Hi, Focus Rat here. 🐀 

Today we are going to talk about wireless follow focus systems. What exactly is the follow focus, why you should consider one, and what are some of the best deals on the market at the moment?

Let's start.

What is a wireless follow focus?

 

As you probably know, pulling focus is a basic skill for any 1st Assistant Camera aka. Focus Puller, as it lets them create a crisp image of the subject while blurring the background, thus drawing the attention of the viewer to where the scene or action calls for it.

Every consumer and professional camera lens is equipped with a manual and sometimes an automatic focus option. Professional cinema lenses are equipped with a smooth focus ring that has a long travel and equally spread out markings making it easier to pull a precise focus.

In order to avoid having to touch the lens at all times to get the proper focus the appropriately named follow focus was invented. This is a small gear-like device that you attach to the camera lens, that gives you finer control on focus than a simple lens ever could.

Why do you need one?

Besides giving you fine control, thus being able to adjust focus on the fly without any hesitation or soft focus on the subject, all follow focuses give you the ability to mark exactly where you need to turn the control knob for the perfect focus. 

The low-budget ones usually mark them with a dry-erase marker or pieces of tape, however, the high-end ones use a digital display, and can save many different focus positions, as well as camera and lens presets.

One important thing to keep in mind is that you don't need a Follow Focus at the start of your career. In most cases, the production will provide or rent one for you.

Having your own is the next step in your career and it can elevate your Focus Pulling game to new heights. With constant practice, you will develop the ability to judge distances by eye till it becomes second nature.

There are Follow Focuses that are not wireless, however, they are a bit limiting in their nature, requiring the Focus Puller to constantly hover his hand near the lens, and it's subpar  to modern wireless systems

Another advantage of wireless follow focus is that it lets you easily film with a drone, a gimbal, and other camera-moving devices.

The difference between low budget and high end.

The main difference is that the high-end ones offer more than just focus control, they offer Iris and Zoom control as well, often shortened to FIZ, all of these with the help of a small motor attached to the lens. This is called a 3-channel wireless lens control system as well.

Another difference is the range of the wireless focus, anywhere from 50 m to 1000 m, all using different wireless technologies, like Bluetooth, radio, wireless signals, or a combination of all 3.

Let's start with the low end:

Runner Ups: 

Tilta Nucleus Nano 

• Simple and sleek design.
• 6-hour battery time using a rechargeable battery.
• Low noise and high torque, leading to instantaneous focus changes.
• Up to 91 M of wireless control
• Compatible with Gimbals, Shoulder rigs and focus pulling stations
• Has automatic and manual focus options
• Has the option to buy a higher torque motor for stiffer lenses.

Price as of writing this blog: 299.0 $

(https://tilta.com/shop/nucleus-nano-wireless-lens-control-system/) 

 

DJI Focus 

 

 

• Important! It is no longer in production, however, you can still buy it from Amazon or lightly used it on eBay.
• Max 100 m of wireless control.
• 2.4 GHz wireless transmission.
• Has a small led display, that shows your battery level, calibration menu, signal strength, focus wheel travel bar, and travel percentage of focus.
• 14 hours of battery life
• Comes with 4 lens gear rings
• Can work both wirelessly and with a cable
• Auto and Hand calibration
• No calibration is required when using the Zenmuse X5 gimbal and camera

Price as of writing: 1200 $

( https://www.dji.com/focus ) 

 

WINNER: Tilta Nucleus M 

• 3 channel/ FIZ compatible 
• Manual or Automatic calibrations.
• Only one power port on the camera rig is needed for all 3 motors.
• 10-48 hour battery power, (battery not included)
• Low noise and high torque,
• 2.4 GHz wireless transmission.
• Up to 300 m range

Price as of writing: 1 399 $

(https://tilta.com/shop/nucleus-m-wireless-follow-focus/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwof6WBhD4ARIsAOi65ajQc4E01wDWOtW2n6ZOyFwbNT5Nv5CekTRQ6N8kOjZC7g9e-Nm9TXAaAgc3EALw_wcB)

 

High End:

Runner Ups

Preston HU 4 (Hand Unit 4) 

 

• 3 channel/ FIZ compatible 
• Manual or Automatic calibrations.
• 5 Premarked rings, one blank
• 12 cm touch-operated camera display.
• Stores up to 1024 lens positions.
• Highly customizable settings and buttons.
• Up to 300 M range

Price as of writing: 10 038 $

(https://cvp.com/product/preston-cinema-systems-pre-7000-hu4?gclid=Cj0KCQjwof6WBhD4ARIsAOi65ag-bDGPDSI8GRfjnp5ayYL0tZ0F0aPTFhxqPchBbC73WhUVCJJrcmEaArGQEALw_wcB)

 

Teradek RT FIZ 

• 3 channel/ FIZ compatible 
• Manual or Automatic calibrations.
• Up to 1524 m range
• Oled menu system
• Long battery life - Up to 1 week
• FHSS wireless technology to prevent interference
• Can be controlled using an IOS App
• Low noise and high torque 

Price as of writing: 5 999 $

(https://teradek.com/collections/rt/products/rt-fiz-wireless-lens-control-kit?variant=42028709445810)

 

Winner: Arri Hi5 

 

• 3 channel/ FIZ compatible 
• Manual or Automatic calibrations.
• Weatherproof and built like a brick
• With a radio module attached, it can connect up to 14 channels.
• Led menu system
• Long battery life - Up to 1 week
• Can be controlled and configured using an IOS App
• Low noise and high torque 
• Specifically designed to be compatible with multiple high-end cameras.

Price as of writing: 9 906

(https://www.arri.com/en/camera-systems/electronic-control-system/hi-5#accordion-247274)

 

New kids on the block

Before we begin, here are a few new challengers in the wireless follow focus words. We don't know that much about them, but they look promising.

DJI 3 CHANNEL 

 

NEW MODEL (will be an upgrade from the outgoing 1 channel model)

This is from the same company that created the DIJ Focus, and it looks just as sleek as the first one. Besides having all the specs the previous one had, this one will be FIZ compatible, and it's keeping its budget-friendly price. You can pre-order this drone right now at 1 399 $

(https://m.dji.com/product/dji-three-channel-follow-focus)

Accson  FC 01 

 

This small wireless follows focus from Accson and seems to be a strong contestant in the value sector. With a max of 100 m range, 8-hour battery life, Oled screen, FHSS wireless technology, and the budget-friendly price of 279 $, this seems like a new kid to look out for.

(https://www.accsoon.com/products/accsoon-fc01/)

 

In conclusion.

Getting a wireless follow focus for your setup is the next step in your evolution as a Cinematographer or Focus Puller. It lets you shoot with precision, and it gives you flexibility like never before.

It's important to identify your budget and figure out how big your crew is. For small run and gun shoots, where one person does everything, there are some very good budget-friendly options, and for big ones, where there are multiple cameras and angles, the sky is the limit.

I hope this list cleared out the air about follow focuses and gave you a glance on where to start when you want to step up your focus pulling and camera rigging game. I wish I knew this in my early days as a Camera-Rat, would have saved me a lot of trouble and unnecessary investments. 🐀 

See you on the set!