Best follow focus for both cine and still lenses under $2000

[Christoffer Glans]

As the title says, which in your opinion and experience is the best follow focus that works with cine and still lenses under $2000?
I'm looking for something like this, mid-priced functioning well with still lenses and preferably also something that reduces the short throw of still lenses a lot.

Thoughts?

 

[Benjamin Rowland]

I'm looking for the same thing. The Bright Tangerine Revolvr Atom has really caught my eye. http://www.brighttangerine.com/category/follow-focus/revolvr-atom/kits/92/93/99/

 

[Mike Garrick]

Left field and way under budget the newer Shoot 35 one. Though the tangerine offer looks mighty interesting and is less than the crappy oconnor still version.

 

[Peter Majtan]

Christoffer - are you looking for wireless or just a "normal" FF?

 

[vagabond Beaumont]

I have bought soem stuff from ProAim Shop...

They have some good inexpensive alternatives to everything...

There are quite a few alternatives for Follow Focus here...

Check them out...

i got a Rail, Cage, Matte Box, Follow Focus combination from them and it works great...

http://www.proaimshop.com/pas/Follow-focus/

 

[Christoffer Glans]

Christoffer - are you looking for wireless or just a "normal" FF?

The thing here is that I'm in the process of checking if it's my camera or wifi-disturbance, but I've tried Fool control and the result is awful. The sound of the lens is too high, the focus lags and skips even on smooth operating or even when doing rack focusing. It might be my EF-mount (I've sent a mail to support), but my impression is that the wireless internal focusing is quite over hyped. As a former focus puller I cannot accept that kind of focusing for professional work. (Here's a post I made in the redlink section about my problems: http://goo.gl/wWdYfG )

So, I'm looking into a good FF for still lenses that compensate for short throw and doesn't break the lens when operating. There's a few on the market but there's no way to know if the cheap sub-$1000 from that company is on par with the $4000 counterpart from the other well known company. I also feel that if I get a decent normal FF that also works well with usual cine-lenses I will have something that holds it's worth over the years.

On the other side, Redrock has a wireless with gears that's very affordable. But I haven't seen any comment on how well it actually performs in the field.

I'm looking for the same thing. The Bright Tangerine Revolvr Atom has really caught my eye.

This is one that I'm looking at closely, but I'm not sure if it's overkill or if it's a great investment. I'm also not sure when it will actually ship.

Left field and way under budget the newer Shoot 35 one.

Looked into this, it seems like one of the most affordable decent ones. But I'm not sure about the short throw of it.

I have bought soem stuff from ProAim Shop...

It's very cheap, which means I'm worried about the built quality. Also, does it have hard stops? How does it compensate short throw etc.? Does it hold up strength against traditional cine-lenses?

 

[Peter Majtan]

If you want to re-map short throw on Canon EF lenses - you might wanna have a look at Jacek's OPTITEK solution...:

http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?87950-The-Future-of-Follow-Focus-Now-Optitron-by-OptiTek

:sifone: Peter

 

[Christoffer Glans]

Yeah, I looked into that but at this time, the internal motors of all the lenses I have aren't working at a professionally acceptable level. The focus skips when pulling and it's nowhere near any smooth operation. I'm looking into if it's my camera and mount that's the problem. Saw that Redrock had a wireless option that's much cheaper and that attach to the lens with gears, you could remap that as well, but you don't have to worry about poor internal motors.

 

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Left field and way under budget the newer Shoot 35 one.

I had got this last year. And it works fine till date.

Lets see if any new Wireless FF is introduced at NAB.

 

[NOSA OBAYIUWANA]

Hi Christoffer. I have the RedRock.... and to be honest it is perfect. It has not let me down once yet. Bought it in September and have used it with the Canon CNE glass and CP2s. Knocking myself on the head now... I had an Allura 18-80 and Master-prime on Friday should have done a quick test but completely forgot. If you have any particular questions about it fire away and I will answer to the best of my knowledge.

 

[Nick Timmons]

Redrock microRemote is certainly the worst wireless follow focus system I've ever used. Save your money, and buy something that works properly.

 

[Cristian Mihai]

1 vote for Shoot35. Got it 2 weeks ago and i am impressed. Very good quality for money.

