A Look At The Metabones Speed Booster For Micro Four Thirds Cameras.

[@snappychappy]

Always with us with great advice. RIP David

[@thomaserickson7972]

A good friend's father told us "never sell your gear"... you can always get more money. You can't get your gear back.

[@felippegazio7737]

This video was one of the main reasons I bought my Metabones Speedbooster EF 2 years ago for my Panasonic GX8. I just love the thing. I have a Sigma 18-35mm F1.8, and It becomes 1.2, a Canon 70-200mm 2.8 becomes 2.0.... simply amazing. I also bought tons of vintage lens and cheap adapters for canon EF just to see and they work great. Thanks for all the great videos you produce. It helps us a lot!

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Thanks Felippe! I love devices like the Meta. They are a product of original thinking that actually produces something highly useful. Adapting a lens to fit a Micro Four Thirds body is one thing but using all that excess light gathering power to its advantage is another. And all that vintage glass just waiting to be used instead of just sstck in a cupboard and forgotten. Wonderful!

[@Lagartija219]

Wow I have learnt so much about this in just a couple of vids! Rescued all my PK mount lenses and I can tell you that I'm a happy camper indeed!!! I had them in the closet for ages and never thought that I would ever use them again. I was even about to give them for free... Glad I saw this! Thanks for sharing

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Guillermo Contreras I've _saved_ someone some money - must be a first for me :-)

[@sylvainpaquette6132]

You are by far my favourite camera reviewer on youtube. I really enjoy watching your review, continue the good work.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

It's very nice of you to say so, Sylvain - thanks!

[@MrVoayer]

Fantastic tips and tricks, David. Especially for photographers who mastered the trade long before digital era and are in possesion of some considerable value in antique lenses. Young generations would probably not understand what you are talking about.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

MrVoayer I love the idea that the all those wonderful old lenses can be used again, whether with a focal length converter or a straight adapter. When you are brought up with auto everything it can be hard to see the point of manual operation but it has its own charms. I bet there are plenty of young enthusiasts itching to get their hands on some old optics, though.

[@TheGazmondo]

Hi David , I do love your take on equipment, as like yourself I’ve been a professional forever, it feels. When I came to MFT I watched your vids, and the approach I’ve found infectious, as we grappled with mix of old school and new school... And by coincidence I too live only yards from the gates of your favourite location. Keep it up mate, you’re far better than a chat at the pub !! All the best, Gary

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Thanks Gary! Us grizzled old hacks, eh? Sounds like a nice location you live in, nearer the park than me. Great area to live, though, isn't it?

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

leftnose I can't reply to you directly on KZbin comments for some reason so I'll hope you see this. It's the Panasonic DMW-EC1. It helps shield the viewfinder in very sunny weather, especially if you wear glasses.

[@AuraQualic]

This review made me buy the cheap 3rd party boosters for my m43. to test it out my self since I dont have a friend who have their SpeedBooster. but I will surely buy the Metabones later when I got my money, I still have my Canon FD lens after I moved from EF-mount to m43 system, thanks for your review mate!

[@corrbox2]

This was not a new review, but very useful for me in May of 2020. I appreciate your your detailed information, examples and photos. This was a very well done report. I appreciate your efforts very much. Well done!

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Great to hear, thanks Joel

[@mp4podcastDOTcom]

A lot of film makers use the Metabones adapters. If you use Metabones adapter and just take off the lens and put another lens on the Metabones adapter will always keep the sensor clean. It been nice if they made cameras like this with the adapters built onto the camera body.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

mp4podcastDOTcom Yes, I found it a great luxury changing lenses (the two Nikkors) and no having to think about dirt on the sensor. There must be a way of protecting the sensor during lens changing - that would be a much more useful upgrade than upping the pixel count in my view.

[@IljaSara]

It really gives a new dimension to MFT cameras. I'm so happy I once decided to go with GX7 rather than with G6. Although I have Camdiox focal reducer for Canon FD. It might be not the same quality as Metabones... 1/4th of the price. But now I know if I want better I'll get Metabones. Great review!

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Ilja Sara Thanks Ilya! I haven't tried the Camdiox but it's nice to know there is a choice of the things. I wish I could try them all!

[@Ilikegtasanandreas]

I feel like this Metabones adapter highlights one of the best features of the MFT system and the one I love the most. The mind boggling amount of glass that can be adapted and used on cameras it was never intended for. Vintage lenses have a quality that is hard to quantify and very desirable to some. I'd love to hear more about the vintage lenses you have, as for someone who was too young to really experience the analog age, they are a completely different world.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Jānis Kristaps Rotkalis Yes, I love the idea that you can adapt all those lenses. I only have the two Nikkors now but I've had loads of them over the years. You've given me an idea for a blog though!

[@datapro007]

I love your idea, David. Since I discovered the far less expensive speed boosters, such as the Viltrox, among others, buying a vintage long zoom is that much more appealing. As you say, the Panny 100-300mm at a paltry f5.6 for $600 has some competition now. And then there's the new Olympus 12-200mm f6.3 for $900 ....

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Yes, and the IQ of the older lenses is rather appealing too. I haven't tried any other speed boosters, I must try some.

[@JSquaredDesigns]

Excellent and thorough review per usual David - really appreciate your Micro43 reviews as I shoot both Oly and Lumix bodies (as well as Pentax) - this is a very useful piece of kit that is tempting to buy in K-mount configuration (if they make it) to use my Pentax/Rokinon glass on m43 bodies.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

JSquaredDesigns Metabones say they are looking into the possibility of K mount lenses but I don't know f they have done so yet. Pentax has some wonderful lenses so I hope they have or do.

[@paulsebring5326]

Still grateful to you, David.

[@npatricksmith]

Hey David, another good video. Thank you for taking the time to explain this. One nitpick: while you were discussing the math for the 50mm focal length, the video was showing some the math from another lens. Just a bit confusing to dimwits like me.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

***** Thanks. Re the maths, no, I think you are right. I wondered about it but what with crop factors and 0.71 multipliers and all I think I confused myself. I'd redo that if I could but once something is published on YT it'snot possible to alter it.

[@canturgan]

I love the look of my Nikkor 135mm 2.8 AI on the GH4 with the Lens Turbo ll. Those old Nikkor's are fantastic.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Yes - they're not meant for digital and probably not as good strictly technically as a result but the actual pictures have a lovely quality to them.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

oly 35mm It's quite a big thing to do, swapping over to a completely different system. I tend to write down a list of pluses and minuses, giving myself a few weeks to make sure I have all my thoughts down. Personally, I've never regretted going to MFT and the cameras that have appeared subsequently have underlined the correctness of my decision. I'd never try to persuade anyone, the things that motivate me may mean nothing to another photographer. One certainty, though, if I had been entirely happy with my DSLR I wouldn't have given a thought to changing as I don't with MFT. It's not that I don't look occasionally and the Sony and Fuji and so on are blindingly good cameras but they don't offer the blend of attributes that I am looking for.

