LANC controller to zoom slow?

[Peter Wu]

The slowest zoom speed on my camcorder (sony fdr ax100) is not slow enough for me. This sometimes results in my video zooming, then stop, then zoom again in a jerky manner when I'm trying to finesse the slowest zoom speed out of the zoom control.

Is there a LANC controller that can send commands to slow zoom, stop, slow zoom, stop, slow zoom, stop...

If this is done fast enough (e.g. 30 times per second), it should make the camcorder appear to zoom slower than the slowest zoom speed, assuming the camcorder can react to LANC commands at 30Hz.

If there's no such LANC controller, is there a way to prevent the jerky zoom that I mentioned above?

I do have a LANC controller with a dial that can set the zoom speed, so if I set to 1, it would use the slowest zoom speed no matter how hard I press on the rocker control. But the problem is sometimes I do need to zoom faster and there's no time to turn the dial back to variable speed when that need arises.

[Christopher Young]

Unfortunately, the LANC protocol only supports a total of eight speeds for the zoom function. Eight speeds towards the tele end and eight towards the wide end.


I posted a couple of my experiences on LANC controllers on DVInfo only a couple of weeks ago. Maybe worth a look.

Chris Young


http://www.boehmel.de/lanc

https://www.dvinfo.net/forum/sony-xd...ontroller.html

[Barry Lloyd]

found a way to do it using Movavi VideoEditor Plus 2022 editings suite.

all you have to do it go onto the slow motion tab and insert into the video. once in there just stretch the section to slow it down more longer. the more you strecch it slower rthe zoom

YouTube (Short URL)

[Barry Lloyd]

found a way to do it using Movavi VideoEditor Plus 2022 editings suite.

all you have to do it go onto the slow motion tab and insert into the video. once in there just stretch the section to slow it down more longer. the more you stretch it slower the zoom

YouTube (Short URL)

[Barry Lloyd]

found a way to do it using Movavi Video Editor Plus 2022 editings suite.

All you have to do it go onto the slow motion tab and insert into the video. once in there just stretch the section to slow it down more longer. the more you stretch it slower the zoom, The white line in the clip is the zoom in and another zoom out butted together. each white line can be stretched to slow the section down even slower

YouTube (Short URL)

Best seen in full scree an Youtube is not the best

[Barry Lloyd]

found a way to do it using Movavi Video Editor Plus 2022 editings suite.

All you have to do it go onto the slow motion tab (highlighted on the left dropdown list) and insert into the video. Once in there just stretch the section to slow it down more. the more you stretch it slower the zoom, The white line in the clip is the zoom in and another zoom out butted together. each white line can be stretched to slow the section down even slower

YouTube (Short URL)

Best seen in full screen and Youtube is not the best

[Barry Lloyd]

don't know what is happening but everytime I edit/delete up comes another copy

[Peter Wu]

Originally Posted by Barry Lloyd

found a way to do it using Movavi Video Editor Plus 2022 editings suite.

All you have to do it go onto the slow motion tab (highlighted on the left dropdown list) and insert into the video. Once in there just stretch the section to slow it down more. the more you stretch it slower the zoom, The white line in the clip is the zoom in and another zoom out butted together. each white line can be stretched to slow the section down even slower

https://youtu.be/eiYOXhwhwKs

Best seen in full screen and Youtube is not the best

This works if the objects are not moving. Unfortunately I'm shooting people on a stage.

[Barry Lloyd]

I don't see why this should not work with people moving on a stage. You could try working on a copy of the video (not the original) always work on a copy. A quick facial expression for example inserted into the video may make it more interesting.



Just a very quick example of moving on stage and zoom. The length of time/speed of zoom depends on what you set. At the moment I can't find or even know if that progam will zoom in more. you could even slow that section down. the sound track may cause a few headaches doing sync etc , so best to seperate from video track. Also when in zoom you have the section your zooming in on doesn't get the top/bottom cut out. I could sort that out within that editing suite as it allow zoom up/down as well. But as i said this was a quick example done in less than 5 minutes

YouTube (Short URL)

see here

https://imgur.com/9rnSeP7

Done with Movavi Video Editor Plus 2022


hope this helps

[Don Palomaki]

Of course the issue with speeding up or slowing down the video is what happens to the sound.and apparent sped of movement. ZOOM is about framing, not time warping the action itselfs.

