Want to add a little drama the next time your baby does something YouTube-worthy? Coupled with any video-capable DSLR, this cheap follow focus can help you create Spielberg-like camera moves without a Dreamworks-sized budget.
What’s a follow focus? It’s basically a tool that makes focus adjustments smoother and more precise while recording video. When shooting stills, jerking around a lens’ focus ring to quickly get the shot is just fine. But when you’re capturing video, you want the transition between focal points to be as smooth as the glass in the lens. And that’s exactly the results you’ll get from the lever and pulley system used here.
Now I usually avoid Kickstarter projects that aren’t already well on their way to their funding goal, but what’s unique about this device is that its creator, Wiley Davis, is already producing them in his garage. He just needs a little extra cash to ramp up production and bring the price down to $US50, which is an absolute steal.
Pledges start at $US60, which gets you a follow focus assembly with a belt and pulley designed for standard SLR lenses. But if you need something a little more pro, $US75 gets you the hardware to accommodate larger lenses too. [Kickstarter]
Sevrin
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 12:44 PMWhat about the base plate and rails?? Are they FREE??? j/k
Adam
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 1:01 PMon Kickstarter he says they are custom mad, but will release them to the public in 5 months
Sevrin
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 1:29 PMWell what he actually said when asked if the rails came with the rig was :
“No.Some time in the very near future we’ll be releasing a set of rails, but right now they’re only a gleam in our eyes.”
So you still have to buy a base plate and rails.
Don’t know where you got the 5 months bit from! LOL!
Adam
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 3:27 PMone of the 1st comments on his kiscstarter page:
“@Kevin Mills – Thanks for backing us. The rails pictured are, indeed, something I made in the garage. The plan is to come out with a simple rails setup for DSLR-sized cameras, but realistically, it will be 4 or 5 months before something like that is ready for the world.”
lolwut
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 6:00 PMthey custom mad, daiym!