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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Follow Focus solutions for Nikon Lenses

Just one thing: if you want a better gear ratio (more room for focussing) you will want a smaller gear that drives the lens and not a bigger one.

Think about it: the ration between knob and driving gear stays the same but a bigger gear has has more teeth so per rotation it will drive the lens further than a smaller gear.
 
Thanks Sander. That makes sense. I will find out what different gears Chrosziel has for its unit and get one that most suits short throw nikons. It appears that different follow focus units also have specific gear boxes - some are suited for cine lenses, some for shorter throw video/still lenses.
 
Vance Colvig said:
Petroff seems very well made, smooth with no perceptable backlash. I'm happy.
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The thing is where can you buy one? They are not listed on B&H or Zacuto's websites. I've emailed petroff@petroff.ws but have not heard back.

I too think the Pteroff is top notch, buy I've yet to able to find a place to buy one. :(
 
sander kamp said:
Just one thing: if you want a better gear ratio (more room for focussing) you will want a smaller gear that drives the lens and not a bigger one.
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Protip: Don't post on Reduser without your morning coffee. I should know better :)
 
Vance Colvig said:
Got mine from Dedo Weigert Film in Munich Germany.
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Thanks for the tip, I'll see if I can in touch with them.

BTW, one thing that looks REALLY NICE with the Arri FF 1 is that you can move the focus gear away from the lens w/o losening the mount of the follow focus to the rails. This should make sawapping lenses, esp. those with different gear diameters very easy.

But the Petroff does feel really nice.
 
Concerning the Arri MFF -1 unit, what is the gear ratio? Is it 1-1? Can you reduce the gear ratio with a currently available gear wheel from Arri like you can for example with the Petroff unit? I have read diametrically opposite views on this question.
 
Oh OK…The old Follow Focus thread again.

Perhaps those interested in something for still lenses should stop by the OConnor booth at NAB to see our new mini double sided unit. It incorporates hard stops, has a friction gear option, utilizes a standard ARRI star coupling for all those gear ratios, including our new friction gear driver AND has a native transmission ratio of 1:.75 for a longer focus pull on still lenses. With an OConnor CFF-1 knob we can even make it glow in the dark!

73318_169763799703750_100000103924091_586918_6063579_n.jpg
 
Thanks Eric.

Yes, I felt guilty raising that whole FXXX FXXX thing again .... but the truth is that it is incredibly difficult to find out accurate information.

Any idea when the unit will be available for sale? I think I might just have to wait and rent until then...it seems to fit the bill perfectly.

One question. How will the unit operate with lenses which have a smaller diameter barrell like Nikon still lenses eg the Ai and Ais fully manual lenses?

PS What is a standard Arri Star Coupling and what does it do?
 
So the O'Connor can be used with either a friction or gear coupling to the lens?
 
Rob Castiglione said:
Thanks Eric.

Yes, I felt guilty raising that whole FXXX FXXX thing again .... but the truth is that it is incredibly difficult to find out accurate information.

Any idea when the unit will be available for sale? I think I might just have to wait and rent until then...it seems to fit the bill perfectly.

PS What is a standard Arri Star Coupling and what does it do?
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Thanks Rob,

Yes it does and I’m putting myself out on a limb but this bad boy is going to be in our booth at NAB.

I know we will sell more of these than we can make so I’m in Costa Rica right now at the Management Meeting putting the pressure on to make it happen!

That’s really all I can say right now.

All an ARRI star coupling means is that those CFF-1, FF-4, FF-5. etc. gears will fit this unit. It’s cross compatibility to add value. I hope that makes sense.
 
Peter Moretti said:
So the O'Connor can be used with either a friction or gear coupling to the lens?
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Both the friction gear and a toothed gear for these FF’s use a star coupling. It’s a standard mating rosette between the FF gear and either the swing arm or the main drive mechanism.

