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FIG. 1 — Follow-focus device developed by Richardson Camera Co., Hol¬ lywood for turrefed professional 16mm cameras, has linkage (A) be¬ tween viewfinder and dial control knob (B) which automatically corrects finder for parallax so that finder image is identical with lens.
FIG. 2 — Technicolor developed a remote control by which the lens in fojlow focus shots is focused electrically by means of Selsyn-motordriven control dial (Arrow) in hands of camera assistant; may be effectively operated several yards distant from camera.
The Development of FollowFocus In Cinematography
Some of the interesting developments that have taken place which make possible sharp focus throughout moving camera shots.
operation by correlating the focusing of the shooting lens and finder lens and simultaneously correcting for parallax. This was accomplished with such preci¬ sion that the sharpness of focus in the finder could be relied upon to indicate corresponding properties in the photo¬ graphic image, thereby materially in¬ creasing the speed and accuracy of pro¬ duction photography, particularly in follow-focus shots.
Conventional practice revealed plenty of methods by which a finder could be pivoted to correct for parallax, making its field of view coincide with that of (Continued on Page 552)
By FREDERICK FOSTER
The extent to which crane and dolly shots are used today never would have been possible without the development of automatic follow-focus. Without it, moving camera shots could not be held in sharp focus throughout a take except with the greatest of diffi¬ culty. Today, the focus ring on the lens is changed progressively and auto¬ matically forward or backward by re¬ mote control as the camera moves toward or away from the subject in a dolly or crane shot.
Before the coming of sound, neither the matter of finder parallax nor that of follow-focus was considered important. Finders were placed very close to the photographing lens, reducing parallax to the minimum, and as moving camera shots were seldom made in those days, finder parallax could be compensated by setting the finder according to a pre¬ calibrated scale, or by checking the angles against that seen on the ground glass.
With the advent of sound, cameras were placed in relatively large, sound¬ proofed blimps. This necessitated either enclosing the finder with the camera, thereby restricting the operator’s free¬ dom in viewing the finder image, or placing the finder outside the camera blimp, at a considerable distance from the camera lens, inevitably increasing the problem of finder parallax to a high degree. Almost at the same time, the moving camera and other techniques were introduced, and these made follow¬ ing focus a factor in an increasing num¬ ber of shots.
Among the men in the industry to tackle the problem was John Arnold, ASC, executive director of photography at Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios. Arnold developed a successful semi¬ automatic follow-focus finder for use on studio cameras. The device, which won one of the Academy’s achievement awards in 1937, facilitated camera
FIG. 3 — Newly developed blimp for the Eclair Camerette provides for remote focusing of lens during follow-focus through external knob and dial which is coupled directly to lenses of camera inside blimp.
December, 1952
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American Cinematographer
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