Metabones delays Speed Booster adapters for Micro Four Thirds cameras
posted Monday, April 15, 2013 at 1:05 PM EDT
In March, we reported that the Micro Four Thirds version of the popular Metabones Speed Booster was set to launch in April. Unfortunately, it's April now, and it looks like we're a while away from seeing the adapters yet. Metabones has updated its website, and the Micro Four Thirds version has now been pushed back until the second half of the year.
The Speed Booster questions page now says:
"We apologize but the m4/3 schedule is slipping. Manual focus lenses such as Nikon, Leica R, Contax C/Y, Contarex, ALPA and Rollei will be supported in the second half of 2013.
Canon EF lens (but not EF-S) support is planned in the future, but we do not have an estimated date yet."
The Speed Booster is currently available for Sony NEX and Fuji X mounts, and can adapt ALPA, Canon EF, Contarex, Contax Yashica, and Leica R lenses to those mounts, replicating a full frame view and gaining a full stop in speed.
The first reviews we've seen for the Speed Booster seem to be mostly positive, with DPReview, EOSHD, Philip Bloom, and Roger Cicala of LensRentals all having weighed in. The folks at The Camera Store also took the Speed Booster for a spin, and seemed impressed with the optical quality of the results, even if the focusing speed left something to be desired. Check out their field test video below.
So what do our readers think? Are you eagerly waiting for the Micro Four-Thirds version of the adapter? Or do you think that slapping huge, full frame lenses on a tiny body is more than a little ridiculous?