Above: who needs this rig when you have all the manual controls on your iPad?
At some point in the midst of the early DSLR revolution I had an idea about a wireless follow focus which controlled the AF servo motors of a lens in a slow and steady way. Since then a couple of iPad / iPhone apps have been developed which do just this, but they require the purchase of an expensive and bulky mechanical follow focus device anyway – and wireless receiver hardware – instead of communicating directly with the camera and lens.
I’d like to step away from all this gear and have something integrated with the camera but it needs Canon to step in. The hardware already exists in your lenses, in your DSLR and on the iPad. All the ideas needs is some software and a firmware update.
Many modern DSLRs lenses with manual focus rings use a fly-by-wire system and can in fact be focused in a manual-like-way by software. The mechanical focus ring just controls the camera’s firmware that operates a servo motor in the lens. So it would already be possible to have an entirely electronic follow focus to cinematically rack focus as fast or as slow as you like – and precisely.
An iPhone or iPad app would communicate with a Canon DSLR via WiFi. Future cameras would have WiFi built in but existing cameras without WiFi would need a small bolt on comms device. They would not need any additional mechanical motors or gears to sit against the lens. The comms device could be very small and be powered by the camera and communicate with it via the the USB port or remote control socket. Maybe even custom WiFi enabled SDHC cards could pass on the instructions from the app to the camera’s custom firmware.
Canon would release a firmware update for the DSLR and an iPad app. The app would consist or a virtual wheel or slider which would rack focus. Here is PLC’s FStop’s design for their existing add-on follow focus system.
The focus puller would sit behind the camera or a monitor, iPad or iPhone in hand and simply rack focus by sliding his finder up or down the screen, or in a circular motion on a virtual wheel.
Why stop at a follow focus? Wireless control of the camera could include control of shutter speed, aperture and all kinds of settings which could be done remotely, rather than having to touch the camera. This could come in handy when the camera is in a difficult position or in a cramped space, or when manual control is needed whilst in front of a large monitor rather than squinting at the LCD on the back of the camera.
I believe this kind of app would be fantastic on set, a great feature for filmmakers that would free us from the cramped environment that is the rear of a DSLR, with it’s compromised ergonomics and small screen.
If you like the idea, let’s get word of mouth and spread the idea on Twitter, on forums and speak to Canon directly about it! After all, they do listen to their customers.
What ideas do you have to share? Let me know with your comments.
