Metabones just sent me the following press text:

Vancouver, Canada, September 18, 2015: Metabones^® adds phase-detect autofocus (PDAF) support for Olympus OM-D E-M1 and Sony Alpha 7R2 to its EF-mount Speed Boosters and Smart Adapters through firmware update version 1.8, available from Metabones’ web site for download.

Free of any potential misalignment issues, on-sensor phase-detect autofocus is capable of attaining excellent accuracy. Overall, phase-detect autofocus offers a significant performance improvement over contrast-detect autofocus, and for shorter focal length lenses the autofocus speed approaches that found in digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras. Performance, features and limitations of our solution are comparable to other on-sensor PDAF systems involving adapted DSLR lenses on mirrorless cameras, such as A-mount lenses on Sony Alpha 7R2 with LA-EA3 adapter, Four Thirds System DSLR lens on Olympus OM-D E-M1 with MMF-3 adapter or Canon SLR lens on EOS M3 with Mount Adapter EF-EOS M.

Limitations include:

1. During video recording there is no AF (Olympus) or only slow contrast-detect AF (Sony).
2. Continuous AF may have unsatisfactory performance (phase-detect AF) or not supported (contrast-detect AF).

Also added to Metabones firmware update version 1.8 is fast contrast detect AF for other Olympus cameras including E-M5II, E-M5, E-M10 and E-P5. Contrast-detect AF accuracy on Olympus is lens-dependent with most Canon-brand lenses introduced over the last 10 years working satisfactorily. However, some older Canon lenses and some third party EF-mount lenses may not be able to achieve pinpoint-accurate focus on Olympus cameras with contrast-detect AF. These lenses should be used on OM-D E-M1 instead.

In addition, AF support for JVC GY-LS300 is added to this new firmware version. Existing Panasonic contrast-detect AF support is enhanced with 24p added as a supported frame rate for single-autofocus (AFS) during video recording.

By simply downloading and running Metabones App Version 1.8, new autofocus support is added to the following Metabones products:

• EF-E Smart Adapter Mark IV (model number MB_EF-E-BM4)
• EF-E Speed Booster ULTRA (model number MB MB_SPEF-E-BM2)
• EF-E T Smart Adapter Mark IV (model number MB_EF-E-BT4)
• EF-E T Speed Booster ULTRA (model number MB_SPEF-E-BT2)
• EF-Micro Four Thirds Smart Adapter (model number MB_EF-M43-BM1)
• EF-Micro Four Thirds Speed Booster (model number MB_SPEF-M43-BM1)
• EF-Micro Four Thirds Speed Booster S (model number MB_SPEF-M43-BM2)
• EF-Micro Four Thirds T Smart Adapter (model number MB_EF-M43-BT2)
• EF-Micro Four Thirds T Speed Booster ULTRA 0.71x (model number MB_SPEF-M43-BT4)
• EF-Micro Four Thirds T Speed Booster XL 0.64x (model number MB_SPEF-M43-BT3)

The following discontinued products must be updated by factory service. Please contact Metabones customer service for details.

• The original EF-E Smart Adapter
• EF-E Smart Adapter Mark II
• EF-E Smart Adapter Mark III
• The original EF-E Speed Booster

Sony RX10 II Unboxing

Gold Box on the Samyang 8mm A-mount lens at 18:00 at AmazonDE.
RX10ii samples at Optyczne.
CEA Introduces New Terminology for Digital Imaging Sector (MirrorlesRumors).
Cheap lenses are not good (Joerghaag.com).
Your top 3 favorite Legacy Lenses (SonyAlphaForum).
The winners of the “2015 Drone Aerial Photography Contest” (TheNakedCamera).

Emon: “I’m a director & photographer based in NYC (www.emonhassan.com) and have recently started filming a documentary on BMX (www.fb.com/genbmx.com) with the Sony A7s. During my trips around the country for the doc I’ve been taking some time out to shoot stills. Shot a lot of assignments for The New York Times with the A7s since May and this did an amazing job despite being “just” 12 mp.
I’ve been a dedicated Canon 5D Mk II shooter for 6 years but can’t wait to get my hands on the upcoming A7r II because it promises to be exactly what I need for my work. Been putting the A7s through its paces (it’s a BorrowLenses.com rental) to see if it fits with the type of work I do. The answer, it seems, became a “yes” with the A7rII announcement..
I most recently filmed for five days at the Las Vegas BMX Nationals with the A7s and also took some time to make photographs at Red Rock Canyons (coming soon).
Check out my growing Montana gallery & my info:
http://emonhassan.photoshelter.com/…/G0000…/C0000NpbSwwKdRao“

Quinn Willoughby: “A short blog written on using my old Sony A77 and and Nikon D750. See if you can tell the difference. http://www.quinnwilloughby.com/blog/2015/7/22“

Mirrorlessrumors spotted a new Tamron patented describing the lens design of three new Full Frame lenses for the Sony E-mount system. The 28mm f/2.8, 50mm f/2.8 and 60mm f/2.8 lens. All do features in lens stabilization, 6 group and 7 lens design and a close focusing distance of 30cm.

At last we could get some affordable FE lenses. While those may not be very fast they would certainly be a nice light lens trio to carry in your bag. Just for fun let us know…

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Original Japanese Patent via Egami.