Viltrox NexusFocus PL-E Adapter Announced – An Autofocus Adapter for PL Lenses

by Dave KratzSeptember 17^th, 2025

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At IBC 2025 in Amsterdam, CineD visited Jianbo Zhang at the Viltrox booth and saw one of the most surprising prototypes on the floor. Viltrox revealed the Viltrox NexusFocus PL-E adapter, a device that gives traditionally manual PL cinema lenses full autofocus capability on Sony E-mount cameras. The concept was bold enough to earn a CineD Best of Show award.

Our Best-of-Show Awards are reserved for products that genuinely push the craft forward. While IBC is always packed with eye-catching technology, only a handful of tools rise above the noise. This year, Viltrox’s autofocus adapter was one of them. (Our Best-of-Show article featuring all the winners will follow shortly!)

And just two weeks ago, Viltrox also announced they were joining the L-Mount Alliance, which you can read more about here.

Viltrox NexusFocus PL-E adapter gives autofocus to manual lenses

The Viltrox NexusFocus PL-E adapter to Sony E-mount bodies such as the FX3 and FX6 and allows PL-mount lenses – anamorphic, vintage, or modern cinema primes – to act like native autofocus glass. Eye AF, face recognition, subject tracking, and even tap-to-focus on the screen all work.

And it is not limited to focus alone. The prototype also controls iris and, potentially, zoom once additional motors are finalized. According to Viltrox, a single small battery can keep the system running for days. For anyone used to rigging LiDAR units or wireless follow-focus systems, the idea of simply tapping into the autofocus that is already in the camera is a compelling one.

“It is very exciting… we don’t need LiDAR because everything comes from the camera focus system,” Jianbo Zhang from Viltrox.

Viltrox NexusFocus PL-E adapter design

The adapter communicates directly with Sony’s autofocus protocols, driving external motors mounted on the lens. There are no additional sensors required. It is a simple idea, but one that filmmakers have been dreaming about as autofocus technology in cameras has grown more sophisticated.

Compatibility and future plans

For now, the adapter is designed for Sony E-mount cameras with built-in autofocus. Viltrox has also tested limited functionality with L-mount, Nikon Z and Fuji GFX mounts, suggesting broader support could be on the roadmap. The version shown at IBC was a true prototype, assembled only days before the show. Viltrox plans refinements to the housing, cable management, and motor strength before release.

Viltrox NexusFocus PL-E benefits and lens profiles

Adding autofocus to manual PL lenses could reshape production workflows. Solo operators and small crews would gain new flexibility, while larger productions could blend autofocus and manual pulling depending on the shot. For anyone who owns vintage or specialty lenses, it could breathe new life into existing gear.

Lens profiles for various lenses will be included and pre-installed when the adapter ships, and additional configurations can be saved and accessed whenever a lens is swapped, so not much time needs to be spent calibrating with every lens change.

What gets me interested

Every so often, an accessory comes along that makes you stop and think about what might change. Viltrox’s autofocus adapter is one of those. Personally, I immediately thought about my own shelf of old manual primes. I’ve been using DJI’s Focus Pro to make those lenses more practical, but the idea of skipping extra gear and letting the camera handle autofocus directly is hard to ignore.

It also makes me wonder how the big lens makers will feel about it. If autofocus suddenly works on almost any PL lens, that could step on some toes. After all, many manufacturers are only now starting to release cine lenses with native AF. Viltrox’s approach might give filmmakers a way to sidestep that entirely, which is exactly what makes this prototype so intriguing.

Price and availability

Pricing has not yet been announced, but the company emphasized that it will be affordable compared to other focus solutions. For more information, visit Viltrox’s official site, and stay on the lookout for official postings.

IBC always brings a wave of new gear, and Viltrox was just one highlight on the floor. You can explore all of CineD’s IBC 2025 coverage here to catch up on the other announcements and interviews we brought back from Amsterdam.

What do you think about the idea of bringing autofocus to classic PL glass? Would you trust it on a shoot or stick with manual pulling? Drop your thoughts in the comments; we’d love to hear how you’d use something like this.