Other: New major Release for Metabones adapters

moldcad

moldcad

Veteran
In my thread on initial impressions from using my new Speed Booster with Canon EF 16-35mm F4.0 lens on the FS7, I complained about inconsistencies in Push AF work, unstable (hunting loudly) Auto Iris, and discrepancies between the Green vs. Advanced modes description on Metabones website and reality. I've been in touch with Metabones support all that time and they kept promising it will all be rectified in the upcoming firmware release, but frankly I was pesimistic... But today I've got an e-mail from them, announcing the new Firmware update V0.50 is ready to download - what a timing :)

In line of their promise, the new firmware addresses ALL my issues I described on this forum and in my letters to Metabones, so I downloaded it from here:

http://www.metabones.com/article/of/EF-E_Firmware_Win

There also is a Press Release confirming all the welcome changes:
http://www.metabones.com/article/of/Metabones_Adds_Native_AF

I'm updating my unit as typing this, and will report the results here; looks promising!

Piotr
 
Wow, If that stuff works it will be phenomenal - crossing my fingers and happy to let you test it out before I install it as well.
I'll admit I just gave up on this stuff especially the smooth iris transition.
Let us know how it works and thanks for being a squeaky wheel Piotr!
 
Yes - it DOES work! We now have:

- continuous AF (push AF functional, but still not 100% successful at full tele)
- continuous AI (almost no hunting)
- both available by default (as Advanced mode is now the default)

Good work, Metabones!

Piotr
 
Great news! Push auto works on both my Sigma 24-105 and Canon 70-200. It's not the fastest (or quietest on the sigma), but it's certainly useful in certain circumstances.

Just a quick question, I've only recently bought my speedbooster with lenses. When changing lenses I've been turning the camera off, is this necessary? Or can I leave the camera running when switching lenses? I've seen some references to powerering down the camera (FS5) but just wondering what people do in the real world?
 
mattjeh said:
Great news! Push auto works on both my Sigma 24-105 and Canon 70-200. It's not the fastest (or quietest on the sigma), but it's certainly useful in certain circumstances.

Just a quick question, I've only recently bought my speedbooster with lenses. When changing lenses I've been turning the camera off, is this necessary? Or can I leave the camera running when switching lenses? I've seen some references to powerering down the camera (FS5) but just wondering what people do in the real world?
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Ive never done this on neither FS700 or FS7 on either Speedbooster or Speedbooster Ultra. Neither Mk II or Mk IV adapters either. Not even Sony a7 II or a7S even.

My camera stays on unless i plan to have it off for extended periods of time.
 
The iris changes pretty smoothly because advance mode is enabled by default. You can switch to green mode by holding down the button on the side of the adaptder while you turn the camera on or mount the adapter.
 
Well you guys seem to be having better results than me . I just tried my Mark IV with Sigma 18-35, Canon 24-105 and Tamron 24-70. Same results with each.

Push AF functions but it is way off . In many cases every other push throws it way out of focus and the next one tries to focus but misses badly . Continuous AF works great but very slow. AI works well but makes a racket. Smooth Iris sees to work ok on Sigma 18-35 but the other lenses are still steppy and make a racket when changing iris. I can't recall if its any smoother or if its noisier than before because I've been sick for months and not using the camera.

Am I doing something wrong here? The press release does say that the Push AF might take the lens getting used to before it focuses correctly but mine didn't seem to get any better after a bunch of tries.
 
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You would want to use Green mode when working with A6300 / A7RII / A7SII in still photo mode. Since I shoot with both FS7 as well as Sony mirrorless still cameras, I'll just toggle between the modes.

Ned Soltz
 
Lenilenapi said:
Push AF functions but it is way off . In many cases every other push throws it way out of focus and the next one tries to focus but misses badly .
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You're not doing anything wrong, Leni - Push AF is the only thing that hasn't improved much with the newest firmware. I wrote about it in my very "first impressions" post to this thread. You described it spot on - it functions, but more often than not fails to lock in focus. In the case of my Canon 16-35mm, it's the longest focal length where Push AF is the least reliable (which of course is a great shame, as this is where we need this functionality most).

You're also right about things being rather noisy. But since I seem to be in great contact with Metabones support, I'm hoping for the best - they kept telling me they were aware of all the shortcomings and asked to be patient as the upcoming fw would straighten up many of them, which it did. After I tested it and congratulated them, pointing out both remaining problems (unreliable Push AF and the adjustments being noisy) - they assured me this is exactly what they are working on right now, and again asked politely to wait till another firmware upgrade. I'm impressed by this kind of support, and hope they will succeed again.

Piotr
 
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Lenilenapi said:
why would one want to use green mode now?
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For saving power only, when you don't need all those auto functionalities and prefer using your lens in fully manual mode. BTW I suggested to Metabones to adopt slightly different approach to the modes differentiation:

- Push AF and Push AI should work in both modes (as in video applications we need them the most, and they only drain power when actually applied)
- Continuous AF and AE should be active in Advanced Mode only (as this is what hunts constantly thus draining power excessively)

Piotr
 
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They must have some new management. I tried corresponding with them a couple of years ago and never got any replies at all so I gave up. Thanks for staying in there. Actually you can use the full auto switch on the side of the FS7 as a push auto by just engaging when you want but it is still slow and basically a PITA.
Did you have better luck with smooth iris than me? That's bigger deal than any of the others IMHO.
 
When Auto Iris was on with the previous firmware, it changed constantly (be fractions of a stop) without any apparent reason, i.e. even when the lighting conditions seemed perfectly stable; now - after only several (though still noisy) fine-tuning attempts the aperture stops hunting and maintains its setting for as long as the lighting doesn't actually change - so yes, a progress by all means :)

Piotr
 
Lenilenapi said:
Well you guys seem to be having better results than me . I just tried my Mark IV with Sigma 18-35, Canon 24-105 and Tamron 24-70. Same results with each.

Push AF functions but it is way off . In many cases every other push throws it way out of focus and the next one tries to focus but misses badly . Continuous AF works great but very slow. AI works well but makes a racket. Smooth Iris sees to work ok on Sigma 18-35 but the other lenses are still steppy and make a racket when changing iris. I can't recall if its any smoother or if its noisier than before because I've been sick for months and not using the camera.
Click to expand...

Smooth iris requires lens support. Canon lenses launched in 2009 or later have it, and so do the latest SP Tamrons. The electromagnetic aperture diaphragm inside the lens is physically different so as to support micro-stepping. Canon revamped the lenses added this feature to all new lens designs after the 5D Mark II came out back then in 2008. None of the three lenses you listed have smooth iris.
 
moldcad said:
For saving power only, when you don't need all those auto functionalities and prefer using your lens in fully manual mode. BTW I suggested to Metabones to adopt slightly different approach to the modes differentiation:

- Push AF and Push AI should work in both modes (as in video applications we need them the most, and they only drain power when actually applied)
- Continuous AF and AE should be active in Advanced Mode only (as this is what hunts constantly thus draining power excessively)

Piotr
Click to expand...

It is not up to Metabones to determine what each mode does. "Green" mode has the same behaviour as an LA-EA3 adapter and "Advanced" mode tries to mimic a genuine E-mount lens. We will not get push iris in "Green" mode unless Sony decides to add it to LA-EA3.
 
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