2004Follow Focus forum
Remote run/start-stop controls for HD cameras using 12-pin Hirose connectors with cinema-style lenses
22 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- The 12-pin Hirose connector on camera bodies can be used for remote camera start and stop when cinema-style lenses are fitted instead of video lenses
- Pin 2 (VTR trigger) and Pin 3 (ground) of the 12-pin Hirose are the correct pins for a momentary start-stop trigger cable to the camera body
- Pin 9 and Pin 10 of the 12-pin Hirose are used for remote focus motor control on cinema lenses and are consistent between different camera manufacturers
- Start-stop pin configurations differ between Fujifilm and Canon lens systems, requiring manufacturer-specific cables if connecting to lens-based controls rather than camera body controls
- Soldering connections to Hirose connectors requires careful heat shrink wrapping of each individual pin due to tight spacing within the connector
- Zoom and focus controls through lens-based handgrips are more practical than routing camera start-stop through separate cables, as this centralizes control to the operator's hand position
Depends on
- Pins 11 and 12 of the 12-pin Hirose were not definitively confirmed in the discussion, though pin assignments may vary between 16:9 capable cameras
- The discussion assumes professional cinema-style lens gear setups and may not apply to standard broadcast video lens configurations
- References to specific control equipment like Preston systems and Stanton handgrips suggest solutions may vary by manufacturer
- Practical implementation required custom cable construction, indicating this was not a standardized commercial product at the time of the discussion