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New Metabones Speedbooster for the GH4 - S35 crop size!


nahua
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​BM pocket, and Micro Cinema Camera could benefit from this as well.

​Personally I like different crop sensor cameras, shooting FF, S35 or even S16.

 

The most important thing I consider in an image is dynamic range and colors, resolution not so much as long as it's 720p. Blackmagic Ursa Mini will be my next personal camera, I really don't see myself buying any new non 4k camera, 4K camera simply gives you a greta advantage when downscaling to 1080p which is something I wouldn't want to lose.

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The Pocket and Micro don't need this, they already have a dedicated, more powerful (.58x) booster, which is optimized for their smaller sensor and thinner sensor stack.

This seems to basically be the BMCC booster, but (I'm assuming) with enough clearance for the GH4's mechanical shutter to be used, and the optics optimized for the thicker filter stack.

Which is great for me, as I'm currently using the BMCC booster and am a little tired of having to be in silent mode and e-shutter all the time, and being (theoretically) restricted to slower lenses due to the filter-stack difference.

Yeah but they dont work with the GH4 right?

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When 1.28 is more or less equal to 1... how can 0.07 difference be a dealbreaker?

Like Rudolf I don't get the excitement. A 35mm ff becomes a 51,520mm on m4/3 instead of the 57,155mm equivalent on m4/3. That's a 5,6 mm difference. To get the same effect with the "old" Speedbooster you have to step approximately 21 cm backward, that's around 2/3 of a foot. I doubt anyone would notice the difference in a real world scenario unless you shoot on the edge of a rooftop.

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​Your're correct:  the Speed Booster XL is really a dedicated GH4 focal reducer.  The design is very similar to the BMCC version, but I squeezed out a bit more than a millimeter of extra space to clear the GH4 shutter, and, as you surmised, optimized for the thicker filter stack.  In addition, the coverage was enlarged to encompass the entire m43 image area compared to the smaller BMCC sensor.  However, I tuned the performance to be really good over the reduced area Cinema-4k mode of the GH4.

High optical performance at extreme apertures are what this new Speed Booster is all about.  Metabones seems to be having technical difficulties getting the full press release up on their website, so I'll show the data here.  As you can see from the MTF curves, even at f/0.8 the contrast and resolution are extremely high out to an image height of 8,7mm, which corresponds to the Cinema-4k mode image circle diameter of 17.4mm.  Beyond that point the performance drops gradually to the corners of fullframe m4/3, but is still pretty good.

Figures.thumb.png.151ffccfa203eb2c35bda2

 

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Guest Ebrahim Saadawi

That sounds very intresting but I don't fully understand the difference: I have 'cheapboosters' for M42, Nikon and FD mount for my Gh4. Ok the crop is 0.72 so this new thing is wider and brighter?! But the gh4 remains 'videoish' as many people complained. So why is the new speedbooster a gamechanger? Why shouldn't I buy a sony a7s (if I could) I rember A Reid pionting out he would never be shoot on crop mode camera again... I never cared for crop or not: never experienced ff or apsc :blink:

The reason why a camera (GH4 here) looks videoish is not one, it's various reasons, I concluded all of them recently in an article here on the Forum, it's a useful summary look at it. 

The main reasons why the GH4 has been stamped as having the video look since release is simply put: small sensor = deep DOF, extreme sharpness (not resolution) beyond the realistic filmic images we're used too. Dynamic range and highlight roll off and noise character are the reason for the GH4 because they are slightly better than Canon or equal them in all (same DR, same roll off, much more filmic grain). 

So to combat the video look on the GH4 the new speedbooster Brian designed will be essential, it gives it THE standard s35 aesthetic, doing that plus turning off all digital sharpening in-camera beyond zero limits, will give extremely filmic results. 

I just found a used GH4 again after I'd sold it for the dreaded video look of the 2.3x crop and crappy videoish over sharpened and saturated images, and V-log will fix that. 

GH4 + New SB + V-log = Cinematic 4K beast that can record up to 10bit 4:2:2 ProRes HQ at s35 or 10bit 4:2:2 ProRes HQ at APS-H crop and Full 4:3 Anamorphic capability at 4K. All for a little under a 2500$ as you just use your Canon lenses,  nothing will come close to it for years unless a revolution appears from Canon or Samsung or a new A7s, which I doubt. Now even the lovely FF 50mm 1.8 would look  appropriate again and filmic on the new speedbooster. 

