Viltrox Brings AI Autofocus to Manual Lenses with NexusFocus F1

Viltrox is pleased to announce NexusFocus, a new autofocus solution for manual lenses. The NexusFocus F1 is a compact, lightweight adapter that fits unobtrusively in between the lens and the camera body. The system is compatible with Sony E-mount cameras and PL-mount Cine and CineMod lenses. It takes advantage of Sony’s powerful phase-detection system and AI subject recognition, and leverages those native capabilities of the camera to drive motors for aperture, focus and zoom adjustments, thus revitalizing manual lenses with powerful autofocus capabilities.

NexusFocus gives vintage lens enthusiasts, solo operators, and small film crews unprecedented creative freedom. Freed from the constraints of manual focusing and LiDAR’s parallax limitations, creators can enjoy cinematic-level imaging, with effortless control and precision.

Quick set up and versatile lens control

With fast synchronized motor control of focus, iris, and zoom (FIZ), users gain complete command of every lens movement. The responsive autofocus lets solo operators and small crews work efficiently on set.

The Viltrox NexusFocus mobile app allows for effortless setup, with a wide range of lens calibration profiles ready-to-go. The system automatically detects calibration status on startup, so users can just mount the adapter, power on, and start creating (automatic calibration is currently only available on the iOS app version).

The app also provides Bluetooth wireless control with smartphones and iPads, allowing limitless camera placement options and versatile single-user operation. The adapter features a clear backlit status display panel on top, so users can instantly check the operating mode and lens data.

Tough and compact design, with powerful performance

Compact, but with powerful performance, the motor responds with remarkable speed and precision. The standard USB type-C power port offers broad compatibility with professional equipment, and seamless connectivity. The motor is powered by an external source to ensure reliable operation. The dust-resistant seal at the camera mount end of the adapter protects equipment and preserves image integrity. The unit’s durable but lightweight aluminum alloy and stainless steel construction ensures reliability and a long operating life. A detachable tripod mount allows for flexible support.

More details and how to buy

The NexusFocus F1 will be available via an official Kickstarter campaign, running from January 15 to February 13, 2026.
For full details of supported cameras and lenses, please visit the NexusFocus F1 campaign page on Kickstarter. Some features may work differently, or not be available, on certain equipment or equipment combinations.

For more information, please visit: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/viltrox/nexusfocus-pl-e-adapter

MSRP: $8,599HKD (≈1,099USD) (dual motor kit) / $10,199HKD (≈1,299USD) (triple motor kit)

Super Early Bird Kit: $5,499HKD (≈$699USD) (Limited to 10 Kits)
Early Bird Kit: $6,299HKD (≈$799USD) (Limited to 200 Kits)
Early Access Kit A – Dual Motor: $6,999HKD (≈$899USD) (Limited to 2,000 Kits)
Early Access Kit B – Triple Motor: $8,199HKD (≈$1,049USD)

AWS x F1 Launch AI-Powered Track Design Experience

Formula 1 and Global Partner AWS have announced the launch of a brand-new interactive digital experience, ‘Real-Time Race Track’, which allows fans to create, customise, and share their own F1 track design. As part of the experience, they can also enter a sweepstake for a chance to win a trip to the FORMULA 1 BRITISH GRAND PRIX 2026.

Using AI-powered analysis from Amazon Nova, ‘Real-Time Race Track’ enables fans to design an original, custom race track of any shape and length using their computer’s mouse or by tracing their finger on any touchscreen device.

Following the completion of the circuit, each turn and straight on the track is analysed by Amazon Nova, which produces key on-track metrics including top speed and projected lap time, as well as two viable race strategies, further evaluating the optimal pit timing, tyre recommendations and tactical adjustments for various weather scenarios. The detailed level of data across the experience offers fans an insight into the world of Formula 1 team strategists and creates an authentic strategic dimension to each custom circuit design.

After creating and submitting a track, fans can enter a sweepstake to win a trip to the FORMULA 1 BRITISH GRAND PRIX 2026, with the winner being selected at random, providing the opportunity to see first-hand a variety of strategies from the teams across the race weekend. The draw for the sweepstake will close on 16 July, 2025.

The latest experience builds upon the strategic Partnership between Formula 1 and AWS, which began in 2018. Over the past seven years, the collaboration has consistently delivered innovations that elevate the on-track competition, as well as the off-track experience for fans. With more than a million data points per second coming off the cars, the cornerstone of Formula 1’s partnership with AWS is the ability to extract valuable insights from all the data, and the ‘Real-Time Race Track’ experience applies that knowledge combined with AWS’s advanced analytics and artificial intelligence for the benefit of fans.

