WOW! Speed Booster adapter makes your lens faster, wider and sharper!

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Philip Bloom announced and tested the new Metabones “Speed Booster” adapter. And what it does sounds as it would be some kind of magic trick! It makes any lens faster, wider and sharper! Philipp explains how it works:

“In essence, it’s an optical adapter that attaches to the E mount of a Sony NEX camera (Super 35 sensor) and then to a full frame SLR lens. The Metabones ‘Speed Booster’ is a 0.71 x focal reducer, that will effectively turn your full frame 50mm f/1.8 lens into a 35mm f/1.2 lens. Note, doing so (as a guide) will increase the aperture of that lens by one stop. Your Sony NEX Super 35 E-Mount will effectively have near full frame coverage on a full-frame lens. It also serves ‘double-duty’ as a lens mount adapter, from Canon EF lens (but not EF-S) to Sony NEX, with auto-aperture and image stabilisation.“

Amazing or not? It will be available in January 2013 from Metabones’ web site http://www.metabones.com and its worldwide dealer network for US$599 / £372 plus shipping and applicable taxes and duties.

Here is an image that shows you how it works:

The image circle gets reduced and this actually doesn’t decrease the image quality. The only real drawbacks are:
1) the lens has no fast autofocus like the recently announced [shoplink 15341 ebay]EF to NEX Smart Adapter II (they are here on eBay)[/shoplink].
2) You have to use a Full Frame lens and you can use it on an APS-C camera only (not on FF cameras).

And here is a video sample shot by Philip:

194 grams from James Miller on Vimeo.

Question now….

Are you considering to buy the new Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 FE lens?

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35mm Sigma, Sony and SLR magic tests and news…

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I just a couple of news and test all focusing on 35mm lenses:

1) The video on top shows a comparison between the Sony 35mm f/1.8, the SLR Magic 35mm f1.7 and the new SLR Magic 35mm T1.4 Cinelens E-mount lenses.

2) Matthew Durr tested the Sony 35mm f/1.8 OSS E-mount lens: “The 35mm f/1.8 is a fantastic lens, despite its focusing limitations dependent on CDAF. The only “real” knacks against it—heavy vignetting and noticeable fringing wide-open—can easily be worked around depending on the situation, what settings you shoot at, and how much post-processing you are used to doing.”

3) Another Sony 35mm E-mount review has been posted by BanBGanBoom on youtube. He compared the lens with the 50mm f/1.8 lens which he says is a tiny bit sharper.

4) An anonymous reader sent me this: “Just relaying info regarding release date of Sigmas 35… I was just billed by B&H for my preordered 35 (Click here). If this is not a mistake I assume it will be shipped on Monday as it is their policy to not bill until item is in.” Let’s hope the info is correct!

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Price and in Stock links to the mentioned lenses:
SLR magic 35mm 1.7 at Amazon and on [shoplink 3514 ebay]eBay[/shoplink].
Sigma 35mm A-mount lens at Amazon, Adorama, BHphoto and eBay Slidoo.
Sony E-Mount 35mm f/1.8 at [shopcountry 14169].

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New Sony RX1 anti-loose cap. And more Gariz stuff (video by Steve Huff)

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Gariz keeps launching high quality stuff for the Sony RX1! There is a full list on eBay (via Slidoo). In detail:

1) They made a new half leather case in Black and Brown ([shoplink 16437 ebay]Click here to see them on eBay[/shoplink]).
2) The new lens cap ([shoplink 16439 ebay]Click here to see them on eBay[/shoplink]).
3) The new entry is the anti loose button(!) ([shoplink 16438 ebay]Click here to see them on eBay[/shoplink]). Don’t know if that will be really useful for you RX1 owners. Someone has it and call it how it works? Thanks!
4) And this is the really first time I see that. A special Leather skin hood! ([shoplink 16441 ebay]Click here to see them on eBay[/shoplink]).

You can spend over $450 to cover your RX1 with luxury leather all around :)

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Sigma Press Release: no 35mm f/1.4 shipment date yet.

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Sigma Japan just issued a new press release where they do NOT unveil the shipment date for the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 A-mount lens. The release date is “undecided“.  Meantime TheDigitalPicture tested the same lens (with Canon mount) and writes that: “the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 EX DG HSM Lens is my new favorite Sigma lens.”

The A-mount lens is availble for preorder at Amazon (Click here), Adorama (Click here) and BHphoto (click here). To get notified when this lens is on eBay login and save this search at Slidoo.

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Sony A99 Review (Photography Blog)

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[shoplink 14165][/shoplink]

Photography Blog reviewed the [shoplink 14165]Sony A99 (price & specs)[/shoplink]. Beside confirming that the image quality is excellent, the 24.3 full-frame camera gets more positive points. In the conclusion they write:

The Sony A99 combines virtually all of the company's latest cutting-edge camera technologies with an excellent full-frame sensor and a proven body design to create a realistic rival to the likes of the Nikon D800 and Canon EOS 5D Mark III. Traditionalists may not appreciate the electronic viewfinder or more limited range of lenses, but there's lots to like if you can get over that particular preconception (including the excellent EVF itself).The A99 is perhaps the most well-appointed full-frame DSLR on the market. A magnesium-alloy body with weather-sealed controls, two control dials, fast 6fps burst mode, a clever 3-way swiveling LCD screen, useful top LCD panel, innovative dual AF system, focus peaking, flash sync socket, uncompressed HDMI output, built-in GPS and an optional vertical grip. The only missing feature that we can think of is Wi-Fi connectivity, something that only the recent Canon EOS 6D offers out of the box.

Surprised? I am not! :-) Check the final ratings (out of 5):

  • Design 4.5
  • Features 5
  • Ease-of-use 4.5
  • Image Quality 4.5
  • Value for money 4.5

Sony A99 price check: [shopcountry 14165]

[via Photography Blog]

 

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Sony NEX 6 Review At Cameralabs

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Sony NEX 6 sample movie: continuous AF from Gordon Laing on Vimeo.

Cameralabs posted their [shoplink 14167]Sony NEX 6 (price & specs)[/shoplink] review. In the verdict they write:

For the first time the NEX series has a lens which perfectly complements its diminutive proportions. The E PZ 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OSS power zoom is small, lightweight and provides two zoom controls, the second of which also serves as a manual focus ring. With a 24mm super wide-angle extending to 75mm equivalent portrait length, it’s an excellent stabilised ‘standard’ zoom that doesn’t prevent you dropping the NEX-6 into your coat pocket.

But probably the biggest development is the addition of Wi-Fi connectivity coupled with downloadable apps that allow you to add to and extend the camera’s features. This is a very exctiing development indeed, and one which means that the camera is no longer limited to the set of features it left the factory with. Currently there are eight apps available for the NEX-6, but I’d expect to see app availablity expand over the coming months and years as new NEX models also incorporate this feature. Those apps will hopefully extend the ability of the NEX range to communicate with a wider range of social networks and photo sharing sites as well as adding new creative photography features.

The review comes with lots of samples and videos. Check it out!

Sony NEX 6 price and availability check: [shopcountry 14167]

[via cameralabs]

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