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Speed booster for NEX

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Vivek

Guest
Thanks for posting these, Vivek. I've been curious about how various mirror lenses would work with the SB.
Thank you, Brian! The experience is pleasing. The lnes choices are limited at the moment due to lack of adapter availabilities.

I add here a couple of shots from earlier today with the Canon EF 50/1.8 II which in combination with the SB is absolutely awesome!


Untitled by Vivek Iyer, on Flickr
NEX-6, Speed Booster, Canon EF 50/1.8 II, effective 35/1.3! ISO100.

Same setup.


Untitled by Vivek Iyer, on Flickr

I must add here that these are manually focussed street shots and not made under ideal conditions.
 

Slingers

Active member
I've been reading this thread for a while when I was waiting for my speed booster to arrive and wanted to say thanks to everyone that has posted in here. I put up some quick jpegs I did for my wife to put on Facebook on Flickr from my NEX-7 and speed booster that I thought people would want to see. I have the EF 17-40 f4 and can confirm that the autofocus works but takes about 5 seconds to focus as an estimate.

The corners aren't perfect on my copy of the 17-40 and it shows here in this pic @17mm:


Dinosaur at the zoo by SlingerC, on Flickr
 
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Vivek

Guest
Slingers, Welcome!

That looks pretty good to me. Did you have trouble with color casts and or any uncorrectable CA?
 
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Vivek

Guest
FWIW, 3 adapters I was waiting for arrived- EOS -> Nikon, EOS -> Olympus OM and EOS -> Leica R. I am still missing the EOS-> M42 adapter due to the seller's mistake.

Right away, a caution: Leica R lenses (I have only 2 primes)-

1. Elmarit-R 28/2.8 - the shroud needs a trim. Can focus safely to ~2m. Beyond that metal would start grinding against the optics of the SB!

2. Summicron-R 50/2- Focus is possible ~1m. The shroud needs a trim (possibly just ~1mm) to achieve infinity focus.

The same applies for Olympus OM Macro 50/3.5, Nikkon Micronikkor 55/3.5 and a few others. I would strongly suggest everyone to stay away from the GN-Nikkor 45/2.8. NOT worth the bother!

What can say about that Olympus OM 50/1.2! Not only there appears to be no need for a mod but the results are much more pleasing than expected! ;)
 

monza

Active member
It appears Metabones needs to be provide more detail to Leica R owners as to how the lenses can fit.

And perhaps provide some sort of a template so people don't blindly try to attach a lens and mess up the optics when there is a physical conflict!
 

cunim

Well-known member
It appears Metabones needs to be provide more detail to Leica R owners as to how the lenses can fit.

And perhaps provide some sort of a template so people don't blindly try to attach a lens and mess up the optics when there is a physical conflict!
Absolutely!!! I received my LR/NEX sb and proceeded to blindly attach a 50 Summicron and mess up the optics. I have asked Metabones about replacing my L/R adapter with an L/M adapter, as my M lenses do not appear to have shrouds that would conflict. Let's see how they reply, but I have not found communication to be a strong point of theirs.

Vivek, what is this shroud trimming you speak of? The shrouds on the 50 and 35 lenses are pretty substantial. Do they have a function? I should think vibration and dust from grinding away at them would not be beneficial to lens integrity. Is it really that easy to do? If so, I suppose I could take a Dremel to the lens.
 

k-hawinkler

Well-known member
I think I read somewhere that Brian Caldwell, the designer of the optics of the Speed Booster, ruled out a Speed Booster adapter for Leica M lenses. Not enough space to fit in the optics.
 
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Vivek

Guest
Here are two samples from Tamron 200/3.5 +SB on NEX-6. I bought this lens for a specific project, a few years ago. On a Nikon D300, it was so-so.

With the SB, the behavior changes totally. Suddenly, it is a very contrasty and sharp lens.

This one at ~4 meters. Both were taken handheld and whole frames with no vignette change in the post. Contrast was reduced in the post (the lens + SB becomes "too contrasty").



Untitled by Vivek Iyer, on Flickr
NEX-6, Speed Booster, Tamron 200/3.5, ISO1600, 1/500s, Effective f/2.5.

This one ~2.5 meters, just to show the extreme corner at this distance.


