Frequently Asked Questions

Q:  Will the D|Focus work with my rail mount kit?
A:  The D|Focus will fit on any standard rail mount – 15 mm rods 60 mm apart. 

Q:  Do you sell rails mount kits?
A: Not at this time. Any rail mount system will work as long as they are the standard 15 mm. However if using a DSLR camera the DSLR Mount will get you up and running!

Q:  Will the D|Focus work with The Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 7D, Nikon D90 or Panasonic Lumix GH1?
A: The D|Focus mounts to standard 15 mm rods, so pretty much any camera you can mount on 15 mm rods can be used with the D|Focus. Also with the new DSLR mount, the D|Focus can be configured with any DSLR without a rail system!

Q: What will I need for a complete Follow Focus system on a Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 7D, Nikon D90 or Panasonic Lumix GH1?
A: You will need the D|Focus, at least one Pro Lens Gear and either a rail system or the DSLR Mount.

Q:  What size lens gear do I need for my lens?
A: The New Pro Lens Gears come with 4 size legs to fit almost any lens. It's a one size fits all solution!

Q:  Will the D|Focus work with the Shrigg?
A:  Yes!

Q: Why is the D|Fcous offered without a lens gear?
A: Some users may wish to use the D|Focus with a 3rd party lens gear. The D|Focus will work with any industry standard 32 pitch (0.8) mod lens gear.

Q: I am hearing a lot of noise from the gears in my audio.  What can I do to fix this?
A: The best thing to do is use an external microphone not attached to the camera itself.  It’s not so much the noise the gears make that you are hearing but the vibration.  If you must use the on board microphone or have your microphone attached to the camera, try to use smooth slow focus pulls. 

Q: Does the D|Focus support speed cranks or whips?
A: Yes! This is now a standard feature!

Q: Where is the D|Focus manufactured?
A: Upland California, USA

Q: Do you ship internationally?
A: Yes, however there will be an additional charge for international shipping. Also, shipping to some countries can take a considerable amount of time (up to 3 weeks in some cases.) Please take this in to account when ordering.

Q: Do you offer some kind of a warranty?
A: At this time we are unable to offer a warranty, however we arecommitted to supporting my customers and will work with you to find a solution should a problem arise.

Q: How long will it take for me to receive my D|Focus?
A: Currently we are manufacturing in batches of 40 (that’s how many the CNC mill can cut out at a time.)  The wait time depends on the availability of the CNC machine since it is constantly running other jobs.  For updates on the production line see the Twitter page.

Q: I have a specific question not addressed here.  How can I contact you?
A: Email is the best way to reach us [dfocusinfo –at- gmail (dot) –com] Keep in mind that I may be busy building D|Focuses and may not be able to respond right away.  I will also try to be available on Skype [Username: designbydave51] as much as possible.

Q: Why are the miter gears exposed instead of being enclosed in a gearbox?  Doesn’t this put the gears at risk of being damaged or getting jammed?
A: Having the miter gears exposed makes the D|Focus much easier to build and thus less expensive for you.  Traditional gearboxes are typically designed to turn high RPMs, pull lots of torque and run for extended periods of time.  This isn’t the case most of the time when filming.  You will probably be doing slow, smooth focus pulls most of the time.  A gear”box” isn’t necessary; a gear”plate” is used instead.

Q: Is there any “play” or “slop” of "backlash" in the gearplate?
A: Because the drive shafts are not supported by any bushings or bearings, there will be some “play” causing the gears to not mesh 100%.  The new D|Focus V2 allows the user to adjust the tension in the gearing. This can, in most cases, eliminate most of the backlash! This is a unique feature usually only found on follow focuses costing $1000 or more!

Q: Are replacement parts available?
A: Yes.  Please email for price and availability.

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