[@oly35mm]

David Thorpe​: I am gobsmacked that you have taken the time to answer my comment. Please let me get the next gush out before I reply: I am a huge fan of your channel and get so much from your commentry. You are also one of the few that don't drive my wife mad as I'm watching them (she often chuckles at your dry humour). Right, now that's out of the way: I am an vintage Olympus tragic with a lot of Zuiko OM glass. Even though I use the OM lenses on my MFT gear I have been hesitant to pick up the Speed Booster as a I like the glass in its original role, which I cannot get from either MFT or 0.7x. I must admit to coveting the Sony A7 so I can use, by way of example, my 28mm as a wide lens; but I think you have convinced me to pick up a Speed Booster as I can have a 28mm on my old film SLRs, 56mm eq. on my MFT and a 40mm eq. with a gain of a stop. Thank you for your time.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

oly 35mm Thanks - I appreciate those comments very much. I'm pretty certain that if I wanted to gain more image quality (I don't) the Sony would be the way I'd look at first. But the Metabones is a very attractive proposition for MFT and very versatile, too. The vintage lenses and modern ones strike me as a bit like CD and vinyl, in that while they do the same thing there is something attractive but the way the old ones do it.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Aura Qualic You're welcome! I haven't tried the cheaper ones but I'd think the main difference would be in the corner edge performance.

[@Raychristofer]

This is an outstanding thorough review, you know Mr thorpe sometimes I have to dig through countless videos to find a reviewer who takes it serious enough to get up from the table and shoot outside. I can tell that like me you dont try to shoot and edit a review in one day, sometimes Ill shoot footage for a month till I have what I need to do a proper review. by the way Im using a focal reducer made by Roxsen I got it for about $92.00. it is so flawless I emailed the company telling them how much I benefit from it they sent me one free to review. I have a Helios 44-2 that rarely leaves My Lumix and the reducer is what allows me to see the swirly bokeh that otherwise would be cropped from the edges. feel free to check out my review of that lens using the focal reducer if you like. youre right the new lenses have a place but some of the older ones have a rendering quality and character that can be used artistically. Respect

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Nice points. I need to get a feel for a piece of equipment in normal use before I can get to grips with it. It does take time, as you say but it can give you some surprising insights sometimes.

[@georgeeharrison4293]

Thanks for there review, will rent one and try it on my old Olympus film lens.

[@epicengines2565]

Very well put together video. You just sold me on thr g9, and a speed booster. But just to make sure, I can put full frame lenses unto an mft camera with the speedbooster?

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Yes, you can. In fact it is only FF lenses that can be used with the speedbooster, not APS-C for example. The only other thing is to make sure that if you have any obscure legacy lenses there is a suitable booster.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

***** I can't reply directly. While it is expensive it's in line with tele-converters from Nikon and Canon etc. This stuff isn't made in large numbers and so will always be dearer than regular equipment.

[@patrickfitzgerald2861]

BTW David, I did separate into paragraphs below. Where did they go?

[@DeanHarringtonimages]

Nicely done ... I have a few nice old Nikon lenses and do not have an issue with stills glass rings on video cameras. I've used them on 35mm lens adaptors on a Sony EX3 ... nice images.

[@davidthorpe7732]

Yes, and good to that all those wonderful old lenses are earning their keep again!

[@humanfishh]

Another quality video David, well done and thanks.

[@Ensign_Cthulhu]

Okay, if there is ever a K-mount compatible Metabones, this becomes a game changer in terms of investing in MFT. I can keep and use all my Pentax lenses.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

jsm666 Maybe they'll do one - it would all be manual focus though.

[@Ensign_Cthulhu]

True. An 0.5 converter would be even better, at least from the standpoint of making the focal-length math easier...

[@kuntaleroy7414]

I purchased the Metabones Canon EF/ Micro 4/3 Speed Booster XL-BL from B&H Photo in April of 2016. My application was using the Panasonic GH-4 and the Speed Booster with the many Canon lenses I had accumulated. The unit worked well most of the time, but the GH-4 would occasionally show the “Lens attachment failed” error screen when I attached a different lens. I thought it was the lens choice, but noticed that all but one of the lenses I had were original Canon units. On 09/29/2016 the GH-4 firmware was updated to version V25 and the Speed Booster interface problem began to occur much more frequently. I continued to think it may have been due to my inexperience with the GH-4 camera functions, so I tried to learn about and attempt almost every combination of camera and lens settings. Nothing worked. On 12/07/2016 the Speed Booster firmware was updated to version V2.5, and on 12/08/2016 the GH-4 firmware was again updated to version V26. Now EVERY lens I try to attach gives the same attachment failure error message. I can only use the combination if I place the lens inside the Speed Booster mount but only turn enough to secure it without actually connecting the contacts of the lens and the Speed Booster. Of course this won’t allow any lens communication with the camera, but will still allow the use of the lens as a completely manual unit. I have tried both the Green Power-Save mode (default) and the Advanced Manual Focus mode on the Speed Booster and I still get the same results. I find it almost unbearable that I purchased this unit mainly for the ability to use my Canon lenses on the GH-4 like I use them on my Canon bodies, i.e. with full control of the lens focus functions. I can’t believe a $650 unit designed to do this, heralded as the best unit of its type available in the marketplace, only lasted for a few months before failing completely. Of course I am beyond the 30 day period usually given for a return window. I could never give this unit more than one star, and would seriously love to give it much less than one star, if that were possible. I have never been as disappointed with a seemingly serious photography product as I have been with this Metabones unit.

[@VinhNguyen-uw2vh]

Don't you think that's caused by new Gh4 firmware. In V23 panasonic by mistake give their V.log for free, then they quickly released V24, then V26. Maybe in these latest firmware panasonic try to make Gh4 less open.

[@kuntaleroy7414]

I seriously doubt that. Why would Panasonic purposely make the GH-4 "less open" to lens adapters. I submit the majority of GH-4 sales are to photographers who have amassed a collection of fine lenses that are not Lumix. It would make better marketing sense for Panasonic to collaborate with Metabones (or other adapter mfgs) in attempts to make the GH-4 more acceptable to use of other lens, especially considering the upcoming release of the GH-5. Let's see if other GH-4 owners using the Speed Booster experience this lens attachment problem. The speculating at this point is little more than an academic exercise.

[@VinhNguyen-uw2vh]

I think that practice is common, Sigma and Tamron (and other manufactures) have to reverse-engineer to make autofocus lenses for Nikon, Canon... and there's no guarantee that future Nikon or Canon cameras will autofocus those lenses. I am sure that camera companies want to keep their share in lens' market, and AF is the key point.

