Metabones has announced the EF-GFX Smart Expander which features electronic integration and full functionality of Canon EF lenses onto the Fuji GFX medium format camera series in exchange for 1.26 times focal length extension and aperture value.
With the popularity of mirrorless cameras from Sony, Fuji, Panasonic among others, more and more Canon users are either changing systems or wanting to try these new cameras. That in turn, is making adapting lenses more popular than ever, especially as autofocus performance continues to improve and includes many native features like Continous Eye AF (in the case of Sony cameras).
Metabones creates a whole host of lens adaptors and Speed Boosters that reduce focal lengths and boost effective apertures of lenses. Now they've created a new Devil's Speed Booster Q666 0.50x for Pentax Q cameras that will turn them into "low light monsters."
The news that Metabones Sony E-Mount to EF adapters and speedboosters had just been updated with some of Sony's native autofocus functionality was hailed with many shouts of joy, but those shouts may have been premature. It seems the results are... less than great.
Metabones already has an impressive lineup of Speed Boosters -- the lens adapters that can bypass crop factors, increase maximum aperture and more -- but they made headlines yesterday when they added a much sought-after adapter to the lineup: the Canon EF to Micro Four-Thirds model.
Metabones, maker of the impressive Speedbooster adapters is back at it again. When the Speedbooster first came out, I wrote about it being like magic, increasing the aperture and field-of-view of Nikon and Canon full-frame lenses mounted to NEX and micro 4/3 cameras, while maintaining or even improving image quality. Now they’ve brought the Metabones magic to the Blackmagic cinema and pocket cinema cameras.
Back in January 2013, lens adapter company Metabones rocked the camera world by announcing the Speed Booster, an SLR-to-mirrorless lens adapter that can magically increase your maximum aperture, sharpness, and angle of view.
So far the adapter has been released for Sony NEX and Fuji X cameras, but greater things are on the horizon: Metabones will be releasing the Speed Booster for Micro Four Thirds cameras as well.
When we first shared the news that Metabones had announced a "speed booster" adapter that makes your lenses faster, wider and sharper, not a lot of people had gotten their hands on it yet. But now that the most exciting accessory on the block has been accepted as definitely NOT an elaborate April Fools joke, a few websites have taken turns with it, and initial reviews all seem to be positive.
If you read the title and thought "huh?" you're not the only one. Hearing that an adapter can actually make your lenses faster and wider sounds a bit like photography science fiction, but it's true and it's getting some serious attention online -- it's Metabones' new Speed Booster.
I write about a lot of things here at PetaPixel -- reviews, guides, technical articles, opinion pieces -- but one of my favorite topics to write about is the history of photography. As an avid user and collector of vintage cameras and lenses, I have passionately absorbed as much knowledge about their history as possible over many years. Like studying world history, there is much value in understanding where we came from and what got to us where we are now.
The $250 Megadap ETZ21 Sony E to Nikon Z mount adapter allows Sony lenses to work on Nikon mirrorless cameras with full autofocus, aperture control, and in-body image stabilization in a design that is remarkably thin.
Film has experienced a bit of a resurgence in the past decade and we've seen a proliferation of never-before-made film stocks and even brought some back from the dead. But if you want to get started in film photography now, you'll need a camera. So where should you start?
Wildlife camera and drone operator Josh Forwood shot a fascinating series of close-up portraits of bees that "show how very different they all look."
Hasselblad has announced the XH Converter 0.8 which adapts H system lenses to the newer mirrorless X system while also reducing the focal length by 0.8x and improves the maximum aperture of the adapted lens by two-thirds of a stop.
When Canon officially entered the full-frame mirrorless space with the EOS R, they were praised for releasing not one, not two, but three different RF-mount lens adapters. But it seems that was just the beginning...
Underwater photographer Steven Benjamin is under one of the world's most strict COVID lockdowns in Cape Town, South Africa, but he hasn't let that stop him from capturing world-class wildlife photography. He's just doing it from the comfort of his garden instead.
Want to be able to quickly switch between lenses with the flick of your wrist? The Multi Turret is coming to help. It's a turret lens system that allows you to mount three different lenses onto one camera.
LensRentals founder Roger Cicala is known for disassembling camera gear and sharing his findings on his company blog. Now he has done the opposite: he's sharing how he built (from scratch) a prototype 4.9mm f/3.5 "hyperfisheye" lens, the widest fisheye lens ever made. It's a lens so wide that it can literally see behind itself.
Back in May of last year, I finally made the move and got myself an a7 III. I had wanted a Sony body for quite some time but was hesitant to switch. Before getting into my long-term review, I’ll first explain what made me make the switch.
Two months ago, Sony released a major firmware version for its popular a7 III and a7R III mirrorless cameras. Version 2.0 brought new features and improvements... including the ability for a wide range of adapted lenses to make use of all the camera's autofocus modes.
