The Lens Cuff Released – Mount Your Follow Focus Motors Directly on the Lens

Lens Accessories

by Dave KratzApril 16^th, 2023

The Lens Cuff is a simple but effective device that solves several problems with rigging follow focus motors to cameras. It moves the motor’s rail mount from the base or body of the camera to the lens itself. This change creates a closed system that eliminates shifting in the lens mount or camera base, making the entire camera rig more compact and lightweight. Let’s look at how it can change the way we rig our cameras.

Outfitting any camera with a 3rd party motorized follow focus requires a rig. The motor normally mounts to a 15mm rail parallel to the lens, and traditionally, we mount that rail to the camera body, usually at the camera’s base. Those rail mount blocks need to be pretty heavy-duty to provide a solid, stable connection.

Depending on the lens, the lens mount, the rail block, and the speed of focus pull, the force from the motor can cause the lens or the rig itself to shift. This torque creates a jarring bump and shift in the image when pulling focus. Fixing this in post can range from an easy fix to requiring a complete digital reconstruction of a scene when a reshoot is impossible.

The Lens Cuff – overcoming traditional follow focus setups

We traditionally add more components to our rigs to solve this shifting issue, such as lens supports and locking lens mounts. These components, in turn, make our camera rigs bigger and heavier even though cameras are constantly getting smaller. What’s more, it doesn’t always solve the lens-shifting problem.

Motors with the proper torque to pull focus on a cinema lens exert enough force to shift the lens. Check out our review of the Tilta Nucleus-M, which has since become a very widely used remote follow focus system.

In 2018, when VFX artist and cinematographer Gregory Karydis realized how often he was tasked with fixing this in post, he thought about a solution. After many prototypes, he realized his vision of The Lens Cuff.

The accessory fastens around the lens to provide two 15mm rail clamps and a 1/4″-20 screw mount. Attaching the motors directly to the lens should eliminate those nasty lens shifts. It also eliminates the need for a heavy camera base or locking lens mount. 

The Lens Cuff – key features

• Machined from a single block of Aircraft grade Aluminium 6082
• Stealth Carbon Black Hard Anodised
• Custom spring-loaded wingnut fasteners with standard M4 threads
• Low-profile lens support foot with 1/4″-20 thread and ARRI Standard locating pins
• Symmetrical 2x 15mm rail clamps

Lens compatibility

The accessory works on any lens with a barrel diameter between 57.5mm and 114mm. Please make sure to visit the company’s site for a list of tested lenses.

The cuffs are available in 65mm, 75mm, 85mm, and 114mm sizes, and they include step-down rings. Rigging stills lenses with protrusions for side switches can be done using step-down rings.

• 65mm: Adaptable to ⌀ 62.5mm, ⌀ 60mm & ⌀ 57.5mm
• 75mm: Adaptable to ⌀ 72.5mm, ⌀ 70mm & ⌀ 67.5mm
• 85mm: Adaptable to ⌀ 82.5mm, ⌀ 80mm & ⌀ 77.5mm
• 95mm: Adaptable to ⌀ 92.5mm, ⌀ 90mm & ⌀ 87.5mm
• 114mm: Adaptable to ⌀ 110mm, ⌀ 105mm & ⌀ 100mm

The ideal placement is on a non-rotating segment of the lens between the Focus, Iris, or Zoom rings. Alternatively, The Lens Cuff may be attached anywhere on the lens where the barrel is tubular and not conical (angled).

The lens must have at least 10mm (3/8″) on a non-moving segment of the lens body for accessory to be attached. The provided inserts also require 10mm (3/8″) on a non-moving segment of the lens body. At launch, 5mm wide inserts will also be available.

Position up to two motors on each side of The Lens Cuff for symmetry: for prime lenses, one on each side for Focus and Iris, and for zoom lenses, two on one side and the third one on the other. Motor positions won’t affect the performance but will affect your setup’s balance.

Price and availability 

The Lens Cuff is designed & manufactured in Greece and is available to order directly on the company’s website. It can be purchased as a single cuff or as one of two lens cuff sets with a case.

Single Lens Cuff – €395 (approximately $435)

• Select from 65mm, 75mm, 85mm, and 114mm sizes

The Lens Cuff – Set 1 – €1,550 (approximately $1,705)

• 65mm Cuff
• 75mm Cuff
• 85mm Cuff
• 95mm Cuff
• Step down rings
• Nanuk Hard shell case
• 15mm Stubby Rails

The Lens Cuff – Set 2 – €1,550 (approximately $1,705)

• 75mm Cuff
• 85mm Cuff
• 95mm Cuff
• 114mm Cuff
• Step down rings
• Nanuk Hard shell case
• 15mm Stubby Rails

This looks to be a promising option for anyone looking to eliminate shifting in the lens mount while also creating a lightweight, minimal camera rig. Be sure to visit the company’s website for more information and ordering.

According to the manufacturer, the Lens Cuff patent has been granted in the EU and is pending in the US and elsewhere.

Do your lenses shift while pulling focus? What do you think about The Lens Cuff? Would you use it with your camera rig? Let us know in the comments below.