[@kuntaleroy7414]

I’m not sure I’m qualified to successfully debate this issue with you. I can only view this dilemma through a lens (no pun intended) coated with my own life experiences and knowledge gained as a successful business owner for more than 20 years. Two issues were key in my decision to purchase the GH-4 camera; 4K video capability, and the guaranteed possibility (via Metabones) of using my Canon EF lenses. The quality of my Canon glass is such that having to purchase that quality glass again, something virtually required in 4K video, would have ended my interest in buying the GH-4. I can almost guarantee you that there are thousands of photographers in a similar position as mine. To suggest Panasonic would knowingly forgo such a market for the GH-4 system on the hopes that interested photographers would gladly purchase Lumix lenses of Canon L quality (assuming they even existed) along with the GH-4 camera is unusual, and possibly a bit naïve. The majority of the GH-4 cameras were probably sold to prosumer or professional level photographers and videographers, most of whom already possess non-Lumix full-frame quality glass.

[@kuntaleroy7414]

UPDATE: I finally obtained the information I needed to possibly get the unit repaired. Yesterday I sent the Speed Booster to Hong Kong for repair (as is required by Metabones). I was required to assume the cost to ship there and back, along with any other custom fees for international shipping. I have no claim number and no guarantee that the repair will be accepted as a warranty covered item. Wish me luck.

[@TheAtaja]

Very helpful video; thank you. I do use some old lenses. Zeiss, russian made zorki 4 (a copy of rangefinder leica) I do agree that those old lenses have a quality to them that is different from current modern offerings. I can't describe it, but you did that well in your video.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

+The Ataja Glad the video was helpful. Yes, I love the IQ of some older lenses. Even ones that aren't the last word in sharpness can have a very attractive pictorial drawing. It took me ages to drill down to what I wanted to say about that in the video so it;s nice that you appreciated it.

[@serjorom5510]

While the Metabones is a bit pricey, I have invested in a cheap Chinese alternative that does the job for me for around third of the price. Combining that, with bargain vintage lenses from Ebay - and now I've got a wide collection of old FD lenses that I adore. The beauty of it, is that M42\Sigma\Pentax lenses are also easily adaptable for the FD mount, so I got a couple of these as well. I've got used to the manual focusing with the GX7, which while not being very hard, does require a bit of skill. Upgrading to the GX9 with it's superior stabilization and a bump in pixel density - shooting an old lens adapted to the camera became pure joy that never fades away. Not once I've lost a full evening changing lenses and taking the same picture to see the difference in quality, depth of field and feel of the picture to experiment and understand which lens performs better for which situation. Thank you David for your review, back in the day - it has opened my eyes and provided the knowledge for this amazing experience :)

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Brilliant to hear that, Serjo! I wonder if Panasonic and Olympus had any idea of the possibilities they were opening up when they set the Micro Four Thirds standard with its short flange-focal plane distance?

[@serjorom5510]

@@DavidThorpeMFT I think that they based the whole system on the idea of shortening the distance between the sensor and the lens as much as possible to improve on the quality. But they did not fully understand the potential until the in body stabilization came along :) Unfortunately phone cameras are getting better and better, my father just took my GX7 to a trip, never used it and complained to me that it's too heavy to carry and too slow to operate compared to a mobile phone camera.. Ah.. those new technologies.. he he

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

@@serjorom5510 For me, even if the IQ of a phone were the same as a camera, the controllability of the camera, viewed as a _dedicated_ imaging computer, would make all the difference. Just the ability to set shutter speeds and aperture with a dial is so much more intuitive and quick with a camera. Since your father won't use the GX7, I think you should make him use a Nikon DSLR next time. That'll show him :-)

[@serjorom5510]

@@DavidThorpeMFT Ha! that's a good one, I wouldn't pick one myself for that reason. I absolutely agree, that's why my money was invested in a couple of good ol' film cams as well :) But when I'm trying not to waste any film I'm using my Sigma SD14 which is slow and bulky and absolutely provides me with the fiddly experience of a film camera, minus the walks to the lab for development. (Although they are magical! Nothing beats a photograph print fresh from the shop!)

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

@@serjorom5510 The film camera forced you into a more measured approach to taking a picture and that had its own charms, as did waiting to see prints. The only trouble for me was that after years of experience taking pictures for a living, day in, day out, I knew what I had he moment I pressed the button and didn't feel the need to see the neg, let alone the print. That did not sit well with the family! Regarding the Sigma, all the makers are looking to make the sleekest, fastest handling, most ergonomic cameras they can. Yet some of the most pleasurable cameras I have used were slow to use Hasselbalds and Mamiyas. That Sigma looks a really nice camera - something a bit different is always welcome even if not always a commercial success.

[@mozinoz_digital]

It’s been 3 years since you made this review, and yr opinion about metabones on mft still resonates strongly especially considering GH5, MB, and sigma 18/35 f1.8 combo is almost industry standard for a lot of Gh5 shooters! The other lens of choice is the voigtlanders. Have you done an update review or comparison of newer native mft lens vs mb + vintage lens? Has mb compelled oly & panny to build faster sharper native lenses? Cheers still persuasive video! 🎥👍

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

I haven't really got the resources to make the comparisons you mention since I have to buy all the stuff I review. I don't think the MB and non-native lenses influence Panasonic and Olympus at all. They appear to work in a vacuum, believing that everyone will buy their products whatever the competition. Which can't do anything but help MetaBones, I'm happy to say! Cheers, Moz.

[@mozinoz_digital]

David Thorpe sorry David, I thought perhaps you might get sent gear by the makers, like many of the YT vloggers who unbox every bit of kit on the planet, everyday for nicks apparently. My apologies You Sir, are truly are independent then! Cheers 🤠🎥👍

[@biscuitsalive]

Thanks for that. I have the meta bones for my A7s. And it's a bit glitchy (with update) sometimes have to turn cam on off 3 times before it works. And I was considering getting the speed boosted mb for my gh4 too. So nice to see that version doesn't suffer from the same issues. (Ps. On a7s the auto focus with MB is too slow to be worth using. )

[@nightdonutstudio]

I assume you are using ef version. This video is about nikon version. Nikon version does not have electronic contact. It just act like a normal adapter. so won't have any issue you mentioned.

[@biscuitsalive]

Oh yes. Forgot to mention that canon ef-Sony is what I have. The canon ef-m4/3 is what I may buy.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

biscuitsalive I wondered how well the versions with contacts worked. The Nikon version is pretty basic but manual focusing with it is very easy.

[@biscuitsalive]

It's clearly well made. But yes pass through is a bit twitchy with the Sony.

[@ToolCraze]

do you have a video on the metabones xl speed booster? I would like to see your take on it for stills

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

No, sorry, this is the only one I have tried. Given the quality of this one, I'd be pretty sure they wouldn't make anything bad.

[@TuyenNguyen-cm1kx]

Great Review. One thing that concerned me about the metabones is the electrical tape they use on the rear element to keep it from shorting the contact pins in the camera body. I can see that tape coming off eventually. I find it to be a very low budget solution considering that every else about the adapter has a topnotch build quality. What are your thoughts on that?

