DIY Follow Focus System for Canon HV20/30/40

[Almohada]

[darthpaully]

I don't think I even saw this! HAHAHA!

On a serious note....hehe.... I forgot to mention earlier that in order to mount the HVFF you will need BOTH the 43mm-52mm step-up ring AND a 52mm filter (or extension) of your choice. I did some playing around and the step-up ring alone will not align the wheels. These are cheap accesories that everyone should have anyway.

I've been telling everyone to get this set-up anyway, but now I'm pretty much DEMANDING it!!!

Or, of course, you can use the fotodiox style 43mm lens hood, but will be not able to add anything else.

[Almohada]

MUST-HAVE HVFF ACCESSORIES

In order to mount the HVFF you will need BOTH the 43mm-52mm step-up ring AND a 52mm filter (or extension) of your choice.

Or you can use the fotodiox style 43mm lens hood, but will be not able to add anything else.

Or, if you already have 43mm accessories and do not wish to upgrade everything to 52mm, you can use a 43-52mm step up then 52mm-43mm step down, then add your existing 43mm accessories after that. This step up-down method also creates a perfect mounting threshold for the HVFF.



Once again, here's darthpaully's set-up/ demo video:

[darthpaully]

I had record breaking HVFF sales last night- I sold 3 from about 9pm -1am and then another at 8am. Thanks to all those that have ordered...

WOW, 4 HVFF'S sold IN ONE DAY!!! It was more like 4 HVFF'S IN 12 HOURS!

Congrats to all!!!

[Almohada]

Congratulations!!!

[vidiot]

One of the orders was mine for my new HV40. I have an HV30 also with an IRV 1.0 that is still working but it never really delivered the smoothness of operation that I believe the HVFF can offer. I really like your design and need smooth manual focus control for the 40. I have also ordered a 43-52mm step up ring and UV filter so I can mount the HVFF. I will be filming a ballet recital with both cameras in 3 weeks. The 30 has a Raynox WA and Canon hood which will be used for the overall stage shot and my hope is I will be using the HVFF on the 40 for the close-up shots that need precise focus control. Hats off to you for a great design that fixes the biggest shortcoming of these great little cameras. Once it arrives here in Seattle and I have a chance to try it, I will leave a review here and on your website. Thanks again to darthpaully for designing this and to all the others on this forum who have come up with many great ideas improving the use of the HV20-40 series cameras.

[Almohada]

Awesome! Good idea using the HVFF w/ the close-up cam. I'm pretty sure you're gonna replace that IRV after using the HVFF Damn I love this thing. It's been sitting on my desk for a month. I want another one just so it can be a desk accessory

[Gulfstream]

Looks like I'll be a customer this weekend - my Focus Ring finally gave up and I'm getting the feeling that Irv Design is going to let me down on the repair. My wife got it for me as a Christmas present over a year ago, and it worked great until the malfunction. We are communicating by email, and granted he has offered to repair for free (I offered to pay or buy a new one from him... I just want it to work), but it's been 2 weeks already, and I had to initiate all follow-up contact. Sigh...

[darthpaully]

Welcome Home Gulfstream! Team HVFF is more than happy to take you in...

Let me know if you have any questions, or just go to the webstore!

[Almohada]

Welcome to the family, Gulfstream!

[Gulfstream]

Welcome Home Gulfstream! Team HVFF is more than happy to take you in...

Let me know if you have any questions, or just go to the webstore!

Thanks I guess my only question is does the current version come with a black knob vs. beige?

[Almohada]

Thanks I guess my only question is does the current version come with a black knob vs. beige?

I think darth stopped painting them black because the paint would eventually peel off. It also takes a couple days for the parts to dry.
Pretty sure he can paint it for you though.

[darthpaully]

Almo is correct- I stopped painting them because the paint doesn't stick well to all these different materials, and the drying process takes an extra couple of days. I might have continued painting them anyway but I had a few "complaints" about this and decided to just not go there anymore. I have, however, already painted the (M&D) clamp knobs black since I had a bunch of them, and the paint seems to go onto the plastic pretty well. Plus they've had WEEKS of drying time and every second adds to the longevity of the paint.

I have tried a few different types of paint but have not been very succersful finding one that covers all. It's a bummer because the black looks MUCH better IMO and matches the HV30 and HV40 very well.

The current 2.5 version looks exactly like it does on my avatar. You can go to the webstore as well to get a closer pic...

Really, the only parts that need to be painted are the clamps and I guess theknob. It can be easily done by anyone with flat black spray paint. If you are good with painting and masking, you could probably paint your HVFF without disassembling it. Otherwise, you could even remove the rubber pads for the clamp and line it with black electrical tape- then put the rubber strips back on. Just a thought.

