Follow Focus Accessory port

Adam Paul · December 11, 2007

Hi,

Does anybody know what is the size of the standard Arri accessory port? For me it always looked like one of them socket wrench square fitting ports and recently somebody told me that this is actually what it is. Arri used the same size of one of the available socket wrench fittings, although he wasn't sure which one it actually was. Is this true? Since it works just the same it kind of makes sense Arri would do that in order to keep costs down as you can probably buy OEM parts rather than having them specially made. It would also make it easier for all other manufacturers like Chrosziel to keep the standard.

Thanks.

Edited December 11, 2007 by Adam Paul

Chris Keth · December 11, 2007

I measured my whip's (made by chrosziel, always has fit FFs I've used) connection and it's 1/2" square. There is a 1/2" drive socket connection but I've never tried, or had reason to try, interchanging parts.

Annie Wengenroth · December 12, 2007

It never occurred to me to switch it up either. I accidentally stole a Chroszeil whip from Abel and I sent it back. However. The 1st AC I'm working with tomorrow, owns a Chroszeil whip and we are using the SR3. I did the checkout today and guess what I forgot to add to the package?! So um, I guess we'll find out. I'll let you know if I have to call in an accessory order or not! :lol: ...heh...Oops.

Chris Keth · December 12, 2007

It never occurred to me to switch it up either. I accidentally stole a Chroszeil whip from Abel and I sent it back. However. The 1st AC I'm working with tomorrow, owns a Chroszeil whip and we are using the SR3. I did the checkout today and guess what I forgot to add to the package?! So um, I guess we'll find out. I'll let you know if I have to call in an accessory order or not! :lol: ...heh...Oops.

I think you'll be fine. I've used mine with arri follow focuses before.

Kevin Zanit · December 12, 2007

I don't know the measurements either, but this does remind me of a funny operation we had to do a few days ago on a show I was shooting.

We had a bunch of hand held stuff in a really small bathroom, and sure enough, oops, no whip. What we did have was a Microforce zoom controller. We just put the motor on the focus gear, the 1st made his distance markings on the controller (the Microforce has a strip of LEDs that indicate the zoom position), and there you have a poor mans wired Preston. It was not the perfect solution, but it worked for the shot quite nicely.

Chris Keth · December 12, 2007

I don't know the measurements either, but this does remind me of a funny operation we had to do a few days ago on a show I was shooting.

We had a bunch of hand held stuff in a really small bathroom, and sure enough, oops, no whip. What we did have was a Microforce zoom controller. We just put the motor on the focus gear, the 1st made his distance markings on the controller (the Microforce has a strip of LEDs that indicate the zoom position), and there you have a poor mans wired Preston. It was not the perfect solution, but it worked for the shot quite nicely.

That sounds tricky to control. Maybe I have worked with older microforces but it would be very hard to mix fast and slow movements on the ones I have used.

Kevin Zanit · December 13, 2007

It probably wasn't easy, but it was the best option at the time. This was a newer one, it had a slider to go through the range, sort of like the T-stop control on a Preston. The most important thing was that everything was in focus, so I guess it worked!

Chris Keth · December 13, 2007

It probably wasn't easy, but it was the best option at the time. This was a newer one, it had a slider to go through the range, sort of like the T-stop control on a Preston. The most important thing was that everything was in focus, so I guess it worked!

OK, that would be quite a bit easier than what I was picturing. I envisioned the type with the metal pressure switch and the knob on the end of the handle to adjust the speed.

Annie Wengenroth · December 13, 2007

You could do it better with the Arri ZMU-3 since you can program the speeds to slow in and slow out and what-not. Fun times. I do believe that all follow focus whips are created equal.

Chris Keth · December 14, 2007

Fun times. I do believe that all follow focus whips are created equal.

I assume that means that things worked out fine and you weren't without anything crucial?

Annie Wengenroth · December 14, 2007

Yeah it was totally fine...I figured it would be. It's always interesting to me how these different manufacturers end up making pretty much the same stuff that ends up working pretty much the same way. (And that no matter how many subtle variations there are, everyone has their favorites and everyone always bitches about something!)

I do have to say that if there's one camera accessory which I think could go back to the drawing board, it's the eyepiece leveler. I don't know what it is about those freakin things but they hate me, especially Panavision's. But that's another thread for another time. ;)

Satsuki Murashige · December 14, 2007

I do have to say that if there's one camera accessory which I think could go back to the drawing board, it's the eyepiece leveler. I don't know what it is about those freakin things but they hate me, especially Panavision's.

They're especially fun to tussle with when there's a DP breathing down your neck and asking "what's wrong, can we shoot yet?" Good times... Hey, at the least the Panavision guys figured out how to make the leveler go up and down on it's own though.

Michael Maier · December 14, 2007

To bring the thread back to topic and in answer to the original question, no, the accessory port is not the same size as any of the socket wrench sizes. The actual port size is not 1/2" but rather just under 1/2". So it fits lose in a 1/2" socket wrench fitting. Chris must have measured his wrongly or not used a caliper. Arri would never make it that easy for DIYs out there. They had to make it just slightly different enough for it to be a specialty part.

Edited December 14, 2007 by Michael Maier

Chris Keth · December 15, 2007

To bring the thread back to topic and in answer to the original question, no, the accessory port is not the same size as any of the socket wrench sizes. The actual port size is not 1/2" but rather just under 1/2". So it fits lose in a 1/2" socket wrench fitting. Chris must have measured his wrongly or not used a caliper. Arri would never make it that easy for DIYs out there. They had to make it just slightly different enough for it to be a specialty part.

I just eyeballed it with a tape. Far from the most precise method. Good to know that they won't interchange, I won't even look in the sockets with that in mind now :)