[@davidthorpe7732]

Te Enn Thanks for the kind words! I'm not sure what you're getting at - there's no tape anywhere on my Metabones. It can't short the contacts because whereas on an MFT lens the contacts stand slightly proud of the inner mounting ring, on the Metabones the inner ring has no contacts so never makes contact with the body contacts. Thus the body contacts can't be shorted.

[@JeffreyDanielsHamid]

Another great review from Mr. Thorpe. Great job. You could be a great mentor. Keep it up! :)

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Thanks, I will!

[@crooksco.-thepainreliefthe1599]

GREAT VIDEO! MAN YOU KNOW YOUR STUFF, FANTASTIC!!

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Glad you liked it -thanks!

[@totoroutes5389]

Older lenses have less glass elements which manipulates the light much less than the newer lenses that have more glass elements, which is why the older lenses put out richer colors.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Yes, that was the charm of some of the old Leica lenses too.

[@timtapling4843]

If I may ask a 'desert Island glass ' question David, if as a 'general amateur use / landscape' photographer you were only allowed one lens and a metabones, which combination would you choose. I'm considering an upgrade to the GH5 from a Lumix FZ70.

[@KutWrite]

Interesting; I'd never have thought of using one.

[@davidthorpe7732]

They are most popular with movie makers on shorter, fast lenses but for stills the 'Bones is great for older fast film lenses too - a Nikon 180mm f/2.8 as a 5x telephoto f/2 is a pretty attractive proposition, for example.

[@xperrosinsangrex]

So, using this with the Zuiko OM 180mm f2 would be the bomb... imagine that razorthick depth of field in those ultrasharp portraits

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Yes, that'd be a very interesting combination. I'd though of using a Metabones with a Nikkor 180mm f/2.8 but those lenses, old as they are, keep their prices.

[@xperrosinsangrex]

yes... You are right... I have mine because I got lucky. check this picture out of it in a Canon 6d I used to own, wide open at the closest focus distance possible. www.flickr.com/photos/juandavidestrada/17245698016

[@Subfrequenz]

Great straight forward informative review. Thanks!

[@patrickfitzgerald2861]

Hello again David! I'm researching these, and am delighted to see you've posted this. However, I do have a little (huge understatement!) something to add that you might find helpful. In truth, for the MFT system the 2x "FF equivalent" needs to be applied to both the focal length and the aperture. That Nikkor 200mm f/4 lens performs optically (depth of field, angle of view, and even (in a more complex way) light transmission, like a 400mm f/8 on MFT with a glassless adapter. The Metabones .71 formula is: 200mm x .71 = 142 x 2 = 284mm equivalent, f/4 x .71 = 2.84 x 2 = f/5.68. So that lens acts like a FF 284mm/f5.6 on MFT bodies with the Metabones. By the way, the same 2x equivalency applies to native MFT lenses. A Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 is equivalent to FF 40mm/f3.4. (See Tony Northrup for more details: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nGbdf2mEi91gnrs)So who cares? Well, first off this helps to clarify why MFT sensors have low light performance issues. It can also help someone decide whether or not to buy the somewhat expensive Metabones. For example, the Olympus 40-150 f/2.8 performs like a FF 300mm f/5.6 at the long end. Would someone rather apply the US $450-$650 that the Metabones would cost and get something specifically designed for MFT in that case? I would say the answer is yes, unless like you they already had a 200mm FF lens to mount on it. Even though an adapter (and especially a speed booster) does open up a big, wide world of additional lenses, in the main, investing in the fastest current design MFT lenses one can afford makes the most sense for the most people, no?However. . . many videographers using the GH4 find the Metabones coupled with the Sigma 18-35 f/1.8 Art lens (FF 25-50 f/2.5) a fantastic combination, and though I don't own it, I've seen the results and have to agree. And if you want to see a speed booster that does even more incredible things, check out the Aputure DEC LensRegain. Cheaper than the Metabones, and it comes with both focus and aperture remote control! kzbin.info/www/bejne/jYbCeoqJnMRseLM

[@Magnetron692]

Hi David, thank you very much for sharing! I wasn't aware of the issue with the Olympus. I have an Olympus PEN e-P5. With that it wouldn't be a problem, would it? Best Ralf

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Hi Ralf - no, the Metabones shouldn't be a problem. It's a standard Micro Four Thirds fitting so all should be well.

[@TruthReviews]

Great video, subscribed :-) I was wondering if you could give me some advice. I just got a GH4 for mainly video use, now i don't own ANY glass at all. So the two options I'm looking at is either getting the Metabones Speed Booster along with the Canon EF 24mm f/2.8 IS Lens, Tokina AT-X 116 PRO DX-II 11-16mm f/2.8 and the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 which would cost a total of $2,076 OR i could go with MFT lenses, the Voigtlander 10.5 f/0.95, Voigtlander Nokton 25mm f/0.95 and the Voigtlander Nokton 42.5mm f/0.95. Assuming the 10.5 Voigtlander will cost at least $999, that would make the MFT lenses come to $2,998. That is $900 more than the Speedbooster and the 3 EF lenses. Which option would you go for ?? Would you advise the speed booster for someone who doesn't have any lenses or would you suggest getting Voigtlander glass which even with the speed boosters help, none of those EF lenses i listed will drop to 0.95 like the MFT lenses. Your advice would be really appreciated, thank you.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Zombie Clown Sorry to reply so slowly, for some reason KZbin put your comment in 'Spam'. To me, the Metabones option looks better for video. It's a lot more flexible and if you are after shallow DoF effects, the Canon lenses will do it beautifully. With the $900 saved you could get a couple of native MFT lenses, the Olympus 17 f/1.8 and 45mm f/1.8 as well which would give you a nice stills outfit too.

[@bjnslc]

I use the first generation Metabones .7 adapter with my fast Nikon primes, including a Nikon f/2.0 135mm DC lens. Defocus control and the fast aperture allows creative shooting indoors with shallow depth of field and lovely bokeh. The new, more expensive Ultra version of the adapter is sharper. The main negative about the F/G mount to Micro Four Thirds adapter is arbitrary numbering on the aperture control. I presume that's a limitation of a device that works with lenses that have different aperture ranges. It makes aperture setting guesswork. I suppose one could set the meter to manual to measure the f-stop increments, but I haven't resorted to that just yet. Manual focusing with my Panasonic bodies isn't idea with wafer-thin depth of field. I had hoped my GX8 with its focus-peaking feature would help, but that feature is poorly implemented and is often invisible, despite setting it to its coarser value that makes it more apparent.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

+BJ Nicholls You don't find changing the colours makes the peaking more visible?

