EX1 and Stanton jimmie jib

[Matthew Hurley]

I finally got around to mounting the EX1 on my Stanton jimmie jib. I had wondered for some time if the electronic controls would work with the EX1,s lens. Well i was happy to see that when used in conjunction with the Libec cable adaptor, (Sony to Fujinon turn around), I was able to attach the Stantons electronic lens control cable. This allowed me to use the cameras zoom and record function.

I then mounted the Stanton iris and focus gear set up on the side of the EX1. Now i have both electronic focus and iris control via this Stanton set up. It did take me a bit of rigging to adapt the iris/focus gear configuration to work with the Ex1, as like many pro zooms, these are external gears of a certain tooth pitch.

The iris gearing was very straight forward. No adapting required, as the iris has standard fujinon teeth. The focus did take a little effort on my part. I had to find a gear that would wrap completely over the rubber focus ring on the EX1.

So i went to my local hobby lobby story. Well i was in luck. In the R/C department, they had a very large choice of gears for various remotely controlled cars,planes and helicopters.

The gear that ended up working was a plastic main drive gear for a large r/c helicopters main rotor. The gear had the right tooth pitch i needed. I then put the gear on a lathe, machined out the center, leaving only the teeth area intact.

I then split the ring. It now can be wrapped around the EX1,s rubber focus area. It fits like a charm! So now, i have both electronic control of of the EX1,s zoom/record and focus/iris.

[Kenneth Sands]

I use Jimmy Jibs A LOT with Sony 1500s, XDCAM 700s, Thomson LDK 500s but not yet with my EX3.
Can you email me JPEGS of your FOCUS GEAR WHEEL?
Sounds great, well done!

[Warren Kawamoto]

How did you mount the focus and iris motors to the lens? The lens doesn't have a mounting hole.

[Jason Davenport]

Originally Posted by Kenneth Sands

I use Jimmy Jibs A LOT with Sony 1500s, XDCAM 700s, Thomson LDK 500s but not yet with my EX3.
Can you email me JPEGS of your FOCUS GEAR WHEEL?
Sounds great, well done!

I use a EX-3 with prompter on a Jimmy Jib every Tuesday for a show. I simple use CAVISION's EX-3 focus gear that wraps the lens, and use the (Film) focus servo that hopefully you have with the Jimmy jib. EX has VFGadgets plate with rod holders, to mount the focus servo. You have to add the extra little rod to get servo out from under lens and more to the side. And just add the Libec shorty cable with canon/fuji turn around.

[Matthew Hurley]

Originally Posted by Kenneth Sands

I use Jimmy Jibs A LOT with Sony 1500s, XDCAM 700s, Thomson LDK 500s but not yet with my EX3.
Can you email me JPEGS of your FOCUS GEAR WHEEL?
Sounds great, well done!

Here are some pic,s of my focus and iris set up.

Picture 1 shows an over head view of the focus and iris gear configuration.
Picture 2 shows the focus and iris gears mounted on the plate i made.
Picture 3 shows another angle of the gear combo.
Picture 4 shows the way i mounted the BLACK gear on top of the dedicated Canon gear without ruining the Canon set up.
Picture 5 shows the BLACK gear coupling to the GRAY gear on the focus ring of the EX1
Picture 6 shows the GRAY gear. It was a solid plasitic gear. I just machined out the center. It slips over the EX1,s rubber focus ring.

Total cost for modification was $12.00 american!

[Warren Kawamoto]

Thank you for posting those pics! I was going to say that there is no way to mount the focus and iris motors without some kind of custom bracket from a tripod mounting plate or base, which is exactly what you did. Good job!

[Matthew Hurley]

Originally Posted by Warren Kawamoto

Thank you for posting those pics! I was going to say that there is no way to mount the focus and iris motors without some kind of custom bracket from a tripod mounting plate or base, which is exactly what you did. Good job!

Thanks Warren. I did use a 1/8'' x 4'' flat stock piece of aluminum and a piece of 1/2'' x 2'' aluminum plate. Both from a local hardware store. Once i made the mount, i just attached it to the (Stanton) camera mounting base. As this was my first outing making this particular configuration, i have started to make another more streamlined version.

Here is what i am doing. I am making a 3+ inch split circular bracket that physically goes around the EX1 lens barrel. Off this on camera bracket will be attached the Stanton focus/iris servo's in their original manufacturers configuration. This will allow for less crowding of the ND control area on the EX1. Little background here. Long before i became a DP, i had gone to 2 different technical schools. One as a machinist and another for electronic,s. Though i have been around the world many a time as a DP, i really enjoy making things for my personal kit. To many times, we as shooters depend on "Off the shelf" purchases to get the shot. For me, its the getting there thats half the fun.

I once worked with a group of British film makers that did a lot of shooting natural history type stuff for the BBC. These guys could go to a local hardware store and cobble together some of the most simple of rigs, to get some very unusal shots. I have a great deal of respect for those guys. In these days of "I bought a nice camera, so i am a DP" mentality, it is comforting to know there are guys out there that still like to get dirty when getting the shot.

[Warren Kawamoto]

Originally Posted by Matthew Hurley

Here is what i am doing. I am making a 3+ inch split circular bracket that physically goes around the EX1 lens barrel.

Where on the lens will this bracket attach? From what I can see, there are two possible places your bracket could go:
1. Forward of the focus ring
2. Behind the focus ring

Will some sort of clamp tighten around the lens barrel? Sounds very interesting so far!

[Kenneth Sands]

Thanks for these Pics, great stuff!!