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View Full Version : Are there any 19mm follow focus units out there?


Stephen Pruitt
12-16-2007, 03:46 PM
Hi all. . .

It seems like ALL of the follow foci I can find out there look like they are for 15mm rails only. Since the RED's production pack is 19mm, this leads to a bit of a problem. Does anyone have any 19mm suggestions that won't break the bank (I'm thinking maybe $1500)?

Thanks much.

Stephen
Brook Willard
12-16-2007, 04:05 PM
In that price range? Probably not. The 19mm standard is a new one, so the only real way to find a 19mm follow focus is to go for a newer unit... like an FF4 or FF5 with 19mm bottom.

I think there was some third party a while ago that posted about making a new [lower cost] film-worthy FF unit...
Stephen Pruitt
12-16-2007, 04:19 PM
Geez. . . that's really unfortunate. The ARRI gear is WAY, WAY, WAY overpriced. Man. . .

Okay. . . is there any way to get a RED mounted to 15mm rails????

Stephen
Jim Exton
12-16-2007, 04:31 PM
Buy a 35mm bridgeplate and rods. 15mm rods, 100mm spacing.
Mike Prevette
12-16-2007, 04:55 PM
This will get you from full size 15mm (100mm center) to Light weight 15mm. http://cgi.ebay.com/Adaptor-15mm-to-15mm-Bridge-plate-for-Arri-Chrosziel_W0QQitemZ120194593343QQihZ002QQcategoryZ 3319QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Stephen Pruitt
12-16-2007, 05:06 PM
What a mess! I just wish that RED had stayed with 15mm rails.

Yech. I am obviously going to be having to spend A LOT more money than I had hoped.

:-(

Stephen
Matthew Rogers
12-16-2007, 06:57 PM
I think there was some third party a while ago that posted about making a new [lower cost] film-worthy FF unit...

Are you talking about this FF unit: http://www.donancamera.com/

I think they are trying to deliver by March/April and are expected to sell for $1900-$2200.

Matthew
Hans von Sonntag
12-17-2007, 12:42 AM
In that price range? Probably not. The 19mm standard is a new one, so the only real way to find a 19mm follow focus is to go for a newer unit... like an FF4 or FF5 with 19mm bottom.

I think there was some third party a while ago that posted about making a new [lower cost] film-worthy FF unit...

Hi Brooke,

actually 19mm is not that new, IMHO. On Arri 35Bls and 35 III its been used since they came out. Thus, there must be used 19mm FF on the market.

Hans
PaulClements
12-17-2007, 03:54 AM
Are you talking about this FF unit: http://www.donancamera.com/

I think they are trying to deliver by March/April and are expected to sell for $1900-$2200.

Matthew
Donan's FF looks pretty good. Should be interesting to see how well it holds up under scrutiny.

Paul
Jaime Vallés
12-17-2007, 09:24 AM
Geez. . . that's really unfortunate. The ARRI gear is WAY, WAY, WAY overpriced. Man. . .

Okay. . . is there any way to get a RED mounted to 15mm rails????

Stephen

You could opt for the Zacuto offerings, instead of the RED Base Production Pack. Check them out here:

http://zacuto.com/RED.htm

They include 15mm rods, so you could use any standard follow focus unit with this setup. Not sure what the final prices will be on that. I'm torn between going 19mm or 15mm myself. Argh!!!
Mitch Gross
12-17-2007, 10:49 AM
When looking at 15mm rods, please remember that there are two types of systems. There is the sliding baseplate-style, which have the rods spaced 100mm apart, 119mm below the lens center and not centered to the lens, and the lightweight 15mm rods (commonly found on 16mm & video cameras) that are 60mm apart, 86mm below the lens center and are centered to the lens. The Zacuto system uses the lightweight 15mm rod design.

19mm rods are 104mm apart, 119mm below lens center and centered to the lens.

Mitch Gross
Abel Cine Tech
Mitch Gross
12-17-2007, 01:11 PM
Why I should never post stats from memory.

Eric from Arri sent me a helpful reminder of the proper distances (I was mostly accurate, but that's how missiles hit innocents, right?).

Lightweight 15mm rods distance to lens center: 85mm, not 86.
Sliding baseplate 15mm rods distance to lens center: 118mm, not 119mm.
Sliding baseplate 19mm rods distance to lens center: 120mm, not 119mm.

Mitch Gross
Abel Cine Tech
Brook Willard
12-17-2007, 01:32 PM
What a mess! I just wish that RED had stayed with 15mm rails.

Yech. I am obviously going to be having to spend A LOT more money than I had hoped.

:-(

Stephen

90% of the world uses 19mm. The bummer is that the largest market [aka LA] uses 15mm.

Hi Brooke,

actually 19mm is not that new, IMHO. On Arri 35Bls and 35 III its been used since they came out. Thus, there must be used 19mm FF on the market.

Hans

Very true, I was wondering if somebody was going to catch me on that. The bummer is that the vast majority of the gear out there is still 15mm offset.
Mike Prevette
12-17-2007, 06:44 PM
Pretty much the whole west coast is either 15mm studio or lightweight. Very hard to find 19mm stuff if you need it over here.
Greg M
12-17-2007, 07:05 PM
We are 19mm down South and all my rental houses have 19mm. Personally for studio config it is superior.
Mitch Gross
12-17-2007, 08:17 PM
When Arri introduced 19mm rods the biggest LA rental houses basically decided that they were so heavily invested in 15mm that they saw no need to change over. So LA basically remains 15mm.

Abel Cine Tech is based in NY & LA, so we have both available.

Mitch Gross
Abel Cine Tech
David Mutchler
12-18-2007, 09:59 PM
Red, if you can hear me... Please make a 19mm FF to go with the 19mm MB.