Re: Speed Booster
 

I'm going to get a Sigma 18-35 F1.8 lens ..they are awesome for receptions. I was stalling over the price last week but then some dirtbag stole a camera bag with my Nikon body lenses and flash last Friday and the insurance have paid me out a wee bit more than what I listed as the replacement values so I'm up a bunch of dollars which will just about cover the Sigma so instead of replacing the Tamron 17-50 F2.8 at $499 I'm going to rather get the new Sigma 18-35 F1.8 which is really nice in low light ...and also a lot easier to use than my 35mm F1.8 prime lens which does make it tricky when a group wants to do video and I have to step right back which doesn't make the audio so good.

Better than a speed booster for me I think

Chris

Re: Speed Booster
 

That looks like a nice lens, let us know how it works out. It almost looks like they too a 17-50 and put in speed boosterish technology to widen it out and get the extra stop.

Re: Speed Booster
 

Hi Randy

I think maybe Marlon has one already and said it's awesome! Most brides and guests don't like an LED light in their eyes and a fast lens can solve that. I have a dual use as we also do photos so I can get nice shallow DOF on stills with a fast lens. At 18mm the DOF is still very manageable too! You still have nearly 3' of focus when you are 10' away at F1.8 with the lens wide so doing stuff like cutaways and table shots on video will be great at receptions without any extra light.

Chris

Re: Speed Booster
 

Do you have any camera control?

Re: Speed Booster
 

Fast lenses have nothing to do with speedbooster technology. Fast lenses require quality glass and lots of it. Quality plus quantity equals expensive. They are expensive to make. There is no substitute for good glass.

Steve

Re: Speed Booster
 

Hi Steve

Quite correct. The Tamron 17-50 F2.8 costs $300 here but my new Sigma (just picked it up this morning) is 3 times the price ..Didn't get much change out of $1000!!! So it's definitely not just a tweaked lens. The cost will be in the glass and putting a cheap lens on a speed booster isn't going to give you anywhere near the same result as a decent fast lens.

Randy? It's a Nikon mount lens not a E-Mount so no you have to focus and adjust iris manually. At wedding receptions where it's dark anyway I just open it up to F1.8 and let the camera set the shutter and then manually focus. I would be hesitant to trust AF anyway when you are working with tiny DOF! Even at 18mm the Sigma if your subject is only 10' away DOF is a mere 23" and get smaller if you zoom so focus peaking is an essential. If I use the stock lens in a reception on auto ..I notice it struggles on focus so manual is faster anyway!

Chris

Re: Speed Booster
 

I guess what I thought about that was I read this in the highlights
Designed for APS-C-Sized Sensors
35mm Equivalent Focal Length: 27-52.5mm

and that seemed to do what the Metabones adapter would do to a 28-50.

I wish someone would make one with a e-mount, id spend the money on that id I could get full camera control.

Re: Speed Booster
 

Hi Randy

There is really no hassle using the lens in manual! At receptions just set it wide open and leave the camera on full auto and everything except focus is done for you. It make a huge difference at home ..in my office this morning the stock lens was at F3.5 and needed 15db ... the Sigma also at 18mm had 3db gain only .... I'm off to a wedding in an hour so I'll use the Sigma tonight at the reception and report back on how useful it is. Nice thing is I can also use the lens on my Nikons and get super shallow DOF for bridal shoots when we do both photo and video!!

Chris

Re: Speed Booster
 

Hi, I have one of the relatively rare C/Y to NEX 'Speed Boosters'. It was made by Metabones from the Brian Caldwell design specifically to accept fast, full frame Carl Zeiss 'Contax' lenses from the 70s and 80s. These fully manual prime and zoom lenses were state of the art at the time (still are?) and have the same T* coating (and similar internal design) as the legendary Zeiss CP2s, much loved by film and video cinematographers the world over. In my opinion, using these traditional film lenses with their huge focus rotation on modern cameras with large CMOS sensors (in conjunction with a Metabones built 'Speed Booster') and judicious use of shutter speed, frame rates and filters, etc, can be a very cost effective way to achieve a traditional 'film style' of photography with modern digital cameras.

