VARIZOOM VZ-WFF User manual

VZ-WFF
(Wireless Follow Focus)
Instruction Manual

Technical Support
Address any technical question to:
VariZoom
Tel: [phone] (M-F 8:30 am/ 4:30 pm Central)
Website - www.varizoom.com
pg. 23

Resolution: 12-bits (4096 steps), all steps always used.
Data Update Rate: 300 transmissions/second
Transmission Delay: 2.7 milliseconds
Receiver/Amplifier Specifications
Dimensions/Weight: approx. 4½" by 3½” by 1½” / approx. 11 oz.
Power Consumption: 50 milliamps @ 11-17VDC (Motor off) up
to 3 amps max when driving a motor
Power Output to Motor: 2 amps maximum @ 18 VDC (36 watts)
Lemo Connector Part Numbers
Connector Receptacle
Plug
Power (Trans. & Rcvr/Amp) ECG.0B.302.CLL
FGG.0B.302.CLAD42
Data In/Out (Trans. & Rcvr/Amp) ECG.0B.303.CLL
FGG.0B.303.CLAD42
Pot Input (Rcvr/Amp) ECG.0B.304.CLL
FGG.0B.304.CLAD42
Motor Output (Rcvr/Amp) ECG.1B.305.CLL
FGG.1B.305.CLAD62
Camera Run/Stop (Rcvr/Amp) ERD.0S.304.CLL
FFA.0S.304.CLAC42
An excellent source for Lemo compatible connectors is Custom
Interface Technology in Los Angeles, CA. Call 323-222-6401.
pg. 22
Table of Contents
Introduction………..…………………………………………………..4
Transmitter…………………………………………………………….5
Transmitter Controls…..……………………………………………...6
Transmitter Indicators….………………………………….………….8
Transmitter Connectors………………….…………………………...8
Transmitter Battery……………………………………..…………......9
Receiver/Amplifier…………………………………….……………….9
Receiver/Amplifier Controls…..…………………………….……….11
Calibration Procedure…..……………………………………..……..12
Receiver/Amplifier LED……………………………………………...13
Receiver/Amplifier Connectors…..………………………………....13
Other
Things to Know…..…………..……………………………………….16
Warranty………………………………..……………………..……….17
Troubleshooting…..………………………….……………………….18
Connector Pinout…..…………………………………………………20
Specification…..……………………………………………………....22
Technical Support…….……………………………………..……....23
pg. 3

The WFF Unit
A WFF unit consists of a hand-held Transmitter control, a
Receiver/Amplifier motor driver unit, and a power cable. To control
a lens, a lens drive motor and motor cable are required. To start
and stop a camera a remote control, or “run/stop” cable is required.
The Transmitter
The transmitter control unit, called just the ”Transmitter”, is a small,
lightweight, hand-held unit that enables the operator to remotely
control one lens function, such as focus or iris, and start or stop the
camera. The Transmitter has one main lens control knob (either a
rotary knob or a slider) three toggle switches for power and setup,
one rocker switch for camera on/off, one rotary selector switch for
channel selection, two LED’s, two connectors and one 9V battery.
pg. 4
RECEIVER BACK
CAM(p. 8) PWR(p. 7) POT(p. 7) MTR(p. 7)
1: N/C 1: +11 TO 17 VDC 1: N/C 1: MOTOR –
2: N.O. 2: GROUND 2: POT CCW (-) END 2: POT CCW (-) END
3: COM 3: POT WIPER 3: POT WIPER
4: COM 4: POT CW (+) END 4: POT CW (+) END
5: MOTOR +
Transmitter Specifications
Dimensions/Weight: approx. 7" by 3½” by 3” / approx. 1½ lbs.
Power Consumption: 30 Milliamps @ 7 to 15 VDC (9 milliamps in
low power mode)
RF Transmission: 902-928 MHZ Single frequency, part 15 FCC
compliant: Channel Freq.. (MHZ).
0 903.37
1 906.37
2 907.87
3 909.37
4 912.37
5 915.37
6 919.87
7 921.37
pg. 21