I often hear my students lament about how if only they could travel to the rainforest they would find something really interesting to photograph. I tell students “look around where you live – there are wonderful things to photograph everywhere”. The photographers that work with local species often obtain shots that are unobtainable from casual travels.
When Tamron announced the new FE 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III RXD, it sent a wave of excitement throughout the Sony user base. When Tamron announced that the lens would only be $799, most of those Sony users were shocked.
I recently had the opportunity to test the Sony a7 III thanks to the generosity of Glenn Wenfield from Sony North America. Since this is a camera that has already generated quite a buzz, I want to start by discussing how I am approaching this review.
In January 2018, I had the opportunity to test a pre-production version of Laowa's first lens in 2018, the Laowa 25mm f/2.8 2.5-5x. It is a niche high magnification macro lens touted to be the answer or alternative to the Canon MP-E 65mm for non-Canon users (especially Nikon macro photographers).
There are many reasons why people may like one brand of camera equipment versus another. And if you ask a room full of photographers which camera manufacturer they like the best, and why, you will often get a wide range of responses and opinions.
It was time to upgrade my entire lighting system. My Profoto Compact heads (in perfect working condition) we coming up on their 10th anniversary. In my Profoto arsenal, I had two 300 w/s heads, one 600 w/s head, and an AcuteB600R.
A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to get my hands on the brand new Panasonic Lumix GH5S in time to start shooting for our new short film 4:17 AM. The shoot was going to take place mainly at night and early morning, so when I heard about the GH5S, I thought it would be the ideal testing bed for the new camera.
Here's one of the first in-depth reviews of the new Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS lens, comparing it for reference to the Sony FE 24-70mm f/4 and Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L lenses using precise and reliable measurements.
The Sony A7R III boasts some impressive and improved autofocus features. The Eye Autofocus mode is great for locking onto your target, but The Brotographer found that it didn't work perfectly in the previous a7R II with adapted lenses. In this 12-minute video, however, he reveals major improvements for adapted Canon glass on the latest Sony camera.
Episode 220 of the PetaPixel Photography Podcast.
Download MP3 - Subscribe via iTunes, Google Play, email or RSS!
Featured: Nikon Ambassador, Vincent Versace
A few weeks ago Laowa sent me a copy of their first lens dedicated to Sony’s full frame E-mount system, the 15mm f/2. This lens is meant for landscape and astrophotographers who want to capture as much of the beautiful night sky as possible; which means wide and fast.
If you're a sports or wildlife photographer, you may be giving the Sony a9 a long and eager look. But so far, telephoto options are limited, and there's nothing available over 200mm from Sony (yet). In this video, photographer Dan Watson mounts the Canon 300mm and 400mm lenses to test the autofocus capabilities.
There is a lot of misunderstanding and confusion on the subjects of depth of field, the difference between full-frame and crop sensors, and the ‘crop factor.’
Another day, another lens comparison takes on Sigma's "king of portrait lenses," the 85mm f/1.4 Art. This time, our friend Usman from Sonder Creative tested the Sigma 85mm against Sony's well-liked 85mm f/1.4 GM out in the real world to see which of the two 85s he preferred.
Sigma is undoubtedly, tantalizingly on fire. Their Art series lenses consistently undercut and outperform the competition, as they proved yet again by manufacturing an 85mm f/1.4 lens that is not only $600 cheaper than Sony's top-of-the-line 85mm GM, but according to DPReview, it's better 'across the board.'
The lens that Sigma Art lovers have been waiting for is finally here (almost). The new Sigma 85mm f/1.4 Art is a welcome addition to Sigma's Art lineup, and I'm sure people all over are saying "it's about time!"
I have had a great weekend shooting with the now kind-of-old, well-known, and mostly-forgotten-about Canon 50 f/1.2L lens. This lens came out years ago, and has been reviewed hundreds of times by users, reviewers, and anyone with an opinion. So why I am dedicating a post and short review to this lens?
Well, I did it. I switched from Nikon to Sony. I never thought I would, especially after attempting the Sony camera system twice previously. But as it turns out, my issues with Sony cameras have been resolved, for the most part, thanks to the A7RII.
Episode 85 of the PetaPixel Photography Podcast.
Download MP3 - Subscribe via iTunes, Google Play, email or RSS!
Featured: AP photo editor and photojournalist Richard Vogel
I have yet to be let down by Sigma's highly respected Art series of lenses. Sigma is now set to release the widest f/1.4 lens on the market, with the upcoming 20mm f1.4 DG HSM Art lens to be released in the latter part of the month.
Sigma is courting the wide-angle photographer in all of us with this new lens, and we were given a rare pre-production model to get a feel for what is now the fastest 20mm lens on the market.