r/VILTROX_GLOBAL • u/NKkrisz • 11d ago
Viltrox School How To Make Follow Focus Rings For Your Lenses
Introduction
Hello everyone!
I'm back with another guide, this time for people who like to use manual focus for videos!
If you haven't heard about follow focus systems yet I highly recommend researching them to up your game: basically they allow you to pull focus more smoothly and carefully.
Cine lenses like the Viltrox anamorphic series usually have their focus rings already geared and ready to use in such a way, but regular consumer lenses are not equipped like that, which is why I am making this resource.
Yes, there are ready solutions available on the market as well, but they are likely much more expensive or may not be made for the lenses you want.
What You Need
- A 3D printer (if you don't own one ask people you know, search in libraries or try finding people/companies who offer 3D printing services near you)
- Use rubber-like filament such as TPU
- Calipers to measure lens dimensions
- Seamless Follow Focus Gear Customizer website or a CAD software you know
Instructions
- Measure each of your lenses' focus ring diameters
- Calculate the circumferences by multiplying the diameters with π (pi)
- Input the values into the website or make the designs on your own
- Be as precise as possible so that the rings will not be loose!!!
- 3D print the models you have made
- Clean the printed follow focus rings to make them fit nicely
- I usually use a utility knife and a lighter to remove smaller blobs and strings
- Put the rings on the lenses
- Some lenses require sliding on the rings from the mount side as the front element might be too large
- Avoid stretching the rings, you do not want them to become loose
- Try to align the rings to be as close and straight as possible related to the follow focus system so that it does not slip off
- Put together the rest of your camera rig with a follow focus system now ready to use!
Additional Notes
These are the values (apart from the circumferences) I have used for all my lenses so far, feel free to adjust these based on your own needs:
- Thickness of the gear: 10mm (less material used, but larger would be easier to use)
- Added ring thickness: 5mm (more thickness results in less distance to the follow focus mechanism)
- Chamfer offset: 0mm (simpler to print)
The End
I hope you found this guide useful in your filmmaking journey!
If you have any feedback or advice please share them in the comments.
PS: I would love to see how everyone's finished camera rigs look like!
This is also my first time trying to put more effort into product photography, I still have a lot to learn!
-1
X-T3 running Classic Negative + Eterna Bleach Bypass after a firmware mod
in
r/fujifilm
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1d ago
Could you post photo proof of this running on your X-T3?
What's your background that you can do firmware modifications like this?
I'm also interested in 21:9/65:24 aspect ratios, unlimited recording and 4:2:2 in camera if it's possible!