Speed Booster used with Anamorphic?

andrewkeam · March 22, 2013

Hi, I apologise if this topic has been covered, I did do a search and one topic relating to the Metabones Speed Booster did come up but my query is different, so I thought I would start a new one..

So I basically get the concept of the Speed Booster

http://www.metabones.com/sony/ef-e-speed-booster

it still boggles my brain somewhat though..

So I have a Kowa Anamorphic attachment and have a Canon 5DII.. I know that a lot of people say that this sensor is not ideally suited to these adapters, as they were originally made for 16mm film.. So GH2/GH3 is ideal, then Sony Nex series best suited next, full frame last...

So I have also gathered that the widest you can go with crop sensor is about 50-58mm or so, with the Helios 58mm f2 being a popular choice. (does anyone use the Nikon 50mm 1.8 pancake on crop sensor without vignetting?)

So my question is, if you attached the Speed Booster to this combo ( Sony Nex + Helios 58mm/Nikon 50mm 1.8 + Kowa Anamorphic ) would you be getting a wider view than was previously possible?

The same applies to the D.O.F when using a Speed Booster in this way? Would it potentially be as shallow as on full frame?

Or is it still the limitation of the anamorphic itself that is preventing this?

The same questions apply to the upcoming Speed Booster Micro 4/3's I guess. I know you don't end up with exactly full frame characteristics when using full frame lenses but somewhere in between (according to this photographer anyway)

http://www.ayton.id.au/wp02/?tag=nikon

Apologies if this is a silly question or if I have just totally missed something obvious.

Thanks. Look forward to hearing any comments or thoughts.

itimjim · March 22, 2013

The focal reduction happens behind the taking lens, which means you're widening the view 'into' the anamorphic in front of it. My suspicion is that it will vignette. Speedbooster with anamorphic will 'speedboost', but you'll need to use longer lenses, effectively what a full-frame user would use, i.e. 85mm typically.

A believe a good combo for APS-C with speedbooster would be the Jupiter 9 85/2. That would give you the equivalent of f1.4 and a 15 blade bokeh monster. Clearly would need a lot of testing though.

Caleb Genheimer · March 22, 2013

No, you will not get a wider angle of view by using the Speed Booster. With the Speed Booster, your NEX acts like it has a full frame sensor. You must use full frame lenses with the speed booster in order to not vignette.

As it is essentially full frame, you have to treat it as such when selecting a lens to use.

For example: with a KOWA on the NEX camera without Speed Booster, the widest lens useable without any vignetting is probably around 45mm.

On the same NEX with Speed Booster, you must treat it like a full frame camera. The widest lens useable without any vignetting is around 75mm.

Because of the effective "sensor size" difference, these two lenses have pretty much the same field of view (even though they are different focal lengths). So the 58mm Helios, while great an NEX without the Speed Booster, would certainly vignette with the Kowa, just as it would on your 5DII. As itimjim says, treat it like a full frame EOS-mount camera when the Speed Booster is on . . . use 75/85mm and beyond lenses.

The difference is one of light intake and depth of field. As essentially a full frame converter unit, the Speed Booster brings full frame-equivalent shallow depth of field to the NEX cameras. Because it shrinks a full frame image circle to the size of an APSC sensor, the light is also brighter, giving you an extra stop (can't remember exactly how much extra, but it is a fair bit).