The use of a stepper motor of large steps, with a pulley type mechanical motion reducer system using a flexible cable for dividing a step of the motor into a divided output motion, and an alternative embodiment wherein a second stepper motor in the form of a two-step solenoid further alters the output by changing the position of the flexible cable anchor. The combination is illustrated in an environment of a lens in a photocomposer wherein a carriage carries a decollimating focusing lens and mirror as an escapement composition device shifted in accordance with the dictates of a program operating under specific algorithms.