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2023From a Facebook group: Steadicam operators group

Follow focus motor choice and control ergonomics for Steadicam® focus pulling: small handwheel versus grip trigger, and motor torque requirements.

What the thread found

  • A small focus handwheel mounted on the Steadicam® is preferable to a grip-mounted trigger control, as grip controllers are bulky, shift the gimbal's balance point, and risk collision with the top stage depending on rig configuration.
  • The Stanton grip handle integrates both zoom (thumb control) and focus (index finger control) in an ergonomic design suited to Steadicam® work.
  • A rotary dial on the grip is unsuitable for precise focus work and crash zoom effects.
  • Budget-tier focus motors such as PDMovie and SmallRig deliver approximately 0.5 Nm torque and struggle with some lens loads; the Tilta Nano at D-Tap delivers roughly 1 Nm; the Tilta Nucleus-M delivers approximately 2.5 Nm and proves powerful enough for most lenses in practical use.

Depends on

  • Motor torque requirements depend on the lens and its focus resistance.

Parts

Top Stage, Follow Focus

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Original thread on Facebook (group members only)Ask about this threadThe answer cites the archive