Last updated November 2026 by the team at Filmgear Canada in Vancouver.
The short answer
Ask one question first: who's turning the focus wheel? If the answer is nobody, because you shoot alone on a gimbal or a handheld rig, get the DJI Focus Pro Creator Combo. Its LiDAR module measures distance and pulls focus on a manual lens by itself, on any camera body.
If a focus puller is standing next to you, or you operate on the shoulder and want focus, zoom and iris under your thumbs, get the Tilta Nucleus-M II Ultimate Kit. It runs up to four motors from one hand unit and ships with left and right handgrips. It doesn't autofocus by itself.
There's a third route people miss. If you shoot a Sony FX3, FX30, FX5 or FX6 with PL cine lenses, Tilta's Nucleus Auto Focus Adapter (E to PL) lets the camera's own face and eye tracking drive Nucleus motors. No LiDAR involved.
In this guide:
- The one question: who's pulling focus?
- What the Focus Pro's LiDAR actually does
- What the Nucleus-M II does that the Focus Pro doesn't
- Side by side
- Power and support: the numbers nobody lines up
- The third route: Tilta's autofocus adapter for Sony
- What's in the box, and what isn't
- Which one should you buy?
- The warts
- Buying in Canada
- FAQ
The one question: who's pulling focus?
These two get compared because they're both wireless follow focus systems at a similar level. But they were built for different crews, and the expensive mistake is buying the one designed for the other job.
The DJI Focus Pro was designed around a solo shooter. The LiDAR sits on the cold shoe, sees the subject, measures the distance and tells the motor where to turn the lens. You frame, it focuses. You can still pull by hand from the Grip's dial, and the All-In-One Combo adds a proper hand unit for a second person, but the system's reason to exist is that you don't need one.
The Nucleus-M II was designed around a person with a wheel. It's a classic FIZ system, focus, iris and zoom, plus a fourth channel Tilta intends for a variable ND. The hand unit is where it shines: a bigger screen, lens data on display and adjustable wheel tension. Hand it to a 1st AC and they'll feel at home. Hand it to a solo shooter on a gimbal and they'll want three hands.
So if nobody on your shoot is free to pull focus, the Nucleus-M II on its own isn't the answer, however good the spec sheet looks. And if you've got a dedicated AC, the Focus Pro's headline feature is something they'll mostly switch off.
What the Focus Pro's LiDAR actually does
The LiDAR module is a small depth sensor. DJI's spec sheet lists 76,800 ranging points, a working range of 0.5 to 20 m, and ranging accuracy of plus or minus 1% to 3%, depending on distance. It recognises people and vehicles, can hold up to five subjects in view and lets you pick one to follow.
Two things follow from that. First, the 20 m ceiling matters. A subject walking away from you down a long hallway will leave the LiDAR's range before they leave your frame. Second, the LiDAR doesn't know your lens. Every manual lens has to be calibrated once, and DJI recommends calibrating a close point at around 0.5 m and a far point at around 5 m for accurate focus at both ends. Swap the motor and DJI says you'll need to recalibrate.
Once that's done it works on any camera, because it doesn't read anything from the camera at all. That's the real advantage over every camera-based autofocus trick: an ARRI, a RED, a Blackmagic or a Sony all look the same to it. DJI's ActiveTrack subject following goes further when the Focus Pro is paired with an RS 4 Pro or RS 3 Pro gimbal, and only with those two.
What the Nucleus-M II does that the Focus Pro doesn't
Channels and handles. Tilta's hand unit drives up to four motors at once, for focus, iris, zoom and an ND, and the Ultimate Kit adds a left and a right handgrip with a zoom module. That's how shoulder operators work: thumb on zoom, other hand on focus, the AC on the wheel if there is one.
The hand unit has a 2.4-inch touchscreen, lens mapping so you can store a lens and get distance, T-stop and focal length on screen, and a detachable electronic marking disk. DJI's Hand Unit, by comparison, has a 1.09-inch screen.
It also plays well with what you already own. Tilta says the Nucleus-M II works with motors and controllers from the original Nucleus-M and the Nucleus Nano II, and its own comparison chart shows it can control a DJI focus motor when paired through a DJI RS gimbal. If you've already got a shelf of Nucleus gear, you can upgrade one piece at a time.
And it runs on NP-F550 batteries. The hand unit and each handgrip take one, and Tilta claims 8 to 12 hours. That's the same battery a lot of monitors and small lights already use.
