Snap Focus – a new handheld follow focus idea

Kickstarter, the crowd funding platform, has some interesting product concepts for HDSLR filmmakers every now and then.

Here’s an intriguing idea by a fellow film student from NYU who teamed up with his neighbor Harry to produce a follow focus that uses the technology of bike brake systems. Cool and it seems to be a possible alternative to Zacuto’s Tornado hand-focus.

The price of $799 seemed high at first, but on a second thought this is a full handheld rig. What we don’t know is how good it is, how well and accurate focus can be controlled. I’m sure a review will come out sooner or later if you’d rather not gamble on the quality.
Go to their page to order a Snap Focus: LINK

Video Review: JAG35 electronic FF – impressive with trade-offs

The JAG35 electronic follow focus is a motorized focussing system that is controlled via a thumbunit.

After I had seen it at NAB this year and tested some similar products I wanted to take a closer look at this device which lies at one tenth the price of some of its competition while still delivering a working solution (with some trade-offs).

Buy it here: LINK

To get the exact package as seen in the video you will need the following items:
J2D or J3D motor*
LP-E6 battery plate
M1 thumb controller
12v powercable
3.5mm headphone jack cable
you might also need a D|gear or zip gear on your lens

In the video I’m using

and this

What I didn’t mention in the video:
A good idea to prevent your motor from going past a hard stop on your lens is to set it up so the controllers starting point equals the inifity point (or close focus point if you’re working closer to this one) on your lens. The motor is very accurate and this way you’ll have at least one point the motor will not overshoot.

Note:
The noise test clip at 6:15 has not been edited for noice cancellation or such.

*About the motors:
The J2D is Digital, has metal internal gears, higher torque, faster speed, and it rotates the lens barrel 150° a good match for iris or zoom on Cinema Lenses. It also has the added feature of being able to be used on either side of the lens by swiveling the motor head. The J3D Is also Digital and designed for longer throw lenses like Zeiss CP2 and other PL cinema lenses. It rotates the lens barrel approximately 330°.

Thank to the guys at DigiRental Vienna for their friendly service and support:
kameraverleih.at/

NAB 2011 – JAG35 rules – $325 wired thumb focus

By: Sebastian Wöber

I’ve reported about JAG35’s remote follow focus kit earlier this week. Here’s yet another amazing product for the indie filmmaker: A wired follow focus you control with your thumb. I tried it and it works pretty amazingly at an unrivaled price of $325. We’ll see their very versatile new battery pack that can also go with the thumb focus in another video here on cinema5D.

www.jag35.com

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