For more information on the ‘Real-Time Race Track’ experience, click here.

Jonny Haworth, Director of Commercial Partnerships, Formula 1 said:

“Our ongoing partnership with AWS continues to evolve and transform how fans interact with Formula 1. The ‘Real-Time Race Track’ experience exemplifies how we’re using cloud technology and AI to bring fans closer to the sport than ever before. As we celebrate our 75th anniversary, we’re giving fans an inside look at the complexities and innovation of race strategy, using the same technology that helps to power our sport.”

Kristin Shaff, Global Director of Strategic Partnerships, AWS said:

“When we first began working with Formula 1, they presented us with a unique challenge – how to use telemetry data to further engage fans during live races. That vision has since materialized into 23 data-driven F1 Insights that appear during the broadcast to help fans better understand how teams devise strategies. With today’s launch of the Real-Time Race Track experience, we’re taking this approach to a new level of interactivity.  Now anyone can design their own circuit and instantly see how weather conditions, track configurations, pit timing, and tire selection influence performance.”

 

Tech Review – Tranya F1 earbuds and get a 50% discount with (Jim50) @TranyaOfficial

Tranya is another brand we have worked with for some years now and their products to date have been solid and long lasting and they bring decent audio products to customers at affordable prices, the latest pair we have been testing called the F1 are no different and come with a cool case that has charging indicator on the front which is cool and gives you an idea what is going on rather than waiting around.

The case that comes with these os larger than the pixel buds cases you would of seen us review and looks a bit similar but larger and a glossy finish and fits well in the pocket too it also has a USB-C charging port with up to 25 hrs listening time in total and around 7 hrs per charge you also get wireless charging which I am a fan of in general with my tech products.

The graphene drivers here are 13 mm and deliver good sound there is no app for these earbuds which is fine and the deliver on sound with decent volume and a touch of bass, they are well balanced in my opinion with no distortion at maxed out volume highs lows and mids are fine and overall great and very centred so for music videos and more all wasa good audio experince, now for the gamers there is a gamer mode present here too which is no becoming a common feature here and all was with fine no lag latency noted and the same was found in general use.

Tranya F1 true wireless earbuds – techbuzzireland

I like the controls on these earbuds, you could call them airpods look alikes but sure look how many are not these days also the stem is shorter and a bit thicker and they fit well in the ears and will not fall out either, the controls work really well and are not touch based so with the button in place it makes it much easier getting the command done and we show you all this in the full video review below and for me this is would be a more favourable approach for users over the touch option you see most days now.

Overall these are again a great pair of earbuds from the company and I had no issues with them during my test period and the fact you have a gaming mode built in with a LCD display and wireless charging they offer that bit more than others in this price range and do sound good.

Get a 50% discount using the code Jim50 at the link below

BUY

Features

13mm Diameter Speaker with Crystal Clear Treble, Vibrant Mid-range and Powerful Bass

7-Hour Playtime on A Single Charge

Wireless Charging & Type-C

LED Power Display

Semi-in-ear Type, Light And Comfort, Without Restraint

IPX7 Water and Sweat Proof

Ultra Low-Latency Game Mode

AI-Enhanced Clear Calls

Multi-functional Physical Button

Video review

F1 Manager 2022’s behind the scenes series heads toward the chequered flag with a look at motion-captured race weekends

Frontier Developments plc have  revealed their fourth behind-the-scenes video for F1® Manager 2022, the major new officially licenced F1® management simulation game. F1® Manager 2022 will launch on August 30 (August 25 for players who pre-order*) on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation® 5, Xbox One, PlayStation® 4, Steam and the Epic Games Store.

As the behind-the-scenes series continues, in ‘Episode 4 – True to Form’, players are introduced to Principal Mocap Specialist, Tina Nischan and Lead Animator, Tim West, whose work in bringing the paddock alive has created an authentic, true-to-life F1® experience in F1® Manager 2022.

Players are welcomed into the studio for the day, as they are immersed in the emotion of F1® through impressive motion capture technology. From podium celebrations to live reactions following a successful overtake, F1® Manager 2022 replicates the broadcast-style camera shots seen by fans across the globe during moments of high drama.

 

To accomplish this, Frontier brought together a group of professional motion capture performers and used real F1® car components, bringing further depth and immersion to the hub of race weekend activity. This is one of many ways Frontier has created a realistic F1® experience across the board, alongside car designs inspired by 2022’s regulation changes, detailed circuitsaudio from real-world team radios and 3D scans of all twenty 2022 F1® drivers.

