Truly affordable follow focus system $119

[Kwan Khan]

Please allow me to offer my congratulations and support to David

http://www.dfocussystem.com/dfocus.html

Video Tutorial;
http://vimeo.com/8131796

 

[Samuel Martin]

You get what you pay for. I'd say don't waste your money on it if you will be using cine lenses. That follow focus won't cope with cine lenses. No matter how you look at it, it just won't.

 

[Tim Sutherland]

I'd be afraid of those plastic gears in the gearbox. It looks like you'd start developing a lot of play pretty quickly.

 

[David (dudi) Namir]

Will not work. Not for cine, not with the plastic gears, not in the long run, not for real focus pulling. There is a reason why it cost only $119 and Arri FF-4 costs around $5K.

 

[J. Eric Camp]

HDSLR with some gear rings maybe... but never for me.

 

[Ryan S]

I'm just imagining trying to turn an Optimo, or even an RPP, on a cold day. *Clickclickclick* is the sound of the teeth on those gears snapping right off.

To his credit though, the video does show it being used on an SLR.

 

[Jacek Zakowicz]

experts

experts

It's funny how the majority slams this product here. You guys must be better experts than myself because I don't see anything essentially wrong with this system. For one Delrin as gear material is better than aluminum (and more expensive) since it contains teflon and will greatly reduce the gear meshing bumps. My advice: just try to ignore a price tag or send them $500 for the system if it makes you feel better: I'm sure they won't complaint...
(Guys, I know it's a sarcastic joke but give them some respect- they are trying their best to bring a product to the market at very attractive price point- probably losing money n the first 100 units or so...)
Ryan Optimos have the lightest focusing rotation out there(I just overhauled two 24-290s -I would worry more about brand new UPs but I think this will handle...)

 

[Liam Hall]

People said the Redrock follow focus was rubbish, yet I've used and abused one for about four years with no problem. It's not an Arri, but it does what I need it to - which admittedly aint much.

I think people are scared of change and new players in the market represent change. Having said that, those gears do look small! I guess we need somebody to get hold of one and give it a proper workout.

 

[axel ebermann]

I am all for cheap gear. However I would test it before I buy it . I got one of those Indian DV follow focus systems - and kicked it back.
If you are dealing with critical focus and your system has as little as 1mm slop in either direction you might as well just pull it directly on the lens.

Now I am poor but happy with my Chrosziel. German engineering in the house !!!

 

[J. Eric Camp]

I never said it was a bad product. Just not one that I will buy. I like my FF's to have a gear swing arm, be dual sided and to be able to reverse the gear. Give me that in a quality build for 5$ and I would be happy to buy.

 

[MichaelHalsell]

Price point is remarkable. But it looks like the product needs to be field tested.

 

[Martin Weiss]

Those guys have a fun blog: http://dfocussystem.blogspot.com/

 

[David Aldrich]

Hey gang, I'm David, creator, owner, founder, what-ever-you-want-to-call-it, of the D|Focus.

You guys have pretty much come up with what I have been telling people for a long time now, the D|Focus is for amateurs, hobbiests and first timers. I would not recommend it for professionals working in a fast passed environment. It's not that I don't stand behind my products, just trying to be realistic as to what it is. It is not a replacement for a Redrock Micro, Zacuto, Arri follow focus. Its a follow focus for an entirely different market. Its the HV20 of follow focuses.

I am an amateur / hobbiest and the D|Focus is all I will need. I built it for myself originally, because I didn't have much money and there was no way I needed a $600+ "knob on the side of the camera."

If you are curious, Philip Bloom has just posted a review and came to these same conclusions http://philipbloom.co.uk/2010/01/09/two-very-different-follow-focus-systems-for-hd-dslrs/

Just to address a few of the points brought up-

I'd be afraid of those plastic gears in the gearbox. It looks like you'd start developing a lot of play pretty quickly.

The gearbox tension is user adjustable, just tighten the nylon locknut on the drive shaft.

*Clickclickclick* is the sound of the teeth on those gears snapping right off.

