Metabones and Caldwell Photographic introduced today the Speed Booster lens adapter that mounts between a mirrorless camera and a SLR lens. The adapter increases the maximum aperture by 1 stop, it also improves MTF, sharpness and has a focal length multiplier of 0.71x. To learn more details about this new prodcut, read the Speed Booster White Paper on Metabones' web site:
The amount of focal length reduction and speed increase can be calculated by the magnification of the focal reducer. So, if the focal reducer has a magnification of 0.7x, then the focal length of the new system is 0.7 times the original focal length of the objective. Similarly, the f/# of the new system is 0.7 times the original f/# of the objective.
Specifications:
- Magnification: 0.71x
- Maximum input aperture: f/1.26
- Maximum output aperture: f/0.90
- Lens elements/groups: 4/4
- Objective lens mounts: Canon-EF, Nikon-F (Leica-R, Contax C/Y, Contarex and Alpa planned)
- Capabilities, Canon-EF version: Electronic iris control, AF and VR
- Capabilities, Nikon-F version: Manual iris control of G type lenses
- Camera mounts: Sony NEX, Micro Four Thirds, (Fuifilm X planned)
- Length reduction (Sony NEX, version): 4.16mm
- Length reduction (Micro Four Thirds version): 6.17mm
- Dimensions Sony NEX version (diameter x length): 69mm x 27mm (with tripod mount removed)
- Weight Sony NEX version: 194 grams
- Tripod mount: Removable type with Arca Swiss compatibility
Press release:
Petersburg, VA, USA, January 14, 2013 - Metabones® and Caldwell Photographic jointly announce a revolutionary accessory called Speed Booster™, which mounts between a mirrorless camera and a SLR lens. It increases maximum aperture by 1 stop (hence its name), increases MTF and has a focal length multiplier of 0.71x. For example, the Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II lens becomes a 59mm f/0.9 lens on a Sony NEX camera, with increased sharpness. The faster F-stop allows for shallow depth-of-field and a lower ISO setting for decreased noise.
Speed Booster is also particularly pertinent to ultra-wide-angle SLR lenses. The combined focal length multiplier of Speed Booster and an APS-C mirrorless camera is approximately 1.09x, making the combination almost "full-frame". Full-frame ultra-wide-angle SLR lenses largely retain their angle-of-view on an APS-C mirrorless camera when Speed Booster is used.
The optics of Speed Booster is designed by Brian Caldwell, PhD, a veteran of highly-corrected lens designs such as the Coastal Optics 60mm f/4 UV-VIS-IR APO Macro lens with exemplary MTF performance (focusing done with visible light requires no correction whatsoever for the full spectrum from UV to IR).
Speed Booster serves double-duty as a lens mount adapter, from Canon EF lens (but not EF-S) to Sony NEX, with auto-aperture, image stablization, EXIF and (slow) autofocus support for late-model (post-2006) Canon-brand lenses. It will be available in January 2013 from Metabones' web site and its worldwide dealer network for US$599 plus shipping and applicable taxes and duties.
Other mount combinations will follow shortly afterwards. Leica R, ALPA, Contarex, Contax C/Y and Nikon F (with aperture control for G lenses) will be supported, as will Micro 4/3 and Fuji X-mount cameras. Support for other mounts will be added in the future.