If anyone has any suggestions as to solving the paint problem- I'm ALL Ears. I'd really like to sell the HVFF with the black option, but the paint has to stick or it's just not happening...

[Gulfstream]

Almo is correct- I stopped painting them because the paint doesn't stick well to all these different materials, and the drying process takes an extra couple of days. I might have continued painting them anyway but I had a few "complaints" about this and decided to just not go there anymore. I have, however, already painted the (M&D) clamp knobs black since I had a bunch of them, and the paint seems to go onto the plastic pretty well. Plus they've had WEEKS of drying time and every second adds to the longevity of the paint.

I have tried a few different types of paint but have not been very succersful finding one that covers all. It's a bummer because the black looks MUCH better IMO and matches the HV30 and HV40 very well.

If anyone has any suggestions as to solving the paint problem- I'm ALL Ears. I'd really like to sell the HVFF with the black option, but the paint has to stick or it's just not happening...

http://www.krylon.com/products/fusion_for_plastic/

[Almohada]

http://www.krylon.com/products/fusion_for_plastic/

Ah, wow! One hour dry time for handle!!! Darth have you been using this? The paint on my M&D knob has been coming off since I got it, and I haven't shot anything with it yet.

[Gulfstream]

Furthermore: Fast dry; fully chip resistant after 7 days.

Prep Info: http://www.krylon.com/safety/surface-preparation/

[darthpaully]

I'll pick up a can tonight to try, but the problem is the 7 days to fully dry....

[Gulfstream]

I'll pick up a can tonight to try, but the problem is the 7 days to fully dry....

I'm also gonna be "guinea pig' when I get my unit from you. My wife used the product on some furniture at work and left them in the sun for a couple of days. I don't think a Sidewinder missile fired from an F-15 could crack it! so... I'm anxious to give it a shot.

I have the luxury of a few days of no shooting, so I'll be in the garage futzing about on some unfinished D.I.Y. projects including my new motorized product turntable that I built.

[darthpaully]

Sounds good Gulf. I'm curious to see how well the plastic form the knob will hold that paint..

[Almohada]

I thought it said 1 hour dry time?

[darthpaully]

I thought it said 1 hour dry time?

Never trust anything that says 1 hour dry time. I think it'll usually say "dry to the touch", in one hour but it take DAYS for spray paint to really set in. You can tell by how "sticky" it feels. When it's super dry it feels smooth- but it still comes off in the case of the HVFF.

[Gulfstream]

No Question that it's 1 hour dry time (to the touch). You also have to prep the surface. If you notice in my post above - and on the product page... - "fully chip resistant after 7 days"



Like a fine wine.. takes time to cure.

[darthpaully]

WOW, what a week... HVFF orders went crazy this past few weeks- I just finished and am fine-tuning 5 HVFF's and am getting ready to ship today...

Thanks for your patience if you haven't recieved your HVFF 2.5 yet, many of them are in the mail and ALL the rest are 99% done. I have had MAJOR issues with getting parts this past few weeks and cleaned a number of Lowe's along the way. A few of the parts are (conveniently) not in stock anymore, so I'll either have to order a TON of each of the parts or seek out alternatives. In the name of keeping the price as low as possible, I am shopping my options right now and have some promising parts in mind.

Since I haven't really said it before: Shipping could be up to 2 weeks. As I said before, PARTS have made it difficult to keep producition flying as well as a number of other non-related factors like little league playoffs, last day of school (today), not to mention busy at work. Please be patient. Every single HVFF is hand-made and molded on my HV40, and I'd rather spend another hour on it to get it right then to send it out without a proper set-up... It's like a guitar.

That all said, thanks for all the business everyone! I value each and every one of you guys who have invested in my design. ENJOY YOUR HVFF's. To all HVFF 1.0 and 2.0 customers, PM me if you need a 2.5 upgrade and I'll help you out. I haven't got around to putting the kit up in the HVFF webstore yet...

OH, the paint- they didn't have Krylon at Lowe's or Home Depot- Anybody know who might sell it locally?

[Almohada]

OH, the paint- they didn't have Krylon at Lowe's or Home Depot- Anybody know who might sell it locally?

What?! Are you serious? Krylon is HUGE! Guess you gotta look for a local mom n pop store...

[Aaron Shirley]

I will be getting an HV40 with a Raynox 6600 43mm wide angle next week. Will the hvff install on this set-up or would I have to get a step-up ring?

Thanks,

Aaron