What are the pros and cons of using a top vs bottom rail system for Follow focus?

[Enrique Blein]

I'm trying to decide whether to go with bottom rails or top rails for a mattebox/follow focus system. So far the only advantage I can see is that with top rails I don't need a raiser, and that Red offers a DSMC 19mm Top Mount with an integrated Swat rail where I can attach the Top handle:

http://www.red.com/store/rail-components/product/dsmc-top-mount-rod-compatible

Any thoughts on this?

 

[Brian Iannone]

I thought that matteboxes and follow focus systems almost always typically go on a bottom rail system.

 

[Julio Quintana]

I thought that matteboxes and follow focus systems almost always typically go on a bottom rail system.

They do.

 

[Art Chong]

If you want to use a matte box, you're probably going to need to go with bottom rods. Is not using a riser worth that much to you? Also, if you flip a follow focus upside down, you're going to reverse the throw, so you need a follow focus with a reversible gear or use backwards throw lenses like Nikons.

 

[Phil Holland]

I've been scratching my head on this one. One advantage I can think of for those "self operating" is if you are using a shoulder rig that places the Epic/Scarlet below your chin (against your chest) like many have done, top mounting may feel more natural.

However, if on top of your shoulder, and that would be very awkward.

 

[Lee Saxon]

backwards throw lenses like Nikons.

Propaganda! Nikon goes the right way and the rest of the world is backwards

 

[Eric J. Johnston]

The OConnor CFF-1 has a removable swing arm (mountable an either side) that also rotates 360 degrees. It is possible to mount the unit on top rods; and when in the upright position this maintains the usual “cine” direction of lens rotation. Shown in (poor) pic below...

Last week at RED Studios I used an O-Box Mattebox with a second LWS bracket mounted on top of it with 3” rods. I turned the CFF-1 upside down (top mounted from the 3” LWS mattebox supported rods) to reverse the rotational direction for use with a still photo prime lens on the Scarlet.

 

[Jackson Yeung]

I would strongly avise against it. Traditionally follow focus's go under the lens so you don't block the witness marks. You will confuse many 'traditional' focus pullers if you build a rig that HAS to be top mounted. (Not to mention the backwards lens throw).

Also, mounting more weight on the top rods of an EPIC/ Scarlet doesn't sound like a good idea to me..