Untitled by Vivek Iyer, on Flickr
NEX-6, Speed Booster, Tamron 200/3.5, ISO1600, 1/500s, Effective f/3.5
 
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cunim

Well-known member
I think I read somewhere that Brian Caldwell, the designer of the optics of the Speed Booster, ruled out a Speed Booster adapter for Leica M lenses. Not enough space to fit in the optics.
Aaargh. You are correct. See attached proof. Will use my lensless Novoflex.
 
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Vivek

Guest
Vivek, what is this shroud trimming you speak of? The shrouds on the 50 and 35 lenses are pretty substantial. Do they have a function? I should think vibration and dust from grinding away at them would not be beneficial to lens integrity. Is it really that easy to do? If so, I suppose I could take a Dremel to the lens.
I will check soon and let you know. Yes, the shrouds are substantial.
 

mbroomfield

New member
The 28 R Elmarit shroud can be simply removed by 2 screws. Better to do that than grind it I think. It needs this mod to be used on a 1Ds3.

My 28 wouldn't reach infinity on the SB and Nex7. I attributed it to a slightly thick R-EOS adapter but I can't check with another.
 
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Vivek

Guest
A sample shot using the R 50/2. At a distance of ~1.2m. The contrast was reduced by 20% in the post (LR4.3). Mixed lighting.


NEX-6, Speed Booster, Summicron R 50/2, ISO100, 1/20s, Effective f/2, Handheld
 

Slingers

Active member
Vivek, you have some taken some amazing pics with the speed booster. I saw some earlier cropped bokeh examples, I think they were of rubber bands, and were a little disappointed with them but yours have changed my mind.

I only spent about a minute on all my pics on Flickr with the speed booster as I didn't have time. There was only a tiny amount of CA and all went away in a couple of clicks.

I'm waiting on a Nikon F -> EOS adapter but I'm already happy with some crude tests I have done holding them up to speed booster.
 
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Vivek

Guest
Vivek, you have some taken some amazing pics with the speed booster. I saw some earlier cropped bokeh examples, I think they were of rubber bands, and were a little disappointed with them but yours have changed my mind.

I only spent about a minute on all my pics on Flickr with the speed booster as I didn't have time. There was only a tiny amount of CA and all went away in a couple of clicks.

I'm waiting on a Nikon F -> EOS adapter but I'm already happy with some crude tests I have done holding them up to speed booster.
Thanks for the details and your kind words, Slingers. There are some fabulous Nikon lenses which do fantastically well with the Speed Booster on NEX. :)
 
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Vivek

Guest
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Vivek

Guest
Here is how I prepared my Summicron R 50/2 work fully with the Speed Booster.

Disclaimer: I do not recommend that anyone do this and if they do, I bear no responsibility!

First, the rear was generously taped off with masking tape (used for painting). I found the hood very useful in holding the lens securely.


Untitled by Vivek Iyer, on Flickr

Then using a key file, the rear protruding shroud was filed off, gently and without touching any of the masking tape.


Untitled by Vivek Iyer, on Flickr
NEX-6, Speed Booster, Canon EF 50/1.8 II, Effective f/1.3

After removing the masking tape, the rear of the lens was held close to a vacuum cleaner hose to make sure there are no metal shavings left (about 10mins) and the rear element cleaned to remove any tape residues. Infinity works fine with my sample using the a cheap EOS to Leica R adapter.
 
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Vivek

Guest
Some lenses that have no interference with the Speed Booster.


Untitled by Vivek Iyer, on Flickr
NEX-6, Speed Booster, PC Micro Nikkor 85/2.8, Effective f/11, full tilt and 4mm shift.


From the front to rear:

1. Olympus OM 28/2.8 (the rear studs-plastic were filed off with a nail file)
2. Olympus OM Macro 50/3.5 (the rear shroud was yanked off with a pliers)
3. Olympus OM 50/1.2 (no interference as is)
4. Leica R Summicron 50/2 (the rear shroud was filed off). Here it is attached to an EOS to R adapter.

The PC Micro Nikkor 85/2.8 is a pleasure to use as always. I have not fully explored its potential with the Speed Booster, yet. I must say having the tripod mount on the Speed Booster is a bonus as it came in handy for this shot with the PC Nikkor.
 
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