Simmod Lens is thrilled to announce the new NATO ring for 80-85mm O.D. Lenses. This innovative device allows cine lens owners to attach a variety of lightweight accessories via NATO rails to the barrel of a compatible lens. The clever part is that the standard NATO attachments open up the widest range of accessory mounting options.
 
Once attached, the NATO ring provides the easiest way to mount focus motors to a lens.
On larger lenses it can even be used to mount multiple motors simultaneously for full focus, iris and zoom control if required.
 
The NATO ring is also the perfect way to 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.
 
Eliminate the dreaded motor wobble
Lens motor misalignment and slipping are problems familiar to anyone who has tried to rig a follow focus to smaller camera systems. Any slight movement between camera rig parts can cause chaos and ruin shots with lens motor wobble, and potentially even damage lenses. The NATO lens ring effectively prevents this by mounting the motor as close as possible to the lens itself, eliminating wobble and ensuring that everything is perfectly aligned.
 
Shrink your follow focus rig
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. A lens motor and LiDAR rangefinder can still be precisely mounted to the lens even if an operator needs to run a stripped-down cage-less rig. Attaching a motor to the lens also simplifies changing between different lenses.
 
For owners or 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.
 
Patented Construction
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.
 
Built by filmmakers for filmmakers
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.
 
Perfect for mirrorless cameras
The Simmod NATO ring is ideal for mirrorless setups. It makes popular cinema primes like the Blazar Remus anamorphics much easier to use. A complete setup can be built in a smaller form factor compared to traditional rod and baseplate solutions. Alternatively, an iPhone can be mounted as a monitor on top of the lens, providing a more balanced and user-friendly setup in many cases.
 
Thread lens support option
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.
 
Multi NATO rig kit available
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.