Connector Pinout
TRANSMITTER BOTTOM
POWER IN (p. 4) DATA OUT (p. 4)
1: +7 TO 15 VDC 1: GROUND
2: GROUND 2: RF SHUTDOWN (SHORT TO
GROUND)
3:DATAOUT
RECEIVER FRONT
PWR (p. 7) DATA IN (p. 7)
1: +11 TO 17 VDC 1: GROUND
2: GROUND 2: RF SHUTDOWN (SHORT
TO GROUND)
3:DATAIN
pg. 20
pg. 5

Transmitter Controls
Control Knob: Each Transmitter has one main control knob,
either a rotary knob or a linear slider. Once the lens
drive motor has been calibrated to the lens at the
Receiver/Amplifier, end-to-end travel of the knob
moves the lens through the range set during
calibration. The travel can be set to be the entire
range of lens movement or between two
intermediate points, as desired by the operator. An
important point to note is that the smaller the range
of travel of the motor, the more accurate the
system becomes. (This is the opposite of all other
systems currently in use, which have either a fixed
accuracy or get less accurate as the range is
reduced)
POWER Switch: The power switch turns power on and off to
the Transmitter.
FWD/REV Switch: This switch reverses the direction of travel
of the lens drive motor in response to a
movement of the control knob. The
forward/reverse designations are completely
arbitrary, so simply choose whichever
matches the operator’s needs. The motor
calibration does not need to be redone
when the direction is changed.
MOM/CONT Switch: This switch is used to select the desired
operation of the camera run/stop long as the
camera is running.
pg. 6
When I switch the transmitter on the light on the receiver turns
green but moving the knob on the transmitter doesn’t make
the motor move.
The most likely cause of this is that both calibration knobs are in
the start position (rolled all the way towards each other). This
makes the range of motor travel nothing. Follow the calibration
procedure on page 6 first try moving the knob on the transmitter.
When I switch the camera to “RUN”, it moves a little and
stops.
Set the “CON/MOM” switch to “CON”. See page 3 for a description
of this switch’s operation.
When I switch the camera to “RUN” it stops, and when I set it
to “STOP” it runs.
This can occur when using a camera that has one pushbutton for
both starting and stopping the camera. When the switch on the
WFF is set to “RUN” it momentarily closes a relay to simulate the
camera button being pushed. It does the same thing when set
back to “STOP”. If the camera was already running when the
switch was set to “RUN” it will cause the camera to stop and vice-
versa. To get the camera and WFF back into synchronization start
(or stop) the camera one time by using the pushbutton on the
camera instead of the WFF.
When the signal is just barely getting through (LED flickering
between red and green) the motors will occasionally twitch or
jump.
This can be fixed by upgrading your software. Contact us for more
details.
pg. 19

Troubleshooting
I cannot get the receiver/amplifier to receive the signal from
the transmitter (receiver/amp LED stays red or flickers
between red and green).
There are several possible causes for this:
•The calibration switch on the receiver is not in the operate
(center) position. The LED blinks red/green to indicate you
are in calibration mode.
•Check that the transmitter and receiver/amplifier are set to
the same channel.
•If you are using a video transmitter, turn it off and see if you
get a good signal. If so, try using a different channel on the
video transmitter. If it is a Modulus, be sure to set the
lowest channel you can use.
•Check around for other sources of RF interference. Cell
phones in use in the immediate vicinity can also be a
problem.
When I switch the calibrate switch towards one of the knobs
or when I try to make a fast move the motor moves in short
jerks until it reaches position.
This is due to insufficient power being supplied to the WFF. When
the WFF tries to move the motor to position at full speed it can
draw up to 3 amps of current. 12V accessory outputs from
cameras, such as an ARRI 435, are limited to less current. When
the WFF tries to move the motor the power shuts down to prevent
burnout, which causes the WFF to shut down. This in turn causes
the power draw to drop off, which allows the accessory power to
rise back up and if the cycle repeats relay.
pg. 18
Other cameras, such as the Moviecam Compact,
require a momentary contact closure to start the
camera and another momentary closure to stop the
camera. This switch is set to CONT for continuous
operation cameras and MOM for momentary
operation cameras.
RUN/STOP Switch: This switch is used to activate the relay in the
Receiver/Amplifier that is used to put a film or video
camera in the run or stop mode.
CHANNEL Select Switch: This switch is used to select one of the
eight frequencies in the 900 MHZ range for
operation. The selector switch must be set to the
same channel on both the Transmitter and
Receiver/Amplifier. Use the highest number that
works in order to minimize interference from video
transmitters. If two WFF units are being used at
once, leave at least one unused channel
between the two channels being used, i.e. do not
set the units on adjacent channels, such as 5 &
6! Also, do not use channels 3 & 7
simultaneously, as you may get interference.
pg. 7

