Electronic Red Follow Focus, Interested?

[Rick Burnett]

So in another thread I mentioned this concept and I starting thinking about this more and more. Mainly because I've been spending my pre Scarlet time convincing myself back and forth between the Fixed and the Cinema version of the Scarlet. However, this question extends into the Epic and Red One field as well as there is a LOT of manual lens out there in the world, and probably will be for a long time. Add to that the new mini-primes are also manual. With a good implementation and a good price, I can't imagine this not being a hit.

I do know about the Inclino digital motors, which have been out of stock every time I have ever checked. The thing is, I have no desire for their remote. For power I believe you can run it off of the RED aux if I understand correctly which is something I would want.

Of course, questions that would remain:
Is it too noisy?
Can you rotate the focus while the motor teeth are engaged?

Has anyone heard if there is any possibility of work being done to use this with the REDMOTE? With this, you could use the touch focusing features and the rack focus features.

Would people be more desiring of RED to release their own solution for something like this?

Mainly, I am just thinking out loud here.

I'm just curious what others think.

 

[Peter Mosiman]

LOL. Look at pictures of the REDMOTE Pro...

Look at RedRock's new wireless follow focus (AMAZING product btw)...

What do you mean exactly by electronic in your thread title?

 

[Rick Burnett]

The part that controls a manual lens. Right now, to take advantage of the REDMOTE or REDMOTE PRO, you need to use an electronic lens. With manual lens you will need to use a manual follow focus or electronic after market follow focus like the ones you've mentioned. The problem is, you can't use the REDMOTE. You can't use the touch to focus capability the brain has. You can't use the built in electronic rack focus because you have no way to control the 3rd party electric motor.

 

[Paul Nordin]

Would people be more desiring of RED to release their own solution for something like this?

A lot of engineering has gone into the Redmote Pro. Red sells manual focus lenses, as are all other cine-quality lenses. I have to believe that the Redmote is not only designed to support the remote operation of auto-everything SLR lenses, which represent a fairly small percentage of what Epic shooters will want to use. I suppose if the Redmote Pro were targeted at the Scarlet and not Epic, it's design makes more sense. But if Epic users, who mostly use manual cine-lenses, are to get any benefit out of the Redmote Pro, then Red will need to have a receiver/motor solution.

I find it hard to believe that Red is not already planning on some sort of solution along these lines. Because what Epic user would not love to have a camera that has a wireless FF capability baked-in? err, none is what I guess, having it would be Epic! I suppose the only people that would not want this are those that already have high-end wireless FF with all the purpose-built functionality that they offer.

 

[Rick Burnett]

True. And I agree with you. I was curious how many people would be wanting to buy this if said option existed, or if I just missed some information along these lines.

Given my inexperience with cine lenses, and the fact I will be getting into them I am sure, that seemed to me to be the biggest discrepancy in the Epic usage. All this awesome capability for SLR and the Fixed lens, but not as much for those that probably pull focus MORE than most!

It is DEFINITELY something I am interested in. I have a follow focus now, and it works great, but going wireless will be awesome on my steadycam rig.

 

[Curran Giddens]

Red Electronic FF35 lenses.

 

[Jim Hoffman]

Seems to me when I was posing a similar question at the RED event in Vegas Jared said something about them working towards a compatible solution with third party motors. I don't think they were planning on their own motor because the quality of existing motors.

Pardon me if I am speaking out of place.

 

[Danish P.V.]

I actually don`t understand why electronic photographics lenses shouldn`t be what "Epic user would want to use" - videoSLR shooters are doing exactely this all over the world, ok, there may be a few little drawbacks like breathing etc. but for decades filmmakers had to use equipment much inferior than this, so I don`t see much reasons for using them. And as Curran mentioned, there will be electronic Red lenses, too.

 

[Rick Burnett]

That may be true, but there are a LOT of manual lenses out there. Not to mention, it's probably cheaper to buy a set of manual lens and have some sort of motor drive in this sense.

Also, if you are going for the Scarlet interchangeable version, there isn't any red electronic lens for it yet, and I haven't been able to find other electronic lens at the small focal lengths needed for the sensor.

Pertaining to Scarlet S35 or Epic, I am TOTALLY there with you. I WILL be using my electronic Canon lenses on the S35 without question.

 

[Paul Nordin]

Seems to me when I was posing a similar question at the RED event in Vegas Jared said something about them working towards a compatible solution with third party motors. I don't think they were planning on their own motor because the quality of existing motors.

Pardon me if I am speaking out of place.

Thanks for reminding me, now that yo mention it, somewhere I in the torrential flood of NAB posts I think I remember reading that. And it makes perfect sense.

 

[Paul Nordin]

I actually don`t understand why electronic photographics lenses shouldn`t be what "Epic user would want to use" - videoSLR shooters are doing exactely this all over the world, ok, there may be a few little drawbacks like breathing etc. but for decades filmmakers had to use equipment much inferior than this, so I don`t see much reasons for using them. And as Curran mentioned, there will be electronic Red lenses, too.

It just depends on what you are doing. For many people, using SLR lenses with their drawbacks will be just fine. Given the price differential, a little working around things like breathing, and fragility, and non-standard operating is not such a bad thing.

For others, those are deal breakers. Epic is not targeted at casual users who are looking for compromises to get as good as possible for the budget. From everything Jim on down are saying, Epic is a flat out, ferrari of a camera designed to compete and beat the best out there. So people working with Epic at the highest levels will not be happy with SLR lenses, for good reason. Give the choice, I would rather not have to work around lens breathing.

 

[Dan Kanes]

LOL. Look at pictures of the REDMOTE Pro...

Look at RedRock's new wireless follow focus (AMAZING product btw)...

What do you mean exactly by electronic in your thread title?

I'd love to know what's so amazing about the redrock wireless follow focus?

It doesn't look too ergonomical or usable in a fast paced professional production environment.

Maybe I'm wrong, but it looks clunky and gimmicky at first glance.

 

[Rick Burnett]

I'd love to know what's so amazing about the redrock wireless follow focus?

It doesn't look too ergonomical or usable in a fast paced professional production environment.

Maybe I'm wrong, but it looks clunky and gimmicky at first glance.

That's what I thought as well.