[@bjnslc]

+David Thorpe Yes, David, but different colors become all but invisible with different subjects. I would love to see a more sophisticated implementation where the peaking colors change automatically depending on context. Short of that, an even coarser indication option would be nice to have. I'm not keen to find suitable colors while shooting via trial and error. The upcoming focus bracketing feature could help if there's an option to constrain it to a shallow range. From the early description, it sounds like the intent is for a much wider near-to-infinity bracket set.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

+BJ Nicholls I'll be interested to see what is possible with the focus bracketing. Meantime, it might be an idea to suggest your mod to Panasonic. Having said that, they have not once even acknowledged any email from me so I wouldn't hold out too much hope!

[@mika2666]

The newer canon telephoto lenses are also really nice although still very expensive, the 1999 300mm f/2.8L IS is still €2500 but so extremely sharp

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Yes, though given its original price it is still a good buy at that price.

[@wgsnssssssss]

Being an absolute newbie in the world of photography, I find your videos among the best tools in understanding the subject. I got a used, in mint condition, E-M10 mk1 and your channel has become my go to place for m34 stuff ever since. Thanks!

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

It's wonderful to hear that - thank you.

[@Stone1108]

Way with words!! Like it. Great review

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Thanks, Andrew!

[@TheV1S]

very nice review, love you articulation. Cheers!

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Thank you!

[@conradososa6238]

really good review, I love using my older lenses this would be amazing to own. Definitely on the wish list.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Conrado Sosa Thanks, Conrado! A nice birthday present to yourself?

[@LaurenceRoach]

Brilliant as always - Thanks

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Thanks, Laurence :-)

[@GeorgeStar]

I'm shocked! I always associated adapters with glass in the middle with poor quality. If only it wasn't so damn expensive. Speaking of adapters have you tried using the old Olympus DSLR lenses with an adapter? They work fantastically. The optical and build quality are excellent and the AF is quite snappy (with my EM-1), and the 12-60 and 50-200 offer a range not available in native mft.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

I agree George but I suppose the difference is that the price of this one enables them to really optimize it, plus it is concentrating resolving power rather than magnifying it. No, I haven't tried either of those Olympus lenses but they are Four Thirds lenses aren't they? I don't know of any adapter that allows autofocus with any Olympus DSLR lenses. I hear good thing about the Four Thirds lenses in general.

[@epicengines2565]

Hey David, that 300mm nikkor you got is one beautiful specimen of a lens, but it does have one major downfall: It's one of those old lenses containing thorium which is radioactive and can cause serious damage to your eyes if held closely, so please be careful with it if still in your possession my friend.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Thanks for the head-up. I never knew tat.

[@epicengines2565]

@@DavidThorpeMFT anything for my favourite photography youtuber

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

@@epicengines2565 What can I say! Thanks

[@drewnetwork]

If that's the ED-IF 300mm -- that's a spectacular lens. Really great. Better than the four or so other 300mm classic Nikkors on a range of levels.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

drewnetwork Yes, that's the one. It has a very strange internal arrangement, in that the iris is at the rear of the lens elements in the barrel instead of between them. They could get gunged up, apparently. Mine's OK, though.

[@drewnetwork]

David Thorpe Yeah, keep a lens cap on the back of it and you'll be fine. The fascinating part of that lens is the insanely shallow plane of focus. This is precisely why journalists in the 1980's reported not being able to get sharp images. In other words -- they didn't have "digital" magnified focus assists. Thirty years later -- with the magnified focus assist -- that ED-IF lens pushes all bounds for creative image capture. And, if you like the "filmic" color and image rendition of that lens on the GH cameras -- you'll find it's just as amazing on modern Canon anything (it will mount to some modern Nikon stuff, but not other modern Nikon stuff). The relatively recent "kitten" video at my channel was filmed with exactly that lens.

[@nunoarmando7426]

Hello David! Very nice and informative Videos! Speedbooster says Nikon G... What's up with that?

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Nuno Trindade Thanks Nuno! The Nikon G just means that you can use it with Nikkor G lenses which have no aperture ring. If the lens has an aperture ring, you use the lens's instead. It is a bit confusing.

[@nunoarmando7426]

OK! I was just thinking that there was two different models! Then It's just a question of, when mounting AI lenses, having two rings instead of just one, with the only one working beeing the one from the lens, if I did understand correctly. I have a bunch of old AI glass and this combination sounds very sweet to me. Once again, wonderful videos. Thank you for sharing!

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Nuno Trindade You're very welcome, Nuno. Yes, if you have a lot of old glass, the Metabones gives them a new life. It's not only the speed increase but the old glass has a beautiful image quality, much (how do you put it?) warmer, less clinical than modern lenses. A bit like vinyl compared to digital sound.

[@nunoarmando7426]

Indeed! The color rendition is so much more "analogical" giving depth to the image... It seems that "everybody" is looking for sharpness! For me Sharpness isn't really everything! 24, 35, 55, 105, 135, 200! With VR? Wonderful! Em1 here I go!

[@nunoarmando7426]

Once again, thanks a bunch David!

[@lmnopd6820]

awesome video! if i have a Nikon Ai-s NIKKOR 135mm F2.8 and Lumix G7 , would I pick up the nikon F mount or the Nikon G mount to m43 ? I can't find the answer for what mount the AI-s takes ... Thanks in advance !

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Thanks - It's this one - amzn.to/2dnA6FS.

[@dfandrews]

David, Great video and I'm now a subscriber. I use a SB on my GH4 with a cine lens. I'm always confused about the relationship between the aperture ring on the cine lens vs the aperture ring on the adapter. Should I be using one and not the other? If so, which one to use and where do I leave the other set?

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

If your lens has its own aperture ring, open up the MB one and control the aperture form the lens. If not, control it from the MB ring - If the lens has no aperture ring it will be set wide open so no need for adjustment.

[@justinspirational]

Thanks for your video. New to photography and have the Panasonic gh3 and Olympus 75mm 1.8 for portrait work..if I wanted to add even more creamier bokeh to the background would this product help, hinder or not do anything in that respect or would a teleconverter be better for even more blur? Cheers!

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

The Metabones will only work with FF lenses so for maximum blur something like a 50mm f/1.4 or would be about as good as it would get with the Metabones. In practise your present 75mm is pretty damned good for limted dof. The ultimate would be the f/1.2 Nocticron but very expensive. A TC, not really. Are you sure the 75 wide open doesn't do the trick?

[@justinspirational]

+David Thorpe PS- I already hav ethe SLR Magic 50mm f/0.95- but is manual focus (more geared for movies though takes great stills too, though I don't is as sharp as teh olympus 75mm f/1.8) but for the 'cinematic headshots' look (see my other comment and video link) it's best to have a longer focal length for compressing the background more..up to 200mm full frame equivalent (100mm lens on m43)..

