Follow Focus for Canon XH

[Marcel D. Van Someren]

Originally Posted by Stuart Graham

Marcel, I'm going to ask some really silly questions here...

Should I get the 12", 18" or 30" (deluxe) IndiSYSTEM rail for my XH A1?

Does the Shrigg Rig make the camera upside down for some reason? Do I need one of those?

There are four different IndiFOCUSpro follow focuses - normal, geared, geared deluxe and geared ultimate. Which one should I get?

Thanks!

It really depends on what you are planning on doing. I got the 18" rails because I planned to use a 35mm adapter as well. If you never plan on using an adapter, then the 12" rails will work.

The normal FF, I think it's listed as "Universal" is the least expensive one ($299) and that's the one with the friction wheel, or at least it was when I purchased it. I strongly suggest that you give Tim a call at Indifocus and tell him what you are doing so that you make sure you get the correct one. He's very helpful.

You don't need the Shrigg Rig. That's only for 35mm adapter users that don't have flip modules. It mounts the camera upside down so that the video comes out right side up and appears right side up when looking at the LCD flip out monitor.

[Stuart Graham]

Marcel,

I will go for the 18" rail in case I ever get a 35mm adapter.

I'll check with Indifocus on the FF before I buy.

Thanks for all the help :)

[Jeremy Nemeth]

I recently just experimented with using my G1 with my Letus, Follow Focus and Shoulder mount and found that even though the shoulder mount helps alot, things become extremely tricky to change the focus. I know that I need to counter-weight the rig to balance it, but while changing the focus, I become wobbly... Any suggestions to help change focus and not moving too much with this type setup?
Thanks!

-Jeremy

[Bob Hart]

I have a sort of method which feels and is weird and un-natural when freehanding the Letus/camera combination on the shoulder or overhead.

I use the wrist-end palm of my right hand as support under the Letus body and work the lens focus directly from beneath through the rods with my right fingertips or support the right rod with the inner hook of my thumb and work the lens with the fingertips more from the right side.

I hold the camera from above with my left hand, thumb under handle, fingers on top of it. Rolling and stopping the camera gets a bit tricky. The Sony Z1s, EX1s and the JVC GY-HD*** have a second run button on top of the handle and I use the left-hand finger 3 or 4 to set it off. However being a musician, that comes easy.

The newer low-friction manual-autofocus stills lenses are easy to operate but the older and better metal-bodied manual lenses are harder as they have a high friction lubricant and are not so easy to snap-focus with finger pressure.

Supporting the main weight high from the camera handle induces a front-down pendulum effect which can be a little helpful keeping things steadier hand-held.

[Christopher Warwick]

Originally Posted by Jeremy Nemeth

.., things become extremely tricky to change the focus. .. Any suggestions to help change focus and not moving too much with this type setup?..
-Jeremy

Hi Jeremy,

What kind of set up do you have in place at the moment for follow focus? I recommend you take a look at Philip Bloom suggestions here Philip Bloom Blog Archive My favourite things…

I'm thinking of investing in one of those follow focus systems myself, although would like to practice with them first to see which I like best.

Chris

[Jeremy Nemeth]

Chris,

I currently have the RedrockMicro Shoulder Mount and RedrockMicro Followfocus w/ the whips and speed crank to use with the LetusEx.
Not sure what you're in the market for, but I've found that one way or another, it is quite nice and makes life easier.

-Jeremy

[Chris Hurd]

This thread is a merger of several existing discussions concerning follow focus for the Canon XH series... and I'm just wondering if any of you are using this product currently:

IndiSYSTEM - Studio 4 Productions - Products

If so, please report! Thanks in advance,

[Marcel D. Van Someren]

I am using this system. I use the friction wheel when using the A1 with a bare lens and the gears when using an adapter. About my only complaint with this system is that the gears protrude a little farther from the knob than some other FF out there. It can get in the way of a mattbox if you're not careful.

I've never used any other brand of FF so I don't have anything to compare it too. There is nothing fancy about this FF but it does get the job done. Is it as good as some of the name brands out there? Probably not. Buld quality is okay. It's not a fancy CNC piece of hardware. But it also costs only a fraction of what the big boys charge.

Again, it works. And the customer service is great.

[David W. Jones]

Originally Posted by Chris Hurd

I'm just wondering if any of you are using this product currently:

IndiSYSTEM - Studio 4 Productions - Products

If so, please report! Thanks in advance,

I have one Chris.
It is seriously a waste of money.

[Pavel Tomanec]

Hi, I got one too. I can't say how does it compare to others, the only one I have got before was the one from India on ebay known as Dvaccessory. Their follow focus was not as good as the Indi Focus but the Matte Box they offer is good value.

The IndiFocus I use only with the supplied rubber wheel on XH A1 focus ring which works well. Do not have 35mm adaptor so can't say about the gear rings anything.

I found a little odd the assembly of the unit, it has too many part and the tripod mount is not very stable, basically the tripod plate which attaches the unit to the follow focus rails is too tiny to do any serious job like running with the camera, etc.

I feel it is a good value for the money and Tim, the guy who runs the business is very responsive and helpful.

For budged solution I would recommend it unless you need to work in extreme conditions and doing lot of fast movements with the camera, then you may have to look elsewhere. The arm pad needs to be improved a bit too. But the carbon fibber rails are excellent and light.

Hope this helps.

[Marcel D. Van Someren]

Originally Posted by Pavel Tomanec

I found a little odd the assembly of the unit, it has too many part and the tripod mount is not very stable, basically the tripod plate which attaches the unit to the follow focus rails is too tiny to do any serious job like running with the camera, etc.

How are you using the tripod plate? It's designed to mount the rails to a tripod so you shouldn't be running with the camera attached to a tripod. If you're using it to mount the camera to the rails that may be why you feel it isn't stable.

[Pavel Tomanec]

Originally Posted by Marcel D. Van Someren

How are you using the tripod plate? It's designed to mount the rails to a tripod so you shouldn't be running with the camera attached to a tripod. If you're using it to mount the camera to the rails that may be why you feel it isn't stable.

Hi, ya, well not running with the tripod, well spotted. :)

That is what I probably meant when the camera is on my shoulders, like that walking, running, or fast panning I have to screw the knob which attaches the plate and rails to the camera really, really tight and still there is a little 'play'. It's a good product for the money I just felt that the mounting bracket could be larger, broader and have proper rustic surface where it touches the camera base.

If you have some tips you did find working why not to share them...?

[Marcel D. Van Someren]

I cut a piece of old bicycle innertube and glued it onto the indifocus base (the square one that the camera mounts to). That helps keep the camera secure. If you have the little pin installed in that base, the camera shouldn't twist much. With the added rubber, it doesn't move at all. some cork sheet would work as well.

[Stuart Graham]

Marcel

I haven't bought an Indifocus yet, but will probably get one soon. Is yours still going strong?

Do you find you can put focus distance marks on it and return to the same focus distance repeatably?

Or must you watch the focus distance on screen whenever focusing?

[Stuart Graham]

Did anyone succesfully remove the XH A1's instant AF sensor in order to slip a geared wheel over the top of the lens focus ring?