Frontier joined the BWT Alpine F1® team at Silverstone, working with their pit-crew to ensure that key elements of a race weekend such as vital pit-stops were accurately replicated in-game. Fernando Alonso’s No.1 mechanic, Jonny Goodenough, and Louise Turner, Team Inspector, join the team to discuss their roles within Alpine and the importance of pit-stops in achieving success on the track. In F1® Manager 2022, as in the real sport, a well-orchestrated pit-stop can be the difference between success and disappointment. Players will have to utilise their tactical planning to adapt their strategy on the fly, investing in their race engineers and managing their pit crew’s training focus to mitigate the risk of a mistake.

F1® Manager 2022 launches on August 30 on PC, PlayStation® 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation® 4 and Xbox One for a suggested retail price of £44.99/$54.99/€54.99. Players looking to get ahead of the grid can pre-order the game digitally now and experience F1® Manager 2022 a full five days early from August 25*. The game will also be available in physical format for PlayStation® 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation® 4 and Xbox One for a suggested retail price of £44.99/$54.99/€54.99.

*Early access and discount is exclusively available to those pre-ordering digitally. On PlayStation platforms, players must be a PlayStation Plus subscriber to receive the 10% pre-order discount.

Be the Boss – discover what it takes to be a Formula 1 Team Principal as the F1 Manager 2022 behind the scenes series steps onto the pit wall

Frontier Developments plc (AIM: FDEV, ‘Frontier’) today unveiled the first behind the scenes video for F1® Manager 2022, the major new officially licenced F1® management simulation game. F1® Manager 2022 will launch in summer 2022 on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation® 5, Xbox One, PlayStation® 4, Steam and the Epic Games Store.

In “Episode 1 – Be the Boss” players are introduced to the role of the Team Principal, the individual at the heart of every F1® team. Team Principals are responsible for overseeing every facet of the team, from recruiting and retaining world-class drivers and staff, to engineering car components and setting the all-important race weekend strategy. In F1® Manager 2022 players will drive every decision, both short and long-term, as they aim to lead their team to glory in the 2022 FIA Formula One World Championship™. Frontier CEO and Founder, David Braben, introduces the episode before handing over to Game Director, Andy Fletcher, who leads players through a ‘factory tour’ of F1® Manager 2022 alongside Art Director, Matt Dickinson, and members of the development team.

As explained by Ross Brawn, Managing Director – Motorsports, Formula 1®, stepping into the shoes of a Team Principal will be a fascinating insight into a different side of F1®. Players will discover how they can take charge of their chosen 2022 F1® constructor, defining their own management philosophy as they seek to meet and exceed the expectations of their team’s board. Managing their budgets effectively, team bosses will have to balance short-term gains against long-term progression by designing and manufacturing new components for the current car, whilst keeping one eye on the following year’s design. Investing in facilities, drivers and key staff members will all be important considerations as players put their own stamp on one of ten official 2022 F1® teams.

This commitment to replicating the sport is emphasised by Frontier’s focus on offering a broadcast-quality presentation across race weekends, led by David Croft, Lead F1® Commentator at Sky Sports, whose iconic voice appears in-game alongside his fellow commentator and former Formula 1® driver, Karun Chandhok. As previously revealed, these are not the only familiar voices players will hear, as the voices of all 20 drivers from the 2022 season feature on an innovative team radio system, responding to the commands of their race engineers. A successful Team Principal will be expected to effectively manage tyre allocations, whilst charting a course to the podium in dramatic races that can change at any moment. Will players be the first to risk slick tyres on a rapidly drying circuit? Or will a poorly-timed safety car or red flag scupper expectations? F1® Manager 2022 presents a wealth of in-session data, offering Team Principals the ability to fine-tune their in-race strategies, as they influence the pace of each driver and manage their ERS deployment during key windows to shed those final vital tenths.

In future behind the scenes videos players can expect a deeper look at detailed art and audio work, including mapping 3D facial driver scans, motion-captured pit crew and creating bespoke audio profiles for each circuit. Players should keep one ear to their team radio for future behind the scenes content and further news on F1® Manager 2022 in the coming months.

F1® Manager 2022 will launch in summer 2022 on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation® 5, Xbox One, PlayStation® 4, Steam and the Epic Games Store. The game is available to wishlist on the PlayStation storeSteam and via the Epic Games Store. Players can see the announcement video here.

Formula 1 and AWS tap into machine learning and cloud technology to identify the fastest driver of all time #F1 #AWS

As part of the Formula 1 70th anniversary year, the pinnacle of motorsport has been working with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to compare driver speeds throughout the ages and define an ultimate ranking of the fastest drivers ever. Fastest Driver, the latest F1 Insight powered by AWS, is a unique tool that uses machine learning technology to provide an objective, data-driven ranking of all drivers from 1983 through present day, by removing the F1 car differential from the equation.

