Many of the portable entry-level mirrorless cameras we’ve seen in the last few years have small non-flip screens. That’s a bummer, but it’s not only for those who want to frame themselves like vloggers and YouTubers. Sometimes the camera may be in a hard to reach position or you may need to pull focus remotely and don’t want to interfere with the camera operator.
Whatever may be the reason, the expert in assembling DIY rigs from scratch Caleb Pike from DSLR Video Shooter is here with another dirty-cheap camera setup that will allow you to monitor your framing and pull focus from a distance all at the same time.
Now, the combo showcased in the video consists of the following essential pieces:
- Accsoon CineEye (B&H, Amazon)
- Tilta Nucleus Nano Wireless Follow Focus System (B&H, Amazon)
- SmallRig 15mm Rod Set (B&H, Amazon)
- SmallRig 15mm Rod Clamp (B&H, Amazon)
- SmallRig Cold Shoe Mount (B&H)
- ANDYCINE Mini Shoe Mount Monitor Mount (B&H, Amazon)
- Phone Mount (Amazon)
All in all, the rig is quite simple to assemble. Using the rod as a base, you need to clamp the Nucleus Nano Follow Focus on one side, a handle on the other, and the phone holder in the middle. As a further commodity, you can use a friction mount to tweak the position of the phone once it’s in place.
Of course, at the heart of the setup is the Accsoon CineEye. In a nutshell, it’s a compact and leightweight wireless image transmitter that instead of relying on a proprietary system that handles the video signal uses a simple WiFi connection and a hosted phone with the appropriate app.
In fact, the app is the real gem of this setup. The signal travels through an HDMI cable to the input of the CineEye, and from there through the wireless network it creates. You just need to tap inside the network in question and get your live video feed.
One of the first concerns for all focus pullers out there is latency and for a reason. Obviously, such a cheap system can’t compete with the almost zero latency of much pricier products, but at the same time, it defends itself quite well. From what we can see, the image is crisp and clear, and the delay is not enough to be troublesome.
But that’s not all, inside the app, there are tons of features to be discovered – histograms, focus peaking, false colors, frame guides…you name it.
There is even an anamorphic de-squeeze (kind of). The app is pretty feature-packed as it will take time to discover every functionality. Just to get you going, there’s a zebra feature, but unlike any other camera, you can set its threshold below 10%. That’s something we’ve never seen anywhere else.
So, this small device packs a ton of value, but if you pair it with the Tilta Nucleus Nano, you’re creating a combo that can compete with much more fancier systems, not only on the functionality side but on the quality too.
Ultimately, if you’re in the market for a similar solution, you should definitely consider the suggested setup since it could save you a ton of money that you could easily invest in another piece of gear.
[source: DSLR Video Shooter]
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