Cinematic manual focus pulling

[erik-sutton95]

Goal

Create a purpose-built manual focus-pulling interface for smooth, precise lens control from iPhone or iPad.

Why it matters

Generic focus nudges are not enough for narrative work. Focus pullers need a controlled, readable interface that supports repeatable moves while keeping the live image and critical focus tools visible.

Proposed experience

• A large, low-latency focus control with adjustable response and direction
• Lens-position feedback where the camera and lens expose it
• User-set focus marks and clear near/far orientation
• Focus peaking and magnification that remain usable during a pull
• Optional haptic landmarks without adding visible clutter

Success looks like

An operator can rehearse and execute a smooth manual focus pull while judging the image, with predictable control response and no accidental camera-setting changes.

Open questions

• Which lenses expose sufficiently precise and repeatable focus-position data?
• Should control map to position, velocity, or support both?
• How should the interface adapt between phone, iPad, and external controllers?

[erik-sutton95]

Additional field feedback proposes a concrete UI direction for this request:

• Add a dedicated Focus DISP mode, especially for portrait orientation.
• Keep the live feed in the upper portion of the screen.
• Use the lower portion for a large virtual focus wheel that can be dragged naturally with a finger.
• Allow focus marks to be placed directly around/on the wheel, with clear near/far direction.
• Support adjustable direction, sensitivity, velocity/position mapping, and optional haptic landmarks.
• Keep peaking and magnification available while pulling focus.
• Only show authoritative lens-position feedback where the body/lens exposes it; do not imply repeatability for unsupported focus-by-wire lenses.
• Provide an immediate stop/exit path and prevent the wheel from issuing focus commands when the camera is disconnected, busy, recording in an incompatible mode, or no supported lens is present.

The tester referenced this older RED-camera app/3D-printed wheel demonstration as inspiration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JB8I9HY0BP0

This fits the existing Cinematic manual focus pulling request better than a separate duplicate discussion. A portrait Focus DISP mode could become the phone-first presentation of the larger feature, while iPad and external-controller layouts can adapt the same focus model to their available space.

[erik-sutton95]

More field feedback confirms the phone-layout need:

• The existing AF-S Focus Dial was not discoverable because it appears in landscape but not portrait.
• The tester specifically wants focus control in portrait because it is much easier to operate one-handed.
• Their original request was a phone-based focus wheel; the portrait Focus DISP concept above would address both discoverability and ergonomics.

This should preserve the current Nikon limitation noted in testing: focus-by-wire commands appear to be unavailable when the camera itself is set to MF, so the app must state the required compatible AF mode rather than presenting a nonfunctional wheel.

Original feedback · portrait follow-up