Currently my old DP Friend Matt S. is on a job with a CFF-1 (and a friction gear with Canon L lenses) and will have pics/ videos of this to post within a few days
 
Sorry Rob,

Missed one major point:

The reason this IS NOT a 1:1 drive ratio is that the OConnor Mini FF can be used for still lenses. In the simplest terms a complete 360 degree turn of the handwheel will only turn the star coupling 270 degrees. This gives the operator a longer, more exacting focus pull. If needed, a larger; YTBD toothed gear can over compensate for this on cine PL lenses (and the like) which up’s the transmission ratio to 1:1 or even greater depending upon the number of teeth and size/ pitch of the focus gear.

Best of both worlds…I’m signing off.

If you need more help please email me at the address below…

Best,
 
Vance Colvig said:
Got mine from Dedo Weigert Film in Munich Germany.
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Vance,

Apparently, the Zacuto FF is the Petroff FF are the same, as odd as that sounds. Here's the email reply I got from Petroff:


Hi Peter,
I will be out of the country until the 10th of March.
For follow focus please contact Zacuto.
It is the same follow focus.

Regards,

Robert


Here are pics of both:

Zacuto:
http://store.zacuto.com/popup_image.php?type=D&id=501&title=Flippable Reversible Z-Focus

Petroff:
http://www.petroff.ws/Picture Archive/Follow focus/MFF-R.jpg

While not exactly the same, they are very similar.

Still, I have to say I'm a little surprised Petroff would say that the Zacuto Z Focus is the same as their Petroff Mini FF.
 
Some useful info on the Chrosziel unit

Some useful info on the Chrosziel unit

Here is some actually useful information about the Chrosziel dv follow focus unit and still nikon lenses which I got from the very helpful Jeff Giordano:

"You can expect that the follow focus rotation will be approx 2.5x to 3 times of your Nikon still lenses . IE if for example your Nikon still lens rotates 60 degrees the follow focus will rotate 120- 180 degrees."

This is with the 206-12 drive gear.
 
I received the CAD drawings yesterday for the new mini FF knob which incorporate the changes/feedback we received from our beta testers over the last 6 months. I think you all will be impressed!

How many days left until NAB?
 
Peter Moretti said:
Vance,

Apparently, the Zacuto FF is the Petroff FF are the same, as odd as that sounds. Here's the email reply I got from Petroff:


Hi Peter,
I will be out of the country until the 10th of March.
For follow focus please contact Zacuto.
It is the same follow focus.

Regards,

Robert


Here are pics of both:

Zacuto:
http://store.zacuto.com/popup_image.php?type=D&id=501&title=Flippable Reversible Z-Focus

Petroff:
http://www.petroff.ws/Picture Archive/Follow focus/MFF-R.jpg

While not exactly the same, they are very similar.

Still, I have to say I'm a little surprised Petroff would say that the Zacuto Z Focus is the same as their Petroff Mini FF.
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I normally wouldn’t respond to a post like this I but I feel I should do so in the interest of avoiding confusion.

The follow focuses units referenced are not the same; but the right angle gear box used to mate the handwheel to the drive coupling may be...I don’t know for sure and don’t want to speculate.

What I do know is that the OConnor gear box is completely proprietary and custom to our unit…and we machine and assemble it in Germany and the UK.

Some of the parts even come from our flagship CFF-1 Cine Follow Focus. This means that the professional performance our unit provides CANNOT be duplicated by another other manufacturer- period.
 
Eric, I can't possibly buy a follow focus unit before the new O'Connor comes out. I will just rent until then. A mate of mine is going to NAB and is going to check it out for me.
 
Rob Castiglione said:
Eric, I can't possibly buy a follow focus unit before the new O'Connor comes out. I will just rent until then. A mate of mine is going to NAB and is going to check it out for me.
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Rob,

I’ll be there all day every day (however subject to meetings.) When your colleague arrives please make sure he calls my cell phone (845-270-3533) because I want to schedule an appointment to make sure he gets the demo from myself.

We also have some OConnor schwag for you both because you believe in our company (and this product)…and we appreciate that!

Thank you very much for your patience…it will be worth it.

See you in Las Vegas.
 
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