 

[Björn Benckert]

I think you need some other lenses. Still lenses, especially EF are not so good, EF zooms are even worse. The focus throw in them are built to to be super sort so action photographers can find focus with the built in canon electronic edge detect focusing, not to pull long nice focus pulls. So what you are looking for is cineglass and top of the line FF system. I tested most of the low cost ones, but they will for sure be rejected by any half experienced AC simply because they are not as good as the absolutely best ones from arri that they are used to get from the rental companys, And still even the best FF systems comes with a bit of struggle. So to please the average AC you need at least something like the FF-5. That one works for the most parts. I also had the CFF-1 from oconnor, but sold it as even though is a very well built bit of gear it´s over complex and the extenders and other parts, that can introduce a little backlash so it´s disliked by most AC as well.

So possibly better to Rent the real deal when you need it, the other stuff will simply not work as you want it to I think.

And today everyone demand a wireless unit. Then again there is many option out there but if the AC´s will have a saying then they usually demand to at least have a Arri or Preston. The best buy from Arri now that I tested is the SXU-1. It low priced compared to other stuff but still cost a fortune.

So I think if you look for really good Follow focus, you need cine lenses, good cine lenses. Then a good FF system ontop of it. But it´s easy to see it will not land under 2000USD.It´s more likely thats about what it cost to rent the stuff for a couple of days.

 

[NOSA OBAYIUWANA]

Redrock microRemote is certainly the worst wireless follow focus system I've ever used. Save your money, and buy something that works properly.

Not argueing... heard a lot of negatives about it but it has worked okay for me... that's my experience

 

[Ned Wilson]

Redrock microRemote is certainly the worst wireless follow focus system I've ever used. Save your money, and buy something that works properly.

Could you be more specific? Loads of people I know like it because of its weight and simplicity. Shane Hurlbut swears by them. Tell us in detail why it let you down.

 

[Ned Wilson]

This is under 2000.00. Haven't tried it but being sold by B&H you got 30 days to like or hate it. Tilta makes some great stuff and no so great. The price is less than half an FF4.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...OrP687P5MMCFWQV7AoddQEA1Q&Q=&is=REG&A=details

Before you start asking what's best for under 2G tell us what you needs are. Lots of handheld, crane and gimbal work you'll need a wireless. For basic run and gun, low budget indie or doc you can get away with single sided FF's. For high end client work you need whatever your AC's used to (because production will cover the cost).

I currently have a Cinegear single channel wireless for my Ronin. It's less then 2 grand but I'd rather have a Heden Carat (but that's 5G). For Gimbal work, I'm rarely if ever on long lenses so the lag isn't a deal breaker. For some it would be. I like it primarily because it's light (they've combined receiver/motor into one) and simple. The controller has programmable and hard stops as well as super simple calibration. Some may find it too noisy.

It's a stop gap until the Tilta FIZ ships. I'm taking a chance on it.

 

[Dan Kanes]

I have to say I think the Redrock Wireless Follow focus smokes the other super low cost wireless systems on the market, and I've tried them all.

excited to see what the Red Mini hand Control costs and how it works.

 

[Terry VerHaar]

I haven't used it a lot but my Redrock wireless FF has worked just fine for me. But then, I have always had great success with my REDmote, too. :smiley:

 

[Phil Holland]

I have to say I think the Redrock Wireless Follow focus smokes the other super low cost wireless systems on the market, and I've tried them all.

excited to see what the Red Mini hand Control costs and how it works.

The Red 3-Axis LCS, THC, and WMD have been bulletproof for me, which is honestly necessary when it comes to gear like this. Whenever that 2-Axis Hand Controller comes out I'm going to add that to the kit.

 

[Isaac Marchionna]

The Red 3-Axis LCS, THC, and WMD have been bulletproof for me, which is honestly necessary when it comes to gear like this. Whenever that 2-Axis Hand Controller comes out I'm going to add that to the kit.

Hoping they reworked it from scratch. The THC is okay, but clearly they repurposed hardware from their 3D rigs. For example the zoom being controlled via a wheel is just maddening. Although in fairness I usually make the slider the zoom for ease of use.