Simmod Lens has announced a new NATO ring for lenses with an outer diameter of 80-85mm. The NATO ring allows cine lens owners to mount a variety of lightweight accessories to the barrel of a compatible lens via a NATO rail. By using a standard NATO attachment, the ring offers a wider range of accessory mounting options.
The NATO ring offers the easiest way to mount a focus motor on a lens in one easy installation. On larger lenses, you can even mount multiple motors at the same time for full focus, iris and zoom control. This makes it easier to use popular cinema primes like the Blazar Remus anamorphic series.
The NATO ring is also ideal for adding a DJI LiDAR rangefinder unit, as one of the NATO rail sections has a groove and screw hole pattern that allows for perfect alignment every time you attach it, and it also prevents the LiDAR unit from rotating out of position.
Eliminates motor wobble
Lens motor misalignment and slippage are issues familiar to anyone who has tried to rig a follow focus on a small camera system. Even the slightest movement between the camera rig parts can cause chaos in the lens motor wobble, ruining the shot and even damaging the lens. NATO lens rings effectively prevent these issues by moving the motor as close as possible to the lens itself, eliminating any wobble and ensuring everything is perfectly aligned.
Shrink the follow focus rig
NATO rings are ideal for handheld and gimbal operation, as mounting lens accessories in this way significantly reduces the size of the camera rig and makes it more ergonomic. A lightweight camera can be effectively “hung” off the back of the lens, so when holding the setup, the mass is supported under the lens/NATO ring combo, not the camera. Lens motors and LiDAR rangefinders can be precisely mounted to the lens, even in cases where operators need to go for a cageless setup.
Fitting a motor to the lens also makes it easy to change between different lenses, and for owners or rental houses with an extensive lens set, the affordability of NATO rings means you can buy one ring for each lens and leave them in place, making lens changes even quicker.
Ideal for mirrorless cameras
Simmod NATO rings are also ideal for mirrorless setups, allowing you to build a complete setup in a smaller form factor than traditional rod and baseplate solutions. You can even mount a lightweight monitor or iPhone as a monitor above the lens, often providing a more balanced and easy to use setup.
Simmod Lens NATO Ring Also Works for Sony VENICE Extension System Mini
The Simmod Lens NATO ring is also a perfect solution for handheld shooting with the new Sony VENICE Extension System Mini for the VENICE 2 camera: focus motors, handgrips, small monitors and accessories can all be mounted on the NATO ring instead of the camera body, making the setup more compact and easier to hold.
Simmod Lens NATO Ring Patent Structure
Simmod NATO rings are constructed from high-grade aluminum and feature a patented and multiple patent pending design. A custom rubber insert ring securely and damage-free holds the NATO ring to the lens. The rings can be quickly attached and removed from the lens.
The 1/4-20 and 3/8 threaded sockets allow for an even wider range of accessories to be mounted and can also be used to attach rings to lens supports.
Made by filmmakers, for filmmakers
Simmod Lens was founded by Ron Sim, CSC, an acclaimed cinematographer with extensive experience in documentary and commercial projects, who developed the NATO Ring in collaboration with other experienced filmmakers as a more flexible and universal solution for mounting motors and accessories.
The NATO system was chosen by Simmod Lens due to its safety and widespread availability, allowing users to use existing mounts they may already own.
The NATO rings make it easy to position accessories, especially LiDAR rangefinders. Each NATO section has alignment marks, allowing for consistent positioning every time an accessory is attached. They also allow for quick swapping when moving the motor between lenses.
Screw-in lens support options
If you use larger lenses or heavier accessories, the NATO ring has threaded holes for attaching lens supports for use with rails. This is important to avoid putting undue stress on the lens mount. When attaching accessories to a NATO ring, you should always use common sense to avoid exceeding the weight limit of the lens mount.
Multi-NATO rig kit also available
A multi-NATO ring hard case will also be released to carry the entire set. The durable and waterproof NANUK case is fitted with a custom-cut foam insert.
How to get it
The Simmod NATO Rings can be ordered from B&H or the Simmod Lens website. A larger 95mm outer diameter version of the NATO Ring is in development and will be available soon. Even larger and smaller sizes are expected, and Simmod Lens is looking for feedback from users to help inform future development.
