Wireless Follow Focus affordable options (DJI vs RedRock Micro)

[Raphael_Carpenter]

I have recorded short video with my DJI Follow Focus - works perfect on Red Weapon/Cooke mini s4/i Lens.

https://youtu.be/pCots9qD210

Very smooth, powerful and accurate. Tested also with Zeiss CP.2 primes - same works as a dream.
Used to use RedRock Micro Wireless Follow Focus (still using) and I noticed a few differences between.

https://youtu.be/V5TsFTCxd-I

DJI Pros:
- less weight (motor & remote, best for drones and gimbals)
- less cables
- more accurate (with Cooke due to internal focusing mechanism)
- more features (4x pre-defined ponts, rack speed adjustments etc)
- LCD indicator with % !!!

RedRock Pros:
- FingerWheel !!! (best for gimbals)
- RangeFinder Sensor option (range sonar powered directly from RRM module)
- programmable RECORD button on remote
- powerful torque for stiff zoom lenses (ex Arri Alura)
- tested in battle, reliable since years...

is there any other affordable/recommended options?

 

[Neil Abeynayake]

Here you go,

Cinegears - wireless follow focus system

https://cinegears.com/wireless-follow-focus-system/



VariZoom - Wireless Lens Control

http://www.varizoom.com/wireless-follow-focus-s/1822.htm




PD1 Remote Air One (PD Movie)

http://ikancorp.com/productdetail.php?id=963




Movcam

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...01_102_single_axis_wireless_lens_control.html




CAME-TV MA-W1 Wireless Follow Focus Controller

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...ireless_follow_focus.html?_escaped_fragment_=




Chrosziel MagNum 300

http://shop.chrosziel.de/shop/eng/lens-control-systems/magnum-and-magnum-mini/magnum-mini-kits/?p=1


Have fun!

 

[Jon Carr]

Let's not forget RTmotion....

http://www.rtmotion.com/latitude

 

[David Peterson]

How is the CAME-TV MA-W1 Wireless Follow Focus Controller in use?

 

[Neil Abeynayake]

Have no clue. I don't use that one.

Google and you'd see a bunch of reviews. Here is one of them:

REVIEW: Came-TV Wireless Follow Focus System

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0M201srgkk

 

[Nathan Richards]

Have no clue. I don't use that one.

Google and you'd see a bunch of reviews. Here is one of them:

REVIEW: Came-TV Wireless Follow Focus System

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0M201srgkk

the Came-TV wireless follow Focus is an knockoff of Cinegears wireless follow focus, Came-TV stuff dosn't working.
Please check out Cinegears high Torque motors and professional wireless follow focus controllers

https://cinegears.com/wireless-follow-focus-system/

 

[Phil Holland]

Best Option = RTMotion
Best Budget Option = Tilta Nucleus M

I would avoid all but 2 or 3 of those other brands mentioned prior to this post for a litany of reasons.

 

[Nathan Richards]

Best Option = RTMotion
Best Budget Option = Tilta Nucleus M

I would avoid all but 2 or 3 of those other brands mentioned prior to this post for a litany of reasons.

Tilta Nucleus M is very weak motor, it is not designed for stiff lenses, the responsive speed and smoothness operation of Cinegears wireless follow focus is top of the line in the industry

 

[Björn Benckert]

Tilta Nucleus M is very weak motor, it is not designed for stiff lenses, the responsive speed and smoothness operation of Cinegears wireless follow focus is top of the line in the industry

Thats a statement think you need picture prof to back it up. Very interested to see them battling it out in a youtube video.

Cinegear on one side of a lens, Nucleus on the other. Both set to max tork, Both with same number of gears on the pulling wheels... then full throttle in opposite direction, like in arm wrestling Infinity mark one motor wins, near focus limit the other motor wins

Now, there is a lot more to it than strength of the motors. Reliability, precision and zero play seams to be difficult for most. Best motors I had so far are my 20 year old MRMOCO motors, they beat all other on every count. Strong enough to pull any lens to pieces and had not have any but my own service in 20 years. Tigning the gears with an alen key every now and then.

 

[Marcus Friedlander]

Thats a statement think you need picture prof to back it up. Very interested to see them battling it out in a youtube video.

Cinegear on one side of a lens, Nucleus on the other. Both set to max tork, Both with same number of gears on the pulling wheels... then full throttle in opposite direction, like in arm wrestling Infinity mark one motor wins, near focus limit the other motor wins

Lol that's hilarious! Definitely the next great YouTube series. And I would totally pay good money to sit ring side at these events hahahah. It's like the camera version of Floyd V Mcgreggor hahaha.

 

[Phil Holland]

Tilta Nucleus M is very weak motor, it is not designed for stiff lenses, the responsive speed and smoothness operation of Cinegears wireless follow focus is top of the line in the industry

Don't know if I'd agree with that statement. How stiff are we talking here?