Side by side
| Tilta Nucleus-M II | DJI Focus Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Autofocus on its own | No | Yes, LiDAR, 0.5 to 20 m |
| Motors controlled | Up to 4 (focus, iris, zoom, ND) | Focus first; Creator Combo ships with 1 motor |
| Hand unit screen | 2.4-inch touchscreen | 1.09-inch touchscreen (All-In-One Combo) |
| Handgrips | Left and right grips, zoom module (Ultimate Kit) | One Grip with 1.8-inch touchscreen |
| Motor torque (maker's figure) | 0.48 N·m at 14.8 V | 0.6 N·m at 8 V |
| Motor size | 103 × 78 × 30 mm | 100 × 61 × 34 mm, 123 g |
| Motor gears | 0.8 and 0.5 mod included | 0.8 mod, 30 teeth |
| Rods | 15mm and 19mm motor mounts included | 15mm |
| Hand unit power | NP-F550, Tilta claims 8 to 12 h | NP-F550 |
| Grip power | NP-F550 per grip | BG21 battery grip only, about 2.5 h per DJI's test |
| Wireless range (maker's figure) | Not stated on Tilta's product page | 160 m (FCC) or 100 m (CE) |
| Works with older gear | Nucleus-M and Nano II motors; DJI motors through an RS gimbal | DJI RS gimbals and the Ronin ecosystem |
About that torque row. On paper DJI's motor is stronger, but the two makers measure at different voltages, so it isn't a clean comparison. What we'd actually do: if you shoot stiff, older glass or a big zoom, put your heaviest lens on the motor before you commit, whichever brand it is.
Power and support: the numbers nobody lines up
Here's the part spec sheets don't put next to each other.
The Focus Pro Grip runs on DJI's BG21 battery grip, and DJI's FAQ says it supports no other battery. DJI's own runtime figure for the Grip is about 2.5 hours, measured at 25°C while it powers its screen, the LiDAR and a focus motor with autofocus running continuously. On a full shoot day that's two or three spare battery grips, and they're the same BG21 grips the RS 3 and RS 4 gimbals use, so gimbal owners may already have them.
The Nucleus-M II hand unit and grips each run on a standard NP-F550, with Tilta claiming 8 to 12 hours. CineD's reviewer reported about eight hours from a single NP-F530 in heat above 30°C, which is a fair real-world check on that claim. The motors are a separate story: they need 7.2 to 24 V from a D-Tap or P-Tap source on the rig.
The other number is support. DJI's Canadian support page for the Focus Pro lists "Guaranteed software updates until 2026/12/31". We read it on 10 November 2026. That doesn't mean the unit stops working in January. It means DJI only promises firmware updates to the end of this year, so if you're buying for the next five years, weigh it. On the Tilta side, the line is still growing: Tilta announced four new Nucleus-M II accessories in April 2026, including a Range Expansion Module.
The third route: Tilta's autofocus adapter for Sony
If you shoot Sony and you've been eyeing the Focus Pro only for its autofocus, look at this first. The Nucleus Auto Focus Adapter (E to PL) sits between a Sony E-mount body and a PL lens. It reads the camera's phase-detection autofocus and turns it into motor moves, so face detection and eye tracking work on fully manual cine glass.
The details that decide whether it's for you:
- Cameras. Tilta lists the FX3, FX30, FX5 and FX6, and Sony Alpha and FX bodies up to the FX6. It doesn't fit the FX9 or Burano, which Tilta puts down to physical clearance with their locking E-mount.
- Motors. The Base Kit has none. You add a Nucleus-M II or Nucleus Nano II motor, or buy the Dual Nano II Motor Kit. Tilta says original Nucleus-M and Nucleus Nano motors aren't supported.
- How good is it. Newsshooter's review put it at about 80 to 85% of a native E-mount lens's autofocus, a bit better with M II motors than Nano II, and less sure of itself in backlit scenes.
- Limits. Tilta says current firmware doesn't support zoom or 2x anamorphic lenses. Manual override uses the MF button on the Nucleus-M II hand unit, and Tilta warns it jumps to the hand unit's current position rather than nudging the autofocus.
So for a Sony owner with PL glass, Nucleus-M II plus the adapter gives you a camera-driven autofocus and a proper FIZ hand unit in one system. For anyone on another camera brand, the Focus Pro is still the only way to get autofocus on a manual lens here.