With any Full Frame lens (Canon or Nikon included), the 'Speed Booster' will 'correct' the lens FOV for the Sony APS-C 'crop' sensor so the lens' original field of view remains the same as it would on a camera with a FF sensor. In addition, light normally lost to the outside of the APS-C sensor's image circle is now 'concentrated' onto the sensor, thereby gaining +1 stop. There are a couple of other benefits too so all in, they are an essential camera accessory if you have or are considering acquiring a collection of traditional FF lenses to use with digital cameras.

Re: Speed Booster
 

Hey Craig

Randy seems to be looking for a speed booster that has full EA-50 functionality including autofocus and as far as I know even the Metabones Smart adapter cannot give full camera control and do a boost as well, but I might be wrong. I thought that the Smart Adapter allows full camera control but dicey AF and the Speed Booster only does what your one does and makes a FF lens work on an APSC sensor and increases by 1 stop BUT no camera control. Is that correct??

It would be nice to have everything but I don't think that happens

Chris

Re: Speed Booster
 

Hi Chris,

Yes, as I understand it, Metabones make 1) the Speed Booster and 2) the 'intelligent' Adapter (as opposed to a 'dumb' adapter) so Randy has a pretty tall ask.

In my experience, each SLR/DSLR lens manufacturer uses their own 'native software' for their specific auto iris/focus so for example, Canon lens' auto features seem to perform best on Canon camera bodies. Things improve for broadcast ENG lenses where say, a Sony camera can accept B4 lenses from Fujinon, Angenieux or Canon and the operator can expect each to perform similar auto/manual functions.

Eventually, with more and more camera's now sporting a WiFi capability, we may see some greater interface standards accepted by both camera and lens manufacturers but in the interim and for the EA-50, I would recommend using fully manual lenses or Sony lenses specifically designed for it.

PS: Irrespective of all the negative press, I still love the versatility of Sony's SELP16-50mm motor zoom on my APS-C E-Mount VG20. For only $175 new on ebay, it offers a FF equivalent of 24mm to 75mm with Auto Focus, Auto Iris, OSS, a 'proportional' motor zoom and at a slow old F3.5, I don't need to use ND filters!

Re: Speed Booster
 

Hi Craig

That's what I figured too. Really, it is so simple to manual focus as long as you have a rough idea of your DOF on fast lenses ... I can manage a fast bride and groom walk in on my camera at F1.8 ..OK you only have around 2' to play with but it's still quite easy.

I looked at the 16-50 but the 18-200 works just as well if I need to be in auto as I'm normally at 18mm and that's also F3.5 . My go to lens at wedding receptions is still my new Sigma 18-35 which is F1.8 constant and almost parfocal ... I can stay in focus and also zoom 3/4 way and still be in focus which is great and the F1.8 is sadly a requirement at most receptions as they never seem to like lights!!

Being a Nikon mount it's great for stills too!!

Randy's life would be much easier if he used a dumb adapter and did a focus by hand. The EA-50 can still run in auto mode and also adjusts shutter/iso for you and has focus peaking working even on a dumb lens so as long as you focus, all the rest is done for you!!

Chris

Re: Speed Booster
 

I ordered a speed booster I should get it later today. I know I wont get auto focus or auto iris. The question I originally needed to know was was the the link I posted the right booster? It looks like theres only one nikon to NEX now but in the past there looks like there were a number of versions to choose from. Also What do you get with a "Smart" adapter vs a "dumb" adapter? if you dont get auto iris and auto focus what else is there?

Re: Speed Booster
 

Guys,

The Speed Booster and the Smart Adapter function exactly the same for EVERY electronic capability. In fact, they run off of the same firmware. The only difference between the two is the Speed Boosters glass element.

The firmware operates the electronic controls and communication for both devices. The Smart Adapter has NO glass in it. The Speed Booster has a glass element that is called "focal reducer". The glass gives the Speed Booster it's increase in light transmission and change in focal length.

The gain in light is not really one full f-stop. It is a little less, closer to one t-stop.

The firmware passes electronic information through the adapter. In most cases every auto function works except AF. AF is hit and miss and slow at best.

Randy, I can't speak definitively for the specifics of Nikon. This is how I think it will work. If you are using a Speed Booster on a true Nikon lens (auto) you will get aperture control.

Steve

Re: Speed Booster
 

ok I got my speed booster I dont have my 80-200 with me but I borrowed my friends 17-50 and sure enough it had vinetting I like it and plan to keep it so I now will look for a lens on e-bay like a 17-50 ish that will work with it.