P4K - USB-C capabilities?

Hey all, I’m researching wireless follow focus systems and loving the price and features of the Tilta Nucleus-N. Here’s what I’m wondering:

-The tilta is powered via USB. Does the USB-C port supply power? I assume it does for bus powering external drives.

-I see that the P4K doesn’t have a LANC port. Does the USB-C allow for any start/stop communication? And if not, is there any way to achieve remote start/stop?

The BMPCC4K USB 3.1 connector does supply power but it may not be enough to drive the follow focus. It’s low energy to power a Portable SSD, but I expect powering a motor requires more. USB 3.1 can provide 100 watts, but what BMD is sending out may not be published.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks Rick. The videos for the Tilta show it connecting to the USB port on DSLRs, so I'm hoping the power output is similar.

P.S. Is "BMPCC4K" really the acronym we're going with?

Zak, I just recently got the PDMovie Live Air follow focus for the PCC4k. The big advantage over the Tilta is that its motor is battery powered and it got a nice thumb wheel for pulling the focus.

Have used it on a 3 hour handheld shoot and it worked like a charm.

OH, and PDMovie are having a nice Black friday sale:
https://pdmovie.co.uk/black-friday-sale/

My PD Movie is PDL-F-V2 and a second motor, PD-MX, with everything running from 12VDC D-tap. So even though your link has a lot of combinations that IKan in the US doesn’t offer, my items sadly aren’t in your listing! And no Black Friday sale.
https://ikancorp.com/shop/rigs-matte-bo ... -pd-movie/



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Zak, you’re probably right.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks Rick and Robert. I currently have the older, wired version of the PDMovie, and while it's served me well I'm not crazy about it. Plus the Tilta is still cheaper.

I also don't mind the motor being powered from the rig, in fact I prefer having one less set of batteries to charge! If the Pocket can't supply enough power, I'll look into using P-tap to power it.

OH, and PDMovie are having a nice Black friday sale:
https://pdmovie.co.uk/black-friday-sale/

Looks very useful.

How would you mount the transmitter/controller to a gimbal, such as the Ronin-S?

OH, and PDMovie are having a nice Black friday sale:
https://pdmovie.co.uk/black-friday-sale/

Looks very useful.

How would you mount the transmitter/controller to a gimbal, such as the Ronin-S?

I think with the Ronin-S you need some extra bracket. Maybe just write to PDMovie support, because they claim it is compatible with Ronin-S, so they must have an idea how to mount it to the gimbal.

If you are interested in mounting the small thumb controller, it’s integrated mount can be extended a good distance. When I had it mounted on my pan handle, it fit over the foam cushion on the handle. What is the diameter you would need it to fit to on the gimbal?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If you are interested in mounting the small thumb controller, it’s integrated mount can be extended a good distance. When I had it mounted on my pan handle, it fit over the foam cushion on the handle. What is the diameter you would need it to fit to on the gimbal?

Thanks Robert and Rick.

Not quite sure how thick the grip is. If I was to guess, a radius of around 20-25mm.

Though, as the Ronin-S has a built in focus wheel, and now their motor kit is selling for AU$289, it's hard to look past it. The PD system will obviously work with any camera, but I'm probably just getting GAS looking at it's great design and form.

Just read some reviews on the Ronin-S Kit and see if that’s looking good. It saves you money probably given the controller is already built-in. But I don’t know all the features it includes. I would think it’s good and no hassle to integrate. The PD Movie can work with anything. Not sure if the Ronin solution is restricted to DJI.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Not sure if the Ronin solution is restricted to DJI.

Yes it is. Unlike the Tilta Nucleus Nano or PD system.

But, from the looks of it, the DJI focus motor will serve the job well.

And now I have a Helix standard for URSA Mini (with RedRockMicro Focus Motor), and Ronin-S for Pocket 4K I'm hoping that will keep me well balanced for years to come.

Afterall, if you look after it, most gear should last for years. I'm only now just starting to retire my original Pocket now after nearly four and half years.

P.S. Is "BMPCC4K" really the acronym we're going with?

There is a video on YouTube about this. Its officially pronounced the BoomPeeCaCaFourKay.

How the 5V USB from our cameras work with the Nano might have to do with the lens you're using. On their site they mention that the motor can take 5V-18V and "the torque of the Nucleus-Nano Motor at 5.5V is 0.65N·m and at 14.8V is 1N·m" leading me to think its all up to the focus ring's resistance and the size of your lens gear.

Since I run with an external SSD I'm going to go straight to a 12V source. I'm scared to try it on the camera's USB. Its a motor and seems to require a lot of juice so I'm afraid of the camera going pop as soon as I turn it.

I pre-ordered minutes after they sent the email and still waiting.

Since I run with an external SSD I'm going to go straight to a 12V source.

Mike, does Tilta sell a cable that goes direct from the motor to P-tap?

Mike, does Tilta sell a cable that goes direct from the motor to P-tap?

I'm not sure. On their website they have a really closeup photo of the motor with its USB cable plugged into it. It looks as if there is another barrel shaped connector to the left of it, but I can't really tell if its a standard 5.5x2.1mm or possibly a 3.5mm minijack. I picked up a micro USB to 5.5x2.1 right angle adapter so I can make a custom wiring harness for the camera power, external monitor, and focus motor once it shows up. The P-Tap to USB stuff I'm seeing has circuitry to reduce the voltage to 5V, so maybe something like this would work...

https://tinyurl.com/yaj4rrhj

But you would need this if the motor doesn't already have a 5.5x2.1...

https://tinyurl.com/y7ldgybm

Motor closeup...

OH, and PDMovie are having a nice Black friday sale:
https://pdmovie.co.uk/black-friday-sale/

Looks very useful.

How would you mount the transmitter/controller to a gimbal, such as the Ronin-S?

Why wouldn't you just use the follow focus motors DJI has just released? The motor is US$169 and motor rod clamp US$20... I ordered both, seems a no-brainer to me

https://store.dji.com/product/ronin-s-f ... ?vid=47151

Why wouldn't you just use the follow focus motors DJI has just released? The motor is US$169 and motor rod clamp US$20... I ordered both, seems a no-brainer to me

https://store.dji.com/product/ronin-s-f ... ?vid=47151

Its only a motor, whereas the Nano is both a motor and a controller which comes with a mount for a Ronin S. Its nice to have one focus controller system that works on a gimbal and not, plus with the Nano you can have someone else pull focus while you operate the camera.

There was also the issue with the Ronin having a funky accuracy issue that feels more fly-by-wire than a typical wireless system. Not sure if they fixed that, but when I saw someone using it doing any kind of A=B was impossible.

Just heard this from Tilta support:
"Yes there will be a micro USB to P-Tap cable that will be sold separately. This should be coming out pretty soon."