Lightweight Pull-focus/zoom solution

One of the effects I liked to replicate in my DSLR movies was pull-focus, follow-focus and pull-zoom-focus. I used to achieve this when using my Canon DSLR with the addition of a cage and a large pull-focus wheel mechanism. Unfortunately, this added a lot of weight and made the camera almost unusable unless it was tripod mounted.

Since I got my Fuji X-T2 mirrorless camera I have sort of drifted toward a more light-weight style of camera-work and away from the use of a cage and lots of add-ons (when possible). But I was left with the problem of how to do pull-focus effects.

Then I came across the Movo Photo FF200 Manual Follow Focus / Zoom Control Lever Lens Clamp for DSLR Video Cameras. This is available from Amazon.co.uk for a very reasonable £8.95...

It's a very simple lever design which is attached to the camera's focus ring or zoom ring using a velcro strap. The great thing about it is that it's very quick and easy to attach and it fits a variety of sizes of lenses. I opted for two of these levers so I could control both my manual focus and my zoom smoothly...

It looks a bit weird but the levers work perfectly. They allow you to adjust focus/zoom from a more detached stance behind the camera (as opposed to the more 'connected' stance used by stills photographers, where they grasp both the camera and the lens). The long levers give you a nice smooth leverage over the speed of turning of the lens rings, and I find I can use these even if the camera is being used handheld.