GH4 METABONES XL, S or ULTRA ?

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kakokiki

Member
Hi, I'm looking to buy a metabones speed booster for my GH4. I plan to shoot a lot in 50fps HD with my APSC Canon lenses (sigma 18-35 and Tokina 11-16), so would be better XL, S or Ultra version? For what I understand XL is good for 4K shooters (because in 4K you get like super 35 FOV), but for HD maybe is to wide?

My 80% of work is video weddings. I'm a bit confused in wich to choose... Also would love to use the adapter in a probably GH5 4K 50fps camera... and thinking of this maybe better the XL?

Could the XL give me more problems with my APSC lenses (vigneting...) than the S or Ultra version?
What is the real difference between S and Ultra? Wich suits better my lenses on GH4?

Thanks a lot!!!
 
kakokiki said:
Hi, I'm looking to buy a metabones speed booster for my GH4. I plan to shoot a lot in 50fps HD with my APSC Canon lenses (sigma 18-35 and Tokina 11-16), so would be better XL, S or Ultra version? For what I understand XL is good for 4K shooters (because in 4K you get like super 35 FOV), but for HD maybe is to wide?

My 80% of work is video weddings. I'm a bit confused in wich to choose... Also would love to use the adapter in a probably GH5 4K 50fps camera... and thinking of this maybe better the XL?

Could the XL give me more problems with my APSC lenses (vigneting...) than the S or Ultra version?
What is the real difference between S and Ultra? Wich suits better my lenses on GH4?

Thanks a lot!!!
Click to expand...

This is the one I'm going for. Better check the field crop requirements with Metabones if you have questions.
http://www.metabones.com/article/of/Metabones_Speed_Booster_XL_0.64x_5Jun15
 
The crop sensor lenses might be a problem, I don't think the image circle will cover the new x.64 booster. Again probably best to check with Metabones.
 
Greg_E said:
The crop sensor lenses might be a problem, I don't think the image circle will cover the new x.64 booster. Again probably best to check with Metabones.
Click to expand...


0.64x has this possible limitation but not listed in the 0.71 as a problem. The Tokina 11-16 is in the approved autofocus list for the 0.64. Better check with MB before buying.

Metabones site
  • EF-S and third party DX lenses may not cover the full Micro Four Thirds sensor in still photo and FHD video modes (but will cover 4k video mode)
 
I felt the .64 had more diversity. if you get vignetting zoomed out, you zoom in a little - which is similar to where you are stuck with a .71 anyway. BUT, you can not zoom out more on the .71 if you are already wide open.

But I never shoot stills, just 4k video that is always letterboxed at 2.40:1 aspect the cuts out vignetting
 
The 'S' version was designed for certain Olympus bodies which couldn't be fitted with the standard SpeedBooster, while the 'Ultra' uses a newer optical formula. The 'T' designation indicates the SpeedBooster's interior has some form of flocking that reduces interior reflections.

The XL is specifically designed for the GH4's 4K crop. When shooting HD, or stills, most likely APS lenses will vignette.

Since you plan on shooting weddings in HD with APS lenses my suggestion is to get the 'Ultra' with 'T' flocking. With an 'XL' you'd risk vignetting & restrict your zoom range, two things I'd never want when shooting documentary. And if your 'future proofing' there's no guarantee the next GH camera will retain the same crop factor for 4K.
 
Thank you guys, so far I discover from BH that the S version is outdated. so the replacement is the new Ultra version, that it's better opticaly.

I think that maybe is better for me as Bern Says to go with the Ultra version, so I'm not limited in HD modes because vignetting. I like to play a lot with 50 and 96 fps so I want to be Ok with my lenses in these modes. I know I loose the S35 view on 4K, but this don't really bothers me. At least will be much better than without any speed booster :)
 
Hi Bern, when you say :
And if your 'future proofing' there's no guarantee the next GH camera will retain the same crop factor for 4K.
Click to expand...
you mean that maybe ULTRA version is better in future proofing? because maybe next GH5, or GH6, or GH9 .... will use all the m43 sensor to do the 4K? Does the ULTRA version covers the hole sensor and the XL only the 4k part? If so, then ULTRA shoyld be more future proofing than XL isn't it?
 
"Original" reply from Metabones:

Please refer following information for your reference.


The 0.64x XL was designed to give really great performance over the slightly cropped 4k format of the Panasonic GH4 camera, and it really excells over this smaller format even at apertures down to f/0.80 . Of course, the XL does function perfectly well over the full M43 format, but there is a gradual drop in MTF toward the corners at large apertures. Once you stop down to about f/2 or slower, however, you should be hard-pressed to find image flaws with the XL even in the extreme corners of the full M43 format.


By comparison, the 0.71x ULTRA has much more even center-to-corner performance over the full M43 format, especially at large aperture.


If you want a general-purpose Speed Booster for shooting stills and video on M43 then the ULTRA is the better choice. However, if you are mainly shooting 4k video on the GH4 and want the greatest possible focal length reduction, then the the XL is the better choice.

Actually I was asking about differences about filter thickness ( The optics are optimized for a standard Micro Four Thirds filter stack thickness of 4mm rather than the 2.4mm found in Blackmagic cameras), but no one is perfect.

Hope it helps :)
 
When I tested Sigma's 18-35mm on the 0.71x EF>m4/3 SpeedBooster the image was severely vignetted in 4:3 stills. Can't remember if 3:2 stills vignetted too, but believe so.
 
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