Follow Focus and 2,5" HDD

[Chad Bonanno]

THANKS Trevor! Very helpful!

 

[JairoIglesias]

All products improve, and our new microFollowFocus and microFollowFocus | Blue follow focus units are a great reflection of that. They were used in all the films made for the C300 release, and Director of Photogtaphy Brook Aitken called it "something the pros can rely on with cinema lenses." The new follow focus system scraps everything you knew about the V2's mechanics, most importantly a new custom designed original gear box. The unique ability of backlash adjustment lets you reset the follow focus to new performance at anytime, making it a real long term investment.

Too risk. I spent a lot of money with the last version.
There are a lot of options more cheaper and with the same quality (or better)..

 

[Loren Simons]

I understand concerns like Jairo's based off their feedback from the older version of our follow focus. But the new line of microFollowFocus are indeed completely new beasts. The featuresrice ratio is simply unmatched, you can check out our page for more details:

http://store.redrockmicro.com/microFollowFocusNL

Slobodan, since you started the thread and have some experience with our previous version, we can make it simple for everyone. We'll send you a microFollowFocus | Blue, and you can check it out and give your feedback here. If you like it, you can buy it - and if not, you can send it back. All at no cost to you. That's how confident I am that you'll have an experience similar to Jeffery's extensive use.


Cheers,

Loren Simons

 

[Trevor Meeks]

THANKS Trevor! Very helpful!

You're welcome. By all means, try stuff before you buy it, man... real world experience trumps the posts from sales people desperately pushing their products.

 

[Slobodan Milivojevic]

Thank you Loren......you can send us microFollowFocus | Blue,and I will be very happy to test it and make a review after a month of usage! PLease send me your email on pm, so we can continue our conversation!

 

[Uli Plank]

Problem with our Redrockmicro FF is that it worked very well in the beginning, but after two years it's worn out to a condition where it's not useable any more. How can you tell with a brand new unit?

Rather spend serious money and go Arri, or go really cheap with TrusMT. We got one of theirs and it has performed well for two months now. Will call again in another year or so…

 

[Loren Simons]

Slobodan,

No problem, just email me all your shipping information at lsimons@redrockmicro.com, and we can continue our conversation there.

Uli,

If after 2 years of extensive use you've seen considerable play, then you would really appreciate the feature of the new microFollowFocus systems that allow you to adjust the backlash and essentially return the gears to new performance by repositioning them. Our products also now carry a lifetime warrantee.

 

[JairoIglesias]

You understand my feedback, but i lost a lot of money...

And i am not saying the microfollow focus blue is bad, but sorry, i can't believe in redrock follow focus - mattebox anymore....This is a thing called "trust".

 

[Trevor Meeks]

You understand my feedback, but i lost a lot of money...

And i am not saying the microfollow focus blue is bad, but sorry, i can't believe in redrock follow focus - mattebox anymore....This is a thing called "trust".

Watch out or they might accuse you of not having actually used the equipment! LOL

 

[Trevor Meeks]

Trevor,
Can you mount this FF upside down from top rails or are you using a riser and mounting from the bottom rails?

Best
Chad

A quick update for you Chad,

I got my O-Focus Cine version today (same as the photo version that I was using for a while, just a different knob) and mounted it up top for you to see.

The way this thing comes apart and goes together quickly and cleanly is a huge benefit, and I found right away that its flexibility was needed for this setup up-top. I couldn't slide the focus onto the rods from the front, as my CP2s are quite large and the top rods are a little less than standard spacing. However, I clipped the quick-release on first, then slid the gear drive assembly into place from the side and locked it down... it all fits very nicely. Another benefit of the modular design is that you can adjust where the focus wheel sits. Mounting most follow focus units upside-down will result in the knob sitting at an awkward height, or maybe too far forward or back. The O-Focus can be easily adjusted, flipping the knob assembly up above the rods or down below, also angling it forward to clear an EVF or back to clear a mattebox etc. Hope that makes sense. Anyway here's a quick iPhone snap of the O-Focus mounted up on the top rods, quick 'n dirty.

Another thing to be aware of — one of the marking disks that comes with the O-Connor is glow in the dark. Redrock Micro touts their Follow Focus as having a light-up marking disk, but you actually need to buy their 'optional flares' for $20 to make that happen.

Hold the O-Connor marking disk under a bright light for a few seconds and it's glowing bright green, and at no additional cost. Just sayin'. This kind of thing is a no-brainer, but it was a welcome surprise to me. Little features that are just there and just work all add up, and you really start to realize the value of a nice unit like this. Being nickle-and-dimed sucks.

BTW, quick video overview in post #32 on the next page

 

[Drew Mylrea]

Weird that Redrock hijacked the thread... I am looking to get a new FF as well and am leaning toward the Oconner. Question... is the gear reversible like the Arri MFF line, or can reversing be accomplished by flipping the unit?

 

[Trevor Meeks]

Weird that Redrock hijacked the thread... I am looking to get a new FF as well and am leaning toward the Oconner. Question... is the gear reversible like the Arri MFF line, or can reversing be accomplished by flipping the unit?

Yeah... a bit weird indeed, but user experience speaks volumes for a product... awkward desperate repeated posts about adjustable backlash just get annoying.

I know reversal can be achieved by switching the drive around to the other side, but I am not familiar with Arri's reverse system. How do they do it?

