Chrosziel DV Follow Focus?

[Jaime Vallés]

Just curious. According to this (http://www.16x9inc.com/products/chrosziel/ac-206-01s.html) site, The Chrosziel DV Follow Focus unit is "designed specifically for HDV/DV cameras — small and light weight. The DV Studio Rig/Follow Focus is designed as a complete unit with a fixed handwheel; one-sided operation. It can only be used with lenses equipped with a focus gear ring."

My question is: Could I use that follow focus unit with Nikon prime lenses if I attach gear rings on them? If not, why? And is the DV version "worse" than the "Pro" version?

Basically, I'll be needing an inexpensive follow focus unit to use with a set of Nikon primes, but I'm leery of the Redrock Micro version. Thoughts?

[Jaime Vallés]

What about the Petroff Mini Follow Focus? How does it compare to others out there? For only $999, if it performs well, I think it's a winner. See the link here (http://store.zacuto.com/product.php?productid=42&cat=8&page=1).

[Kevin Halverson]

You might be able to use it with the right gear added to your Nikon lens, but I don't see a mechanism for setting the distance between the focus drive gear and the lens barrel. I would assume that there is some solution to this, but from this single image, its not apparent.

[Matt Garrett]

It looks like the distance is set by sliding the unit left/right before locking it down.

[Jaime Vallés]

You might be able to use it with the right gear added to your Nikon lens, but I don't see a mechanism for setting the distance between the focus drive gear and the lens barrel. I would assume that there is some solution to this, but from this single image, its not apparent.
I think how it works is by sliding the knob horizontally. There's a bolt that you can loosen at the bottom between where the rails go. See the attached picture below.

[Mike Prevette]

Well if you plan on using this on the Red, you might be out of luck. These FF are set up for 15mm LW not arri 19mm. So you'd need to oder the proper adapter. Also what was said before about the gear diameter having to be exact since this thing only has a minimal amount of adjustment. These things are belt driven, and have a fair amount of play in them once they get broken in. They work in a pinch, but considering how stiff most nikon primes are compared to their cine eqiv, you might be in trouble. My advice is take out a loan and get a real FF.

_mike

[Mick van Rossum, NSC]

Well if you plan on using this on the Red, you might be out of luck. These FF are set up for 15mm LW not arri 19mm. So you'd need to oder the proper adapter. Also what was said before about the gear diameter having to be exact since this thing only has a minimal amount of adjustment. These things are belt driven, and have a fair amount of play in them once they get broken in. They work in a pinch, but considering how stiff most nikon primes are compared to their cine eqiv, you might be in trouble. My advice is take out a loan and get a real FF.

_mike

Actually, I own one, using it on my Aaton A minima and used it recently on a arri 235. It is quiet nice and since there is no belt involved there is hardly any play. Yes one does slide it in to get the proper distance to the lens. Downside like all one sided follow focus is that once an assistant has to move from one side of the camera to the other (which is always just before takes) the whole FF has to come off and to flip over. Since calibration is only good for one side you need double focus rings.

cheers

mick van rossum nsc

[Mike Prevette]

I must have been thinking of the full sized ones with the belt.

[chuck colburn]

Well if you plan on using this on the Red, you might be out of luck. These FF are set up for 15mm LW not arri 19mm. So you'd need to oder the proper adapter. Also what was said before about the gear diameter having to be exact since this thing only has a minimal amount of adjustment. These things are belt driven, and have a fair amount of play in them once they get broken in. They work in a pinch, but considering how stiff most nikon primes are compared to their cine eqiv, you might be in trouble. My advice is take out a loan and get a real FF.

_mike

I believe the RED camera can be configured to accept 15mm rods on either 60mm or 100mm centers. The follow focus unit in the photo does not use belts. Not all belts stretch.

[Mike Prevette]

Everything I have ever heard from RED has been about 19mm rods.

[chuck colburn]

Everything I have ever heard from RED has been about 19mm rods.

Things must have changed. I remember not all that long ago that the plan was to make the unit adaptable with 15mm rods on either 60 or 100mm centers and 19mm rods on standard 105mm centers.

Oh well

[Mike Prevette]

http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?t=4319&page=8

[Zakaree Sandberg]

u can use 15 or 19

[chuck colburn]

That's what I thought.
thanks Zakaree

[Mike Prevette]

Everything everyone has talked about has been 19mm and an ADAPTER to use 15mm but not a 15mm native base?


all of our accessories are meant to bolt to 19mm diameter rods.. so if there is any 19mm pipe on your chair, they should bolt right on. If you have any ideas, Im sure Matt would love to hear them.

[chuck colburn]

Mike,

Looks like that riser must be one of the "accessories". And since 15mm and 19mm systems use different heigths that would make sense. I remember one early photo showing 15mm rods that clamped right along side the camera body. I think this is why I'm confused...mayby. lol

Chuck

[Jaime Vallés]

Thanks for all the feedback, guys. Good to know the Chrosziel DV FF works well. Has anyone used the Petroff (http://store.zacuto.com/product.php?productid=42&cat=8&page=1)?

Also, I know that RED's rails system works on 19mm rods. But, if I'm going to buy a Mattebox and Follow Focus that both use 15mm, can I just buy something like this (http://zacuto.com/universal.htm) (see attached pic), which is 15mm rods from the start? Why deal with different size rods, if all my accessories will work on 15mm rods? Or am I missing something important?

[Mike Prevette]

Jamie, the key is the distance from the center of the rods to each other and the distance from the center of the rods to the center of the lens. 19mm is what the camera is set up for which has a wider center and a deeper center than either 15mm standard. So In order to use 15mm accessories you have to use one of the adapters pictured above WITH a the 19mm set up. It's a total drag. I'm going to try and get a basic adapter made that would circumnavigate that and give you 15mm LW with no 19mm set up. It would work like the Chroziel LW rod setups for the full sized cameras (900's and varicams) We shall see.

_mike