 

[Nathan Richards]

Don't know if I'd agree with that statement. How stiff are we talking here?

Many professional focus puller love Cinegears wireless follow focus products, put it on Red ZOOM, ARRI Alura or Ultra Prime, you will see the difference.
Cinegears also make Multi Axis wireless follow focus system V4, 2018 upgrade model come with High toque Motor and touch screen receiver, full set of start stop trigger for ARRI, RED DMSC2, LANC, get the job done nicely.

 

[Tommaso Alvisi]

Nathan I think you have to contact the forum admins to become a reduser sponsor if you want to promote your products and avoid being banned...

 

[Phil Holland]

Nathan I think you have to contact the forum admins to become a reduser sponsor if you want to promote your products and avoid being banned...

Correct, and on a side note, I've not had great experience thus far with their gear.

 

[Jon Carr]

I personally would avoid the Cinegear wireless follow focus, had nothing but signal lost, it was actually interesting cause when I first had it worked for 1 job. Then the signal kept getting lost. Talked to Cinegear about it, they told me how to reset it. Tried it, thought it was ok, but after a week of shooting the AC told me no. Then it seemed within 6 months the signal strength was losing range fast. Ended up with only a 5 foot range, so I got rid of it ASAP. Internal battery failure after 8 months. Basically had to keep a phone battery charger on it cause it would just die on me if it wasn’t constantly charging. All in all, invest in a wireless follow focus you want to keep for years to come. Not for right now needs. For me that was RTmotion. Never failed me, was easy to build it into a FIZ over time and I know it works with every lens, camera so I know my RTmotion will outlive my weapon, and on to the next generation of DSMC/Alexa cameras.

 

[Nathan Richards]

I personally would avoid the Cinegear wireless follow focus, had nothing but signal lost, it was actually interesting cause when I first had it worked for 1 job. Then the signal kept getting lost. Talked to Cinegear about it, they told me how to reset it. Tried it, thought it was ok, but after a week of shooting the AC told me no. Then it seemed within 6 months the signal strength was losing range fast. Ended up with only a 5 foot range, so I got rid of it ASAP. Internal battery failure after 8 months. Basically had to keep a phone battery charger on it cause it would just die on me if it wasn’t constantly charging. All in all, invest in a wireless follow focus you want to keep for years to come. Not for right now needs. For me that was RTmotion. Never failed me, was easy to build it into a FIZ over time and I know it works with every lens, camera so I know my RTmotion will outlive my weapon, and on to the next generation of DSMC/Alexa cameras.

Hello Jon, I would first like to say that all Cinegears products come with a standard 3 year warranty. Furthermore, there are many reason that your unit may have lost signal but the most common would be that the antenna is damaged. We would be very happy to take a look at your product and see what we can do to fix it. Our product has been proven by many rental houses, producers and general customers to be a solid and robust product and we would like to help you experience that as well.

 

[Russ Fill]

Thats a statement think you need picture prof to back it up. Very interested to see them battling it out in a youtube video.

Cinegear on one side of a lens, Nucleus on the other. Both set to max tork, Both with same number of gears on the pulling wheels... then full throttle in opposite direction, like in arm wrestling Infinity mark one motor wins, near focus limit the other motor wins

Now, there is a lot more to it than strength of the motors. Reliability, precision and zero play seams to be difficult for most. Best motors I had so far are my 20 year old MRMOCO motors, they beat all other on every count. Strong enough to pull any lens to pieces and had not have any but my own service in 20 years. Tigning the gears with an alen key every now and then.

PAY PER VIEW... Id watch..

 

[Jens Jakob Thorsen]

I have both the Cinegears and the Nucleus. The Nucleus is MUCH better build and the motors are MUCH stronger. You actually have to be careful with the high torque setting(yes its adjustable). Both are prone to RF interference, the cinegears to a ridiculous degree. I don know of a serious rental house that would have any of these in stock.

 

[AndreasOberg]

We have RT motion and they work great. Very strong motors and good controller. Also very precise.
Only little thing I had with dslr lenses is that when you start up the unit the motors hunt for the lens start/stop which it cannot find for DSLR lenses. Last I heard there were going to fix this so it could have been addressed already.

/Andreas

 

[Thai Christen]

We have RT motion and they work great. Very strong motors and good controller. Also very precise.
Only little thing I had with dslr lenses is that when you start up the unit the motors hunt for the lens start/stop which it cannot find for DSLR lenses. Last I heard there were going to fix this so it could have been addressed already.

/Andreas

There is a special firmware that will prevent motor from rotating at initialization. Then you can start the manual calibration for your Canon lenses. I haven‘t tested it because I don‘t own any Canon lenses.
But check Rtmotion helpdesk. You find the firmware and instructions.