Rack Focusing Made Easy With FocusMaker

Anyone getting started out in DSLR video production can tell you that one of the biggest frustrations for them is changing focus during a shot. This is where FocusMaker comes in. It attaches to any lens and in just a few minutes you can have focus points marked on the big ruler, and easily jump back and forth from focus point to focus point.

I have seen other options for this before, but this is the most clear cut and to the point option I have seen for anyone just starting out. With a little bit of time setting up your shot it can be a very effective tool for any DSLR filmmaker thanks to it's big sight and ruler. So how much is this handy tool? It can be had for US$90 via their website. I'm not sure if I would drop $90 on this, but given the functionality of it, it is definitely an option to consider for the low budget filmmaker.

Check out the FocusMaker website here.

[Via Gizmag]

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14 Comments

What a cool gizmo!

Not for that build quality. Might fab my own though, pretty easy to make with a couple pieces of metal.

 For 90 dollars and materials combination I suspect that there will be competitors on the market soon.  I sincerely hope so, because 90 dollars for this is a bit too high.

Agree with that whole statement. I really like the concept, because I'm terrible at rack focusing, but this is just too spendy. 

People need to realize that you can't put a high price on a gizmo made out of a few pieces of plastic just because it falls into the photography/video market.

Good idea, but come on… 90 bucks for something that is produced for 2$ in china… no way I am buying it for 90$. It's not like it is fine mechanics, right?!

$2? I think you're being about $1.70 too generous with that estimate.

I could probably make that with some plastic, a lighter and a few rubber bands... Maybe I'll sell mine for $45, ha!

I've been using the Focus shifter for a few weeks now and, I must say, it has been an incredible tool to use. I've attached a link here. http://www.focusshifter.com/follow/

For anyone complaining about the price I'd ask you to look at the cost of producing something like this.  Seriously..  getting a mold made to begin mass production costs huge sums of money.  Tens of thousands.  My friend recently made a modifier for photography and it cost about 30k to make the first one.  He joked about it, but its true that the very first one was nearly 30k to get it produced.  Obviously the next ones become less and less over time.  I used to complain about prices until I saw what he went through to get an idea to real item in his hand.

I am aware of that… but still, I am not going to pay 90$ for a couple of pieces of plastic, and according to others, nor will they.

and again im just sayin any normal 3d printer that costs less than 30k can make a mold and a mold costs less than 1000e at least where i come from. and you can make it yourself in modeling clay or something. have a BA in product design so i know. outsource stuff out of USA. also i dont like what kessler is doing too. two parallel metal sticks they call a slider and costs at least 500 bucks WTF then cameras should cost 100k. Indy my ass.

Do all that handheld on a rig.  Still going to be a pain in the ass.

Cool device, I agree with most though it is overpriced but really, it is pretty typical of any cool piece of photo gear that we end up paying for.For example $2 bubble levels priced at $35 when they have a hotshot mount or a $0.50 piece of rubber that Gary Phong calls a $60 "lightspere". While it sucks that they charge so much for this sort of thing it kinda has become the reality of the photo/video industry.

Ordered 2 of those. One for my D3s and one for my D4.

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