Transmitter Indicators
POWER LED: The red/green power LED has four modes of
operation: Green: Unit on and transmitting, battery voltage
OK.
Flashing Green: The unit has not been used for
more than 15 minutes, so the RF transmitter has
been turned off to save power. Changing any
control or moving the knob turns the transmitter
back on within 15 /1000 of a second.
Red: The LED will turn red approximately 1 hour
before the 9V battery needs replacement.
Flashing Red: The LED will begin flashing red when
the battery voltage has gotten so low the transmitter
can no longer function accurately. The RF
transmitter will be shutdown to prevent inaccurate
operation.
RUN/STOP LED: The blue run/stop LED flashes when the camera
run/stop switch is in the run position.
Transmitter Connectors
POWER IN Connector:This 2-pin connector is provided to allow
the WFF Transmitter to be powered by an external
battery. The Transmitter will operate on any voltage
from 7 to 15 VDC. It draws 30 milliamps of current.
Pin 1 is positive, pin 2 is negative.
pg. 8
Warranty
VariZoom warranties the WFF for manufacturing defects or
component failure under normal operation for 1 year from the date
of purchase. VariZoom will pay shipping UPS ground within the
United States to return the unit after repairs.
pg. 17

Other Things to Know
Interference from Video Transmitters: UHF video
transmitters, such as the Modulus 2000 or 3000, tend to broadcast
on other frequencies than the intended frequency. This can block
the signal from reaching the Receiver/Amplifier. There are several
things you can do to prevent this from being a problem:
1. Never use any channel above 50 UHF for transmission.
The lower the channel the lesser the chance of
interference. Channels below 40 generally do not interfere
at all unless the video transmitter is inches away from the
antenna on Receiver/Amplifier.
2. Use the highest channel on the WFF that is interference
free.
3. Keep as much metal (such as the camera body) between
the Video transmitter and the WFF Receiver/Amplifier.
4. Keep the video transmitter antenna and cables as far away
from the WFF antenna and cables as possible.
Motor Driver Shutdown: In order to save power, reduce heat
generation and prevent motor “jumping” due to stray RF
interference, the Receiver/Amplifier turns off the motor driver
circuitry 0.5 seconds after the motor reaches its desired position.
After 3 seconds of trying unsuccessfully to reach the desired
position, the motor will be turned off to prevent damage to the
motor or WFF unit. Changing the position of the control knob on
the transmitter reactivates the motor driver circuitry and resets the
timer.
Battery Saver: When the Transmitter has not been used for more
than 8 minutes the RF transmitter is turned off.
pg. 16
DATA OUT Connector: This 3-pin connector is provided to allow
direct connection of the Transmitter and the
Receiver/Amplifier unit. When connected, the
RF sections in both the transmitter and
receiver are switched off and the serial data is
sent via a cable. Pin 1 is ground, pin 2 is the
RF shutdown line that must be connected to
pin 1 in the cable, and pin 3 is the serial data
output line.
Transmitter Battery
The Transmitter is powered by a standard 9V battery that is
inserted through the bottom plate. An alkaline 9V battery will
provide 18 hours of operation. The battery is inserted with the
negative contact near the power connector. Inserting the battery
backwards will have no effect, the unit simply will not operate.
The Receiver/Amplifier
The Receiver/Amplifier unit is a small, lightweight unit that is placed
near the lens being controlled. It receives the signal from the
Transmitter and drives the lens drive motor proportionally to the
movement of the Control Knob. It also has a relay that can be
used to control the run/stop function of film & video cameras. The
unit has a toggle switch for power, a rotary switch for channel
selection, a 3-position toggle switch and two barrel-shaped thumb
wheels for calibrating the lens drive motor’s range of travel to the
desired range of lens travel, one LED and six connectors.
pg. 9