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

There aren't any native MFT 100mm lenses faster than f/2.8 so there's nowhere to go with that. The 40-150mm zoom gives a nice effect wide open at 150mm but it is expensive and 150mm is a little too long for your purposes I would think. Since the particular 'cinematic headshot' look is paramount in your work I would seriously suggest buying a Canon FF which will achieve what you want properly without workarounds. Otherwise, I think you already have the best setup for your purpose that MFT can offer. Any MFT solution such as a Nikon fit 85mm f/1.4 and MB will be manual focus.

[@justinspirational]

+David Thorpe OK thanks for your feedback David

[@Funnelfest]

Great Video ...Thanks. I sold my MetaBones for my BMPCC and wish I had not!

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Funnel Fest Thansk! I've done things like that and ended up buying again. Very annoying.

[@bluefilmsltd]

David, i'm trying my best to understand these speed boosters. I'm hearing from people that they impact image quality and distort the original lens!?!?? And that if you're planning on having your film shown on a big cinema screen then to avoid????

[@JerryWilliam63]

Um,,, he died some years ago.

[@JerryWilliam63]

And dont worry, image quality is fine.

[@bluefilmsltd]

@@JerryWilliam63 Who died???? The creator of the video????

[@bluefilmsltd]

@@JerryWilliam63 Are you sure???

[@bluefilmsltd]

@@JerryWilliam63 I'm sorry to hear that x

[@EdwardBushmanAnderson]

Excuse my ignorance - but does the focal length change when on a micro four thirds body? For example if I put a canon 200mm lens on the metabones - would it still be a 200 mm but with a faster aperture?

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Hi Edward - the Metabones works like a 1.4x converter reversed, a bit like looking through binoculars backwards. So the 200mm lens becomes 200/1.4 = 140mm focal length and if the Canon lens were an f/4, the aperture would be 4/1.4 = f/2.8. So the 200mm f/4 becomes a 140mm f/2.8 on Micro Four Thirds. To complicate matters, while the Canon 200mm gives a 10° horizontal angle of view of view on an FF sensor, the smaller Micro Four Thirds sensor and the 140mm of the Metaboned(!) lens give a narrow 7° AoV. Put simply, yes, the Metabones changes the focal length of any FF lens to which it is fitted.

[@EdwardBushmanAnderson]

Thanks David - That was really helpful reading it. I think you said the same thing in the video but reading it made more sense to me. :-) - Thanks again for all your excellent video reviews and instruction.

[@crooksco.-thepainreliefthe1599]

David hello could please help me? I purchased a Panasonic GH5. The plan is to pick up a Panasonic H-NS043 LEICA DG NOCTICRON 42.5mm F1.2 ASPH LUMIX G for the GH5. My main focus for buying the GH5 and this particular lens is for making videos (vlogging). Question: putting a speed booster along with the 42.5mm F1.2, would that improve the photo/video quality of that lens or with such a lens would it be redundant using a speed booster? If a Metabone Speed Booster will give an even better cinematic photography effect (stills & 4k video) which type of speed booster should I purchase? XL 0.64x Adapter for full-frame Canon EF-Mount Lens to Micro Four Thirds-Mount Camera??? Thank you very much for you help. Much appreciated. Garfield

[@banarne71]

Thanks for a good video. Have you compered the Metabone to the Viltrox EF-M2 Auto Focus Adapter Speed Booster? The Viltrox is much cheaper but is it much worse? I have the Panasonic gx8 and I want to use some good canon or Nikon lenses with long focal length E.g. canon 70-200 f/4 or f/2.8. Thanks! /Jon

[@davidthorpe7732]

Hi Jon - no, I haven't come across that one and don't have any FF lenses to try it with apart from a Nikon 300mm. In general with optical items you get what you pay for but every so often you come across something that performs above its price. There are some comments on the item here - www.dpreview.com/forums/post/60664696

[@banarne71]

@@davidthorpe7732 yes, sometimes the newbe is better than the more expensive older brother. Viltrox is the one to buy. Thanks for your reply.

[@eduardoferrer4969]

do you recomended using a 75-300 mm (for Canon) on an olympus em-1 for flying birds? focusing will be fast enough or not so good?

[@davidthorpe7732]

A dedicated Micro Four Thirds lens would certainly be better. More expensive, though. Flying birds are about as difficult a subject as there is, unfortunately.

[@Facesmany]

Great review !!

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

many Faces Thanks!

[@michaelmcgill8104]

Thanks for the video. Would there ever be any point on adding this to a 8-18mm micro four thirds f2.8 lens?

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

You're welcome, Michael. Actually the Metabones can't be fitted to Micro Four Thirds lenses. It relies on the lens it is fitted to covering a a bigger sensor so that it can take the image from that lens and compress it down to fit a smaller sensor. If you take the image from a FF (36x24) lens and 'compress' it to fit an Micro Four Thirds (17x13mm) sensor, the light from the lens gains a stop in brightness since the same amount of light is focused on a smaller area and ditto the sharpness. If a Metabones was made for Micro Four Thirds lenses (it isn't), the 8-18mm image would be compressed down and would not fill the sensor, the result being a small image in the centre of the sensor surrounded by black. For that reason MBs are made for FF lenses from sony, Leica, Nikon, Canon etc.

[@chrisp1379]

Hi David, quick question. I'm just getting going with photography and have an m43 camera. Would you suggest getting this + old full-frame lenses, or simply using the money to buy native m43 lenses? I basically would like a decent fast prime for landscape photography, and a long zoom (which this option seems very good for).

[@cliveholland4829]

Hello David I’m curious, Do you still adapt your old Nikkor lenses with the metabones speed booster after the new lenses that have come out for the mft system in the years since this video . I just picked one up at a bargain price and look forward to using it and my old Nikkor glass on my Olympus camera . Kind regards Clive

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

The only one now is the 300mm Nikkor f/4.5 from the 80s. It works very well. I more often use the old Nikkor with just an adapter, though since I bought a 50-200mm Panasonic. What I particularly like about the Nikon lens is the image quality. I can't explain it by it just has a look that I like.

[@bluesmokegamer272]

I ended up getting this for my GH4, but the control on the aperture control placement on the speed booster is a bit annoying.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Bit cramped, isn't it?

[@KMLR2012]

When you put on a lens with an adapter., you are supposed to enter the focal length in the settings. I plan to use a Nikon 35mm full frame with a speedbooster on my X-T30 .What lens focal length do I enter? Do I have to change it due to speedbooster?

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

That had me thinking! The camera wants to know what actual focal length it is looking at so with a straight adaptor you'd enter 35mm. Since the speedbooster does change the effective focal length of the lens you'd enter (35x0.71) 24mm.

[@KMLR2012]

@@DavidThorpeMFT Thanks

[@adriantwiss600]

So if I have got this right I can get one of these for my canon FD lenses and with a conversion factor of 0.71 my 300 f4 would become 300 * 0.71 * 2 for micro four thirds

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Yes, that's right. Your 300 becomes a 210mm actual focal length but since Micro Four Thirds has a 2x crop factor, that will give the same angle of view as a 420mm on a FF sensor. And a stop more effective speed, of course.

