ARRI Introduces Compact New cforce MAX Lens Motor

ARRI cforce MAX
(Image credit: ARRI)

MUNICH—ARRI has launched the new cforce MAX, a new high-performance lens motor that enhances the Hi‑5 lens control system with its exceptional speed and intelligent onboard control.

Compact and lightweight, the cforce MAX offers also offers versatile mounting, easy setup, and total reliability in the most demanding shooting environments, the company said.

The cforce MAX is twice as fast and just as strong as the cforce plus motor it replaces, yet 15% smaller and lighter.

Designed to complement the ultra-compact cforce mini and wireless cforce mini RF in ARRI’s lens motor lineup, the cforce MAX is ideal for larger cine primes, zoom lenses, vintage glass, and specialty optics that require strength and precision.

At the same time, its reduced form factor ensures versatility across handheld, gimbal, and studio configurations.

Combined with the new ARRI Motor Rod Clamp MRC-1, it provides a rock-solid connection to lens gears and easy adjustment on 19 mm / 15 mm rods in multiple positions.

The MRC-1 is also compatible with the cforce mini and cforce mini RF, and is a compelling upgrade for Hi‑5 system users, significantly improving stability and flexibility.

With an advanced brushless motor, the cforce MAX is quiet, durable, and easy to service. Motor response latency is so low that using the cforce MAX feels like a completely new experience for focus pullers. The high speed of up to 400 teeth per second and the market-leading latency additionally make it ideal for focus tracking systems, which cannot anticipate movement in front of the camera and must respond in real time.

Georg Lanz, an experienced focus puller and beta tester of the cforce MAX, commented on the new product by reporting that he had “tested the cforce MAX in the hottest place on Earth, in jungles, and out on the open sea. Beyond its reliability, the responsiveness and speed genuinely allow me to do a better job, especially in documentary or free-flowing environments where I am constantly reacting to unexpected movement.”

The cforce MAX features a physical button for control of core functions such as changing the motor axis—a control option already familiar to users of ARRI’s other cforce motors. In addition, its integrated display with touchscreen interface enables intuitive configuration and status monitoring directly on the motor, with expanded functionality possible in the future.

In common with ARRI’s entire Electronic Control System, the cforce MAX will benefit from ongoing software updates that enhance its feature set. Like the other cforce motors, it offers dual LBUS ports for seamless daisy-chaining and flexible system integration using standard cables, as well as full LBUS backwards-compatibility. It can be used with most existing ARRI mounting brackets, rods, and drive gears, allowing crews to integrate it effortlessly into established setups.

The cforce MAX lens motor is available now.

Learn more at www.arri.com/cforceMAX

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George Winslow is the senior content producer for TV Tech. He has written about the television, media and technology industries for nearly 30 years for such publications as Broadcasting & Cable, Multichannel News and TV Tech. Over the years, he has edited a number of magazines, including Multichannel News International and World Screen, and moderated panels at such major industry events as NAB and MIP TV. He has published two books and dozens of encyclopedia articles on such subjects as the media, New York City history and economics.