GEAR
MINI TESTS
SMALLRIG MINI FOLLOW FOCUS £94/$99 smallrig.com
Grip manufacturer SmallRig continues to innovate with a whole range of affordable and compact products, ideal for production companies that use mirrorless or small cinema cameras. The Mini Follow Focus is the latest and, as you’d expect from SmallRig, it’s well-designed, well- built and very affordable. One of the biggest issues with a follow focus is that it’s usually designed to work on larger cameras already fitted to 15mm rails. But most mirrorless cameras don’t have a rail system, instead relying on smaller camera cages to fit accessories. The SmallRig solution is to use a rod clamp that bolts onto either the side or top of most camera cages. There’s even a NATO rail for further mounting options.
TOP GEAR The toothed wheel is a standard 0.8M size and controlled by the large dial
We tried it on a SmallRig cage on a Sony A7S III, and also a LockCircle cage on a Sony A7R III, and it was easy to find a place to mount the plate, as the captured mounting bolts offer plenty of adjustment. The bottom of the plate has a 15mm rod clamp, and the included 152mm/6in rod is quickly attached, then the follow focus mechanism slides onto that. You then simply loosen the clamping bolts and adjust the geared wheel so it matches to your lens, and the follow focus ring is in the right position for you. Tighten up the clamps and you’re all set. It really is incredibly fast to do. The fluid-damped focus wheel is smooth and responsive, offering a tactile feel for maximum focus ring control. We tried it on various different lenses with standard 0.8M cine gears, and it worked flawlessly on all of them. The focus wheel has two adjustable hard stops, so you can set in and out “The SmallRig solution is to use a rod clamp that bolts to the side or top of most camera cages”
SPECIFICATIONS Material: Aluminium Gear ring: 0.8M43 teeth Rod diameter: 15mm Built-in hard stops: Two Gear ring: Maximum114mm lens fit Dimensions (wxhxd): 120.5x60x87mm/4.7x2.4x3.4in Weight: 195g/0.43lb
points for your focus pulls. A simple lever clips into position to stop the ringmoving past the focus points. This lever is plastic, and the only thing that feels less than premium quality. Next to the focus wheel is a white collar – use a marker pen to identify focus positions. The ring is compatible with an optional focus whip, too. The standard gear is a 43-tooth version, but optional larger or smaller sizes are available. Of course, many lenses don’t have focus gears, so the kit comes with an adjustable, universal gear that works for lenses up to 114mm in diameter. This clips together and worked reasonably well with AF lenses, although you would be better served buying the right-sized, push-on rubber gears for lenses. These don’t cost much and are available from a variety of manufacturers. For something so inexpensive, light and compact, the SmallRig Mini Follow Focus fits most small cameras and lenses, transforming the manual focusing of your optics. It’s probably best used with the camera on a tripod, but can be handheld, too. PROMOVIEMAKERRATING: 8/10 Universal fit; good for most cameras Pros: Great value, works well Cons: Might need additional accessories
SMALL WONDER The complete kit is well designed and fits most cameras
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