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Metabones lens speed booster adapter, focal reducer
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  • What I found interesting in my testing was that the 50mm f1.4 when used with the SpeedBooster had almost exactly the same field of view as the 35mm f1.8. Of course, the f1.4 was more likely closer to f1.0, while my f1.8 was apparently an f1.2.

    So essentially, with the SB I now have an effective 35mm f1.0. Unfortunately, I can't test it with my 20mm f2.8 due to claims of incompatibility (and don't want to risk damaging the SB.)

    I guess my 35mm is now effectively a 25mm FoV with f1.2.

  • "This thing kind of upgrades your GH2 to a full-frame for only $430 and More like s35. But anyways... FF fov is not the holy grail of image making."

    I agree with you guys 100%. I should have said that my FF lenses now are more useful, I don't feel the need to buy a wider APS-specific lens to get nice wide shots indoors, it also (for $430) upgrades the GH3 and AF100 I use on occasion and it upgrades the BMCC or Pocket Cam and/or next GHxxx camera and still allows me to switch to a full-frame Nikon if the day should come since the lenses are all Nikon mount. I can also sell the adapter and put the funds to other items. Oh, It also basically doubled the usefulness of every prime lens in the kit.

    Buy it Kholi!

  • Seems like the vast majority of battle cries for FF and huge dynamic range come from the generation of DSLR users raised on the spec sheet spewing likes of Philip Bloom . And unfortunately it really feels as though something important has been lost in the tech shuffle now that I'm starting to hear people on sets refer to lighting as "in camera color correction."

    But I digress, and S35 FOV has always been the holy grail of GH2 use for me, so I'll be sure to post some tests as soon as the adapter gets in.

  • @Rszanto I agree with @jkrepner. This isn't really to do with full frame or even S35 FOV, to me it's about making my Nikon legacy glass even more useful on my various MFT cameras. Especially for my BMCC MFT, having Nikon glass means easy manual adjustment of aperture and focus, which doesn't work for most new MFT glass.

  • Well, I can say for sure that the speedbooster in c/y version is well worth the money. My Zeiss lenses optically behave on the gh2 like on a slightly larger sensor than s35. They are sharper in general and CA looks better under control (than without the SB). Will I use the speedbooster always (on a m43 cam)? No, crop can be really useful, especially with lenses as good as the 60mm macro. The ability to have a decent depth of field (not too shallow) wide open is also not to be frowned upon.

    Looking forward to seeing how the Sigma f1.8 zoom will turn out with the speedbooster.

    I don´t think the jury on the speedbooster will be completely one-sided though, as there are so many different lenses and some are bound to work worse than others. Some better. Will this mean some striking combinations? Definately!

    (Next cam for BMD: m43 sensor size, global shutter. Pocket cine cam 2)

  • Regarding the 20/2.8 AIS compatibility, its an unfortunate thing that happened due to not having access to every version of every lens that Nikon has ever made. During the design phase of the SpeedBooster we measured dozens of different Nikkors, including 15/3.5 AI, 16/3.5 AI'd, 20/2.8 AFD, 24/2.8 AIS and many others. The 20/2.8 AFD works just fine, but it turns out that the 20/2.8 AIS has an unusually long protrusion sticking out the back of the lens.

    The good news is that you can to a completely reversible modification to the 20/2.8 AIS to give compatibility with both the NEX and m4/3 versions of the SB. Just make sure you use a very good-fitting screwdriver to remove the three tiny screws holding the rear shroud in place:

    20130711 20mm 2,8 Nikkor surgery.jpg
    799 x 632 - 194K
  • @brianc1959 Thank you this is useful information.

  • Out of interest - has anyone tested how well lenses focus to infinity with this adapter? I just received a Novoflex adapter the other day thinking I was finally done with cheap adapters, but I reach infinity with still like 1/3inch focus left. It's frustrating and almost unusable in a lot of run and gun situations.

  • Anyone with a Tokina 16-50 who could try it out?

  • There's a basic review and some lens samples from a Nikkor 28mm at f4 and 5.6

  • @brianc1959 Welcome to Personal View! It's an honor to see you here!

  • @capmster123

    The Speed Booster has a back focus adjustment.

  • There's a thread started on DP Review of the Nikon F/G to MFT Speedbooster with 1 sample so far. http://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3515653#forum-post-51793452 His Comment: "Corner performance with the speedbooster seems to be a little weak, more so with wide angle lenses. Build quality and fit is excellent."

