FF4 Vs FF5 on the Red lenses

[rayman5000]

Hi, I know there's been chat about this before here, but just want to confirm.

We'll be using the red lenses 18-50, 50-150 and the 300, and will be purchasing the Red Prime set also.

Is the FF4 still the better option? When I spoke with Arri, they said the FF5 would be a better option, but from what I've read here, that'd be a costly mistake.

Cheers

 

[Fredrik Callinggard]

If you ever intend to use other lenses yes. FF4 is made for Cine lenses and FF5 is intended for HD camera lenses. It's a difference in the scales of th lenses.

So there's a difference in the rotation of the focus knob/ gear. You can change the FF5, if you change the arm to a FF4.

I would recommend FF4 since I suspect that the scales of the RED Primes will be closer to Cine lenses then the zooms they have right now.

 

[rayman5000]

Thaks for that,

I'm presuming then that the FF4 works well with the current Red Zooms then?

 

[Harry Clark]

I'm a fan of the FF4, although my friend Bob has an FF5 and it's very nice. You can put cine gears on it, same as the other Arri products. The knob rotation seemed similar to me. Even if the FF5 was too "slow" you can always put the tall Cooke Zoom gear in the FF and compensate.
I've also used the new FF6, meant for the Master Zoom, and it's amazing. NO BACKLASH. I mean it. Don't know if it's available for sale yet.
I have AC colleagues who don't seem to like my FF4's because it's a simpler design based largely on the FF2, and they claim it has more lash than the FF3. But the FF3's I've seen in the New York rental market are, by and large, older and well-worn and seem to have their fair share of issues.
But I imagine any of them should work fine with the Red lenses (assuming they have cine-style 32 pitch gearing on the lenses) I would advise a trip to a good rental house and trying all of them to see what works best for your needs.
The nylon gears from Arri seem to make things a bit smoother too, especially on my S4's. That may end up making a bigger difference than the FF itself.
Cheers,
Harry

 

[Mitch Gross]

I'm personally a fan of the FF4 but the FF5 is completely useable. The FF5 has a larger gear ratio meant to compensate for the relatively small rotation of video lenses, which is not a problem for most professional optics used on a RED. But this can be dealt with by the use of a larger gear wheel which will compensate the ratio back. I know people who go both ways on this, but the majority land on the FF4 side of the fence.

 

[Miroslaw Kuba Brozek]

Follow Focus Kit

Follow Focus Kit

I'm personally a fan of the FF4 but the FF5 is completely useable. The FF5 has a larger gear ratio meant to compensate for the relatively small rotation of video lenses, which is not a problem for most professional optics used on a RED. But this can be dealt with by the use of a larger gear wheel which will compensate the ratio back. I know people who go both ways on this, but the majority land on the FF4 side of the fence.

What`s Yours opinion about FF3 two speed FF?

 

[Mitch Gross]

Honestly I have not played with one enough to give a reasoned opinion. I know the device and I'm sure it is built to the usual Arri quality, but I haven't "used it in anger" like other gear.

 

[rayman5000]

Red Lenses Cine Style?

Red Lenses Cine Style?

Some great feedback above, thanks.

So, are the current red lenses cine style or video style?

Cheers

 

[Mitch Gross]

They are Cine-style.

 

[david_winters]

We've got an FF5, which I got when I was shooting mostly F900, Varicam, & SDX900 jobs, which is still most of the time actually. I've worked with Red + FF5 and the following glass. Red 18-50, 300mm, standards & Optimo 15-40. The arm and large cine gear do cause visibility issues when mounted on the side vs under the lens. The arm break lever doesn't always clear the lens barrel, when unlocked. The easy solution is to mount the FF5 backwards with arm on the "dumb" side of the camera, which does not change focus direction.

Here are some pics with the gear under the lens. Mounting with the arm on the wrong side is the way to go, but I don't have any photos of that config.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2138/2354246091_4e209e73cc_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2114/2355073852_8480afacff_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2049/2354239797_017b56a10c_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3293/2355065680_c01602b42c_b.jpg

 

[david farland]

Some good stuff on FF4/FF5 from Jim Elias......Arri designer

http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?t=5734

 

[Evin Grant]

A note for those using the FF4 with Standard Speed (T2.1) Zeiss lenses. You need to get the "Prime Gear 2" which is still a current item but not in the current catalog. Much thanks to Jarrod and Ian at Abel Burbank for helping me figure this out.