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Electronic Follow Focus System for Dual-Focus Anamorphic Coupling
  • B3GuyB3Guy

    Check out this setup! I've dreamed of building something like this for a long time, but I don't have the programing know-how. IMO, one of these would be well worth the bulk and extra battery. Some of the projector anamorphics are the best out there (like his Kowa).

  • 4 Replies sorted by
  • kavadnikavadni

    Very cool. I am also interested and have also contemplated building. In theory it's 2 x arduinos or similar, one reading a rotary encoder, the other driving a stepper motor.

    EDIT: Actually only one arduino would be required

  • BurnetRhoadesBurnetRhoades

    As a prototype this should serve as its bulkiest, most fragile form which, as-is, isn't unmanageable. Now that he's proven it works he can set about refining the parts to make it potentially sleeker and more up to handling potential abuse in the field.

    I've seen other devices at this level of development successfully make it through a round of crowd-sourcing to get to the next level and ready for customers so, hopefully, this fellow is thinking along these lines. It would open up a world of high quality optics that are, currently, mostly unusable for non-experimental, non-test subjects. Lack of FF is a deal breaker for narrative and documentary work, AFAIC.

  • B3GuyB3Guy

    The key to this is the servos/motors he is using and their size. Some of it might get smaller, but much of the size is in those, and (IMO) he has wisely gone with some beefy ones.

    I think he should make the rear anamorphic clamp and the lens support one solid unit, then mount the anamorphic servo to that unit instead of to the rails. That way, the servo can remain set up and the anamorphic can remain correctly aligned when switching out the main "taking" lens. Just slide the lens support forward on the rails (and the whole anamorphic, servo and assembly too, since they are attached), change the "taking" lens on the camera, and slide the anamorphic assembly back in place.

    Thoughts?

  • BurnetRhoadesBurnetRhoades

    I like your idea. Anything to help minimize the additional downtime with lens changes. We're still way ahead of the game compared to what's involved with a lens and mag change on a film camera, but simplifying things also reduces error on the part of the operator when things get late or something happens to maybe frazzle the AC.

    The only time I've ever seen a real life display of contrition as profound as a samurai begging his master for permission to disembowel himself was seeing an AC realize they made a mistake that cost the production that last take that everyone was happy with.

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