Ranked by qualifying speed – the fastest that all drivers traverse the course during a Grand Prix weekend –  three-time World Champion Ayrton Senna came out on top, with the Brazilian closely followed by seven-time World Champion, Michael Schumacher with a time differential of +0.114 seconds to Senna, and current World Champion Lewis Hamilton rounding out the top three, achieving a relative time of +0.275 seconds.

By comparing teammates in qualifying sessions, the machine learning-based tool focuses on a driver’s performance output, building a network of teammates across the time-range, all interlinked, and therefore comparable. By comparing laptimes between teammates only, the Fastest Driver algorithm effectively normalises for car and the team performance. Overall, this builds up a picture of how drivers from different generations compare, by analysing the purest indication of raw speed – the qualifying lap.

As a part of F1 Insights, it also provides a unique understanding into a similar exercise F1 teams undergo to define their target drivers for upcoming seasons, but is here applied over a 37-year period of F1 history, despite the differences in rules and machinery.

By using AWS’s machine learning technology, data scientists from F1 and the Amazon Machine Learning (ML) Solutions Lab have for the first time in history created a cross-era, objective, complex, data-driven ranking of driver speed – the Fastest Driver insight.

The output from the Fastest Driver insight is a dataset with rankings based on speed (or qualifying times) in descending order of outputs including: Driver, Rank (integer), and Gap to best (seconds, to 0.001s).

The full top 10 driver rankings includes current F1 stars Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, and Sebastian Vettel, former World Champions Fernando Alonso and Nico Rosberg, and fan favourites Heikki Kovalainen and Jarno Trulli. Further drivers will be announced on F1.com in the coming weeks as the season continues and more data is analysed.

A detailed explainer video and analysis of the data can be found here..

Ranking Driver Timings
 1. Ayrton Senna 0.000
 2. Michael Schumacher 0.114
 3. Lewis Hamilton 0.275
 4. Max Verstappen 0.280
5. Fernando Alonso 0.309
6. Nico Rosberg 0.374
7. Charles Leclerc 0.376
8. Heikki Kovalainen 0.378
9. Jarno Trulli 0.409
10. Sebastian Vettel 0.435

Dean Locke, Director of Broadcast & Media F1 said“This has been such an exciting project to work on, stripping back the man from the machine and looking at a wealth of data of each driver throughout history. With the help of AWS we have been able to address something that has been asked for many years and rank drivers by the one raw attribute of pure speed in one flying lap, across the ages, regardless of how good their car is or isn’t.”

Rob Smedley, Director of Data Systems, F1 said“Within the team environment this type of modelling is used to make key decisions on driver choices. As drivers are more often than not the most expensive asset of the team it is important that the selection process is as robust as possible. A process such as this therefore would be deployed by the F1 team’s strategists in order to present the most objective and evidence-based selection possible. Fastest Driver enables us to build up a picture of how the drivers compare, by analysing the purest indication of raw speed, the qualifying lap – and it’s important to note this pure speed is the only element of the vast driver armoury we are analysing here, to showcase the quickest drivers ever, which is very exciting.”

Dr. Priya Ponnapalli, Principal Scientist and Senior Manager, Amazon ML Solutions Lab, AWS, said“We’re excited to be able to continue to collaborate with an organisation like F1, which has such a data-rich catalogue of information. With machine learning, there are a number of opportunities to apply the technology to answer complex problems, and in this case, we hope to help settle age-old disputes with fans by using data to inform  decisions. For us at AWS, it’s exciting to see machine learning being used in a way that everyone can relate to.”

AWS and Formula 1 Announce New Racing Performance Stats for 2020 Season. @awscloud @F1 #AWS #F1

Today, Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS), an Amazon.com company (NASDAQ: AMZN), and Formula 1 (F1) (NASDAQ: FWONA, FWONK) are introducing six new, real-time racing statistics that will roll out through the 2020 season, beginning with the launch of “Car Performance Scores” at the season opening Grand Prix in Spielberg, Austria July 3-5. “Car Performance Scores” isolate an individual car’s performance and allows race fans to compare its performance to that of different vehicles head-to-head.

The new set of statistics to be released this season will use a range of AWS services, including machine learning, to give fans the ability to compare their favourite drivers and cars and better predict race outcomes. Learn more at: https://aws.amazon.com/f1/.