Quick 'n dirty overview of the O-Connor O-Focus DM Cine here:

Believe me, I hate vertical (9:16) video as much as you guys do... it was just the easiest way to prop my iPhone up on my knee. Enjoy!

 

[Drew Mylrea]

Sold. Thanks Trevor. Is that marking disc glow in the dark...?

 

[Phil Holland]

Weird that Redrock hijacked the thread... I am looking to get a new FF as well and am leaning toward the Oconner. Question... is the gear reversible like the Arri MFF line, or can reversing be accomplished by flipping the unit?

I don't think it's all that weird. They are a Reduser sponsor and provide a product that fits the thread's topic.

I myself have been going through the headaches of testing out each modern follow focus unit in the $500-$4000 range. I tested the OFocus DM Cine/Still two weeks ago and really was impressed by it.

The Redrock Follow Focus|blue is of a similar design and that's the next one I'm going to look at. I am also a V2 owner and have issues with that design (ripped off the focus pin about a month into owning it, gear now wobbles), but I like what I see with the new blue design. It's clearly a different beast and they are attempting to compete against the bigger players at a competitive price.

I have high hopes.

 

[Trevor Meeks]

Sold. Thanks Trevor. Is that marking disc glow in the dark...?

Yup, check the text in my last post on page 3 :biggrinjester:

Enjoy, man.

And before the Redrock guys go jumping all over me for enjoying the O-Connor... no, I don't work for O-Connor. I think that's quite obvious.

 

[Drew Mylrea]

Missed that pic, thanks. I swear, every follow focus I've used besides the Arri line has had about an eighth of an inch of play between turning the knob and the gear teeth moving... in your experience is the Oconner's gearing 'tight'? Thanks for the Q&A...

 

[Trevor Meeks]

Missed that pic, thanks. I swear, every follow focus I've used besides the Arri line has had about an eighth of an inch of play between turning the knob and the gear teeth moving... in your experience is the Oconner's gearing 'tight'? Thanks for the Q&A...

Very tight. 1/8" of play is unacceptable... ewwww!

Happy to help, man! No worries, I miss shit all the time in threads. Video overview coming (Will put it in Post#32) in a minute.

 

[M.D. Hilton]

Yup, check the text in my last post on page 3 :biggrinjester:

Enjoy, man.

And before the Redrock guys go jumping all over me for enjoying the O-Connor... no, I don't work for O-Connor. I think that's quite obvious.

The only one jumping all over anybody in this thread is you on the RedRock poster. I don't see the big deal with him telling another poster about their product. I don't get why you're all over him for doing so - and you're pushing the line on being respectful (personally, I think you've stepped way over it.)

And no, I'm not employed by RedRock and don't own a single piece of their gear (I do however, own O'conner gear) I just don't care for the tone you're using with someone simply giving out information and having a belief in their product.

 

[Trevor Meeks]

The only one jumping all over anybody in this thread is you on the RedRock poster. I don't see the big deal with him telling another poster about their product. I don't get why you're all over him for doing so - and you're pushing the line on being respectful (personally, I think you've stepped way over it.)

And no, I'm not employed by RedRock and don't own a single piece of their gear (I do however, own O'conner gear) I just don't care for the tone you're using with someone simply giving out information and having a belief in their product.

No disrespect meant at all, MD. And I'm certainly not trying to argue with you here. What tweaked me is Brian's insinuation that I hadn't actually used the product... pretty ridiculous to accuse someone of that when he has no idea about my day-to-day experiences with different types of gear, what I rent, borrow etc. What I find funny about them both jumping in to tag-team the thread is that the OP asks if there is something OTHER than Redrock that can be recommended, so the obvious answer is yes... and discussion followed. They continued to push their products despite the OP's specific mention that he wasn't particularly interested in another one of their products.

I think a lot is lost in text, and that needs to be kept in mind. People get easily bent out of shape when they put a tone to someone else's words... it's understandable how that happens. That's why my girlfriend and I don't have decision-making conversations or disagreements via text... it can easily get blown out of proportion.

Sorry if my posts rubbed you the wrong way, man. No disrespect intended, but I will not stand for a company like Redrock trying to discredit my input just because I wasn't happy with their products. That's just sketchy, and doesn't reflect well on them at all.

 

[M.D. Hilton]

No disrespect meant at all, MD. And I'm certainly not trying to argue with you here. What tweaked me is Brian's insinuation that I hadn't actually used the product... pretty ridiculous to accuse someone of that when he has no idea about my day-to-day experiences with different types of gear, what I rent, borrow etc. What I find funny about them both jumping in to tag-team the thread is that the OP asks if there is something OTHER than Redrock that can be recommended, so the obvious answer is yes... and discussion followed. They continued to push their products despite the OP's specific mention that he wasn't particularly interested in another one of their products.

I think a lot is lost in text, and that needs to be kept in mind. People get easily bent out of shape when they put a tone to someone else's words... it's understandable how that happens. That's why my girlfriend and I don't have decision-making conversations or disagreements via text... it can easily get blown out of proportion.

Sorry if my posts rubbed you the wrong way, man. No disrespect intended, but I will not stand for a company like Redrock trying to discredit my input just because I wasn't happy with their products. That's just sketchy, and doesn't reflect well on them at all.

Fare enough, and you're absolutely correct about lots getting lost in translation via text/posts. Perhaps I did read more into your tone/intentions than you intended.