Redrock HĀLO – Automatic Follow Focus Reinvented

by Sebastian WöberApril 24^th, 2015

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When Redrock Micro presented their affordable wireless follow focus at NAB 2010, who knew they’d take this technology so far: Now, 5 years later, they present an automatic follow focus system, but with a twist that might reinvent the way we use follow focus systems.

The Redrock HĀLO is an electronic focusing system that gives you automatic focusing as well as full manual control with a top-view of your scene.

They use the same technology that powers autonomous cars to create a real-time map of the scene. Artificial intelligence identifies your subjects (people and objects) and tracks their distance and location in real-time.

You can then tap-to-focus with visual, audible, and haptic feedback. And HĀLO becomes your technician, handling the practical details so you can concentrate on your creative performance.

Other automatic follow focus systems at NAB 2015:

There were other automatic follow focus systems at NAB 2015. Of course everybody is aware of the famous Andra focusing system which they have further improved with a digital user interface and manual inputs. But then there was also Qinematiq, an Austrian company, with an approach of using stereoscopic imaging to generate a 3D map of the scene. There’s a video that was captured by Magnimous Media, see below:

It seems the Cinematiq version is gonna be more pricey than the Redrock solution, but then again it seems to be a whole different concept alltogether.

The one question we forgot to ask concerning the Redrock HĀLO is how much preparation time it takes to setup this automatic follow focus system, in order to correctly track all objects in the scene. But we will find out about that when the time for delivery of the Redrock HĀLO comes later this year.

Estimated price is between $2,000 and $5,000.
For more information visit the Redrock Micro website.

PS: Sorry about bad audio in this video.