With 300 sensors on each F1 race car generating more than 1.1M data points per second transmitted from the cars to the pit, Formula 1 is a truly data-driven sport where much of the thrill comes from extracting exciting details on performance statistics. F1 relies on the breadth and depth of AWS services to stream, process, and analyze that flood of data in real-time, and then present it in a meaningful way for F1 global TV viewers.

The new “Car Performance Scores” insight will display as an on-screen graphic that provides fans with a complete breakdown of a car’s total performance using four core metrics: Low-Speed Cornering, High-Speed Cornering, Straight Line, and Car Handling. The new graphic will illustrate how those metrics compare from one car to another, enabling race fans to gauge a given car’s relative performance in those different areas and see where each team and driver is leading the pack or losing crucial time to their rivals.

F1 and AWS previously announced six F1 Insights, including Exit Speed, Predicted Pit Stop Strategy, Pit Window, Battle Forecast, Pit Strategy Battle, and Tyre Performance and will roll out the following six additional “F1 Insights powered by AWS” stats as on-screen graphics from July through December of this season, offering fans more visibility into the split-second decision-making and action on the track, as well as behind the pit wall where the team strategists operate:

  • Car Performance Scores: Isolates an individual car’s performance and allows race fans to compare its performance to that of different vehicles head-to-head (debuts July 3-5 at the FORMULA 1 ROLEX GROSSER PREIS VON ÖSTERREICH GRAND PRIX 2020).
  • Ultimate Driver Speed Comparison: Allows race fans to see how their favorite drivers compare to other drivers in history, dating back to 1983, to help determine the fastest driver of all time (debuts August 7-9 at the EMIRATES FORMULA 1 70th ANNIVERSARY GRAND PRIX 2020).
  • High-Speed/Low-Speed Corner Performance: Allows fans to see how well drivers tackle the fastest bends on the track travelling at more than 175 kph/109 mph and slow cornering (below 125 kph/78 mph) compared to other vehicles, which is critical to lap time (debuts August 28-30 at the FORMULA 1 ROLEX BELGIAN GRAND PRIX).
  • Driver Skills Rating: Breaks down and scores driver skills, based on the most important factors for overall performance, to help identify the best “total driver” on the track. By calculating varying subsets of qualifying round performance, starts, race pace, tire management, and overtaking/defending styles, this insight will provide an overall driver ranking (debuts the second half of the season).
  • Car/Team Development & Overall Season Performance: As the season unfolds, this will plot a team’s cumulative performance from race to race to uncover the development rates of each team (debuts the second half of the season).
  • Qualifying and Race Pace Predictions: Gather data from practice and qualifying laps to predict which team is poised for success ahead of each race session. These predictions will create heightened intrigue and excitement for the Saturday qualifying session and Sunday race (debuts the second half of the season).

To create these new insights, Formula 1 will use 70 years of historical race data stored in Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3), combined with live data that is streamed from sensors on F1 race cars and the trackside to the cloud through Amazon Kinesis, a service for real-time data collection, processing, and analysis. F1 engineers and scientists will use this data to leverage machine learning (ML) models with Amazon SageMaker, AWS’s service for building, training, and deploying ML models.

F1 is able to analyze race performance metrics in real-time by deploying those ML models on AWS Lambda, which runs code without the need to provision or manage servers. All of the insights will be integrated into the international broadcast feed of F1 races around the globe, including its digital platform F1.tv, helping fans to understand the split-second decisions and race strategies made by drivers or team strategists that can dramatically affect a race outcome.

“Over the past two years, Formula 1 has embraced AWS’s services to perform intense and dynamic data analysis. The F1 Insights we’re delivering together are bringing fans closer to the track than ever before, and unlocking previously untold stories and insights from behind the pit wall,” said Rob Smedley, Chief Engineer of Formula 1. “We’re excited to be expanding this successful relationship to bring even more insights to life, allowing fans to go deeper into the many ways that drivers and racing teams work together to affect success.”

“Formula 1 racing mixes physics and human performance, yielding powerful, but complex data that AWS is helping them to harness. Our existing relationship with F1 has already produced statistics that have brought fans into the race paddocks, and our study of race car aerodynamics is influencing vehicle designs for the 2022 season,” said Mike Clayville, Vice President, Worldwide Commercial Sales at AWS. “This year, we’re thrilled to extend the power of F1 data in the cloud and unlock new insights that help fans understand more of F1’s rich complexity.”

To learn more about the first 2020 F1 Insight, Car Performance Scores, please click here. For more information about AWS and its involvement with Formula 1, please visit: https://aws.amazon.com/f1/. For additional news on how AWS is helping Formula 1 develop the next-generation race car, visit: https://aws.amazon.com/f1/news/.