pg. 10
The calibration knobs still set the ends of lens travel,
but the calibration is slightly different. The calibration
toggle switch has no effect and should be set in the
middle position. Simply move the remote pot control
all the way to one end of its travel. At this point, one
of the calibration wheels will have a large effect on
its operation, and one will have little effect. Use the
one which has a large effect to set the end of motor
travel point. Move the remote pot to the other end of
its travel and repeat with the other wheel. Pins 2 &
4 are connected to the pot’s end points, and pin 3 to
the pot wiper.
CAM Connector: This 4-pin camera run/stop connector is used to
put film or video cameras in the “run” mode and stop
them. Special cables are required for each camera.
This connector is compatible with the Seitz system.
Pin 2 is the normally open relay contact and pins 3
& 4 are the relay common. Note: As a special order,
this connector can be replaced by a 2-pin connector
for compatibility with WRC-4 and modified Seitz
units. If the 2-pin connector is used, Pin 1 is the
normally open relay contact and pin 2 is the relay
common.
pg. 15

Either one may be used for connection to an
external 11 to 17VDC power source. If two WFF’s
are being used and only one power source exists,
plug the second Receiver/Amplifier’s cable into the
unused power connector on the first one. Pin 1 is
positive, pin 2 is negative.
DATA IN Connector: This 3-pin connector is provided to allow
direct connection of the Transmitter and the
Receiver/Amplifier unit. When connected, the RF
sections in both the transmitter and receiver are
switched off and the serial data is sent via a cable.
Pin 1 is ground, pin 2 is the RF shutdown line that
must be connected to pin 1 in the cable, and pin 3 is
the serial data input line.
MTR Connector: The 5-pin motor connector is used to connect the
Receiver/Amplifier to a lens drive motor. The pin
assignments are 1-for-1 compatible with Seitz and
WRC-4 systems and Heden and Cinema Products
motors.
POT Connector: This 4-pin connector is provided to allow
direct connection of a 10K control potentiometer
to be used instead of the transmitter. This way, a
very small control knob may be placed anywhere
convenient for the operator. When used this way,
the Receiver/Amplifier becomes a direct analog
servo control system (like a Preston “Micro Force”).
pg. 14
Receiver/Amplifier Controls
ON/OFF Switch: This switch controls power to the
Receiver/Amplifier.
CHANNEL Select Switch: This switch is used to select one of the
eight frequencies in the 900 MHZ range for
operation. The selector switch must be set to the
same channel on both the Transmitter and
Receiver/Amplifier. As a general rule, use the
highest number that works in order to minimize
interference from video transmitters. If two WFF
units are being used at once, leave at least one
unused channel between the two channels being
used, i.e. do not set the units on adjacent
channels, such as 5 & 6! Also, do not use
channels 3 & 7 simultaneously, as you may get
interference.
CALIBRATION Switch and Thumbwheels: These controls, located
on the side of the Receiver/Amplifier, are used to set
the end points of travel of the lens drive motor that
correspond to the range of travel of the Control
Knob on the Transmitter. See following page for the
calibration procedure.
pg. 11

WFF CALIBRATION PROCEDURE Receiver/Amplifier LED
STATUS LED: This red/green has three modes of operation:
Red: The unit is on but not receiving a signal from
the Transmitter
Green: The unit is on and receiving a signal from
the Transmitter
Flashing Red/Green: In calibration mode (the
toggle switch is not in the center “operate” position).
Note: When the signal is being interfered with and
reception is intermittent, the LED may appear a
yellow-orange color as it switches back and forth
rapidly between red and green.
Receiver/Amplifier Connectors
PWR Connectors: There is a 2-pin power input/output connector at
each end of the Receiver/Amplifier unit.
pg. 13