Teradek has just announced the TOF.1, an affordable, lightweight infrared rangefinder for the RT Wireless Lens Control System. In a nutshell, TOF.1 provides focus pullers with accurate, real-time distance measurements between a camera’s focal plane and the subject being filmed, allowing precise focus accuracy at all times. Additionally, TOF.1 unlocks a new autofocus function that can continuously track a subject and instantaneously adjust the lens motor.
“Rangefinders have been available to professional AC’s for years, but they’ve really only been available to the highest-budget projects. TOF.1 gives a much wider range of focus pullers access to a professional distance-measuring device for their FIZ system,” explains Greg Smokler, VP of Product at Creative Solutions. “Not only is TOF.1 affordable, it’s smaller, lighter, and as accurate as other rangefinders, and it also offers incredibly useful autofocus capability.”
TOF.1 features an IR sensor array that can detect objects within a line-of-sight distance up to 80ft (25.4m). An included detachable Laser Sight can be centered to the sensor’s field of view to achieve pin-point accuracy.
Both power and control are provided with a single control cable to the MDR.X Lens Control Receiver, and TOF.1’s distance readouts are displayed on paired CTRL.1 or CTRL.3 wireless handheld lens controllers, as well as on connected SmallHD monitors.
With a sensor refresh rate of 60 measurements per second, every subject movement is registered and proximity readouts are provided in real-time. Connect either lens controller with any compatible SmallHD monitor and activate PageOS 4 RT Overlays to view on-screen distance readouts, which can be adjusted in size for a customized monitoring workflow.
Once TOF.1 is properly calibrated with MDR.X, autofocus is activated with a simple on/off toggle. A specific focus tracking point is selected by the operator, and subject proximity information from TOF.1 is utilized for instantaneous adjustments by the lens motor to maintain constant critical focus.
A proprietary smoothing algorithm prevents excessive jitter within the lens motor, so back-and-forth adjustments are blended together with near imperceptibility.
Teradek TOF.1 Highlights
- Line-of-sight accuracy up to 80ft (25.4m)
- IR sensor with a 3° field of view
- Refresh rate of 60 measurements per second
- Distance Readouts on MDR.X, CTRL.1, and CTRL.3
- Autofocus functionality with Teradek RT
- Single cable for Power+Control
- Detachable Laser Sight for pinpoint accuracy
- Customizable Distance Overlays on SmallHD monitors
- Price: $3,490
TOF.1 is available to market as of November 5, 2020 selling for $3,490. For more information, head over to the Teradek’s website here.
[source: Teradek]
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