SmallRig Launches Affordable Wireless Follow Focus Kit
SmallRig’s new wireless follow focus system is an affordable way for dedicated focus pullers to work separately from camera operators.
SmallRig has announced a new “Lite” version of its Wireless Follow Focus Kit (model number “4296” for regular SmallRig customers). Unlike traditional follow-focus setups that connect the focusing dial to the lens mechanically via a series of gears or wired electronic gears that could clutter up the workflow, this kit features a separate control dial and receiver gears that communicate wirelessly.
At only $169.99, this new kit lowers the bar to entry for independent filmmakers using cinema lenses who want to have a dedicated focus puller on set, and it’s cheaper than their previous MagicFIZ system which starts at $239.
Autofocus technology has reached a point where having a larger camera team isn’t always necessary when shooting on mirrorless cameras with photography lenses. However, in true cinema setups with cinema lenses that lack focus motors, a director of photography will often put the first AC in charge of pulling focus. Thanks to kits like this, that focus puller can work several feet away.
In wireless mode, the control wheel pairs automatically with the receiver. SmallRig claims the unit has low latency, so there shouldn’t be any delay between turning the wheel and the lens gear rotating. The torque output of the gear is also substantial, so it should be able to handle even the most robust (read: heavy) cinema lenses on the market. SmallRig has a gallery of lenses the device is compatible with, which includes modern cinema glass models like Zeiss CP.3, Canon CN-R, and Angénieux.
SmallRig says the device has up to 21 hours of battery life, and the kit comes with a USB-C cable for power delivery. The wheel unit’s built-in 1,400 milliamp-hour battery can keep the gear unit powered in situations where the camera operator rigs the control wheel to the front rails for solo operation.
The whole kit comes in a small traveling case about the size of a paperback novel, so it should be easy enough to store away and pack for field shoots.
The kit is available for purchase today on SmallRig’s website.
Image credits: Photographs by SmallRig.
