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Nikon to M4/3 Speed Booster Questions
  • Hey guys. I got a GH4 and want a proper wide angle lens for it. So recently I researched speedboosters, and settled on a Nikon mount if I'm getting one, because I'd prefer Nikon for full frame photography and their lenses can easily be adapted to other bodies. Problem is that I'm on a budget so I've been looking at cheap speed boosters and am still wondering if it's worth getting a cheap booster because of the blue dot problem; the other problems it has seem minimal to me in comparison. The metabones is fairly expensive in contrast. I'm mainly looking at 11-16mm 2.8 Tokina, so it's already costing me more than I can afford. Many posts have said the problem had been reduced, some say it's still there, but I'm ultimately left confused; especially since all the posts are about a year old, so I don't know if they've made any progress with them. Also, lack of the lack aperture ring on it is a problem for a fast lens, especially when speed boosted, and shooting in harsh sunlight. As far as I can tell, the only proper way to do this is to get the metabones, but I want your opinions/recommendations.

    Also, the idea of a speed booster has me excited for possible lenses in the future like the extremely wide Sigma 8-16mm (5.68-11.36mm w/ SB, 11.36-22.72mm FF) and fisheyes like the Opteka 6.5mm (4.615mm w/ SB, 9.23 FF) and other 10mm fisheyes (7mm w/ SB, 14 FF). My question regarding these are whether or not they'll vignette and because it sounds like it's too good to be true. Also, has anyone tried these and/or has samples on the SB?

    Thanks for reading :)

  • 3 Replies sorted by
  • I would purchase the RJ speedbooster best bang for the buck. I performed a test with the Metabones, Mitakon, and RJ speedboosters IMO the Metabones is not worth the extra money. The Mitakon was the sharpest by a hair but you really had to pixel peep to notice but it also had a color cast to it that I didnt like. Plus I prefer the the design of Arca Swiss compatible foot better on the RJ speedbooster. The foot on the Metabones is really tiny qnd you have to use an allan wrench to remove It in comparison to the RJ foot where you would just simply turn a knob to remove the foot.

  • Double check but I think the tokina is an ASPC lens and will vignette at the wide end

  • @Azo How is the blue spot problem on that lens though? It's my biggest concern with the cheaper boosters, given how prominent the spot is. Also, do you know where I could get this? I can't find it on eBay, at least not an RJ specified one & I need some form of international shipping to get it. Is it this particular one? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nikon-F-G-reducer-speed-booster-turbo-adapter-to-m4-3-mft-GF5-GF6-GX1-EM5-EM1-BM-/360827485043?pt=US_Lens_Adapters_Mounts_Tubes&hash=item5402fe7b73

    @mrbill Yeah, all the lenses I mentioned are APS-C lenses. I've seen tests with the Tokina and it barely vignettes, mostly from the lens not a speed booster. And as far as I can tell, APS-C lenses are the best option for m4/3, given the low light capabilities they allow, like the 16-50mm 2.8 Tokina becomes a 11.5-35.5mm 2.0 on the speed booster, which has SLIGHTLY more range than panasonic's 12-35mm 2.8, but you'd lose out on AF (which doesn't matter, really) and I.S. And the wide APS-C lenses become proper wide angles via the booster. Question is which ones would vignette, since they mostly work on APS-C cameras, and the boosters simply scale that same image down to a m4/3 sensor.

    Also, does anyone know if you can use a ring adapter for m42 lenses on the speed booster and get two lens mounts effectively? Something as small as < http://www.ebay.com/itm/M42-Lens-to-Nikon-adaptor-Ring-For-D5000-D200-D300-D90-D80-D7000-Mount-Camera-/140641818939?pt=US_Lens_Adapters_Mounts_Tubes&hash=item20bee7d93b > doesn't seem like it'd hurt.