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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 :)

Komodo AF - > Motorized Follow Focus

Andreas Gotfredsen

Andreas Gotfredsen

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Either this exist or no one have been crazy enough yet to make it yet ...

Say you only have cine lenses but want to utilise the Komodo AF ...

Are there or will it be possible to make some sort of solution that will let the Komodo AF control a motorized follow focus ?
 
Maybe with a feed from the EXT port?
Or from the top pins.
Who knows!
The development of this little beast is nothing short of inspiring and crazy at the same time!
 
Expect a lot of development on this front, but if you want a modern tease, look up the Light Ranger.
 
There are significant software communication differences between DSMC protocols and the Komodo, so current Teradek MDR's don't yet control a lens with internal motors through the Expander's control port.

I hear the software team at TeradekRT/RTMotion have been super busy on this. In the meantime, you can use existing solutions with motors and manual lenses without the control port. I am hoping that TeradekRT will EVENTUALLY control external motors with Komodo AF too.

IgniteDigiREDKomodoParts07_2000x.jpg
 
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Hi guys! In line with this post: Do you think Komodo AF will be responsive enough to allow some "Bolt" motion control like movements in terms of keeping focus on a subject during a really quick camera movement?
 
Ale Houston said:
Hi guys! In line with this post: Do you think Komodo AF will be responsive enough to allow some "Bolt" motion control like movements in terms of keeping focus on a subject during a really quick camera movement?
Click to expand...

If you have a Bolt, you don't need the camera to guess focus. You derive and drive focus from the path you program.
 
it's too bad my Latitude MDR won't work with Komoda. I wonder if it every will or if a whole new unit will need to be developed. In the mean time I love the Red Control and the ability to monitor (albeit in a simple way) the Komodo on an iPad. However for very light weight set ups, helmet cams, rigging on motorcycles (which I plan to do next week) etc. the Red Control app is a God send. I have hooked up both an Ipad and and iPhone at the same time and used the iPad for monitoring and the iPhone for a pseudo hand held focus device, which actually works fairly well.
 
Hi Michael! The thing is I don't own a Bolt jejeje. That's why i was asking if the AF system in Komodo could be responsive enough to make movements like the ones programable with Bolt, but hand held or with other grip equipment, without missing focus on the subject.
 
Andreas Gotfredsen said:
Either this exist or no one have been crazy enough yet to make it yet ...

Say you only have cine lenses but want to utilise the Komodo AF ...

Are there or will it be possible to make some sort of solution that will let the Komodo AF control a motorized follow focus ?
Click to expand...

Asked about this a while back when Red announced the AF function on Komodo. Got told it's too slow a method. Perhaps it is, but it is still well worth it in my opinion. Cine-glass is expensive and better for a reason and just imagine putting a MasterPrime on the Komodo and having it working with autofocus.
The request have been for a while in the industry to make motorized Cine-lenses, but no one ever seem to make it, not with the lenses people want to use at least. Since it never seems to happen, I'm putting my faith into an external gear motor for AF instead.

The absolute essential part of this would be to have a motor that works with AF and remote focus at the same time. Imagine a handheld scene where pulling focus is hard but the AF works in tandem with the remote focus, so that the focus puller can do the key storytelling racks while the AF works to keep the focus where it landed.
 
Ale Houston said:
Hi Michael! The thing is I don't own a Bolt jejeje. That's why i was asking if the AF system in Komodo could be responsive enough to make movements like the ones programable with Bolt, but hand held or with other grip equipment, without missing focus on the subject.
Click to expand...

Please understand that tracking focus because of random hand-held whip pans is a completely different problem space than controlling focus in a Bolt (or Bolt-like) programmed motion scenario. If you want to know the answer to the hand-held question, ask about hand-held. If you have a specific motion-control platform question, ask about that. The more specific your question, the more specific the answer, for better or worse.

To answer your question in all generality: is the Komodo AF system responsive enough for any conceivable scenario? Answer: it depends.
 
Michael Tiemann said:
Please understand that tracking focus because of random hand-held whip pans is a completely different problem space than controlling focus in a Bolt (or Bolt-like) programmed motion scenario. If you want to know the answer to the hand-held question, ask about hand-held. If you have a specific motion-control platform question, ask about that. The more specific your question, the more specific the answer, for better or worse.

To answer your question in all generality: is the Komodo AF system responsive enough for any conceivable scenario? Answer: it depends.
Click to expand...
I don't think the scenario makes any difference for PD based auto focus. It's either responsive and precise enough or it's not. The AF does not know what scenario it's in....
 
Mark Andersen said:
it's too bad my Latitude MDR won't work with Komodo
Click to expand...

Really? Why not? That right there is a deal breaker for me. Seems absolutely backwards that one would put so much time into making a camera thats mainly good for gimbal use and not build it so things like latitude MDR would work.
 
I asked Teradek RT they said they are working on MDR / CTRL support for Komodo. So unless you've heard recently that it can't work I'd assume they will get it going at some point.
 
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Daniel Kelly Brown said:
Really? Why not? That right there is a deal breaker for me. Seems absolutely backwards that one would put so much time into making a camera thats mainly good for gimbal use and not build it so things like latitude MDR would work.
Click to expand...

Slow down there. The issue was whether the Komodo's built in auto-focus could drive an external focus motor. That is not supported on Komodo, or any other camera system I'm aware of. Internal AF has been limited to lenses that have their own motors inside the housing and the necessary pins/protocols to comply.

FWIW, I've been campaigning for cine lenses with their own built in motors for years. External FIZ systems have their place, but for a lot of scenarios they're a PITA. Cables to route, power taps, motors slipping off the gears, cost, etc. Stills lenses with internal motors are designed to respond quickly so they can grab focus before you snap, which can be jarring in motion work. What would rock is purpose built internal motors geared for smooth response. Ideally such a system could match the precision and feel of an external FIZ, with the bonus of being able to use camera generated AF when desired.

Cheers - #19
 
You know I would much rather see more cine lenses with internal motors than new ways to control external motors.
 
this is good to hear. I was told that the CTRL port on Komodo is different than DSMC2 and so things like the MDR Latitude, run stop etc. don't function as they should. This of course surprised me, I'm not sure why it would change. Did Teradek say they are working making existing gear work with Komodo or developing new gear?
 
I just re-read the post I was referencing. It seems that there are significant differences in the ctrl port between Komodo and DSMC but they are investigating. Hopefully that, means it's a challenge not an impossibility. I'm sure we are not alone in having switched to Teradek RT because of mdr / red integration.
 
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