Metabones Speed Booster ULTRA . The Next Generation
My first Metabones Smart Adapter with Speed Booster came in the mail last week. The Canon EF to Micro Four Thirds. I’ve been waiting for several years to be able to use my Canon lenses with the Panasonic MFT mount. That adapter has been a long time coming. Sure we have a few other choices but all of them were sloppy.
On Labor Day Metabones announces a new ULTRA Speed Booster. This new optical design is the next generation and will replace all the former. Am I disappointed that my EF to MFT version uses the old design? No. The new model isn’t for MFT. The ULTRA series of focal reducing adapters are designed for mirrorless cameras with DX or APS-C sized sensors like the Sony E-mount and Fuji X-mount cameras. The Canon EF-S mount isnt supported.
The new ULTRA Speed Boosters use an advanced 5-element/4-group optical design incorporating ultra-high index tantalum based optical glass to achieve extraordinary optical performance with improved corner sharpness, distortion and reduced vignetting. This specially lens is deighned by Caldwell Photographic Inc.
Speed Booster ULTRA has a magnification of 0.71x, so it reduces the crop factor of mirrorless E-mount and X-mount cameras from 1.5x to 1.07x.
Like the revolutionary original Metabones Speed Booster® announced in January 2013, the
Speed Booster ULTRA has a magnification of 0.71x, and so it effectively reduces the crop factor
of mirrorless E-mount and X-mount cameras from 1.5x to 1.07x. However, the new ULTRA
design makes very effective use of exotic materials at the furthest limit of glassmaking
technology, and as a result is well corrected for use with virtually all fullframe SLR lenses
regardless of exit pupil distance. Thus, the Speed Booster ULTRA performs extremely well with
professional-grade f/2.8 zoom lenses such as the 24-70mm f/2.8 and 70-200mm f/2.8 zooms by
Canon and Nikon to produce 17-50mm f/2.0 and 50-142mm f/2.0 high-speed zooms,
respectively. Similarly, high-speed fixed focal length lenses such as a 50mm f/1.2 will be
transformed into a 35.5mm f/0.9 lens with excellent contrast and resolution from the center all
the way to the edges of the image.
The above graphs show the optical performance of the Speed Booster ULTRA when mounted
behind an ideal “perfect” lens.
The new Speed Boosters will be available starting in September 2014 from the Metabones website and its worldwide dealer network for US $649 for Canon EF mount and from US $449 for all other mounts, plus shipping and applicable taxes and duties.
Nikon G to E Mount ULTRA Speed Booster. $479.00
Canon EF Lens to Sony NEX Speed Booster ULTRA $649.
Suggested Retail Price:
US $449 for Olympus OM, Rollei QBM, Minolta MD, Leica R, Canon FD, Contax Yashica mounts
US $479 for Nikon G, Sony A mounts
US $499 for ALPA, Contartex mounts
US $649 for Canon EF mount
Metabones Speed Booster ULTRA for DX Specifications:
Model Code: Speed Booster ULTRA
Color: Black Satin exterior; Black Matte interior
Magnification: 0.71x
Crop Factor with DX format camera: 1.07x
Maximum Output Aperture: f/0.90 (with f/1.2 lens attached)
Rectilinear Distortion: < 1%
Lens Elements/Groups: 5/4
Length Reduction: 4.2 mm
Camera Mount: Sony E-mount (1); Fuji X-mount
Image Format: DX, APS-C
Lens Mounts: Canon EF2 (coming soon: Nikon F/G, Canon FD, Minolta MD, Olympus OM, Alpa,
Rollei QBM, Contarex, Contax Yashica, Leica R, Sony ALPHA)
Lens Compatibility: Any full-frame lens with the appropriate mount can be used. DX lenses can
be mounted but will result in severe vignetting in most cases. Canon EF-S
lenses are not supported.
Special Features: Long-throw clickless aperture ring on Nikon F/G version; AF/IS support and
in-camera aperture selection with Canon EF to Sony E version.
Dimensions: 27 x 76 x 72mm for Canon EF version
Weight: 193 grams
Tripod Mount: Robust removable type with Arca Swiss compatibility
(1) Sony A7 series cameras must be used in crop mode or else vignetting will occur.
(2) Canon EF version supports AF, IS, and in-camera aperture adjustment. Only the Sony E-mount is currently
supported on the camera side.
That’s it! More cool products from Metabones I havent been able to fully test my EF to MFT Speed Booster yet but first impresions are it’s super nice and works with all my Canon lenses so far. Even the Sigma 18-35 in video mode.
Follow me on Twitter @eriknaso and check out my page on Facebook.
Thanks for coming by! Please help support my site by using the links on this page or bookmark these from my favorite retailers, B&H, Adorama, Zacuto, Amazon.com & Think Tank Photo. Using the links cost you nothing extra, but it helps offset the cost of running my blog. Thanks again for coming by eriknaso.com!
Filed in: 35mm Lens • A7s • Lens Talk • Lenses • Mirrorless • Nikon • Sony • Speed Booster
Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
Is it work with my fs700?
If i use it can i change iris electronically any time?
What about zoom, is it only manual?
Yes it will work with the Fs700.
The adapter will let you change the iris through the cameras control
No electronic zoom control but then again no Canon stills lens has this feature
Erik, at first is a pleasure to follow your notes and reviews.
I´m GH4 Panasonic so, have I to get the EF to MFT Speedbooster recently launched or waiting for an Ultra version¿?
After read your post, it seems to be two different devices.
my best and thanks to share news