Until the REDMOTE PRO comes out, Canon lenses are...

[Ryan Koo]

... not nearly as useful?

Due to price, I'm interested in Canon L primes. Great optically, yes they have issues for cinema use (breathing, manual focusing), but for the price they're hard to beat, especially compared to PL lenses at $4k-$20k a pop (most of which are a stop slower). After watching some demos of the Birger Canon mount with the Viewfactor Impero follow focus... that's pretty incredible, right? And one can only assume that the reason RED has made a great electronic Canon mount (and is selling SCARLETs with Canon mounts as a default option) is so this kind of functionality can become much more the norm. You know... being able to pull focus without using bulky lens gears and follow focuses (focusi?). Pretty awesome.

But until the REDMOTE PRO comes out... is there an alternative for pulling focus, other than to deal with the crappy focus rings on Canon still lenses by hand? I'd like to be able to shoot cine-style with a SCARLET-X package and Canon primes until the REDMOTE PRO comes out, and given we haven't heard anything about that in quite some time... it could be a while. Thanks for any thoughts!

 

[Jason Beckwith]

Get your 'L' lenses cinevised by Duclos.

I've also found Zacuto's zip gears work pretty well for still lenses.

You can also assign the wheel on the side handle to focus... I'm pretty sure.

You could also get a red-mote for now, and sell it when the pro is available.

 

[Roberto Lequeux]

What Jason said. I too think Redmote Pro will be a mega-hit. Most haven't seen what Birger can do. Remember you'll also have the Nikon option as well. Would love to hear ETA on Redmote Pro.

 

[Demetri Zuev]

Ryan, here's a quote from Jarred in the Canon mount thread

"both REDMOTES will " Manually " control focus.. the REDMOTE PRO uses a proper focus knob.. the REDMOTE you use the scroll wheel that surrounds the NAV."

So you WILL be able to remotely control focus on Canon lenses even without the Redmote Pro, using just a regular Redmote. Jarred stated this at lest three times in that thread

 

[Andrew M.]

Yes, but I can’t imagine pulling focus with the scroll wheel especially in 4K.
I think I will get some Imperio gears mean time.

http://www.viewfactor.net/index.php/products/controls/impero.html


Anybody knows if Curt is out of the woods with the motors yet?

http://www.viewfactor.net/index.php/products/motors.html


Andrew

 

[Tim Bradley]

Anybody knows if Curt is out of the woods with the motors yet?

http://www.viewfactor.net/index.php/products/motors.html


Andrew

Hi Andrew, We are still waiting on the Viewfactor stuff, but things seem to be coming along gradually. The last update from Curt was that the final boards were due early November, so they should be in now. I would not hold your breath for the follow focus system to be released soon as it been a three year journey so far.

 

[Andrew M.]

I use his Imperio and kind of got used to it.

Fast, smooth and very precise and very ergonomic. But I need his motors with EPIC.
I think he could modify Imperio firmware to work with EPIC and Canon lenses though.

RED should open the remote communication protocol to facilitate 3rd party addons, if it is not already out in the open.

Don’t think RED scrabbles communications from REDMOTE

 

[Ryan Koo]

Thanks Demetri, but yes as Andrew said -- no one actually wants to pull focus with a scroll wheel. Compare that to the smooth action seen here:

http://blip.tv/red101-dvd/birger-mount-pt-i-1951045

 

[Demetri Zuev]

Thanks Demetri, but yes as Andrew said -- no one actually wants to pull focus with a scroll wheel. Compare that to the smooth action seen here:

http://blip.tv/red101-dvd/birger-mount-pt-i-1951045

Well, until the REDMOTE Pro comes out then, I'd just use an FF with hard stops (like the Arri mini FF) and equip it with a smaller gear to get more rotation out of it with a short focus throw Canon lenses have (I hope I remember it right — smaller gear=longer rotation).

 

[Troy Bakewell]

Anyone know approx when thr REDmote pro will arrive? 3-6 months? A year? Longer?

 

[Andrew M.]

Anyone know approx when thr REDmote pro will arrive? 3-6 months? A year? Longer?

Very good question......

he,he,he....

 

[Ryan Koo]

Asked this Q in another thread, but didn't get an answer. Anyone?

Jarred,

Can you comment on the responsiveness of the Redmote Pro and Canon L Series glass? Could you 'competently, accurately, and quickly' pull focus with this system? ie if one was looking at setting a kit up and deciding on glass would you recommended (given the above) the Canon glass? Responsiveness though?

Have the same question... along with how SMOOTH the focus pulling is. If you look at this, for example:

http://www.okii.net/product_p/ct-001.htm

The focus "steps" like crazy. Is it possible to electronically pull focus with Canon L glass much more smoothly?

I'm not asking about the REDMOTE PRO because obviously no one's used it, but as a matter of the lens itself -- with the Birger mount, for example, was it as smooth as a physical FF?

 

[James Brundige]

Thanks Demetri, but yes as Andrew said -- no one actually wants to pull focus with a scroll wheel. Compare that to the smooth action seen here:

http://blip.tv/red101-dvd/birger-mount-pt-i-1951045

I'm using a Zacuto follow focus on Canon lenses. Works fine, completely viable option. The resistance of the wheel might feel better than electronic control (which I have not tried). I hope the Redmote has tension on the wheel, or an adjustment for that.

I'm using Zacuto bolt on rings until Nikon mount comes out; then I'll go delrin when I've tested both set ups. Gonna have a Canon 16-35 vs. Nikon 17-35 shootout.

 

[Troy Bakewell]

Cant wait for that shoot out.