    His only sample is shot stopped down, on a 135mm lens and the performance fall off is in the extreme corners of the original image.

    Interesting. Any more samples out there?

    @itimjim... how is your 11-16 on the SB?

  • @itimjim which version of tokina 28-70 do you have? How is the focusing on that lens? I have head a few not so good things about the focusing. How do you like the lens overall?

  • @CFreak

    There are lots of video and still samples on this thread already just look.

  • @Brian202020 Bro, I have looked! ...And looked and I have not yet seen what I wanted to see in the MFT version. Specifically in the Nikon G to MFT version released last week. I want to see some good images, from wide angles, wide open. If there aren't any, and the purchaser has adjusted the infinity point then I want to know what not to expect before I buy. I am not in NYC or LA where one might be able to see one in person and test. If you've seen these images PM me the links.

    My link to DP review points to a picture taken on a telephoto FX format lens, where rear DoF plays little role at that focal length ...and the edges are still soft, but only the extreme edges. Not like the still @itimjim posted from the 11mm end of the his zoom. My point is that if a 135 FX lens is showing soft edges at f5.6 (and that's a sweet 135mm f2.0 DC Nikkor (FX format) than perhaps this softness is:

    Inherent to the optics in the SB or an SB that needs an infinity adjustment.

    After a disappointing result with the 2 Viselex Light Cannons I bought, I want to be sure about the MB SB before ordering it from MB in Canada, who ship it from Honk Kong, which would require import duties to the USA, higher shipping, esp. if returned (it must be returned to HK as well). It's a high price for the privilege of having the product in my hands to learn of it's weaknesses. I think I am not alone in wanting to know what I am getting for the price.

    I have posted a link to something relevant for @all, I have put a lot of time into writing up some useful info for you guys and we are having a discussion. That's not against the forum rules, now is it.

  • @CFreak your disappointments with the two knock-off versions are pretty much your doing. All of the similar products are knock-offs of the Metabones design, without their optical pedigree. That they would be inferior, if not substantially inferior, is practically a given.

  • The price difference that you will be paying w/ the Metabones is the superior optics developed by Caldwell Photographics and in particular, Brian Caldwell, PhD, " a veteran of highly-corrected lens designs such as the Coastal Optics 60mm f/4 UV-VIS-IR APO Macro lens with exemplary MTF performance (focusing done with visible light requires no correction whatsoever for the full spectrum from UV to IR)."

    http://www.metabones.com/info/105-info/154-speed-booster

  • @BurnetRhoades at the time (2 weeks ago) it was the only Nikkor to MFT option and there was no hard MB release date. Many members here had exactly the same desire for this combo and the same problem from Fotodiox. Many companies miss their dates, esp. when they are vague. I believe MB said this version would be released the 2nd half of 2013. To some companies out there that means they must deliver by Dec. 31st!

    @fotosiamo I have read it and know of Brian Caldwell, PhD's pedigree. Did you notice above I welcomed him to the forum?

    I am very aware of the MB product, I think the design is great with a slim tripod mount for my heavy Nikkor glass. I have read all I can find on it, and I don't expect it to be perfect at this price point.

    I want to know what to expect, as does everybody here.

    -Chill y'all it's the weekend!

  • OK, I went out shooting today (lots of models by water.) Sadly, I can't release all the model material, but I did get some b-roll with my BMCC MFT with Metabones Speed Booster, using a Nikon 70-200 f2.8 lens. In my view, the quality could definitely be better, but I think it's not only an issue with the SB.

  • @CFreak

    Look at jkrepner's post on July 9th on page 16 in this thread (one page back). 20mm lens wide open.

  • @Brian202020 Thanks for the tip. I've seen it. It's a great real world test from jkrepner. It shows the center sharpness and FoV advantage. Thank you @jkrepner.

    I am looking for a sample with information in the corners of the plane of focus as well. Yes, an acid test. If there are issues, that's where you'll see it. I only need to see it once and then know not to expect to use it if I'm shooting something where edge to edge sharpness counts.

    Image credited to jkrepner.png
    1920 x 1200 - 2M
  • You can see some sharpness on the items on the sides of that image. It might not be perfect, but I can tell you that image looks ten fold better than the Light Cannon images.

  • @Brian202020 +1 & +1 I had the privilege of ordering 2 LCs! They were both identically baaaaad!