You will never strip the gear teeth, even though they are plastic. They will slip on the shafts first. But yes, the D|Focus would not be a good follow focus for stiff cine lenses.

For one Delrin as gear material is better than aluminum

Delrin would make an excellent material for gears for a follow focus, but the D|Focus uses nylon miter gears and acetal drive gears.

I got one of those Indian DV follow focus systems - and kicked it back.

Yeah, I bought one of their first generation units to play around with. I can honestly say that the D|Focus V2 is far superior. They do have a V2 of their own out now that is suppose to be better.

Hope that clears a few thing up

David

 

[Ken Waller]

Thanks for dropping in David. Yeah most people here are dropping $20K for a set of lens so when you show up with a $100 lens tool your going to get some ribbing from them. Your item looks like it would be great for the HV20 crowd and would have no problem with that tiny focus wheel on the Canons lol. I would use this on a small DV Camera and who knows it may work fine on the Fixed lens Scarlet too. Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing your tool with us indy filmmakers.

Ken W

 

[Bryan Arnold]

Looks like a nice FF to me. Will it work with still lenses on a 35mm adapter? Can it be attached to 15mm rods?

 

[Ryan S]

Ryan Optimos have the lightest focusing rotation out there(I just overhauled two 24-290s -I would worry more about brand new UPs but I think this will handle...)

I should have used a different example, as I've never actually used an Optimo, I just read a post once about having trouble using an inexpensive FF with one on a cold day.

I just have to say, I saw the plastic teeth and it gave me the willies. That and the price tag made me think this couldn't be any good. I've seen some really awful FFs marketed for use with cine lenses, and I was worried that that was the case here. Though I noticed (and edited my post to say so) that this was shown with an SLR.

David, you sound like a stand-up guy, and i'm pleased to hear you be so honest and frank. I think you will sell a lot of these little items so long as there's minimal play.

 

[Samuel Martin]

If you buy this for your own usage then test it and if it works, use it, just as you might do for a red rock and other cheaper options. It depends what you do and what situation...

For commercial work this is just not on. Please do not attempt to turn up to a commercial shoot, feature film or high end promo with that FF. Noone will take it seriously. I know it sounds a little raw but it is the way it is. It is ARRI FF all the way and nothing else. It is not a matter of not wanting to change or fear of change, is that why change?

I doubt that FF will be able to handle a 25-250 HR lens or similar lens, it just won't. To me it looks weak for those type of lenses but may be for lighter weight lenses might just do the job.... Again, for personal use might just be enough...

 

[Jeff Coatney]

David, looks like you made a great product for your intended market and price point. Thanks for providing an affordable option.

 

[Liam Hall]

I
For commercial work this is just not on. Please do not attempt to turn up to a commercial shoot, feature film or high end promo with that FF. Noone will take it seriously. I know it sounds a little raw but it is the way it is. It is ARRI FF all the way and nothing else. It is not a matter of not wanting to change or fear of change, is that why change?

Did you miss the bit where the creator of this product said it was for amateurs and hobbyists?

 

[Michael Hastings]

It's funny how the majority slams this product here. You guys must be better experts than myself because I don't see anything essentially wrong with this system....

I'm with Jacek, It is annoying to see so much naysaying when it is clear that he isn't trying to misrepresent it or its capabilities.

I am making some servo lens motors using R/C servos. They are noisy and may not provide the precision or rapid setup needed for many shoots. I went ahead with it because for our underwater housings we don't need quiet or a great deal of repeatable precision. They give us much greater lens flexibility than mechanical drives AND most importantly we can put the knobs wherever we want.

I will offer these motors to the general market because the low price and easy remote capability (short distance wired or very long distance using low cost R/C radios) will make it suitable for some applications. But I really won't need 50 posts telling how it doesn't compare to Heden, Preston, Bartech, etc. etc.

My congrats to the manufacturer. Even though I make this kind of stuff myself I will probably buy one and his DSLR plate for my Canon 7D and my Zeiss C/Y lenses because it looks like he is providing a workable solution for that purpose at a very affordable price. And it looks like it might be a cheap, workable solution for someone starting with a scarlet on a budget.