New FF-wheel from Birger in Jan 2011!

[Carl Dieker]

– No View Factory Imperio FF-wheel is the other alike, Eric told me last spring when I was complaining about its lack of rubustness and stability. He revealed that he had gone back to the development of his own wireless FF-wheel. That all of his old "warranty certified" RED customers would be able to trade in their VF-FF and get a generous price for the new one. Google "Birger Engineering" to check for the latest announcements.

PS: Yes, I am planning to join stage 3 for an Epic-X. But in the meanwhile I will be able to focus more safely and when E-X arrives my Birger-package will be a lot easier to sell.

[N_Villers]

Birger has been working on this for quite awhile now. I had a peak when back in Boston visting family - my Mother has her office just 2 blocks away - and it looked very promising though mostly focused towards the DSLR crowd. It has a small lcd placed in the middle of the knob which turns around it. It's also much wider, which I was particularly pleased about. Eric claimed that that when changing the focus marker rings each lens will be properly calibrated to a set of witness marks that should not require recalibration. This for me has always been the kicker with the impero in that it requires consistent and yet seemingly random recalibration because it loses its place on the marker. I really don't use it for Pro work for this reason. The canon L glass looks stunning on the Red MX and even the impero is worlds above trying to get focus with an exteriour FF so its a shame that over the last two years the Birger mount has ultimately been for me a bit of a disappointment overall.

So... if your listening Eric... please, please, hurry. :001_smile: The mount is great, but the impero, well, hrmph, interesting but not for prime time.

I have not lost faith though, and I believe, based on what Eric demonstrated to me, that he is on the right track.

-noel

[Carl Dieker]

I rely heavily on my Birger/VF set up. It has performed very well for shooting action sports like kite surfing, speed cats/thunder cats, etc. But like you point out above, in a pro situation the Impero's irregularities make, for example, a coordinated effort with one person (DOP/A-foto) trying to frame the shots and the other (1st AC/B-foto) trying to pull focus if not impossible, but at least potentionally hazardous. For that reason, I have been forced to learn how to master both jobs at the same time. It's a great ride. And since "no Impero is the other alike" it's essential to really know the one in the palm of your hand.

[Kujtim Ereqi]

That very good to know. Birger has been OK. Impero not that good. Right now I have problems.. I'm glad Birger is taking this step..

[Stephen Pruitt]

I, too, am very much looking forward to this development, but we honestly have had very little trouble using the Impero in a feature setting. We find the marks almost never drift and our 1st AC has had no trouble pulling very difficult focus moves with the system.

Stephen

[Rubens Angelotti]

I Just bought a Birger with Eric, i was in Boston and he told me that the FF Wheel will really get out at mid of January. I got the mount, but have no FF wheel on it, the problem is that I'm trying to colimate the Birger and my canon Primes do not show the distance that they are focused. They keep showing 100 meters does anyone can help me? thanks a lot.

Rubens Angelotti - Brazilian DP
RED ONE MX # 8477
Birger Mount
Canon L Lenses
And now a RED 18-85

[Stephen Pruitt]

I often get bad data on distance settings. Some lens clearly work better than others with respect to distance. It is possible I might not be doing something properly, but, except for the idata, the system works perfectly for us. Actually, I find it a joy to use!

Stephen