SteadiHub
2010Follow Focus forum

Follow focus control systems and monitoring approaches for 3D stereoscopic camera rigs on Steadicam

16 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.

DisputedParticipants disagreed and reached no conclusion. Read the findings as positions, not as an answer.

What the thread found

  • Controlling focus, iris, zoom, interaxial distance, and convergence on 3D rigs typically requires two separate receiver units such as Preston MDRs or Cmotion Camins, with one dedicated to each camera pair and additional controllers for interaxial and convergence adjustments
  • The Steadicam operator should monitor a single camera feed rather than wearing 3D glasses during operation, as glasses impair movement safety on set and make it difficult to detect parallax violations or edge framing issues
  • At typical Steadicam operating distances with small interaxial separation of half inch to one and a half inches, parallax values remain minimal enough that single-camera monitoring is acceptable for safe 3D operation
  • Larger parallel rig configurations with six inch interaxial distances require minimum subject distances around twenty feet to avoid excessive parallax, making single-camera monitoring viable since convergence is often applied in post-production rather than during capture
  • The stereographer should monitor both camera feeds and manage all 3D parameters including parallax, convergence, and edge violations during shooting while the operator focuses on delivering smooth framing
  • Upcoming integrated control systems from manufacturers aim to consolidate multiple inputs into single transmitter and receiver boxes to reduce cabling complexity on 3D rigs
  • 3D rigs designed with electronics built into the aluminum frame structure offer improved integration with Steadicam equipment compared to external control setups

Depends on

  • Discussion reflects experiences primarily from 2010-era productions and may not represent current technology
  • Experiences described are specific to particular rig types such as parallel configurations and mirror prism designs
  • Setup requirements vary significantly depending on whether interaxial distance and convergence are adjusted during shooting or handled in post-production
  • Some manufacturers mentioned were developing new integrated systems that may or may not have reached market deployment
  • Recommendations regarding focus control system usage on Steadicam show disagreement between participants with differing experience levels

Gear in this thread

HU3, MDR

Parts

Follow Focus

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