FS7: Success with Commlite Adapter

Just got around to setting up my camera very late in the evening. True confession-- sometimes I just like to leave an unopened box on the table for a couple of hours just to admire and raise anticipation levels. Sort of new gear foreplay.

I only tried a Tokina 11-16 with the Commlite. Iris adjusts with the wheel requiring a few turns but it honestly doesn't bother me. Based on all of the on-line reports, I expected the wheel to be much less sensitive. BTW, my camera came with 1.10 firmware and the supplemental manual. The iris does click as I adjust it so I would say it is pretty worthless for iris adjustments while shooting. Autofocus works but it is slow and hunts. But again, autofocus is totally unimportant to me. I will try with a few other lenses over the weekend.

I did buy the kit lens and love the fact that it has a manual iris with a click-declick option. Guess which one I chose.

Ned Soltz
 
Ned - try push auto iris on the camera side for fast and almost smooth iris adjustments when needed or just to get in the ballpark quickly.
Likewise you get a smoother though slow auto focus by momentarily engaging the full auto focus switch on the side of the camera. I find it helpful with the cheaper sony lenses like the 18-200 or 18-105 that have terrible manual focus control.
 
Thanks, Lenny

I'll try both of those tips.

Meanwhile, the Commlite will certainly be more than adequate so I don't care how long it takes to get the Metabones.

Ned
 
Just tried a Canon EF-S 10-18 STM with the Commlite. Iris seems to work fine - but I can't focus it, suggesting it's not getting power to the focus-by-wire.

It's an otherwise useful lightweight lens with good optics at 1080.

Any ideas, before I move it on to it's next owner?

Cheers,

Ben.
 
I think one reason that most companies have stuck to a roller-wheel type iris control is the ability to make larger jumps in iris more quickly. You're right that for small shifts a rocker might work more easily, but I know that my muscle memory allows me to jump several stops with a couple of quick flicks, V. useful if you're run & gun, walking from indoors out into much brighter daylight and don't have time to reach up to drop in an ND.

Just my thoughts - any others?

-jason
 
Any updates on Metabones Speedbooster ULTRA vs. Commlite Full Frame Adapter? I have a Commlite for my A7s but saw a few pages back while doing side by side, there is lower contrast on Commlite's. Should I grab a Speedbooster for my FS7 and just use the free Metabones IV on my A7s when it arrives?
 
The Commlite is not a focal reducer like the Speedbooster. It can handle both full-frame as well as Super35/APS-C glass but no change in FOV or aperture on full-frame lenses. So no comparison in that regard between the two. Until I receive my Metabones rebate, I'm considering it adequate enough for EF mount glass. Can't speak to the comparison in contrast.

Ned Soltz
 
So, I did a test with my Commlite on my A7s using the Canon 24-70 II to see if my copy of the adapter bounces light around. When I am shooting inside or away form direct sources, my images are crisp and contrasty. When I went outside on a sunny day, the image looks slightly less contrasty. I shot this test towards the sun and I see a bunch of flare reflections. Might consider grabbing the Metabones Speedbooster ULTRA for my new FS7 and use the free Metabones for the A7s.

Screen Shot 2015-01-28 at 4.34.43 PM.jpg
 
Chris Langer said:
So, I did a test with my Commlite on my A7s using the Canon 24-70 II to see if my copy of the adapter bounces light around. When I am shooting inside or away form direct sources, my images are crisp and contrasty. When I went outside on a sunny day, the image looks slightly less contrasty. I shot this test towards the sun and I see a bunch of flare reflections. Might consider grabbing the Metabones Speedbooster ULTRA for my new FS7 and use the free Metabones for the A7s.

View attachment 96822
Click to expand...

Could those reflections be attributed to the lens you are using ? As Ned mentioned earlier in this thread there is no glass in the commlite.
 
Ned , I think the auto iris button trick may only work on the metabones adapters and there only in advanced mode.
 
No, I never seen this before using this lens before. I know the Commlite doesn't have the focal reducer glass - I bought it originally because I had a horror story with Metabones on the FS700 so I was boycotting them when I bought the Commlite. Unfortunately, it seems like I might have to get one after all.
 
Lenilenapi said:
Ned , I think the auto iris button trick may only work on the metabones adapters and there only in advanced mode.
Click to expand...

That's correct, Lenny. Lens on Commlite doesn't seem to respond to auto iris button but I honestly haven't found turning wheel that objectionable. Or any more objectionable than any other by-wire lens. While I love my Tokina 11-16, I'm just going to go the iris ring route for any subsequent lenses I buy for the FS7.

Ned
 
Well here's a negative on the Commlite EF > Sony NEX mt on FS7 that stunned me:

Wow I was just testing some new lenses, especially a Tamron 24-70 - which is very nice - sharp, Image stabilization , somewhat parfocalish, unfortunately focuses Nikon direction.
With the Commlite in my living room at night I got a terrible flare from the overhead chandelier. Bright all across the image. I locked off the tripod and switched to the Metabones Mk IV and itr was absolutely clean even if I pointed it more toward the light.

I had seen a little more loss of contrast previously with the Commlite- but nothing like this.

By the way also tested a brand new $2000 Canon 70-200 f2.8 series II lens and noticed that if I nifged the zoom ring jet a touch in either direction it would throw the focus in & out regardless of the zoom's position. If I zoomed out & it was sharp all the way , when I started to go in the other direction it got soft immediately , but if at any point in the zoom , I stopped and nudged it back toward wide out snapped into focus. I assume it was defective right?

Lenny

 
I got that same type of flare as well. It looks like someone is pointing a giant reflector at the camera. It was really weird.
 
I get flare mid zoom on two of my lenses on both the Commilite and Metabones Ultra. Doesn't happen on my primes.
 
Yes, I've used these lenses on countless shoots with C300s and 5D. My worst offender is the Canon 24mm-70mm f/2.8. Use it indoors with a an adjacent window light and it will flare with ease - even with the lens hood on. I can usually flag it out as the offending flare is mid-zoom rather than at the wide end, but it it's far from great.
 
OK, so I did some more testing today. Commilite is also a fail on my 50mm prime, plus on a Nikon AIs lens it would it jams between f/4 and f/2.8, so no chance to get f/1.4. Works great on my wide lenses and on my long lenses, so all is not lost, but don't make this the only adapter in your bag.
 
I'm joining the adapter party a bit late.
Have there been reported Metabones Speedbooster issues? I'm using one on my Nikon's but noticed a decrease in sharpness. Then I threw one of my Zeiss primes up and noticed I could not reach infinity. I was thinking I'd have to have each and every lens calibrated. Upon a collimation at PC&E here in Atlanta, it was determined the adapter was the culprit. Metabones clearly states on the their website about how exact the tolerances are and that no adjustment should ever be needed. How can they maintain that line for every lens and camera on the planet? And...why is there a back focus adjustment on the MB itself? My tech guy was able to adjust the MB back focus and things are tack sharp.
But beware of that back focus anomaly with the MB speed booster.
 
I went through many adapters w my Nikon lenses on the F3 and because a few of them were parfocal it was easy to see that very few were accurate no matter what the manufacturers say . Thanks to metabones for the adjustment.
Did you fail to get infinity only w the speed booster or also with the standard adapter which has no back focus adjust?
 
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