@kurth: Well, it'd be great if photodiox improved with .5x, but I really doubt it.

I read on metabones' website, that they don't offer 0.5x m43 adapters, because they wouldn't be able to make a quality adapter for given space (without correcting flange distance). Recently they started selling x0.58 and x0.64 for m43 mount, but they fit only Blackmagic cams (those adapters protrude to much into the camera to be used on Oly and Pana cameras (they have shutter and stuff on the way)).

So if metabones can't make such an adapter up to their standards, I don't expect Vizelex x0.5 to be much better than Mark I. I think that quality similar to current Mark II would be quite an achievement for Vizelex. Time will show.

Hi everybody. I'm Bohus - I'm the guy in all of the Fotodiox videos, and I also do some product design. Fotodiox.com is back online. We're back up now. So there's nothing sinister going on. ;)

We're still going through testing on the Excel +1 adapter, the replacement to the Light Cannon. We sent out a few prototypes to select users (as the letter enclosed with each one explained) to get some feedback. We are working on more Excel adapters with more mounts, faster speeds, etc. We just don't have a delivery schedule for those right now as they're still in development.

@Flablo - We're really sorry about the rocky road that you've been on with the Light Cannon and the Excel. We've got your emails here, and we want to work with you to find a solution that works for you.

I'm happy to answer any other questions I can. Just let me know how I can help.

@flablo - We're on the same page. One of our New Year's resolutions at Fotodiox is to connect with our customers even more. You can see over the last few months in our commitment to producing a bunch of fun video content on YouTube... and we more committed than ever to remaining very active on Facebook and Twitter and even some new outlets.

It's a big job, but that's the goal. We want you to feel like Fotodiox is as close and welcoming as your neighborhood camera shop. Our sales philosophy is simple. We don't want to sell you something you don't want. It's kind of the way we think every business should run.

So let's address some of your issues. I'd prefer to sort these things out in email, but I can clear up a few things here. I understand that the adapter you received in the mail wasn't what you were expecting as part of your exchange. We're not going to hang you out to dry. just get back in touch with Sara and we'll work out a course of action.

Here's what I understand about your being billed for the replacement. We marked the package as being a replacement for you (it's not a matter of us having forgotten to check "replacement" off on the form. We added the notice of replacement onto the label to make it clear). It sounds like the post office that delivered it to you made an error by misreading the label, and then charged you. Your best bet is to register a complaint with them. Unfortunately we have little influence over the actions of the delivery services in other countries. Next time I think we'll write "REPLACEMENT" in huge letter on each side of the box. ;)

The other adapters we've talked about are still in the lab being tested. I don't have any delivery dates on those yet. what I'd suggest you do is to stay in touch with Sara or myself and we can work exactly what would be a fair replacement to make up for your trouble.

You and everyone else on this list should always feel free to drop us a line when something like this comes up. We have a half-dozen people who are here every day ready to help out. Cool?

Thanks, everybody.

@Michal it's not that it can't be done, you can make reducers for a lens and mount it on the same camera with infinity focus (eg Nikon -> Nikon), that sort of thing is patented though iirc even though it's not on the market.

The state of the art of optical design is avoiding patent issues, as you are probably going to infringe a patent if you just design and make a lens. It's a bad joke really, as is the image quality of the light cannon. Would like to see these guys make something great for the MFT crowd.

Update: after confronting directly with Fotodiox I realized they didn't make any mistake with the shipping. It was an error of the very clever Italian customs. I felt it was fair to point this out after our posts here. They have been very supportive and I'm sure we will find a solution.

I just got an email from update from them:

Thank you for your purchase of the original Vizelex Light Cannon. As you may have experienced, the Light Cannon's optics didn't perform at a level you've come to expect from Fotodiox Pro, and for this we sincerely apologize. To make it up to you, we have completely reinvented the Light Cannon in the form of the new Nikon (G) to M4/3 Fotodiox Pro Excell +1 Lens Adapter, and reserved for you a complimentary pre-release unit. If you'll take a few moments to reply to this email with your shipping address, your Nikon (G) to M4/3 Excell +1 will be on its way to you today.

Your Light Cannon feedback inspired us to go back to the drawing board, and we've redesigned the adapter from the ground up. Over the last several weeks, we've put the adapter's new optic system through repeated tests and have received great feedback from our beta testing team. We will be officially releasing the new Excell +1 Adapter in a few weeks.

The Excell +1 makes the attached lens' view 0.72x wider and increases the maximum aperture of the lens by 1 stop. With the Excell +1, you can now use a 35mm lens on a crop sensor camera without sacrificing the angle of view that you often lose with other lens mount adapters.

We are also currently working on the 0.5x version of the Excell Adapter for release later this year. If you would prefer to wait until the 0.5x version of the Excell Adapter is ready, simply reply to this email and let us know. We will get in touch with you as soon as the 0.5x Excell is ready to ship.

We sincerely hope that you enjoy being among the first to use the new Excell +1 Adapter, and that you'll share your thoughts and photos with us. Please don't hesitate to get in touch with me or anyone on our support team if we can be of further assistance.

Thank you again from all of us at Fotodiox!

Sara Benner

Note to International Customers: Please let us know if there are any special instructions specific to your address.

@CFreak look at previous posts in this thread to know about the Excel +1

Does anyone have tests comparing the MB Speedbooster with the "new" Fotodiox Excell +1 ? I got mine in the mail, and can say that its a hellova lot sharper than the light cannon. But It looks like it loses some sharpness compared to a plain old adapter. It does offer a wider angle and some added brightness though.

I'll try and post a comparison pic with and without the Excell adapter tomorrow maybe.

Just got mine yesterday and it's no good. Picture get soft once the iris open up, it's not as bad as the Cannon but still too soft to be usable.

Just try it with a f2.8 zoom and that's ok, my f1.4 is horrible at wide open. I guess it can still be useful if you have a lens at f2.8 and above...

I have a Lens Cannon MK1 and want to wait for the x0.5 MK2. I did get a Speed booster x0.58 for my Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera (doesn't fit other cameras because the shutter would be in the way).

Was anyone able to compare the Lens Cannon MK1 to MK2 (aka "Excell +1") yet? Or even the Speed Booster vs Excell +1? If someone was to borrow me an Excell +1, I could do a comparison of Lens Cannon, Excell +1, Speed Booster x0.58 with the same test scene, camera and settings for comparison.

Marcus@Wolschon.biz

@Brandt - Yeah right, that's what Sara told me they were developing with the Excel +1. Don't hold your breath.

Burned me once, tried to make good and disappointed me again with their lackluster replacement the Excel +1.

I really had to laugh when I saw the 2014 NAB video of Bohus (from Fotodiox) talking up all the great B4 lenses you can use on your mirrorless camera thanks to his forthcoming kit. He clearly doesn't understand much about optics and parallel light rays vs. converging light rays, prisms and multiple sensors vs. single sensors in cameras, etc, etc, etc.