DIY LENS GEARS

I couldn't be more excited for Half Inch Rails new Zip Tie Focus Gears, but I couldn't help but wonder if this was inspired from a little thread started here. Regardless, the design is inspired, original and a welcome contender in the lens gear market.

Before Half Inch Rails' solution, a few eager shooters tried to work out their own affordable gearing configuration. What follows are my meager efforts in the same pool of inventiveness.

Below are some pics of my WIP and completed gear ring set. I constructed my first attempt in reverse order by gluing the gear and cable tie together first, affixed together overnight with binder clips (really convenient, since the E-6000 adhesive requires 24-72 hours to bond) and then sliding that over a pre-cut strand of foam; tightening and snipping once in place. I missed getting a clean seam on the foam the first time around but corrected that in the subsequent lens set. All together it feels very firm and manual focusing for stills just got more stylish. Thanks to Kalvin @ CInema 5D for the inspiration, leading the way with a generous tutorial and words of encouragement.

I hit a snag while doing these DIY gears that anyone attempting the same should be aware of. It's a common sense tip but if you aren't aware of where your strand and zip tie couple you'll end up with limited to zero usability. 

With Nikon AI-s primes you have a prong that points North when mounted to a camera, so where your zip tie couples with the broken ends of the gear strand should be South of the prong. Also account for the direction your focus barrel will travel. 

This North-to-South will work for Nikkors or Nikon F mount lenses, with a Follow Focus on the operators left. You'll have to vary the North-to-South with a macro lens since the barrel travel is distinctly longer but this serves as a general rule. Canon and all other makes will travel in the opposite direction.

Specific mounting guidelines should be considered before committing a strand or zip tie. A simple dry fit will save you an ounce of frustration or a premature cut.

I only hope this saves someone from the headache of having to remove all their gears and starting over. Should you have to remove them, I found that the E-6000 adhesive is not a permanent bond, just a very strong one, and by simply lifting up on the open end of the strand, they'll peel right off, strand intact. 

In my zeal I prepped/completed 5 lenses, not accounting for the follow focus gear that would drive the strand and you get the picture. They looked awesome though. 

Resetting was a cinch, even with going to the hardware store to get another packet of zip ties (note: buy double to triple your intended yield, also not a bad investment should you get the HIR gears).

From what I've found, as of the original writing, the Zacuto replacement gear strands are the easiest to use and most readily available (in the US) at $12 per strand. It's black finish also matches the aesthetic I was going for, because a small parts supplier will likely have a light blue/baby blue gear strand and the teeth will sometimes be tapered.

For anyone doing research on a similar project for budget conscious outfitting, your search has been exhaustive, I'm sure, but relief is in sight. Many have had success with Shoot 35's FLEXIgear or the gold standard, Redrock Micro's Microlens kit. Compared to Zacuto's complete kit, the per lens price made gearing cost prohibitive for most filmmakers, a luxury item, especially if you're lacking a Follow Focus. I fall into the same category but decided to gear my lenses due to the work my kit was getting, in which my lens collection could fit into a professional workflow without hassle or additional tooling onset.

The project was a tremendous amount of fun, and I give thanks once again to Kalvin for the idea. The completed/corrected lens set [pictured left] consists of: 24, 35, 50, 85, 105, and 180 Nikkors. Each with a signature yellow rim, which produces unceasing delight every time I open the gig bag.