SHAPE Follow Focus Kit with 15 mm Rod Clamp: What's Included

Start with what the kit actually contains

The SHAPE Follow Focus Kit with Single 15 mm Rod Clamp (model FA123) is a manual follow-focus component for repeatable focus control on cinema and production rigs. Before you mount anything, confirm the kit matches your rig: the clamp is built around a single aluminum 15 mm rod clamp, so your setup needs to call for that rod standard.

The box contains one unit of SHAPE model FA123. That package includes five drive gears for different lens sizes: 0.5 MOD/78T, 0.6 MOD/64T, 0.8 MOD/38T, 0.8 MOD/43T, and 0.8 MOD/78T. A 49 mm rubber friction wheel is also included for the 0.5 MOD/78T gear, which the catalog identifies as the gear most commonly used with DSLR lenses. Knowing this list up front saves you from ordering a separate gear for a lens that is already covered.

Kit contents at a glance

• SHAPE Follow Focus Kit with Single 15 mm Rod Clamp: Includes five drive gears: 0.5 MOD/78T, 0.6 MOD/64T, 0.8 MOD/38T, 0.8 MOD/43T, and 0.8 MOD/78T, plus a 49 mm rubber friction wheel for the 0.5 MOD/78T gear. Match the gear to your lens before installation so you don't discover a pitch mismatch on set.

  

• SHAPE Follow Focus Kit with Single 15 mm Rod Clamp: The core of the kit is a rubber, anti-slip focus wheel attached to a single aluminum 15 mm rod clamp. The clamp defines the rod standard your rig must support; it is not a universal mount.

Mounting the kit on a single 15 mm rod

The kit is designed to be assembled and adjusted without screws or tools, but the order below keeps you from fighting the clamp while the focus wheel is in the way.

1. Slide the clamp onto your 15 mm rod: The single aluminum 15 mm rod clamp is the foundation of the kit. Position it on the rod at the point where the focus wheel will reach your lens gear without crowding the matte box or other accessories.
2. Rotate the clamp to align with the lens: The clamp rotates to adjust to most lens sizes and is tightened by a locking lever. Rotate it until the focus wheel meets the gear on your lens, then lock the lever.
3. Fit the appropriate drive gear: Choose the gear that matches your lens: 0.5 MOD/78T, 0.6 MOD/64T, 0.8 MOD/38T, 0.8 MOD/43T, or 0.8 MOD/78T. The gears can be flipped from front to back to facilitate different lens configurations.
4. Add the friction wheel if you're using the 0.5 MOD/78T gear: The 49 mm rubber friction wheel is included for the 0.5 MOD/78T gear, the configuration most commonly used with DSLR lenses. Use it there rather than on the other gear pitches.
5. Check clearance around the lens: The kit's small profile allows the addition of a matte box or accessories around your lens. Confirm nothing blocks the focus wheel's travel before you lock everything down.

Why the swing-out clamp matters when changing lenses

The clamp's rotation lets the focus wheel swing out of the way when you change lenses. That is the practical reason to keep the locking lever accessible rather than buried under a matte box or cable. If your rig puts the lever in a spot you can't reach without dismantling accessories, reposition the clamp before you tighten it.

The modular design also means you can add and remove components without screws or tools. Treat that as a field-adjustment feature, not a reason to skip checking the fit: the clamp still needs to sit on a 15 mm rod, and the focus wheel still needs to line up with the gear on your lens.

Gear pitch and lens compatibility: what to verify before you buy

The gear list covers common cinema and DSLR lens pitches, but the kit does not confirm compatibility with every lens. Check these points against your own glass.

• Match the gear pitch to your lens: The included gears cover 0.5 MOD, 0.6 MOD, and 0.8 MOD pitches. If your lens uses a different pitch, the kit's gears are not confirmed to fit it.
• Confirm your rig uses a single 15 mm rod: The clamp is a single 15 mm rod clamp. A rig built around a different rod standard or a two-rod bridge is not what this kit is designed for.
• Check focus direction and motorized-control needs: This is a manual follow-focus component. If your production requires motorized focus control, choose a different option.
• Leave room for a matte box: The kit's small profile is intended to allow accessories around the lens, but clearance depends on your specific matte box and lens. Test the arrangement before a shoot.

Product facts

• SHAPE Follow Focus Kit with Single 15 mm Rod Clamp: SHAPE Follow Focus Kit with Single 15 mm Rod Clamp, manufacturer SKU FA123, available from Filmgear Canada. Use the full model name and SKU when comparing similar follow-focus kits so you order the exact configuration.
• SHAPE Follow Focus Kit with Single 15 mm Rod Clamp: The clamp rotates to adjust to most lens sizes and is tightened by a locking lever; the focus wheel can swing out of the way when changing lenses. This is the adjustment you'll use most on set, so confirm the lever is reachable on your rig.