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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 :)

which wireless follow focus to buy?

I have just finished researching all of the products currently available.
I am ordering the Arri Kit. for $16.5K its half the price of the PRESTON and beats everything on the market.

Arri makes awesome stuff does anyone think they would make anything shit?
I like the ARRI WCU-3 controller and so does my focus puller (THAT THE MAIN THING)
I fly a steadicam Archer 2 with G50 arm and I have just ordered the new Zeiss CP2 lenses (Except the shit 18, 21 and 22mm, apparenty zeiss are making T2.1 next year!)

The Bartech are cheap and relatively lightweight but the Zeiss is compact and easily held in one hand whereby the Bartech are two separate boxes for the focus puller to hold.

I cant see why you would need to pay more money for the preston.

Again has anyone seen ARRI make any shit products? This is why I have just ordered the ARRI RED 2 motor kit.
 
Nick,

Actually, I know and acknowledge the Bartech is a great little and very dependable unit and I'm pretty sure my bad experiences are not representative of the actual product's quality. I mean, the design is very fine. It is small and light and straight to the point. I'm pretty sure the erratic behavior I've witnessed was due to broken antennae and poor maintenance. "Don't be gentle, it's rental" seems to be the local modus operandi around here.

My only legitimate complaint is the lack of auto calibration, and I believe that this can definitely be addressed by the cost of technology of today. I just wish that the local renters would turn the page and put something new on their shelves. I mean, I work in the film gear rental industry here and work very hard with my colleagues to make sure we provide tip-top service, the best equipment, and be competitive. That's for grip and electric that is. I wish the local camera houses stepped up their game followed suit.

In a nutshell, Bartech is okay, but getting old. Funky behavior is local phenomenon. The rest is ranting... or most of it is ranting.
 
Tim Duran said:
Preston has a new RF filter in their system, which is a big deal now--talk to the sound guys about set interference.
Click to expand...

I have a feeling that this might be a big part of the issue with the "lower end" units. Cail Young noted about the Scorpio wireless follow focus "works okay except if there's lots of WiFi around". It might be a reasonable theory to say that the higher end systems have more refined or protected RF signals that would reduce interference and not mess with the wireless command from the controller to the receiver. If that was the case, I could see how it would factor in to "poor range, wouldn't work if you were too close, would jump back and forth". Better signal = more reliable control.

I think that makes sense...
 
Digifox works fine and I had a bad experience with bartech but I think the unit was damaged.
 
Adam, what's included in your $16,500 ARRI kit? That's a lot lower than what I was quoted. I heard list was close to $24,000. Are you talking a one, two or three axis system?
 
That was for the 2 axis kit from Charles Rowe at Abel Cine. The extra motor would add another $2900 to the kit.

DESCRIPTION
Arri 2 Axis Wireless Lens Control System
Arri UMC-3A Universal Motor Controller
Arri CLM-3 Controlled Lens Motor
Arri Gear Z=60 / 0.8
Arri Cable for UMC-3 to RED P-Tap

ARRI 2 AXIS WIRELESS LENS CONTROL SYSTEM
1 AR-312792
1 AR-312808
2 AR-312800
2 AR-312806
1 AR-312812
16,499.00
 
RED need to bring out their own solution
RED design and build with RRED pricing

That and a wireless HD video module

Stay away from ViewFactor.. they have taken a lot of peoples money and gone into hiding
 
roryhinds said:
Stay away from ViewFactor.. they have taken a lot of peoples money and gone into hiding
Click to expand...

from what I've heard of it, that situation is such a shame... I hope they turn it around, give people a good product and clear their name.
 
I hear you Mitch, just not sure how you redeem yourself from taking peoples money, not giving them a refund and refusing to communicate with them.

Its a shame they rode on RED's success at the beginning with people willing to invest in a tool that was still in design, only thing is RED delivered and communicated.
 
I'm not a View Factor appologist, but according to their last communication a month or so ago, they have in fact refunded all deposits to those who have asked for them. I didn't see any clips challenging that. Treat that as you may.
 
Tim Duran said:
I'm not a View Factor appologist, but according to their last communication a month or so ago, they have in fact refunded all deposits to those who have asked for them. I didn't see any clips challenging that. Treat that as you may.
Click to expand...

Nice. That's good news.
 
I actually have a view factor unit. It works, but is buggy at times. You get what you pay for. I will probably trade up soon, it's working O.K. but I would never consider renting this thing out. In the mean time I hope it doesn't break cause I'm not sure it could get support for it.
 
well I guess the other brands should be thankful to VF as this whole situation highlights why the other guys charge what they do so you get a working unit that is supported and jobs can depend on.... I sound like a Visa ad :)
 
Roberto Lequeux said:
Thank you for sharing and adding detail Alexis. And Nick, and everyone else.

Anyone used the Bartech in -- extreme -- cold?
Click to expand...

Does Canada count as extreme cold? We had spots of below minus 40°C last year...

It works fine in my experience. I mean, you get the usual garbage with batteries draining faster. Otherwise we had Hédèn motors on all the kits we rented and they seemed to take the cold fine.
 
The biggest issue in the cold is the lenses. If the lenses haven't been winterized, the grease can get very thick and make them very hard to turn.

Nick
 
Nick Gardner said:
The biggest issue in the cold is the lenses. If the lenses haven't been winterized, the grease can get very thick and make them very hard to turn.

Nick
Click to expand...

Additionally, there's probably a factor of motor torque that will turn a cold lens that hasn't been winterized. I've seen that in some of the info pages for the follow focus units - something along the lines of "this motor will drive even the stiffest of lens when cold". Which also probably means that you could swap the motors in your wireless FF kit, if needed - like adding a better motor to a ViewFactor or Bartech kit if you're doing a lot of very cold weather shooting.
 
Chrosziel

Chrosziel

Hi partners.
Just one question...where does I get to buy the Chrosziel Digifox. At what shop.
Thank a lot
Fede
 
Cail Young said:
Adam, you'll want somebody to make up a camera start stop cable as well. Shouldn't cost too much.
Click to expand...

Hi Cail

I thought that came with the kit?

Hopefully I will be getting it soon. I have bought an Origo anyway for the new MANTIS kit. Otherwise my focus puller can press the RED button!
 
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