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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 :)

***The OConnor O-Focus DM Cine and Photo Sets***OFFICIAL THREAD!!!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Eric J. Johnston
  • Start date Start date
Demetri Zuev said:
Eric, what wheel should I get for using the OFocus with Zeiss ZFs in your opinion, considering the range of these lenses' focus throw?
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Zeiss ZF's = O-Focus DM Photo Set

Zeiss Compact Primes = O-Focus DM Cine Set
 
Love my O'Connor CFF-1 way more then the Arri FF4, I imagine this addition will make many happy good work Eric.


PS: I know I still need to send you some pics with the Glowing Focus ring, and I'll send it to you one of this days that I actually finally take that thing out of the main Storage as at last settle in to my new place in Rome... ;)
 
B&H's listing for the LWS Rod Bridge shows the version seen on Ocon's CFF-1 page. Ocon's DM page seems to show a slightly revised version with a much cooler clamp knob. Is there still stock of the old version out there or has B&H just not updated the photo?

(off-topic but same question : Ocon O-Grip page has a video showing a flat Three System Bridge, which also appears on B&H. Photos on Ocon's O-Grip page show a superior "stepped" design...)
 
Eric J. Johnston said:
(snip) By using a rod adapter such as the AB-1519, it keeps the optical axis measurement for LWS constant while still adapting to studio rods.(snip)
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Could you point me to the AB-1519 you suggested? Either Google was having an off day or I was, but no love... :-(. Thanx.

Cheers - #19
 
Blair S. Paulsen said:
Could you point me to the AB-1519 you suggested? Either Google was having an off day or I was, but no love... :-(. Thanx.

Cheers - #19
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I think it's only available over the phone. I had called Abel Cine to see if they had an o-Box -> 19mm adapter last week and they said it wasn't available on the website and couldn't provide me a link.
 
Lee Saxon said:
B&H's listing for the LWS Rod Bridge shows the version seen on Ocon's CFF-1 page. Ocon's DM page seems to show a slightly revised version with a much cooler clamp knob. Is there still stock of the old version out there or has B&H just not updated the photo?

(off-topic but same question : Ocon O-Grip page has a video showing a flat Three System Bridge, which also appears on B&H. Photos on Ocon's O-Grip page show a superior "stepped" design...)
Click to expand...


Those pictures are old…both the LWS bracket and Studio Bracket now come standard with our newly designed “much cooler clamp knobs.”

Same thing for the Three System Rod Bridge…the new one clears a dovetail and provides an O-Grip attachment point in the center.

Everything shipping now is “new style.”
 
Gavin Greenwalt said:
I think it's only available over the phone. I had called Abel Cine to see if they had an o-Box -> 19mm adapter last week and they said it wasn't available on the website and couldn't provide me a link.
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Weird. I bought mine at AbelCine. Very helpful too. Tried out many things while I was there. Lovin' the O-Box btw.
 
I love my O-Focus DM and O-Box WM. Terrific accessories. I am considering some O-Grips now too.

Also, I sent you an e-mail asking for some help with a small issue that I'm having, Eric. Any advice that you have would be much appreciated. Thank you.
 
Quick question Eric... I have a set of Leica -R lenses which are very small and with the Wooden Camera LW bracket (http://www.woodencamera.com/lw-15mm-bracket) attached, I have about an inch or less of space on the rods for a FF. So I'm wondering if the gear can be flipped on the O-Focus? Also, the Leicas have about 270 degrees of rotation. Does it still make sense to get the Cine set?

Thanks.
 
Bob Gundu said:
Quick question Eric... I have a set of Leica -R lenses which are very small and with the Wooden Camera LW bracket (http://www.woodencamera.com/lw-15mm-bracket) attached, I have about an inch or less of space on the rods for a FF. So I'm wondering if the gear can be flipped on the O-Focus? Also, the Leicas have about 270 degrees of rotation. Does it still make sense to get the Cine set?

Thanks.
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Yes and yes. You can flip the gear around to the other side of the lens, and you can mount the gear on either the "front" or "back" side of the gearbox. Also, the 1" clearance won't be a problem... this is one of the slimmest main bridge assemblies I've ever seen on a FF. I think the cine set would produce the most comfortable pull for your lenses, and the two different sizes of 0.8 pitch gears that are included will let you fine-tune your feel.
 
