xh a1 setup pictures

Marcel D. Van Someren · June 5th, 2008, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gert Kracht

That's not a camera! That's a TRANSFORMER!

Or the out of control Police Robot from Robocop:

Gert Kracht · June 6th, 2008, 01:02 AM

Hi Marcel,

I noticed two things on your photo's:

1. The rubber wheel on the Indy photo. Did you construct it yourself or is there a solution which they sell for the XH-A1?

2. What brand of tape are you using? (I saw the package, and I don't recognise those colors....) Just curious about that...

Marcel D. Van Someren · June 6th, 2008, 06:52 AM

Hi Gert,

The rubber friction wheel on the Follow-Focus is from IndiFocus. I got the FF and the rails from them: http://www.indifocus.com/products.htm

The tape is Panansonic, HDV 63min I normally use Panasonic Master Quality tapes but the place I usually get them was out of stock.

Christopher Kuhn · June 28th, 2008, 03:49 AM

My loyal workhorse:

Gert Kracht · June 29th, 2008, 03:34 AM

Nice configuration Christopher!
I'm curious about the LCD screen you have there and the mattebox. Can you give us a bit mre information about those?

Mark Rook · June 29th, 2008, 04:53 AM

My setup includes A1 with Rode NT-G2 mic, Varizoom Media Rig Pro and Varizoom VZ-Rock lanc.

Mark

Christopher Kuhn · June 29th, 2008, 05:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gert Kracht

I'm curious about the LCD screen you have there and the mattebox.

Screen: Toshiba SDP-71. Not color accurate but quite handy for focusing.
Mattebox: IndieSnap! (without frenchflag and sidewings)

Corwin Garber · August 22nd, 2008, 02:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcel D. Van Someren

IndiFocus Follow Focus and Rails

Marcel--
Is that follow focus attached directly to your a1's lense? how does it work? Thanks,

--Corwin

John Stakes · August 22nd, 2008, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corwin Garber

Marcel--
Is that follow focus attached directly to your a1's lense? how does it work? Thanks,

--Corwin

it allows you to pull focus without messing with the camera itself. Some crew even go as far as to have a dedicated "focus puller." If you check their website they have a lot of great info. I love this thread!

-JS

Marcel D. Van Someren · August 22nd, 2008, 12:14 PM

John is correct. In this configuration, there is a rubber wheel that uses friction and rotates the lens. It works very well provided both the camera and the FF are securely mounted. When I use it with my 70mm adaptor, then I use gears and a gear ring on the lens. You can get the FF with both so it is pretty flexible.

Jeff Rhode · August 25th, 2008, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt OBrien

Nothing radical here, I'm in love with the blue star eye cup though. One of the best $8 I've ever spent, and on a superficial level, it perfectly accents the red ring on the lens. The headphone hole is something to think about, I can't stand the rubber flap. I'm also quite envious of the right angle XLR cables... although for now I just pull off the Rode windscreen and put the XLR cable inside it when it's in my case.

I do get a good amount of tape drive and zoom noise with the NTG-2. I would love to find another mounting solution that doesn't involve a hotshoe mount, maybe there's a J-Rod in my future.

Great Thread!

Matt,

A J-Rod and shock mount will knock that tape drive and zoom noise out completely !

Curtis Edwards · August 25th, 2008, 07:42 PM

Great thread guys, lots of great ideas for a rookie like myself. Thanks!

Corwin Garber · September 1st, 2008, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Stakes

it allows you to pull focus without messing with the camera itself. Some crew even go as far as to have a dedicated "focus puller." If you check their website they have a lot of great info. I love this thread!

-JS

Understood, but if the a1 has an electronic lense, how is it usefull to have a follow focus attached, if you can't mark down markings? can you? dose the lense keep its focus at the same point at any speed its moved? what about when you reach infinity? the barrel will continue to spin, making your previous markings useless, no? Shed me some light! im confused! Thanks, this thred is awsome!

--Corwin

Bill Pryor · September 2nd, 2008, 08:38 AM

The XH A1 allows you to use an assistant to follow focus as long as he can see the readout in the LCD. It's just like having marks on a manual lens. The Sony Z1 does the same thing and is probably a little easier because the LCD is mounted up on the handle and the focus puller can be anyplace. I don't think the marks on a follow focus system would be too useful...although it's easy to set an in and out point and return to them as long as you can see the LCD or VF readouts, I don't think any marks on a follow focus system would stay in the same relative place, but I could be wrong about that.

