it doesn't have anything to do with bad maintenance or back focus issues.
"The Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L II USM Lens is not parfocal. The 24mm focal length requires a slightly longer focus distance setting than 70mm, but this lens is relatively decent in this regard."
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-24-70mm-f-2.8-L-II-USM-Lens-Review.aspx

The focus pulls on L lenses, and most EF-S lenses are very smooth- we would not offer this product otherwise.

Nice to hear, I still think a lot of people on here would love to see it first hand in a full screen video.

The controller is about the same size as the Preston- the smallest one channel unit. The RR unit looks like a loaf of bread compared to it
It weights 15 oz(400g) and with the battery 23 oz(650g) and we made sure it's very nicely balanced so it doesn't strain the wrist on extended jobs. We got lot of compliments from pro ACs about the ergonomics. We are very proud of the way it came out. The enclosure is machined aircraft grade aluminum .
It also features witness marks so it's very convenient to use hand-held, rod mounted operator side or dumb side. Battery lasts about 2 days of operation.

I like the ability to use it rod mounted. 650g seems a bit heavy but it's hard to judge without trying it...

As soon as Red releases the serial port protocol we'll be happy to oblige

I guess that's not going to happen anytime soon.

You can always sell the Red mount- they hold their value real well.
If Bartech fits your line of work better, by all means get it. We are not in the same league, not the same level of performance or features. I know this will come up a lot but we are aiming at high end with this product and it's not a fair comparison. You get what you pay for....

I've had a Bartech for more than 5 years now, it is a great device, no bells and whistles but it does what it needs to very well. I still use it on most of my shoots and am very happy with it.
But a traditional system isn't suited very well for still lenses which don't have hard stops and aren't parfocal, that's why I was very excited when Red came up with a smart Canon mount and more or less announced a Redmote pro with focusing features. However there don't seem to be much happening on this front as of lately.

Now we are talking !!!!
The upcoming RED solution looks wonderful- fully integrated- all in one module. It adds quite a bit of bulk to the camera.
It's $13K and, as it stands now you need a $5K hand unit to drive lenses. With the other bits you need to spend closer to $20K.
It's a good value IMO- if you have the budget. Probably better value thatn anything else out there (except the OptiTron of course:001_cool
You get what you pay for Nils....

I sure hope that the Redmote PRO will be able to work without the Meizler module and will follow a different pricing scheme, because the target isn't the same at all. Meizler targets the very high end who are already using Prestons or C-Motion FFs. The Redmote Pro is supposed to work as a wireless FF for Canon lenses, which are mainly used on lower budgets.
The "you get what you pay for" argument doesn't mean much anymore these days... Or an F35 would have been at least 10 times better than a Red One, if I followed that rule... ;P And the Epic won't be a worse camera in a few hours when Red announces the new prices...

Anyway, I'm not bashing your product, just trying to find out if it may fit my needs or not...