What's in the box, and what isn't
DJI's store lists the Creator Combo as the LiDAR, the Grip and one motor. The All-In-One Combo adds the Hand Unit, which is what you want if a second person is going to pull focus.
Tilta's packing list for the Nucleus-M II Ultimate Kit:
- FIZ hand unit, electronic marking disk, five marking disks and a lanyard
- Two motors, with one 0.5 mod and two 0.8 mod motor gears
- Two 15mm and two 19mm motor rod mounts
- Left and right handgrips, a zoom module and two ARRI-standard rosette adapters
- Two 7-pin connection cables (30 and 50 cm) and a P-Tap to 7-pin power cable
- A monitor mounting bracket with baby pin adapter, and a hard waterproof case
Two motors means two lens axes out of the box. If you want focus, iris and zoom all motorised, you'll need a third Nucleus-M II Motor Kit. Batteries aren't included, and neither are the run/stop cables for your camera, which are sold per camera. That cable is the one that catches people out, so tell us your camera when you order.
Which one should you buy?
| If this is you | Get this |
|---|---|
| Solo on a gimbal or handheld, any camera, manual lenses | DJI Focus Pro Creator Combo |
| Solo most days, but sometimes a second person pulls focus | DJI Focus Pro All-In-One Combo |
| Dedicated focus puller, or shoulder operating with focus and zoom on the grips | Tilta Nucleus-M II Ultimate Kit |
| Sony FX3, FX30, FX5 or FX6 with PL cine lenses, and you want autofocus | Nucleus Auto Focus Adapter plus Nucleus motors, with the Nucleus-M II hand unit if you also want a wheel |
| You already own original Nucleus-M or Nano II gear | Nucleus-M II, so the gear you've got keeps working |
| You only need a single focus motor and a small wheel on a mirrorless rig | Neither. The Tilta Nucleus Nano II is the lighter tool for that |
The warts
DJI Focus Pro
- The Grip only runs on the BG21 battery grip, about 2.5 hours per DJI's own test with the LiDAR and a motor running.
- Every lens needs calibrating, and DJI says you recalibrate if you swap the motor.
- The LiDAR stops at 20 m, and its subject recognition covers people and vehicles. Anything else you lock by framing it in Flex Spot mode.
- It runs on 2.4 GHz. DJI itself suggests moving a DJI remote monitor to 5.8 GHz or DFS to avoid interference, so check what else on your rig shares the band.
- DJI's guaranteed software update window ends on 31 December 2026.
Tilta Nucleus-M II
- No autofocus of its own. That's the whole trade.
- Newsshooter found the touchscreen not very responsive, and CineD's reviewer said fingertip pulling gets tiring with large hands on long takes. Tilta has since added a touchscreen lock and an Extended Hand Wheel.
- Two controllers on one motor fight each other, Newsshooter found. Assign each motor to one controller.
- The motors have no on/off switch, so they draw from the battery whenever they're plugged in.
- Camera control varies a lot by camera. CineD got ISO, shutter and white balance on Sony by cable, but only run/stop on ARRI Alexa, Sony Venice and Burano.
- The motors are bigger than DJI's. Newsshooter put one at around 195 g in its April 2025 review.
Tilta Nucleus Auto Focus Adapter
- Early firmware was rough. Owners have reported motors shutting down and lens profiles disappearing after updates, some of it fixed by later firmware. Update everything before a paid job.
- Its buttons can be blocked by some Sony cages and the FX6 top handle.
- No zoom or 2x anamorphic support in current firmware.
Buying in Canada
Filmgear Canada is an authorized dealer for both Tilta and DJI, and we carry the Nucleus-M II, the Nucleus Auto Focus Adapter kits, the Nano II and both DJI Focus Pro combos. You can buy online or at our Vancouver showroom. Orders of $199 or more ship free within Canada.
One thing to know before you order a Focus Pro: the DJI combos are special-order items for us, and special orders can't be cancelled or returned once confirmed. That's exactly why we'd rather talk it through first. Tell us your camera and lenses and we'll check the fit before you commit.
Shooting with manual cine primes? Our DZOFILM Vespid 2 vs Arles vs Vespid guide covers the lenses these systems usually drive, and our DJI RS 4 vs RS 5 guide covers the gimbals the Focus Pro pairs with.
FAQ
What's the main difference between the Tilta Nucleus-M II and the DJI Focus Pro?