Thanks all for your comments. Good stuff.

Lately, we've gotten a lot of correspondence regarding how to best drive lenses originally intended for still photography.

First and foremost is to understand that not all still lenses are alike. The differences between 1) autofocus-type lenses such as Canon EOS-Ls and 2) manual-focus still lenses such as Zeiss ZFs and Leica M/Rs are decisive when it comes to how to drive them properly.

Autofocus: there are good reasons why autofocus still lenses have very little (if any) barrel damping and extra-short focus throws. Even moderate damping or slightly longer focus throws would require heftier, noisier motors and the battery power to drive those motors. The general compactness of the lenses and the small size of most still-camera batteries has directly to do with the fact that the lenses, due to low damping and short focus throws, do not need much energy to drive.

It is these non-damped lenses that can be driven reliably by friction-driver wheels, because the risk of slippage is low. And these short throws are what the O-Focus main bridge transmission, with its very low gear ratio, was designed for.

Manual-focus lenses, on the other hand, will have damping for much the same reason a fluid head does -- in order to minimize unwanted movements and feel more comfortable in manual operation. The focus-throws are often still shorter than those of dedicated motion-picture lenses, primarily in order to help quick eye-focussing. So again, the O-Focus gear ratio will work well with most of these lenses, but a friction-driver wheel will not, because the lens damping will cause slippage. These lenses with damping should always be used with geared drive, and with most lenses, a larger lens gear (as opposed to a zip gear) will help even more regarding range spread.
 
Here’s a nice pic from a shoot I’m currently on with the O-Focus DM Photo Set adapted to 19mm rods and the friction gear mated to a Canon 17-55 lens on a Scarlet.

552297_410243275655800_100000103924091_1684814_969650982_n.jpg
 
Trevor Meeks said:
The OConnor FF is far more flexible and a much more finely-tuned product than the RR Blue, and although the RR is obviously desirable because of the price, when you stack it up against the OConnor, you'll see the OConnor shine in terms of features, performance, and professional quality.
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Good info here. We went with the FF1 and the O Box, in addition you can add the O'Connor O grips and they screw on straight to the mattbox. Just looking for a shoulder pad to drop off 19mm rails now.
 
The feature I like most about the DM was that it had two "hard stops" that can be set manually. So you can set two focus points to rack back and forth to. I wish there was a product that allowed 3-4 hard stops.

Eric J. Johnston said:
Here’s a nice pic from a shoot I’m currently on with the O-Focus DM Photo Set adapted to 19mm rods and the friction gear mated to a Canon 17-55 lens on a Scarlet.

552297_410243275655800_100000103924091_1684814_969650982_n.jpg
Click to expand...
 
NEED a swing arm similar to the CFF-1 for my O focus. My shorter Leica R primes are not fitting my O focus and lightweight matte box at the same time.
I love my O focus, more than any other FF I've had, including the Arri FF4, and O'connor CFF-1

I need to get the O focus as close to the camera body as possible on the 15mm rails, this over shoots the focus gear on my lenses by about 1cm, if you guys can make a swing arm, so I can mount the focus gear... Swing arm on the outside of the O focus, focus gear on the inside of the swing arm. That should solve the shorter... Still lense plus matte box, both riding on lightweight 15 mm rails
 
I've got both the O-Box and O-Focus DM Photo. Great products!

I'd love to see one thing.

An additional larger friction wheel/gear that would provide finer focusing for Canon lenses.
 
I know OConnor is working on a larger friction gear for driving small stills lenses, that should solve your problem unless you need a 0.8 pitch gear.
 
Satsuki Murashige said:
I know OConnor is working on a larger friction gear for driving small stills lenses, that should solve your problem unless you need a 0.8 pitch gear.
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That's great news!

I hope that as the DM Photo is such a recent product, that they will offer that to the current owners at no cost.

Certainly helps to build good will and free advertising from happy users - if the product just keeps getting better, kind of like the RED cameras do with every free new build!!!!
 
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