The MOFAGE POCO PL to E/RF/L/Z Mount Adapter combines rear filters with adapters. The POCO is compatible with most PL mount lenses, but I am sure there are certain lenses that will not work due to clearance issues.
Please note that the version of the POCO adapter I am testing is a pre-production unit and that some improvements may be made by the time it actually starts shipping.
Who is it aimed at?
This adapter is likely to appeal to users of digital cinema cameras and mirrorless hybrids that don’t feature built-in ND filters or those users who want to run PL glass without a matte box.
What is very interesting and quite unique to the POCO adapter is that it utilizes interchangeable mounts. This means that you only need to buy one adapter because it can be used on multiple camera platforms. You do need to choose which mount you want when you purchase the adapter, however, you can buy additional mounts for $17 USD. I am currently not sure if these additional mounts will include a shim kit or not.
You can turn the adapter into the following mounts:
- PL-Sony E mount
- PL- Canon RF mount
- PL-Nikon Z mount
- PL-Leica L mount
The benefit of using a rear filter adapter is that you only need to use one size of filter regardless of what lens you may be running. This is very handy if you have PL mount lenses with different-sized front diameters and you don’t want to run a matte box.
By pressing a button on top of the adapter, you can change the filter whenever you need. The adapter features an auto-locking mechanism so that your filter won’t fall out.
POCO can be used with several different filter options, including VND, Black mist, White mist, and Streaks. When you don’t need to use a filter, you just put in the Pure Clear which the company claims doesn’t affect your image in any way. MOFAGE doesn’t list what size the filters are that work in the adapter, nor whether third-party filters can be used.
The VND filter can be manually or remotely controlled via a focus motor as it features a 0.8 pitch gear.
Build Quality
The overall build quality is pretty good. The adapter is solidly made and it doesn’t feel flimsy or cheap.
The only small issue I came across is that the Clear Filter is sometimes a little hard to insert smoothly and it does wobble around slightly once it is inserted. When I contacted the company about this I was told that this will be improved with the shipping production versions.
According to the company, the POCO provides a certain degree of sealing, but they recommend that you don’t use it in extreme conditions without covering it up.
Installation
The MOFAGE POCO comes with an instruction card. What you need to keep in mind is that because this is an adapter that accepts rear filters you need to check the length of your PL lens mount to avoid damaging the filter. Certain PL lenses have a longer rear mount than others and this will make them unusable with the adapter. The POCO adapter is 24.5mm-26.5mm deep.
MOFAGE will be including a basic tool that you can use to measure the rear mount of your PL lens to see if it will work. This was not provided with the pre-production unit I was testing.
I found that neither the new Viltrox 1.33x Anamorphic lenses nor the Great Joy 1.8x Anamorphic lenses would work with this adapter due to clearance issues.
Once you have checked or if you already know your lens will fit then I think it is best practice to install the adapter onto your camera first and then attach the lens.
If you need to change over the rear filter, you simply press the button on the top of the adapter and then pull the filter out using the tab.
The adapter is fairly straightforward and easy to attach to a camera. It doesn’t wobble around or move and you get a nice secure connection between the adapter and your camera.
The POCO that was provided by MOFAGE was a PL to L mount and I did run into an issue when using it with a Panasonic S1H. I couldn’t install the mount onto the camera without removing the clear filter. This is because the frame of the filter makes contact with the camera body when you try and position the adapter in the correct position to attach it to the camera.
I needed to remove the filter and then attach the adapter.
This is also an issue when using any of the other filters apart from the VND. The VND is the only filter you can have inserted at the time of putting the adapter on the Panasonic S1H. I can’t tell you if this will be an issue with other cameras, because I wasn’t able to test the adapter with different mounts, etc. I contacted the company about this issue and they were aware of it.
Usability
The overall usability of the POCO was good. It is easy to attach to cameras and fairly easy to put the filters in and take them out.
The VND adjustment dial moves smoothly and this allows you to make subtle or large exposure changes.
What are the filters like?
Well, let’s find out. MOFAGE provided the VND and the 1/4 Black Mist and White Mist filters.
I was most interested in the VND because I think that is the filter that makes using this adapter very interesting. The VND goes from 0.3-2.4ND. This is a decent range.
You do need to factor in when using the VND that you will have a minimum of 0.3ND dialed in at all times.
I did a test to see if there was any noticeable or large color shift when using the VND filter. I first white-balanced the camera using the Clear Filter in the POCO adapter, and then I inserted the VND Filter and kept that same white balance. The VND filter performance was pretty good. While it did have a very marginal push towards magenta at some VND settings, even at 2.4ND it still remained fairly neutral. This was pretty impressive considering the price of the MOFAGE POCO.
Claer Filter 
VND 0.3 
VND 0.6 
VND 0.9 
VND 1.2 
VND 1.8 
VND 2.4
Above, just as another reference I have put up the various scopes for each of the settings if you want to study these tests a little more closely.
Additionally, above you can see No Filter when compared to VND 2.4.
I also tested both the 1/4 Black Mist and the 1/4 White Mist filters to see what they looked like. The effect they create is quite subtle, and at least to my eye, the Black Mist seems to be slightly softer than the White Mist. I found both filters did a good job of just taking a little edge off shaper lenses.
Price & Availability
The MOFAGE POCO Drop-in Filter Adapter will soon be launched via a Kickstarter campaign soon. You can sign up in advance for a 25% discount which means you can secure one for $329 USD. The official retail price will be $439 USD. Please be aware of the risks of backing any crowdfunding product as there are never any guarantees. At least I can tell you that the product does exist, so that may give you some piece of mind.
Conclusion
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect before I started testing out the MOFAGE POCO. MOFAGE is a new company with no track record of making products before, but like every piece of equipment that I review, it gets evaluated in the same impartial way.
I was pleasantly surprised by the build quality, usability, and quality of the filters.
The POCO is a very interesting product and if you want to run PL mount lenses on mirrorless hybrids or cameras like the RED KOMODO that don’t feature in-built ND filters, it certainly makes a lot of sense.
The POCO is reasonably priced considering its build quality and feature set and it is a very handy addition to your kit if you want to run PL lenses with the added ability to be able to run rear filters such as a VND.
