The Simmod Lens NATO Ring was designed to allow easy mounting of motors, Lidar, etc, to a cine lens without the need for rods. It can also be used as the heart of a camera rig for most mirrorless cameras, as well as the new Sony Rialto Mini for VENICE 2.
I like when companies think outside of the box, and this looks like a very interesting, and more importantly, affordable lens accessory.
As I previously mentioned, it allows you to run a lens motor or Lidar system on a camera that doesn’t have any camera rods. On larger lenses, it can even be used to mount multiple motors simultaneously for full focus, iris, and zoom control if required. It makes popular cinema primes like the Blazar Remus anamorphics much easier to use. Personally, I would be a little cautious with what lenses I would use with a product like this and how much weight and strain I could be putting on the lens mount. I think it would be fine for mounting lens motors, but I am not sure I would want to be putting a DJI LiDAR rangefinder control unit and then holding onto it like a camera handle.
The NATO ring is also the perfect way to add a DJI LiDAR rangefinder unit. A groove and threaded hole pattern in one of the NATO rail sections ensures that it can be positioned perfectly every time it is mounted. This also prevents the LiDAR unit from rotating out of alignment.
By mounting a motor or follow focus directly onto a cinema lens, you do away with annoying wobbles and misalignments that are usually found when using small cameras in cages with long 15mm rods to hold the motor. The NATO ring can also be used to mount a wide variety of lighter-weight camera accessories like small monitors, iPhones, and wireless mics. And it can be used to add a 1/4-20 or 3/8 lens support to lenses that do not have a support foot or mount already.
Another benefit is that a cine lens can be rigged up and put on a camera instantly, then taken off and swapped to an AF lens without having all the crap still on the camera.
For lightweight cameras like ZV-E1 or a7S III, you can basically build the rig around the lens, hold and support via the lens, and then ‘hang’ the camera off the back.
The NATO ring is ideal for handheld or gimbal operation because attaching lens accessories this way significantly reduces the size of a camera rig and makes it much more ergonomic. Lighter weight cameras can effectively be ‘hung’ off the back of the lens, so you’re supporting the mass under the lens/NATO ring combo rather than the camera when holding the setup. A lens motor and LiDAR rangefinder can still be precisely mounted to the lens even if an operator needs to run a stripped-down cageless setup.
Attaching a motor to the lens also simplifies changing between different lenses. For owners of rental houses with extensive lens sets, the affordable price of the NATO ring means that one ring can be purchased for each lens and left in place to expedite swapping lenses even further.
The Simmod NATO ring is ideal for mirrorless setups. A complete setup can be built in a smaller form factor than a traditional rod and baseplate solution. A lightweight monitor or iPhone can also be mounted as a monitor on top of the lens, providing a more balanced and user-friendly setup in many cases.
The DJI Focus Pro can be used with the NATO ring (additional 3rd party accessories required)
The NATO ring is also the perfect solution for handheld shooting with the new Sony RIALTO mini extension system for the VENICE 2 camera. Focus motors, handgrips, small monitors, and accessories can all be mounted to the NATO ring instead of the camera body, making the setup much more compact and handholdable.
The Simmod NATO ring is crafted from high-grade aluminum and features a patent and multiple patents pending design. The custom rubber insert ring ensures a secure and damage-free clamping of the NATO ring to the lens. The ring can be easily mounted to or removed from a lens in moments.
1/4-20 and 3/8 threaded sockets also enable the mounting of an even wider range of accessories, and importantly, can be used to mount the ring to a lens support.
Simmod Lens was founded by Ron Sim CSC, an acclaimed cinematographer with extensive experience in documentary and commercial projects. He 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 for its security and widespread availability, allowing users to utilise existing mounts they may already own.
The NATO ring simplifies positioning accessories, particularly LiDAR rangefinders. Each NATO section has alignment marks, ensuring consistent positioning each time the accessory is mounted. This also enables super quick changes when moving motors between lenses.
The Simmod NATO ring can also be used to mount a compact mechanical follow focus
If larger lenses or heavier accessories are used, the NATO ring has threaded holes correctly placed to attach a lens support for use with rails. This is important to prevent excessive stress on the lens mount. Users should always exercise common sense and not exceed weight limits for lens mounts when mounting accessories to the NATO ring.
A multi-NATO ring hard case will also be available, allowing users to carry a complete set. This comprises a strong, watertight, NANUK case with custom-cut foam inserts.
Pricing & Availability
The Simmod NATO ring is priced at $149 USD, and it is available to order from B&H or the Simmod Lens website. A larger 95mm O.D. version of the NATO ring is in development and should be available in the near future. Even larger and smaller sizes are also anticipated, and Simmod is looking for user feedback to help guide future development