[@robbyboyo]

Great review. If only I had some old lenses.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

robbyboyo Well, haven't I just given you a good excuse to go and look at some? You know you want to :-)

[@robbyboyo]

It does look interesting. But which mount should I get Nikon, canon ef or canon fd.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

robbyboyo The hell with it, get one of each :-)

[@stankmt5016]

Just to be sure, this metabones nikon version does NOT support both autofocus and image stabilization (VR). Am i right?

[@Katana2040]

I picked up one of these for my GH2, and I absolutely love it!

[@davidthorpe7732]

Katana2040 Yes, they're good and they are so versatile too. Ultra fast normal lenses, fat teles all from the same bit of kit.

[@Katana2040]

David Thorpe Yes indeed! I've got a collection of vintage Nikon primes, ranging from 24mm to 105mm. The images I can make with these lenses + adapter are amazing.

[@photo1965]

Good review!

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

+Rick Porter Thanks Rick!

[@312SES]

Regards from Stockholm! I've been using a Canon HF-G10 for years since 2011. I thought it was pretty good - until I saw what a GH5 can do. Even though the "5" is "old" now I still see it as legitimate choice in late 2019 and price for used versions here in Sweden has begun to be under 1000 usd also. But, I find myself confused by Speedboosters. As I understand it, in order to use full frame lenses, I need to purchase the XL 0.64 Metabones, the 0.71 as I understand, will not give the best result with full frame lenses. So, if that is correct, are Canon lenses more advantageous then Nikon lenses? The reason I ask is that, if I have understood correctly, the electronics don't translate well to the camera even with the XL Ultra for Nikon lenses, but they do with the Canon lenses. Is that correct? I've seen a Finish guy (Joo Works) get very good low light results with the GH5 and the Nikon 50mm and I'm leaning towards Nikon because of that. But, I don't have any bias towards either Canon or Nikon, I'm more pragmatic and am interested in what works best and communicates best with the camera. I've purchased my native lenses already, I chose used Leicas, the 8-18mm which seems to work very well in small rooms and the 12-60 f2.8 as an general purpose lens. I'm hoping to grab a GH5 after Christmas. But, since it gets soooooo dark here I the winter, I need to research the best low light possibilities. I rented a GH5 back in September and was pleased with the results, but it's clear that night filming with only street lighting is something of a challenge! Any advice you can give would be most welcome. All the best from 60 degrees North!

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

The GH5 has IQ and low light ability as good as any current Micro Four Thirds camera and will never match a FF in that respect. So, yes high speed lenses are the answer. As I understand it, the .64X is designed to cover the cropped 4K movie output and will perform less well across the whole frame, as used for stills. The .71X is optimized for stills. Essentially, the .64 is sharper over a smaller area, the .71 is a bit less sharp but more even across the full stills area. So its horses for courses, really. If you want to do both stills and movie with it, the .71 is the one. For movie only use, the .64 will be a bit better. Experience suggest that stopped own a little, these differences would not be so great. Given that you know of someone getting good results with GH5 and Nikon, I'd be more influenced by that than anything else. There's all kinds of opinion about what works but someone actually doing it and getting good results speaks loudly. Regards from London, cold and wet at the moment - but nothing to you hardy Norsemen :-)

[@312SES]

Thanks for your reply David! We love London up here, we've stayed in the Surrey Quays area when we go there and really enjoy it. Up here, it's already dark before 16.00! We're hoping to get back to London soon with GH5 in hand! Perhaps next Summer.

[@ImpManiac]

Thank you for another informative and entertaining review, David. IM 8)

[@davidthorpe7732]

Thanks!

[@JePeVePe]

also worth mentioning... some of the metabones 'keep' the IS of lenses working... I have one for Canon EF, and ... haven't played with it much, but man, it's so cool to put my 300/F2.8L IS on it :) ... and... to be able to use all my Canon glass.... Only slight drawback, the IS is on ... all the time... I think I never shoot video with the 5DmkIII again (allthough that ML RAW is quite something, but... way to cumbersome to use in post production, apart from the uge files).... I think Canon is loosing a lot of customers now for their video market... And... even if there is a 5DmkIV with 4K, let say end of the year... it has to be pretty spectacular to beat this GH4 or A7s... to justify the probably 2-3x higher price... I am wondering if I should buy a metabones for my Nikon manual lenses (bought for the GH2) to... those lenses are lighter then my Canon zoom lenses.... and... the Nikkor 300mm/F4.5 is waaaaaay easier to handle ofcourse then the 'beast' 300/F2.8 lens :)

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Jan Peter van Popta My Nikkor 300mm f/4.5 works really nicely with the Metabones, small and light. But big or not, a 420mm f/2 equivalent with the 300 f/2,8! And for video FHD, with a Panasonic, that extended tele with no quality loss gives you an 840mm f/2. No such lens has ever been available before.

[@stickercastle1875]

so I'm confused................please help I have a Olympus OMd 5 I also have a bunch of NIKOR f mount lenses but i onl see G mount speed boosters So my question Will the G mount to micro 43 work with my Camera and older F mount lenses? Thanks for your videos Regards Rick

[@DynamixWarePro]

I know you posted this comment 4 months ago, but if you haven't found it yet, there is the Metabones Speed Booster XL 0.64x Adapter Nikon F to Micro 4/3 which will work for F mount lenses.

[@tomburford7354]

I have somehow managed to turn off the focus feature shown at around 4:50 of this video on my GX8 and don't know how to get it back. Can you help?

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Do you mean the blue outlining, the focus peaking? If so , do the the Custom menu, Page 4 where you'll find Peaking. You can adjust the sensitivity and colour there too.

[@vivianvaldi7871]

Man I wish I didn't sold my 22mm 2.4 ISCO MC... a kind of 1 kg lens, even without the aluminium focusing body. Now with a M65X1 FEMALE THREAD TO NIKON F and a Speed booster NF to M-4/3, I would have a pur 16.5mm @ 1.8. Please David, sale this thing back to me : you know it's no good, don't you ?

[@DrCB-jo4qh]

What a great option

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Chris B It is, isn't it?

[@Cagey7531]

The metabones are ridiculously expensive, I wonder how good the likes of Zhonggyi or Fotosy speed boosters are?

[@davidthorpe7732]

I haven't tried any others but I think you'd find the Metabones would justify its price in performance. These aren't easy things to design and they don't sell in millions. Could be worth trying the others, of course. Who knows, might be a real bargain?

[@lfcmarkeb7124]

I guess you'd look at one of these as a new lens purchase @£300+ giving you a gateway in some bargain great pre digital glass ,doesn't seem so bad then 👍

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Yes, I agree. Opens up the use of some really good glass from the past.

