Follow focus
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Followfocus.jpg
A follow focus is attached to a film or video camera's manual servo lens and subsequently onto the body of the camera via a set of rods that are standardized in the film industry. A follow focus is a compulsory piece of equipment for film-making. It is usually operated by a focus puller but can also be operated by the cinematographer.
Auto focus lens systems use lasers or infrared beams to measure the distance between the lens and the subject, but this technique does not anticipate an actor stepping into the foreground of the frame, nor can it focus on anything which is not in the center of the frame. A follow focus is a circular knob which the focus puller uses to adjust the focus onto different subjects as well as change, or (follow) focus during movement of the camera onto the required subject, hence the term.
The white disk surrounding the knob is used by the focus puller to jot down marks, and thus takes care of the focus according to the marks he/she took during technical rehearsals. A focus puller often uses a tape to correctly measure the distance from the lens to the subject, allowing for accurate marking of the disk.
A Follow focus mounted on Aaton 35mm Handheld