Panasonic should thank Brian. I am making a purchase based upon his addition. 

 

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When 1.28 is more or less equal to 1... how can 0.07 difference be a dealbreaker?

Like Rudolf I don't get the excitement. A 35mm ff becomes a 51,520mm on m4/3 instead of the 57,155mm equivalent on m4/3. That's a 5,6 mm difference. To get the same effect with the "old" Speedbooster you have to step approximately 21 cm backward, that's around 2/3 of a foot. I doubt anyone would notice the difference in a real world scenario unless you shoot on the edge of a rooftop.

I agree the difference of 0.07 is not such a big deal, but imo the 'normal' EF - MFT Speed Booster is already a great product. This just makes it better.

The difference is more relevant for wide lenses. Because you now get the same crop factor as any aps-c camera, you can use all lenses 'as intended'. The Sigma 18-35mm for example. With the 0,71x Speed Booster, you get a 31-60mm equivalent (4K UHD), with the 0,64x you get the 28-55mm equivalent. 28mm vs 31mm is noticeable. It's not only about subject distance, but about a certain look and perspective.

On top of that, you'll get an extra 1/3 stop of light. It's not much more expensive than the 0,71x SB either. So, that's what makes me - as a GH4 owner - excited.

Thanks Brian!

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To j.f.r.....

The most important thing I consider in an image is dynamic range and colors, resolution not so much as long as it's 720p. Blackmagic Ursa Mini will be my next personal camera, I really don't see myself buying any new non 4k camera, 4K camera simply gives you a greta advantage when downscaling to 1080p which is something I wouldn't want to lose.

Not sure where your hatred of the GH4 comes from...maybe reread your contradiction above carefully...do you or have you ever shot with a GH4 and can you possibly post some of your "cinematic" footage that you talk so much about so we can see what we ought to aspire to!

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I learnt a couple of things here again and it seems this speedbooster is a great for the GH4 in some cases (especially with the Sigma 18-35 sounds great). The thing is tho that I do not have these numbers in my head like 28 or 31mm during shooting. I just don't care. If I am fine with my framing it's okay otherwise I move my ass. Thats probably very amateurish! And another 1/3 stop of light... I think that is not much and do we need it?

Another problem could arise for the use with anamorphics. For example the Tokina 28-70 2.6 works just brilliant with the Isco 54 and cheap Lensturbo 0.72 with the better new Speedbooster you will have to be carefull with vignetting. Or a 28mm with Iscorama might not work at all.

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I'm really looking forward to some tests with multiple lenses.  I think this is the speed booster I've been waiting for.   I'm always on the fence about going the speed booster route or going with great native MFT glass,  love the image quality out of the GH4 and the speed boosted just gives it that little extra. 

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Guest Ebrahim Saadawi

I learnt a couple of things here again and it seems this speedbooster is a great for the GH4 in some cases (especially with the Sigma 18-35 sounds great). The thing is tho that I do not have these numbers in my head like 28 or 31mm during shooting. I just don't care. If I am fine with my framing it's okay otherwise I move my ass. Thats probably very amateurish! And another 1/3 stop of light... I think that is not much and do we need it?

An other problem could arise for the use with anamorphics. For example the Tokina 28-70 2.6 works just brilliant with the Isco 54 and cheap Lensturbo 0.72 with the better new Speedbooster you will have to be carefull with vignetting. Or a 28mm with Iscorama might not work at all.

If you already own a SB, I don't think the new one is a must, you can use the normal one it's not a huge difference. For new buyers the advantages are good.

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Thank you very much Ebrahim for your appreciated and useful information!
 But I am wondering if the filmic look is so much about shallow dof? Isn't that super-shallow dof a matter of fashion and taste? If you watch some older movies either 35 or 16mm film shallow dof is much rarer.

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Guest Ebrahim Saadawi


 But I am wondering if the filmic look is so much about shallow dof? Isn't that super-shallow dof a matter of fashion and taste? If you watch some older movies either 35 or 16mm film shallow dof is much rarer.​

my answer to your wondering about filmic DOF and what makes a technically filmic image is here:

(sorry bit long!) You can skip to the DOF point.

 

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