Focus Gear Rings

Focus gear rings, also known as follow-focus rings or lens gears, are circular bands that attach to your camera lenses. Filmmakers, videographers, and photographers who need precise and repeatable manual focus control tend to use focus-ring camera setups.

These rings are essential for achieving smooth and accurate focusing while recording video or capturing images, especially when using follow-focus systems or lens-control motors.

How to Use Focus Rings

Focus gear rings work by providing a tactile and standardized surface for attaching external follow-focus mechanisms or lens-control motors. The focus gear ring is typically made of a durable material like rubber or silicone, and it features gear teeth on the outer surface.

You slide the ring onto your lens, ensuring it fits snugly and aligns with the lens's manual focusing ring. Once attached, the focus ring’s teeth provide a consistent and textured surface that can be engaged by the teeth on an external-follow focus system or motor.

Precision Focusing Control

By rotating the follow-focus wheel or using an electronic remote control unit, you can precisely adjust the focus of your lens. The gear system on the focus gear ring ensures that the focus movement is smooth, repeatable, and free from the jerky or jumpy inconsistencies that can occur when manually turning the lens's focus ring.

Stock Up on Focus Rings

The number of focus gear rings you need depends on the number of lenses in your kit and your shooting requirements. It’s a good idea to keep your focus rings in place on your lenses so you can make quick lens switches. You should have as many focus rings as you have lenses.

You can choose to purchase focus gear rings individually for each lens or invest in a set of rings that covers a range of lens sizes. Purchasing focus gear rings in kits is often more cost-effective and convenient if you frequently use different lenses. Kits also help ensure that all of your focus rings are compatible with your follow-focus system.

Compatibility

While some focus rings are universal thanks to their stretchy silicone material, rigid focus rings are often specific to a camera brand and lens model. Be sure to double-check compatibility with your gear before purchasing focus gear rings.

Industry-Approved Focus Ring Camera Systems

Any time you invest in videography gear, we recommend checking out the options available from the top brands in the industry. And when you’re considering adding a focus gear ring to your kit, you can find high-quality options from brands like SmallRig, Chrosziel, and Tilta right here at Adorama.