Well Built, Averagely Priced Follow Focus

[Daniel Soderberg]

I'm looking for a good follow focus brand that is built well yet also priced on the lower side (Below $1500). There are a lot of cheaper brands out there, like Cavision, Cinevate, Super35, etc. but I'm afraid I might buy something that is basically crap... Also hoping to have a way to adapt to 19mm rods.

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks,
Daniel

 

[Timur Civan]

Shoot 35 is pretty awesome.

 

[David (dudi) Namir]

Well built is Arri FF.
The FF-2 is around $1500 as only used to be found but it will be 15mm system only
The FF-4 is the best and will be 15mm and 19mm with adapters but will cost over $5000
There was a guy in Australia who used to convert the FF-2 to be able to work on 15mm and 19mm but can't find him anymore on the net

 

[scott william]

My cinevate has been good to me from my red one to the epic with the red zooms. i like its light weight, east to assemble or remove. i recommend it.

 

[Shervin Mandgaryan]

Not sure about well built but I just came across this FF from those nifty guys in India.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Proaim-Dual...614?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27caf75dee

Looks like a copy of a chrosziel or ARRI arm follow focus. I've got no idea about build quality or reliability with this thing, but for the price, it's absurdly cheap.

Personally, I use a Gini iFocus (Copy of Cinevate Durus) and it has served me extremely well. Built like a tank and operates very smoothly.

 

[Daniel Soderberg]

Thanks for the tips guys!

Scott, I assume you're talking about the Cinevate Durus? I hesitate to buy that one seeing that it only attaches to one rail. I'm worried it might get pushed off the gears too easy (I've had this issue with cheaper Follow Focus'). Have you found that to ever be an issue?

My cinevate has been good to me from my red one to the epic with the red zooms. i like its light weight, east to assemble or remove. i recommend it.

 

[Timur Civan]

Daniel, what kinds of lenses are you looking to use with it?

A lot of the lower cost models are geared for short throw still lenses. The durus is geared closer to a ff4.

 

[Daniel Soderberg]

I have Mark II Super Speeds. They have a 350 degree focus turn.

Daniel, what kinds of lenses are you looking to use with it?

A lot of the lower cost models are geared for short throw still lenses. The durus is geared closer to a ff4.

 

[Jon MIchael Puntervold]

I own the FF-4, but actually I enjoy the small LW15 Chrosziel more!

http://www.filmtools.com/chrosziel-dv-follow-focus-w-reverse-gear.html

 

[Daniel Soderberg]

For the Cinevate Durus, just realized, in order to get the gear closer to my smaller sized Super Speeds, I will have to tilt the whole system, including the wheel, towards the lens, angling the wheel (and my focus marks) upwards... Not sounding ideal.

My cinevate has been good to me from my red one to the epic with the red zooms. i like its light weight, east to assemble or remove. i recommend it.

 

[Peter Moretti]

I have not used one, but from a features POV, the Redrock blue FF looks very good:

http://store.redrockmicro.com/Catalog/microFollowFocusBlue/blueishere

 

[Michael Millichamp]

For the Cinevate Durus, just realized, in order to get the gear closer to my smaller sized Super Speeds, I will have to tilt the whole system, including the wheel, towards the lens, angling the wheel (and my focus marks) upwards... Not sounding ideal.

With the Durus, the wheel is adjustable. You can move it in any position to make it not tilt.

 

[J. P. Morgan]

Not sure about well built but I just came across this FF from those nifty guys in India.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Proaim-Dual...614?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27caf75dee

Looks like a copy of a chrosziel or ARRI arm follow focus. I've got no idea about build quality or reliability with this thing, but for the price, it's absurdly cheap.

Personally, I use a Gini iFocus (Copy of Cinevate Durus) and it has served me extremely well. Built like a tank and operates very smoothly.

I have used this exact follow focus quite a bit for a guy who owns their own camera package. It isn't awful, but has a lot of play in it. I would not recommend it.

I have also used the Cinevate double sided, and it is better, but not up to the level of the arri FF units...