[@mailperson]

Will this work on the Panasonic 100-400 zoom?

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

No, it won't. It requires a lens with FF coverage in order to weave its magic.

[@dejayrezme8617]

So if this is possible, why isn't it possible to make a native MFT lens with the same equivalent aperture and depth of field as a full frame camera? I've seen those f0.95 manual lenses but why isn't there a native prime with autofocus? With with a wide angle 10.5mm or 16.5mm f0.95 lens would that compete in low light performance indoors of full frame?

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

It's such a minefield comparing lenses from one format with another. A Micro Four Thirds lens and a FF lens are different things. There's no reason you can't have an autofocus f/0.95 lens but if you look at the size of the f/1.2 lenses, you can see how large an even faster lens would be. Plus, even an f0.95 would have the same depth of field an f/2 lens on a 36x24mm sensor. Where low light performance is concerned with noise, a bigger sensor will always have less noise. It's the laws of physics that are the barrier, not lens design or makers. In reality, who buys a wide angle lens for shallow depth of field? With a wide you want lots of DoF. For photographers for whom shallow depth of field is of prime importance, they'd do better buying an FF camera rather than doing it the hard way with a smaller sensor. The speed booster relies on the lens to which it is fitted having a bigger image circle than will fit on the Micro Four Thirds sesnor. It acts liek a 1.4x converter but the opposite way. Rather like looking through a pair of binoculars backwards, so everything looks smaller.

[@dejayrezme8617]

I was just curious if you there is a theoretical limit of what a mft and full frame can do in regards to depth of field and light. I would guess that sensors will continue to get more sensitive so the gap with shrink over time. I've found a deal on a used G7 with a 14-140 lens for cheap to learn on. This is going to be my first real camera. Gonna get a cheap fisheye lens to play around and maybe later something like 20 or 25mm prime lens. And yeah, shallow depth of field on wide angle would only be interesting for vlogging while walking around, but I'm not sure if I even want to do that and that is an rather unusual way of doing it anyways (might as well vlog from home if viewer can't see the background). Thanks for replying and your videos!

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

You're welcome, Dejay. Actually, if Micro Four Thirds sensors improve, FF ones will too, pro rata. They probably all come off the same sheets of silicon anyway! The problem with a wide angle for Vlogging would be the distortion to the face if you used it too close. You've made a good choice with the G7 and 14-140. They may be (relatively) cheap but they'll give you top quality resulst used right.

[@dejayrezme8617]

Oops sorry, I didn't mean the gap would shrink, but rather the practical advantage of full frame. Once you can shoot in iso 9000 in candlelight with no noise there isn't much practical advantage, IF you'd also have lenses with similar depth of field / bokeh. But maybe I'll upgrade in a year or so to full frame, the market should be reasonably shaken up (if not stirred) by then. Maybe with the Sony A7 VIII out the A7R III will become affordable ;)

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

I take your point and I must say that the ultra high ISO settings on the top line DSLRs are more of a circus trick than anything useful. A clean 12,800 on Micro Four Thirds would be plenty and, as you say, render a larger sensor unnecessary apart from specialized surveillance use and that kind of thing.

[@qassemaleid9774]

sir what i understood from is that it is excellent for a7rii bc it makes 50 f1.4 30s f( less than 1.4 ) that much appreciated for many am i correct on this ?

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

No, sorry Qassem, it won't work on a FF camera. It only works for FF sensor lenses fitted to a camera with a smaller sensor by concentrating the light. If you did that with your A7, you'd just have a small circular image in the middle of the frame. That's why there isn't a mount for the A7.

[@qassemaleid9774]

yes that is rational thank you much appreciated channel

[@nerdMike]

The real problem is price with Metabones speedboosters even on adapter models without electronics..

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

There are cheaper alternatives but I haven't tried them. I have a Nikon 300mm which i use but I've just got a £20 adaptor from Amazon for that amzn.to/2F3cl1P

[@classicmartini]

Hmm. Slap a Vario Sonnar T* 24 -70mm f/2.8 on there and get a zoomed Nocticron. As a bonus you won't have to go to the gym. "Get to de camarah!" :-)

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Nice!

[@glennsak]

When converting a full frame lens to a micro 4/3 camera, is it focal length x .71? For example, 50mm full frame x .71 = 35.5 mm micro 4/3? Thanks!

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

+Shaka Yes, that is correct. So a 100mm ff lens becomes a 71mm. Since the crop factor with MFT is 2x, that gives the equivalent _angle of view_ of a 142mm lens on full frame.

[@glennsak]

Thanks, David for your quick response. Can you explain "angle of view"? Does this mean that only the center of the lens is utilized by the sensor? Thanks!

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

+Shaka Yes. The full frame lens projects an image 36mm wide. The MFT sensor is about half of that in width so uses only the centre portion of the image, meaning that you only get half as much in. Hence 2X crop. The best way to work it out is to take the actual focal length of the lens, say 100mm. Times .71, it is now a 71mm lens. Since MFT has a 2x crop factor because it uses the centre portion of the image, that gives the same effect as a 142mm lens on a FF camera. It's more awkward than complicated, really.

[@glennsak]

Thanks, David! I am considering getting Speedbooster Canon EF to Micro 4/3 and fitting a FF Rokinon Cinema lens. I want to get a 50mm focal length but the only option would be their 85mm - giving me but a 60mm... :(

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

+Shaka It's not too far off -who knows, it might even be better!

[@MrFirebaboon]

Hi, which model of Panasonic you used?

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Hi - mostly a GX7.

[@alexongpanghai]

Got auto focus?

[@davidthorpe7732]

No.

[@bubz75]

Hi Dave! Recently purchase a used GX7 (Body only) No lens. Which version/Model number Metabones did you buy for your GX7 please?

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

I got this one amzn.to/2i4IclI (UK), amzn.to/2hd5vLt (USA). It's a .71 mag, for Nikon G and F lenses.

[@DiraPictures]

I need This one for my gh5

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

I think they do an autofocus one for Canon lenses now.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

+humanfish_is_Youtubing Can't reply directly but thanks!

[@mayspeis]

very good but too expensive in my opinion

[@andretim75]

Why would anyone use a speebooster for shooting long telephoto with a micro 4/3rd ? Would it not be far more logical to use these lenses to get a 600mm telephoto instead of a 200mm ? Of course 9 years ago there was no 200mm 2.8 Panasonic Leica -- that might be the explanation ?!

[@flowermaze___]

I'll be using one to shoot nikkor glass purely for that reason. Classic lenses that just render differently!

[@FranciscoShibata]

Alguien es español que me explique lo del video?

[@hmol1955]

No: Half a stop faster.

[@DavidThorpeMFT]

Put the MB + lens on your camera and set lens to f/4. See shutter speed. Now take off MB and replace lens. 1/200th becomes 1/100th for example. Formula is 4 x 0.71 (MB mag factor) = 2.84.