MetaBones Fujifilm Adapters: B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama
Vancouver, Canada, June 5, 2020 – The long-awaited Metabones® EF-X Mount Speed Booster® ULTRA 0.71x arrives today, with optics by Caldwell Photographic Inc., which makes lenses faster, wider and sharper (note 1). Fujifilm users can now tap into the vast selection of full-frame Canon EF Mount lenses (note 2), retaining their original field-of-view, and getting the same shallow depth-of-field effect as if a full-frame camera were used.
Speed Booster ULTRA
Speed Booster ULTRA uses an advanced 5-element/4-group optical design by Caldwell Photographic Inc., incorporating ultra-high index tantalum-based optical glass to achieve extraordinary optical performance with improved corner sharpness, distortion and reduced vignetting. Speed Booster ULTRA has a magnification of 0.71x, so it effectively reduces the crop factor of mirrorless Fujifilm X-mount cameras from 1.5x to 1.07x. The Speed Booster ULTRA design makes very effective use of exotic materials at the furthest limit of glassmaking technology, and as a result is well corrected for use with virtually all fullframe SLR lenses regardless of exit pupil distance. Thus, the Speed Booster ULTRA performs extremely well with professional-grade f/2.8 zoom lenses such as the 24-70mm f/2.8 and 70-200mm f/2.8 zooms by Canon to produce 17-50mm f/2.0 and 50-142mm f/2.0 high-speed zooms, respectively. Similarly, highspeed fixed focal length lenses such as a 50mm f/1.2 will be transformed into a 35.5mm f/0.9 lens with excellent contrast and resolution from the center all the way to the edges of the image.
Smart Adapter
Also launched today is Metabones EF-X Mount Smart Adapter™ with the same feature set on the electronic side but without the award-winning optics by Caldwell Photographic.
CINE Speed Booster ULTRA and CINE Smart Adapter
Tailored to the needs of filmmakers who demand the most solid connection, EF-X CINE Speed Booster ULTRA and EF-X CINE Smart Adapter feature a robust cine-style positive locking mechanism to secure the Canon EF mount lens in place and ensure that no play occurs during focusing.
Phase Detection Autofocus
Phase-detection autofocus (PDAF) is supported no matter which AF lens is used. Metabones EF-X Mount Speed Booster ULTRA and EF-X Mount Smart Adapter support PDAF by translating pertinent metadata about the optics between the lens interfaces. In this way, broad support of the widest range of lenses is made possible.
Other Features
Metabones does not stop at one or two headline features because it takes a lot more than just autofocus speed for an adapter to be a useful photographic tool. See focus distance in real time on the camera body by turning on the AF and MF distance display options. (Refer to the instruction manual of the camera body for details.) Parallax correction on the X-Pro series rangefinders is also supported. Using the new AF Range Limiter feature on X-T4, the user may set minimum and maximum focus distances and autofocus will not hunt beyond those limits. This handy feature is made available by the Speed Booster ULTRA or Smart Adapter relaying and translating distance information from the lens to the camera body. For video, smooth iris is a must-have feature. When a select Canon, Sigma or Tamron lens which supports this feature, is used, Metabones slows down the movement of the aperture diaphragm to minimize noise and provide for smooth transition in the footage. Most Canon lens models introduced in 2009 or newer, Tamron lens models from 2013 onwards and Sigma from 2016 support smooth iris. When a fully mechanical manual lens is used, the Mount Adapter Setting menu can be brought up by pushing the button on the adapter. The X Mount interface is protected by a rubber gasket and the inside is flocked to minimize internal reflection. Also, comes with the robust removable tripod mount with direct Arca Swiss compatibility.
Limitations and Issues
Disclosure of known limitations and issues with the initial release:
- Each lens needs to go through a calibration procedure when first used. Refer to the online user manual on Metabones’ web site for instructions.
- Continuous autofocus (AF-C) and video autofocus may not work on some cameras such as X-T100. Increasing FOCUS SENSITIVITY and decreasing AF SPEED are required under the AF-C CUSTOM SETTING (MOVIE) menu.
- For video, aperture priority or manual exposure is recommended to avoid exposure flickering. EF lenses are not capable of fine-grained control of the aperture required by Fujifilm cameras.
- AF+MF and lens aberration correction are not supported.
- Some film-era lenses may not be able to achieve sufficient AF accuracy required for digital cameras. Worn lenses with faulty sensors may lead to AF problems on a mirrorless camera even though the New Metabones® Speed Booster® for Fujifilm X Mount lens may appear to function normally on a DSLR.
- Distance Display, Parallax Correction (X-Pro series) and AF Range Limiter (X-Pro3 and X-T4) require lens that transmits distance information.
- All but the smallest EF lenses block a significant portion of the optical viewfinder of the X-Pro series.
- Speed Booster ULTRA not only boosts the maximum aperture of the lens, but minimum, too. It is no longer possible to go down to f/22 or whatever else the minimum aperture of the lens is.
- The adapter has no aperture ring. On a camera with no mode dial, configure the “APERTURE SETTING” menu option to “AUTO+MANUAL” and use the camera’s front or rear dial to change aperture. The auto setting comes after the minimum aperture.
- Aperture diaphragm makes frequent noises with older lenses. Use aperture priority and manual exposure modes, or use a lens which supports smooth iris.
- IBIS is supported only with fixed focal length lenses at or below 100mm (after multiplying by 0.7x in the case of Speed Booster ULTRA). OIS overrides IBIS. You cannot combine the two.
- With IS/OS/VC lenses the IS MODE setting is ignored and both SHOOTING ONLY and CONTINUOUS modes behave in the same way which is similar to a Canon camera but different from what Fujifilm OIS lenses do. This is done to maximize IS effectiveness. A negative consequence of this is that there may be no OIS during focus check.
Since Metabones has a track record of releasing new firmware updates which significantly improve the features, performance, compatibility and reliability of existing products, these limitations are subject to change in the future. Please refer to the product pages on Metabones’ web site for the most up-to-date disclosure.
Availability
Metabones® EF-X Mount Speed Booster ULTRA and Metabones EF-X Mount Smart Adapter are available right now for USD 649 and USD 399 respectively, plus applicable taxes, duties and shipping, from Metabones’ web store and its worldwide network of resellers. Metabones EF-X CINE Speed Booster ULTRA and Metabones EF-X CINE Smart Adapter will be available shortly afterwards for USD 699 and USD 449 respectively, plus applicable taxes, duties and shipping.
(Note 1): compared to the same lens on the same camera with an ordinary lens mount adapter without optics.
(Note 2): disclaimer: Metabones is not endorsed or licensed by Canon or Fujifilm. Metabones does not have specifications of the mounts, interfaces or the communication protocols, which may negatively impact compatibility now or in the future. All trademarks and registered trademarks belong to their respective owners. Read More »
