The Speed Booster ULTRA features the latest evolution of optics from Caldwell Photographic USA and is available for E-Mount and Fuji X-mount cameras (to cover APS-C or Super 35mm recording areas).
The new glass brings with it an increase in performance – sharper corners and better contrast. The increase in performance over the original Speed Booster is made possible by the use of cutting edge high index tantalum glass, in 5 elements in 4 groups; the old version of Speed Booster will be phased out.
I currently have a review sample of the ULTRA, I’ll publish some sample images later today!
As before the Speed Booster ULTRA turns any 1.5x crop APS-C or Super 35mm sized sensor or recording area into a 1.07x crop, effectively full frame, with a 1 stop gain in brightness.
The adapter can be used in APS-C crop mode on the A7S so you can still benefit from it as a full frame user. APS-C crop mode on the A7S has less rolling shutter skew and the ability to record 120fps at a lower resolution. Sony FS700 owners will also particularly enjoy the ULTRA.
As before, the Speed Booster ULTRA increases brightness by 1 stop and widens field of view by 0.71x. Here’s what Metabones have to say about the new adapter:
Like the revolutionary original Metabones Speed Booster announced in January 2013, the Speed Booster ULTRA has a magnification of 0.71x, and so it effectively reduces the crop factor of mirrorless cameras with DX-sized sensors, such as Sony E-mount and Fuji X-mount cameras, from 1.5x to 1.07x. However, the new 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 and Nikon to produce 17-50mm f/2.0 and 50-142mm f/2.0 high-speed zooms, respectively. Similarly, high-speed 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.
I’ll certainly be testing out the 24-70 2.8, 50 1.2 and 70-200 2.8 L lenses on it in due course and doing a comparison to the old adapter.
The passive mount adapters will come a little later, all below $499 (i.e. for Nikon mount lenses).
Here are the MTF graphs for the Speed Booster (when a perfect lens is attached) –
My full review will come a little later in the week once I’ve finished shooting with the adapter.
Finally, a quick note to other sites – if you find this news here first please credit with a proper “Via EOSHD” link.