One way to do what appears to be a slow zoom is shoot the scene wide and than gradually stretch it in the NLE. In EDIUS it can be accomplished in LAYOUTER using key frames to set limits . (Somewhat like the Ken Burns effect.) The issue there is that this may result in too much resolution loss when the stretch is too great.

Another issue can be which LANC commands the camcorder recognizes. It is possible to send a command it does not recognize/respond to.

FWIW the Canon ZR-1000 supports 5 speeds plus variable.

[Barry Lloyd]

https://i.imgur.com/jWCtwA1m.jpg

why not just use one of these to control zoom

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by Peter Wu

If there's no such LANC controller, is there a way to prevent the jerky zoom that I mentioned above?

Try the Sony vct vpr1, it comes with a cheap tripod but you can detach the controller. The remote control is capable of very slow and controlled variable zoomspeeds, you can see it in action in below video. The controller has been on the market for many years but you can still order it from amazon. I have not tested it myself but it's listed to be compatible with the ax100

YouTube (Short URL)

[Christopher Young]

I've tried these, Noa. The thing is, they still have steps between the speeds. The more you press the zoom lever, it will progressively switch from one speed to another. There are only 7, 8 including from rest speeds in the LANC protocol. You cannot avoid the steps. Sure, you can move very smoothly and slowly in between each step but once you hit the next speed switch point you will see a step in the speed. Apparent either way, zooming in or out. There is no getting around the LANC protocol.

Not knowing the AX100 closely, but you may be able to use a modified setup using a wireless follow focus unit. I've used a PD Movie Air 2 wireless follow focus unit but used it on the zoom ring with a cut-down section of a 0.8 gear ring. Using double-sided tape for attaching the gear segment to the lens zoom ring. This setup can offer you a very smooth, true fully variable speed zoom control. Also, using the motor control app you can set A and B end points for your zoom. Plus if desired you can set zoom durations. I've even used it on a suitably modified to 0.8 zoom gear on a B4 lens for both zoom and iris control. The PD Movie had the greatest rotational torque of the follow focus units I tried. And that includes the Tilta Nucleus and the MOZA iFocus. A good, strong motor is necessary if you want good, smooth control. A number of working possibilities on the PD Movie unit are shown in the video linked below.

One word of advice though. Whatever you use this kind of setup on, make sure the lens is very firmly supported, preferably by a rail system and strong lens support, as the rotational torque of the PD Movie motor will want to deflect the lens out, up or down when power is applied. But this advice goes for any of the lens motor units, regardless of manufacturer.

Chris Young

PDMOVIE LIVE AIR 2S Instruction - Most comprehensive teaching - YouTube

[Pete Cofrancesco]

One thing I've never understood is why they never designed a step-less variable speed motor/controller. I'm not an expert in electronics but I know plenty of devices that simply have a potentiometer (variable resistor). Classic example dimmable light or remote control car to just name a few. And if you wanted to get more fancy have a few preset to control the curve of acceleration. I've been frustrated most of my career with the stepping issue filming staged events with camcorders. How is it possible to design such a terrible system and never fix it?

[Noa Put]

Originally Posted by Christopher Young

Not knowing the AX100 closely, but you may be able to use a modified setup using a wireless follow focus unit. I've used a PD Movie Air 2 wireless follow focus unit but used it on the zoom ring with a cut-down section of a 0.8 gear ring. Using double-sided tape for attaching the gear segment to the lens zoom ring. This setup can offer you a very smooth, true fully variable speed zoom control.

The ax100 does have one ring which is focus/zoom assignable but it's not possible to get smooth zooms out of it, you see it "stepping" when you very slowly turn the zoomring. I guess a controller like the Sony vct vpr1, eventough not perfect, is still a bit better then either manual zoom or using the zoomrocker. If that also is not good enough then it's time for another camera setup. :)