Redrock Micro wireless follow-focus

Some information - and videos - of Redrock Micro's new microRemote looks really cool. The microRemote is shown in two videos at photocinenews: Part 1 and Part 2. Over at Cameratown they have a more formal release: Redrock Micro Introduces the New microRemote Remote Follow Focus.

There three separate parts (products?):
  • microTape
    Sonar based rangefinder
  • base station
    Includes a built-in radio and can operate up to three torque motors to control different functions (i.e. zoom, focus and iris.) They have a wired control that can be used with the base station to control the camera from a distance of a few feet (i.e. from a tripod handle.) They say they will be offering their own torque motors later, and it works with torque motors made by others.
  • microRemote
    Communicates with the base station and can start/stop the camera and the focus handle has hard stops. You can also insert your iPhone/iPod Touch to get extra interface controls/options; it will display the depth of field, focus and subject distance, it also gives you auto-focus using the sonar sensor!
microRemote (without the iPhone/iPod installed)

This looks really cool, though no word on price and availability.

[UPDATED 3:31PM]: part 3 has information on pricing and availability. It's supposed to be available in the summer. They are currently taking non-binding, no-deposit reservations. Send an email to remote@redrockmicro.com. It sounds like there are five different options available (motors, base station and remote.) Target price is about $1,000 for the base system (which is up $500 from the original target!)

[UPDATED 7:06PM]: Cinema 5D has a longer video of the system which provides a little more information; the wireless unit can be tethered if you can't use the wireless radio at a location, the iPhone/iPod unit will become a platform "for a lot of things." He said they didn't hit the $500 price because they realized the trade-offs they'd have to make in terms of the motor were too great.
He mentions "other things" but I haven't yet found any information about them...

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sony GV-D200 review

Image
Sony GV-D200 I've been using a Sony GV-D200 deck to transfer old Video8 and Hi8 tapes. Some of these tapes are over twenty years old, and no longer having a Hi8 camcorder that worked I was concerned that if I didn't do something about transferring them to a more modern format soon, I might never be able to. While Sony no longer make camcorders that use these tapes - that I know of - Sony does still sell the GV-D200 deck (or Video Walkman, as it's sometimes labelled.) They also offer the GV-D800, which is almost identical but adds a small LCD screen for about $120 more. I didn't think I'd need a screen since I was using this to capture to the computer, but you will need an external monitor when you first set it up. Physically, the device is small. At 5 7/8" wide, 5 3/8" deep and 2" high, it's the smallest video deck I've encountered. I used to have a Video8 deck that I thought was small; and it was twice as deep and twice as high. The t
Read more

Response: Which iPhone to Get?

Image
In response to my iPhone musings, I got the following reader email which actually sums up a lot of my second and third thoughts too: You might have a point about the fancier camera, but otherwise I would buy the smaller model. Its screen is about the same size as that of my Nexus 4, and I don't feel at all like it limits me with a too-small screen. But I do sometimes stretch to get my thumb the reach to the other corner of the screen. It is plenty big for a phone. A phone is a pocket thing. (Well, in my case it lives an ancient REI soft sunglasses case that I have on my belt.) Ubiquitous, handy, convenient, almost always with me. Small is crucial for all of that. Certainly a large screen is cool, but you need a place to put it: don't break a fundamental feature of a pocket phone by getting too big. That is what your small tablet is for. I have my phone with me almost always. I have my Nexus 7 tablet with me nearly as much. The bigger screen is great, yet it fits in some
Read more

Should you buy the Sony NEX-FS100 Kit Lens?

Image
The Sony NEX-FS100 is available in two configurations: B & H : NEX-FS100U Camcorder only $4,999 B & H : NEX-FS100U (with 18-200mm lens) $5,599 But what does that extra $600 get you? It get's you this: Sony 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 Zoom Lens for NEX Camera This lens is also available separately for $799.99, so at $200 off you'd think everyone would be jumping on it. But not so fast... In his article about switching from the Canon 5D Mark II to the Sony NEX-FS100 , Paul Antico  at Need Creative says of the kit lens: 7) Its 18-200 F3.6-6.3 kit lens absolutely sucks and should be avoided (thankfully, you can order it without one) [ 1 ] But is it that bad? At B & H 's site, 43 reviews give it an average of 4.6 out of 5 stars. That's not a bad rating, though many of these people are using it for stills, and the most common complaint noted is how large and heavy it is. Of course this feeling of size would be exacerbated when you put it on a tiny camera
Read more