What the thread found

• The Aladin system allows separate wireless control of focus, iris, and zoom channels, each requiring its own transmitter module and battery.
• The Aladin receiver works with various digital motor types including Preston, Scorpio, Arri, and Heden motors, though users must select which motor type during purchase.
• Some operators reported reliability issues with the Aladin including slow motor response, transmission dropouts, frequency conflicts, and internal circuit problems that could damage camera power supplies.
• Other users reported the Aladin as smooth and reliable with good battery life on remote units and simpler operation than competing systems.
• The Preston system allows wireless iris control through a secondary iris controller pod with a 10-foot cable, enabling a DP to control iris remotely.
• The Arri LCS is standard in European follow focus setups and can be integrated into some third-party systems like C.Motion.
• Frequency selection capability is important for international work, as demonstrated by the Scorpio system which includes frequency selectors for different regions.
• The Aladin cost less than Preston or Scorpio systems but more than Bartech systems according to reports from the early 2000s.

Depends on

• Discussion is from 2004 with limited market presence of Aladin in North America at that time.
• Some users may have experienced early prototype versions with different performance characteristics than later production models.
• Reliability experiences varied significantly between different operators and different unit batches.
• One operator's negative experience involved four units over time, while another reported no problems with a two-channel system.
• Frequency performance may vary by geographic region and local wireless conditions.
• Motor type compatibility required selection at time of purchase rather than flexibility in the field.

Gear in this thread

FI+Z

Parts

Follow Focus

Same gear or parts

1. 2026Pulling focus and zoom yourself while operating, especially on live showsOperator practice
2. 2026Swapping an ARRI ALEXA 35 between tripod/studio and Steadicam® mounting: baseplate choice and fastest workflow.FacebookSteadicam operators group
3. 2025History of wireless focus and lens control systems for Steadicam®: from cable-based Cinema Products and Seitz to Preston digital, and European solutions by Chrosziel, cmotion, and ARRI.FacebookSteadicam operators group
4. 2025LC-1 (Lens Control-1) follow focus system: wired architecture, motors, and early operational experience (1990s).FacebookThe Steadicam Group