easy to make diy follow focus
 

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...4quads/ff1.jpg


My aim was to create an off the shelf solution. In other words, parts that can be easily found and put together. Because of this, the total cost came to be about 130 bucks. Slightly more than you'd expect for a DIY project, but it will save you time, waste, and the headaches found in the usual DIY project.

what you need:

1. Home Depot - $29USD - Right angle drive(chuck): http://www.vermontamerican.com/Produ...190988&I=70740
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...7171_VA_pd.jpg
At home depot they have the same one but black in color. That's the one I got. IT has a hole at the elbow that I used for mounting. I also used the included screws to mount the gears and focus knob.

2. Redrock Micro - $60USD - focus gear: http://shopping.netsuite.com/s.nl/c....it.A/id.182/.f
Believe me, it is better to buy this pre-built one than trying to make your own. It's easy and quick to mount and remove, also it’s thick and can fit a wide range of 35mm lenses.

3: Guitar Center(music store) ~$30USD - 1 drum/cymbol clamp/l-rod clamp. This will be used to hold the unit to your rails. There are tons of options here, I went to the local Guitar Center and looked at what they had available. The range is about 30 bucks. However, I would choose one that has adjustablilty for aligning the gears... just like the one I am using. or something like this: http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j.../227076jpg.jpg

4. Home Depot ~ $4USD - Bolts: One 3/8 carriage bolt, one lock washer and 2 nuts.

5. Amazon - $6USD two 32p gears: Two 32p 66tooth or smaller gears, the number of teeth is really up to personal pref, but I would recommend not going with smaller metal pinions because the mounting holes are small and you won't be able to use the screws that come with the right angle chuck: http://www.amazon.com/32P-Spur-Gear-...8451426&sr=8-2

Two gears so you can stack them to create a thicker gear..you can use only one if you want to though.


http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...4quads/ff4.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...4quads/ff5.jpg

For the knob I just used an extra rear lens cap I had laying around. I just drilled a hole through it and used the included bolt to mount it. Eventually I'll find something better.

There you go, an easy off the shelf diy solution. Requires no cutting, glueing, or welding. Everything can easily be found online or in the stores... I hope you find this useful!

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...4quads/ff8.jpg
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...4quads/ff7.jpg

That's pretty cool man! I'll have to build this soon. Have you tried this set up on an XL2?

Now that is neat!

But does it work as well as a Chrosziel...?

hey, I haven't tried it on the xl2. I use it on my canon hv20 with brevis 35mm adapter.

Chrosziel? It's probably not as good or as light as any ready made one. DIY after all :)

OMG !!!! dude I just bought that same right angle gearbox and I'm trying to do the same thing. No way dude thats crazy! I am actualy tring to do my own rods too.

cool, it would be neat to see how you do yours!

check it out

http://img183.imageshack.us/my.php?i...sc00189dx5.jpg

http://img184.imageshack.us/my.php?i...sc00191gk5.jpg

Alright so it doesn't realy work, but it was worth a try.

yeah almost. You definitely need some gears.

UpDATE!

Better mounting solution, easier adjustment, but requires some fabrication.
price will end up being about the same. Requires standard size rail/rod system.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...ds/mounted.jpg

updated items to purchase:
cinevate's rail block: $33.66 http://www.cinevate.com/catalog/prod...products_id=68
this will replace the cymbol clamp.

1/2 in aluminum strip from hardware store: couple bucks

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...alumnstrip.jpg

cut strip to about 5 inches. Drill hole for right angle chuck mounting bolt. Drill slot for adjustment and attacment points for the cinevate rail block.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...s/hardware.jpg

paint black and assemble.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...s/assembly.jpg



The Speed Crank:

3/8" INSERT rachet
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=1575
you screw this onto the the double side thread screw that came with the right angle chuck. The threads don't match but by forcing it the crank gets nicely stuck to the screw.


http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...uads/crank.jpg

the cool thing about this rachet is that by pushing the the button on the crank you can unlock it and manually set your zero point(six o'clock position) without having to disengage the gears.

Ron, how about DIY matte box? :)

in case you haven't found it by now...look here


Ron, many thanks for sharing. Just the project I was looking for.

JS

Okay, I can handle being a laughing stock.....

For an uber-cheap racking "mechanism", I attach either one very long or a couple of shorter plastic wire ties together and secure them to the focus ring (it's rubber, so it never slips). After about 60 seconds of practice, one learns to flex the plastic the right amount for whatever speed is necessary. No matter how the camera is mounted (or not mounted), there is never any unwanted camera movement because the amount of pressure required to move the lens is minimal, and the plastic is very easy to access.

Cost? Hmm...I think I got about 1000 of these things for 10 bucks, so.....