So far, every time I've needed an assistant to follow focus, he manages to position himself where he can see the LCD. I can turn it and tilt it so he can see it through the gap between the camera and the handle. Not great, but it works. If I did as much dolly shooting as I used to, I'd probably get a camera-mounted LCD monitor for the handle. I think that would be more useful than the follow focus system.

Kenneth Burgener · September 3rd, 2008, 02:24 PM

Hey,

I am having lots of trouble keeping fast moving birds in the picture. When i zoom in, it becomes almost impossible to keep the bird in frame. I am thinking about mounting a archery sight above my shotgun mik. Any ideas from you guys?

June 6th, 2008, 01:02 AM	#62
Gert Kracht Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ens, The Netherlands Posts: 198	Hi Marcel, I noticed two things on your photo's: 1. The rubber wheel on the Indy photo. Did you construct it yourself or is there a solution which they sell for the XH-A1? 2. What brand of tape are you using? (I saw the package, and I don't recognise those colors....) Just curious about that... __________________ http://www.hdvinfo.nl The Dutch forum and website about HDV & Canon XH-A1

June 28th, 2008, 03:49 AM	#64
Christopher Kuhn New Boot Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: CH-Switzerland Posts: 19	My loyal workhorse: Attached Thumbnails

June 29th, 2008, 03:34 AM	#65
Gert Kracht Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ens, The Netherlands Posts: 198	Nice configuration Christopher! I'm curious about the LCD screen you have there and the mattebox. Can you give us a bit mre information about those? __________________ http://www.hdvinfo.nl The Dutch forum and website about HDV & Canon XH-A1

June 29th, 2008, 04:53 AM	#66
Mark Rook Regular Crew Join Date: May 2007 Location: Aberystwyth, Wales, UK Posts: 91	My setup includes A1 with Rode NT-G2 mic, Varizoom Media Rig Pro and Varizoom VZ-Rock lanc. Mark Attached Thumbnails

September 3rd, 2008, 02:24 PM	#75
Kenneth Burgener Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Sanibel Florida Posts: 102	Shooting Birds Hey, I am having lots of trouble keeping fast moving birds in the picture. When i zoom in, it becomes almost impossible to keep the bird in frame. I am thinking about mounting a archery sight above my shotgun mik. Any ideas from you guys?

June 6th, 2008, 06:52 AM	#63
Marcel D. Van Someren Major Player Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Sherman Oaks, CA Posts: 325	Hi Gert, The rubber friction wheel on the Follow-Focus is from IndiFocus. I got the FF and the rails from them: http://www.indifocus.com/products.htm The tape is Panansonic, HDV 63min I normally use Panasonic Master Quality tapes but the place I usually get them was out of stock.

August 22nd, 2008, 12:14 PM	#70
Marcel D. Van Someren Major Player Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Sherman Oaks, CA Posts: 325	John is correct. In this configuration, there is a rubber wheel that uses friction and rotates the lens. It works very well provided both the camera and the FF are securely mounted. When I use it with my 70mm adaptor, then I use gears and a gear ring on the lens. You can get the FF with both so it is pretty flexible.

August 25th, 2008, 07:42 PM	#72
Curtis Edwards Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: LaGrange, KY Posts: 85	Great thread guys, lots of great ideas for a rookie like myself. Thanks!

September 2nd, 2008, 08:38 AM	#74
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	The XH A1 allows you to use an assistant to follow focus as long as he can see the readout in the LCD. It's just like having marks on a manual lens. The Sony Z1 does the same thing and is probably a little easier because the LCD is mounted up on the handle and the focus puller can be anyplace. I don't think the marks on a follow focus system would be too useful...although it's easy to set an in and out point and return to them as long as you can see the LCD or VF readouts, I don't think any marks on a follow focus system would stay in the same relative place, but I could be wrong about that. So far, every time I've needed an assistant to follow focus, he manages to position himself where he can see the LCD. I can turn it and tilt it so he can see it through the gap between the camera and the handle. Not great, but it works. If I did as much dolly shooting as I used to, I'd probably get a camera-mounted LCD monitor for the handle. I think that would be more useful than the follow focus system.