Dummy Focus Axis - Target Tracking Geometry With Separate Real Focus Motor¶

CONFIRMED TARGET TRACKING BOTH

Summary¶

For target-tracking/cartesian moves, operators often use a dummy focus axis for Flair's geometry calculations while controlling the real focus motor as a separate independent axis. This lets Flair keep a target distance model without forcing the physical focus motor to follow target-tracking calculations.

Symptoms / Use Cases¶

Need orbital/cartesian target tracking geometry without letting Flair drive the real focus motor
Focus puller wants independent control after camera path is built
Macro/probe lens where focus distance is not reliable or not desired
Need a virtual "target distance" axis for geometry and a real focus motor axis for pulling focus

Stable ID¶

ISSUE-TT-011

First Reported¶

2021-03-20 - target tracking focus axis as dummy / spare independent focus axis workflow.

Additional Reports¶

2021-12-07 - two focus axes default setup described.
2022-10-05 - adding an extra dummy focus axis.
2025-08-22 - independent focus axis naming and minimum/maximum values.

Software Environment¶

Both. Menu paths differ between Flair Classic and Flair 7, but the axis concept is shared.

Hardware¶

Lens focus motor
Any Bolt / Milo / Cinebot setup using target tracking or carts

Community Solutions¶

[CONFIRMED] 2021-03-20 - User: Simon Wakley / Jeremy Andrews thread¶

Use a spare axis as independent focus. Switch one axis to Dummy and the other to Network depending on the shot. This makes it fast to swap between target-tracking focus geometry and real focus motor control.

confidence_score: 0.80

[CONFIRMED] 2021-12-07 - User: Jeremy Andrews¶

Default setup can include two focus axes: one designated Focus axis set to Dummy / Focus Follows Target, and another independent motor axis with the same settings. Flair is "fooled" into thinking it is running focus for target geometry, while the operator runs real focus independently.

confidence_score: 0.86

[CONFIRMED] 2022-10-05 - User: Timothy Heys Cerchio¶

To add an extra dummy focus axis, open Setups -> Axis Setup, copy the Focus axis setup data to an additional axis, set that new axis to Dummy, rename it something like Target Distance, then switch the physical focus motor axis between Network / Focus Type and Independent as needed.

confidence_score: 0.84

[LIKELY] 2025-08-22 - User: Heiko Matting¶

In Setups -> Axis Setup, name the real focus axis differently from the target-tracking Focus axis, for example Foc_ind, set it to Independent with min/max values, and copy useful motor settings from the original focus axis. Keep the target-tracking focus axis set to Dummy.

Where These Values Live¶

Item	Flair location
Dummy / Network axis type	Setups -> Axis Setup, per-axis network/type controls
Independent focus mode and min/max values	Setups -> Axis Setup, real focus axis controls
Target Tracking focus behavior	Setups -> Target Tracking Setup and the job's Target Tracking / focus mode controls

confidence_score: 0.78

WhatsApp Excerpts¶

2021-03-19 06:45 - ~ Sebastian Opitz: Don’t know this particular issue, but I only use “follows objects”, especially for orbital moves, since you would want the target distance set to the center of the subject you’re orbiting and the focal distance to its surface
2021-03-19 07:23 - ~ Jeremy Andrews: I’ll give this piece of advice again - but I feel it should be in the manual! You can make your target tracking focus axis a ‘dummy’ axis (not on the network), but still designated as the focus axis. You can use orbital and also move around an object in TT You then copy all your focus settings to a spare axis, and run the focus as independent. You can happily store any focus keyframes you like on an orbital or TT move, but you can’t use ‘follow target’ or ‘follow object’ Frankly, I usually have...
2021-03-20 08:06 - ~ Jeremy Andrews: Agreed, it’s down to preference and familiarity with a procedure. I feel that having a ‘spare ‘ axis already set up as independent focus, means I only have to switch one to dummy and the other to network, depending on the shot I’m trying to get. But we’ve always gone at this slightly differently, Simon 🙂 Very grateful that you developed the follow target and follow object options, though!
2021-03-20 08:16 - ~ Simon Wakley: 😁