The DJI Focus Pro can autofocus a manual lens on its own using a LiDAR depth sensor, so it suits solo shooters. The Nucleus-M II has no autofocus of its own but controls up to four motors from a larger hand unit, so it suits crews with a focus puller or shoulder operators.
Does the Tilta Nucleus-M II have autofocus?
Not by itself. On Sony E-mount bodies up to the FX6 you can add Tilta's Nucleus Auto Focus Adapter (E to PL), which uses the camera's own autofocus to drive Nucleus motors on PL lenses.
Does the DJI Focus Pro work with non-DJI cameras?
Yes for autofocus. The LiDAR measures distance itself and doesn't read anything from the camera, so it works on any body once each lens is calibrated. Camera record control through the Grip depends on the camera, so check DJI's compatibility list for yours.
How far can the DJI Focus Pro LiDAR focus?
DJI rates the LiDAR's sensing range at 0.5 to 20 m, with ranging accuracy of plus or minus 1% to 3% depending on distance. Beyond 20 m you're pulling by hand.
Can I use my old Nucleus-M or Nano II motors with the Nucleus-M II?
Yes. Tilta says the Nucleus-M II is compatible with Nucleus-M and Nucleus Nano II motors and controllers, so you can upgrade the hand unit first and keep your motors.
Can the Nucleus-M II control DJI focus motors?
Tilta's comparison chart lists the Nucleus-M II as compatible with DJI motors when paired through a DJI RS gimbal. It isn't a direct link to a standalone DJI motor.
How many motors come with each kit?
The Nucleus-M II Ultimate Kit includes two motors. The DJI Focus Pro Creator Combo and All-In-One Combo each include one. For focus, iris and zoom on the Nucleus you'd add a third motor.
What batteries do they use?
The Nucleus-M II hand unit and each handgrip take an NP-F550, and the motors run from a 7.2 to 24 V D-Tap or P-Tap source. The DJI Focus Pro Hand Unit takes an NP-F550, while the Grip only runs on DJI's BG21 battery grip. No batteries come in the Nucleus-M II kit.
How long does the DJI Focus Pro Grip battery last?
DJI rates it at about 2.5 hours at 25°C while powering the Grip's screen, the LiDAR and a focus motor with autofocus on continuously. Plan on spare BG21 battery grips for a full day.
Is the DJI Focus Pro still supported?
DJI's Canadian support page lists guaranteed software updates until 31 December 2026, as of 10 November 2026. The hardware keeps working after that; DJI just doesn't promise more firmware.
Does the Tilta Auto Focus Adapter work with the Sony FX9 or Burano?
No. Tilta says it isn't compatible with the FX9 or Burano because of physical clearance with their locking E-mount. It's listed for the FX3, FX30, FX5 and FX6.
Do I need a run/stop cable for the Nucleus-M II?
Yes, if you want to start and stop recording from the hand unit. Tilta sells run/stop cables per camera and none come in the kit. Tilta says some cameras can also be controlled over Bluetooth, depending on model and firmware.
Which is better for a one-person documentary shooter?
The DJI Focus Pro, unless you shoot a Sony FX body with PL lenses. Then the Tilta Auto Focus Adapter with Nucleus motors is worth comparing, because it uses the camera's own face and eye tracking.
Final verdict
Buy for the crew you've got. Nobody free to pull focus: DJI Focus Pro. A focus puller, or a shoulder operator who wants zoom and focus on the grips: Nucleus-M II. A Sony FX body with PL glass: look hard at Tilta's autofocus adapter before you decide, because it may give you both.
Still not sure? Email info@filmgearcanada.com or call (604) 269-4161, tell us your camera, your lenses and who's on set, and we'll tell you which one we'd buy.
Sources. DJI Focus Pro specs page and Canadian FAQ and support pages (including the software update date), DJI Store box contents for the Creator and All-In-One Combos, Tilta's Nucleus-M II product page, packing list and Nucleus comparison chart, and Tilta's Nucleus Auto Focus Adapter (E to PL) product page, all read on 10 November 2026. Reviews: Newsshooter's Nucleus-M II review (4 April 2025), Nucleus-M II accessories news (15 April 2026) and Auto Focus Adapter review (9 June 2026), and CineD's Nucleus-M II review (7 October 2025). Owner reports on the adapter's firmware come from Tilta's own product Q&A and YouTube comments, read in October 2026. Torque figures are each maker's own and are measured at different voltages.
Share:
How to Choose a Video Tripod: 75mm vs 100mm Bowl, Payload and Hi-Hats