best remote lens control for EX-1

[Don Greening]

I’m using the Libec lens controller and find that it works well. It’s also less expensive than the others you mentioned. I don’t think anyone has released a motorized focus control specifically for the EX1 yet. Right now you would have to use a follow focus setup like this:

https://www.cavision.com/followfocus/singlewheelnew.htm

An electronic focus/zoom controller doesn’t exist because focus adjustment isn’t part of the EX1 lens output wiring.

– Don

[Ted Joyce]

Thanks for the quick reply. I’m most interested in very slow creep zooms, and also want to remote the camera ~60 meters on a pan head. Guess I could use the auto focus on the camera but not sure how good it is. I’ve extened the varizooms using Sony Z1’s and they work great. Any thoughts?

[Don Greening]

I glossed over a post on another forum somewhere where one of the lens controller companies is coming out with a cable extension for their zoom controller that’s specifically for use on jibs and cranes. I’ll have to get back to you on that. I know that the EX can be programmed to do a very slow zoom creep but I don’t know whether or not this would work with a variable speed controller. I’m assuming you want to be able to push the zoom rocker and have the camera do a slow zoom regardless of the pressure applied to the rocker switch.

There are motorized focus controllers out there for other cameras but you’d have to adapt one for the EX. These focus controllers would have cable extensions available.

– Don

[Ted Joyce]

Guess it would be best to call the companies direct on this then. Thanks much. I’ll post results if any.

[Steve Wargo]

Give Vocas a look.

Steve Wargo
Tempe, Arizona
It’s a dry heat!

Sony HDCAM F-900 & HDW-2000/1 deck
5 Final Cut (not quite PRO) systems
Sony HVR-M25 HDV deck
2-Sony EX-1 HD .

[Aiden Roe]

You can’t achieve very slow zoom creeps on any of the prosumer cameras out there except the ones with interchangeable lenses where you then would mount a lens with a proper zoom servo to get slow creeps. The problem is just that, there is no zoom servo driving the zoom ring on these prosumers. It is only an electronic signal telling the ring at what speed to spin. An electrical engineer could explain this better than I am. Just remember that despite what any salesman or anyone with not enough experience on these cameras who also hasn’t used broadcast/ENG lenses as comparison will say, you can not achieve those reliable and consistent almost ‘undetectable’ slow zoom creeps on these cameras. Getting any slow zoom on that level is typically hit or miss with jerky speed and stop-starts. No zoom controller available will do it as the problem is with the stock lenses, not the controllers. But if you slap on an ENG zoom lens on an EX3 or the Canons that solves it.

[Michael Palmer]

I agree with this, however the EX camera handle zoom is the best answer to creep zooms that I know of. In the menu you can set the Zoom Speed on the handle zoom control, I set the High to 3 and the Low to 1 or 2. It takes about 1.2 seconds to get it started and it works great. The rocker switches like you say vary the electrical signal and no matter how steady the operator the zooms can stutter as you said. But not the handle zoom control, it works great for me. I have the Libec and I find it very difficult to use for slow zooms.

Good Luck
Michael Palmer

[Aiden Roe]

It was a good idea to expand the assignable speed options but it could have been implemented better, specifically on the first speed level. Assigning speed “1” through the menu for the EX1 handle zoom does the same thing as if you attempt the lightest touch on a zoom controller — start/stop through the entire zoom range. I’ve spoken with a couple of Sony engineers including the lead on the EX1. They more or less admitted it appears to be a design mistake without being overly definitive until the company makes it official. They should have changed 1 to 0 and started at 2, but 2 is not a creep speed and has no smooth ramp up.

[John Huffman]

Check out the ZR3000EX for remote zoom – focus – iris…

There is also an adapter to convert your standard 8 pin zoom controller for use with the Sony EX1 or EX3 cameras.

Check them out at https://www.jonyjib.com/motion_control.html .

John Huffman
JonyJib
http://www.jonyjib.com