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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 :)

Introducing the OConnor CFF-1

NormLi said:
How did you like it Eric?

Mine will be here early next week. I had it shipped ground from US to Canada.

N
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Hello Norm,
This may be taken as somewhat biased but this is the best follow focus I have ever used…hands down. The video I shot was for LDJ featuring Jim Jones and Redman. Jim Elias and myself spent the better part of last week doing service training and smoothing out the final touches on production. BTW- I’m actually in Toronto, Canada now at the Profusion show in the International Convention Center and would welcome the opportunity to demo both the CFF-1 and O-Grips. I can’t wait to roll out the next piece of the OConnor Accessory Line.
Thank you all in the RED community for your help and support!
 
Scott Miller said:
I may get funding... What is the order to ship time right now if anyone knows? Or put another way, how long is the backorder:) ?
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Hello Scott,

You should check with Abel Cine Tech but after we receive this week’s shipment from England we hope to have all the backorders cleared up.

Best,
 
a question

a question

I've been wondering:
Why anyone at this point would want to pick mechanical FF over, for example, Bartec system. It seems to me that electronic FFs have such a major advantages over mechanical that there would be no market for mechnical devices of this kind anymore.
BTW I'm not associated with any manufacturers nor do I offer a product of this kind. Just wondering if this is only a legacy or there are some legitimate reasons for it...
Again, no pun intended- I'm not trolling- just asking:beer:
(and giving this thread a nice bump since a discussion may evolve)
 
OptiTek said:
I've been wondering:
Why anyone at this point would want to pick mechanical FF over, for example, Bartec system. It seems to me that electronic FFs have such a major advantages over mechanical that there would be no market for mechnical devices of this kind anymore.
BTW I'm not associated with any manufacturers nor do I offer a product of this kind. Just wondering if this is only a legacy or there are some legitimate reasons for it...
Again, no pun intended- I'm not trolling- just asking:beer:
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Mechanical FF will never go away, wireless is not the same as grabbing a camera and feeling the lens turn.

Wireless on the other hand has its own advantages, but for most situations a good old FF4 or CFF1 is the preferred go to method of focus.
 
Legacy then

Legacy then

digitalfx said:
Mechanical FF will never go away, wireless is not the same as grabbing a camera and feeling the lens turn.

Wireless on the other hand has its own advantages, but for most situations a good old FF4 or CFF1 is the preferred go to method of focus.
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Legacy only- got it.
 
If you can't get physically close to the camera, wireless is the way to go. But if you can get close, why not do it mechanically? No batteries or wireless channels to worry about. It's simple, effective, and reliable.

Why set up wireless audio when it's easy to just run an XLR cable? Why have a wireless keyboard for your computer if it always sits in the same place on your desk? Why use WiFi if you have a desktop computer three feet away from your router?

I pull focus quite a bit with a wireless Birger controller, that has all sorts of variable "gear ratios, " presets and limits that can be set, and I take advantage of all those features.
But when I can, I would always choose to use a mechanical follow focus, because being so closely connected to the lens I can do the job even better that way, and don't need any of the extra features.
I would say all of the extra software modes and functions are there just to make up for the loss of direct feel and feedback when you go wireless.

I think that if you ask full-time ACs in the industry which they prefer, you would find the majority would want a mechanical follow-focus whenever possible.
 
I've been hearing this question repeatedly for many years now. The basic answer is that an awful lot of folks out there simply prefer mechanical FF for many situations. And why shouldn't they? It's their preference and it's not like it causes oil slicks or such.

Trying to get into the "why," I would offer the following, which Stephen also touched on above:

1) You can't go out of sync with a mechanical FF. If you would lose gear mesh for some reason, you would feel it and know it immediately. Perhaps some day someone will build motorized FF with knob feedback, so that you can't turn the knob faster than the motor can drive. But the way things are now, the motor can lag behind a quickly-turned remote knob -- and even if the lag is for all intents and purposes immaterial, just the _possibility_ of lag that can happen without you knowing about it is no fun.

2) Mechanical FFs aren't sensitive to radio interference, don't run out of juice, don't block the lens up when the cameraman wants to do a quick focus check and don't require any cables or batteries. You engage your gear and go. Why make things more complex than they need to be? Don't get me wrong -- I think most of the motorized systems out there are great tools, but I've never seen a shot lost because a mechanical FF quit working, and I've seen plenty lost because an electronic one burped suddenly. And I've seen it happen with all makes.

3) A mechanical FF is sociable and democratic. Anyone, technically oriented or not, who "looks through the camera" can use it, no need to fiddle about with the blinking box (assuming that the assistant didn't accidentally take it with to the bathroom in the post-second-meal-sprint) The mechanical FF works equally well for the one-man crew and for the large group.

