Metabones Speed Booster

stefanvanjaarsveld- thanks for the test. The Canon 16-35 F2.8L II didn't seem to vignette when I tested it at 16mm (will check again more closely) (FS700+SB).
 
Am I reading correctly here that the 50mm 1.4 is not very sharp wide open, and the 50mm 1.2 there are some shots of, and Roger Cicala (lensrentals) has tested and seems to suggest is pretty good on other cameras, and ken rockwell saying the lens is very sharp wide open?. Think Phillip Bloom is still waiting for his to come back from getting fixed.

Has anyone been able to get a shot with a 50mm 1.2 with old metabones and then speedbooster to compare (especially sharpness) on fs700?


Just got mine today. Don't actually have that many canon lenses, mainly Nikon primes.

I wanted to get the speed booster now in case it goes out of stock or it loses a patent case. Great if the Nikon version comes out soon, though I have a canon<>nikon adapter coming in a week, and will be hoping that works and I can test some of my faster Nikon lenses. Since everything is very manual with Nikon lenses on an FS700 anyway, maybe it saves another whole adapter.

Debating getting a canon 50mm 1.2L to use with this adapter. Id like to think the combination would buy me something that eats light and is less expensive than a conventional alternative.

Other minor points of note found during test, The 24-70 Tamron does autofocus on the FS700 in photo mode. Not continuously of course. So it's of limited use but I guess in some situations you could autofocus in photo mode and switch back to video leaving it set. No idea when that would be useful really.

I also switched the speed booster out of its default-now green mode to the 'Advanced Manual-Focus mode' mode that reads zoom distance, and in manual focus displays feet/meters, and auto-iris up and down like crazy in indoor light until you set it to manual. Works well. Would be handy, rarely.
The default of not having it that mode I think is the right one, I wonder how much juice it was actually using doing all that?

Any thoughts or comparative tests on the 50mm 1.2 sharpness wide open?

Here is a still shot from an FS700 with speedbooster using a 24-70mm tamron 2.8 canon mount.

Wether its a good way to measure or not, letting it auto iso with a fixed shutter - at 70mm f2.8- 6400iso (have it capped I think), then with speedbooster - 49mm f2.0 - 2500 iso!

DSC00008.jpgDSC00009.jpg
 
Cool thanks for that. Didn't know about the rj, have you got their new autofocus version ? (Photo mode only on fs700)

im presuming their first version might bokeh clip at f2 or less on full frame glass given the rectangle shape (same as metabones v1) but probably only on very wide lenses? Wonder if they went round in v2
 
Nice! Thanks so much for doing that. Its hard to cut through the clutter when deciding to drop bucks on a new lens hoping for a miracle. Do you think the 50mm 1.2l is softened with the additional of the speedbooster? Compared to already being that soft wide?
For the lenses people have talked about so far, the impression that I get are some are just as sharp, and some were never sharp to start with.

Your test would make it seem it was sharp and got softer?
 
From what I could see, it seemed overall the Speed Booster made the images softer. I'll have to repeat this test with all three lenses stopped down to something more manageable - that should give a better indication of the sharpness. I should have it up tomorrow.
 
@Timmytimetravel.

How did you switch it from Green Mode to Advance Manual mode? I have the Metabones II (non-speed booster) and I'm not sure whether I am on Green Mode or Advance Manual Focus as I cannot seem to find the option. But I definitely don't see the zoom distance or other info. like that.

Also, does the Speed Booster come with front and rear caps? Seems like with the glass inside, it needs a bit more protection than the glassless version II.
 
It looks like the images are much brighter with the speed booster for some reason at the same f stop. Also, cropping in to the same framing with the speed booster would require much higher magnification in post, showing more softness and pixelation. It would be good to see a comparison with like for like focal lengths.
 
From what I could see, it seemed overall the Speed Booster made the images softer. I'll have to repeat this test with all three lenses stopped down to something more manageable - that should give a better indication of the sharpness. I should have it up tomorrow.

Thanks for confirming. Again, this sort of points to 2.8 and beyond being the way to use this.

Still paying attention here, thanks for the info guys.
 
@Timmytimetravel.

How did you switch it from Green Mode to Advance Manual mode? I have the Metabones II (non-speed booster) and I'm not sure whether I am on Green Mode or Advance Manual Focus as I cannot seem to find the option. But I definitely don't see the zoom distance or other info. like that.

Also, does the Speed Booster come with front and rear caps? Seems like with the glass inside, it needs a bit more protection than the glassless version II.

Here is that bit of the manual. In addition to the two methods, I found holding wide open on the adapter, while turning the camera on with everything attached seemed to work as well. I only saw wide/tight appear top left and distance reading when the lens and camera were both in manual focus. It's only newer lenses as well.

http://www.metabones.com/smart-adapter-operation-manual/147-green-power-save-mode

Actually, I don't think it came with caps, but the old v1 one did. I had some spare canon caps I used. Someone else could confirm.
 
It looks like the images are much brighter with the speed booster for some reason at the same f stop. Also, cropping in to the same framing with the speed booster would require much higher magnification in post, showing more softness and pixelation. It would be good to see a comparison with like for like focal lengths.

Thats a very good point. See if I can do my next test at same framing focal lengths

And after 15 pages I don't think I really read anyone until now discovering/saying that a lens that is sharp wide open is made softer. Only ones that were soft to begin with. It is important to clarify I think. I dont want to be using it in that situ and not paying close enough attention until post! More backup tests I think.
 
Too much Cosmo and a little vignette. Background was an 5600 led top light shot through cobalt fiesta-ware glasses LOL!
 
Went down the beach a few days ago with the SB and my new Rokinon 35mm. My mate came down with a 5D as well and we did a bit of an impromtu, unscientific camera comparison. I also couldn't resist getting some slow mo on the FS700 and the swell was up from an ex tropical cyclone from up the coast.

We used a 35mm t1.5 and a canon f1.4, i can see a bit more purple fringing on the SB but all in all, it adds a lot to using the FS700 - happy with purchase.

Cut in FCP7 with a levels / 3 way cc and a vignette. I used abelcines canon 5d picture profile on the fs700.


For a bit more info view this article

Cheers
 
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It looks like the images are much brighter with the speed booster for some reason at the same f stop. Also, cropping in to the same framing with the speed booster would require much higher magnification in post, showing more softness and pixelation. It would be good to see a comparison with like for like focal lengths.

Yep, I'm not sure why nobody has done that yet. Just shoot a new dollar bill (fill the frame side to side with the bill)
take a few shots with the glass at 1.4 , 2.8, 5.6, 8,
then do the same shots with the SB, (fill the frame side to side with the bill) the same glass at 1.4 , 2.8, 5.6, 8,

Blow em up 200-300 % and see how much it softens it up.
 
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