Each tool has its place. There are certainly plenty of applications where you absolutely need remote FF. You could also make a case that there are no applications where a mechanical FF was absolutely needed and a remote could not do the job. But it is without a doubt that for a lot of what people still do on location and on the stage, mechanical FF is the faster tool that brings no extra stress with it.
 
I received my full CFF-1 unit today with right handwheel. This thing is definitely very slick and very modular with many configurations and zero backlash. I'm loving it so far but I can't wait to try with a few lenses.

Very cool. Extremely well built and designed. Kudos to O'Connor on that one and thanks Abel for offering.

Norm
 
Norm -- great to hear it, thanks for the news. Also feel free to contact Eric or myself if you have any questions.

Jim
 
Jeff Kieffer said:
Just received my unit today, looks great!
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Good to hear it Jeff.

It's not really the same as anything else out there. What's inside and the processes involved in manufacture are the most important things, and the design and internals have been optimized for a larger economy-of-scale than most (including myself) have been used to at this performance level... that's what OConnor and their group sister companies bring to the table, as they haven't needed to spend time struggling with "that new different view of the market" coming out of the developments of the past few years. For many reasons, they've already been practicing that kind of thinking for a good long time.

You'll also see that soon with the O-Grips :smile5:
 
NormLi said:
- The disc keeps popping off the wheel easily and accidentally because of the extra protruding lip (disc is slightly too big for the knob)
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are you sure about this one? I find that this only happens if the disk is not seated properly in the first place - if properly seated, it's pretty bomb-proof.

just spent two days with this FF, and it's thoughtfully designed and works very nicely...
 
Meryem Ersoz said:
are you sure about this one? I find that this only happens if the disk is not seated properly in the first place - if properly seated, it's pretty bomb-proof.

just spent two days with this FF, and it's thoughtfully designed and works very nicely...
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Yeah, there's really no other way to put it on except to line the little hole on the disc with the line on knob and clicking it in place. It doesn't fall off unless you rub your finger along the edge but it's easy to fall off when an AC picks up the camera and maybe an elbow or something hits against the edge of the disc and it'll pop off and fall off, probably without them knowing. Unless I'm doing something wrong with the insertion of a disc (really? it's not rocket science :)), then I find the lip of the disc (from the overall diamater) to be a few millimeters too wide.
 
I received mine and love it.

Sometimes when i shoot on my own with a large lenses, I found myself stretched as I pulled focus. No longer, I rotate the CFF-1 towards me, lengthening my reach around 4 inches. Plus, it started bothering me that my former FF was looking it's white on the knob, due to the constant markings and cleanings- I love that when you've had enough you can pop out the disk, flip it over, or exchange it all together with one of the 9 disks it comes with- brilliant
 
I received mine and love it.

Sometimes when i shoot on my own with a large lenses, I found myself stretched as I pulled focus. No longer, I rotate the CFF-1 towards me, lengthening my reach around 4 inches. Plus, it started bothering me that my former FF was looking it's white on the knob, due to the constant markings and cleanings- I love that when you've had enough you can pop out the disk, flip it over, or exchange it all together with one of the 9 disks it comes with- brilliant
 
I received mine and love it.

Sometimes when i shoot on my own with a large lenses, I found myself stretched as I pulled focus. No longer, I rotate the CFF-1 towards me, lengthening my reach around 4 inches. Plus, it started bothering me that my former FF was looking it's white on the knob, due to the constant markings and cleanings- I love that when you've had enough you can pop out the disk, flip it over, or exchange it all together with one of the 9 disks it comes with- brilliant
 
35254_141951262485004_100000103924091_411413_1609214_n.jpg


Here is a great pic of the CFF-1 mounted on a RED with the new Bomb EVF I hijacked from another thread courtesy of Offhollywood.

The new EVF looks awesome BTW!
 
So far every rental that goes out with the new CFF-1 has a request to replace it with an Arri FF4. I realize this is mostly due to lack of comfort with a new design, but the issue that keeps repeating is that it doesnt lock onto the rods tight enough.

We have verified this issue, the problem is the two knurled knobs used to tighten the rods down dont allow enough grip to get a solid grip on 19mm rods. Not sure if the solution is as simple as replacing those knobs with thumb screws that can apply more force or if the idea needs a redesign.

Bottom line is the unit feels sloppy as it wont tighten down on 19mm rods. For now, our CFF-1 sits on the shelf and the FF4's are on the job.

Any suggestions?
 
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