Minolta MD Rokkor 50 mm 1:1.4 with Focal Reducer [MD]

Since I've got my Focal Reducer, I used all my lenses with it. Recently I've found a bargain Minolta MD Rokkor 50 mm 1:1.4 with a little bit of fungus. It doesn't affect photos at all and the price was good. So I decided to buy it, when realised there are no MD adapters allowing focusing infinity. As I like to use my lens in any given condition, I designed and printed my own adapter.

I use Chinese $99 version of Focal Reducer with no brands or logos, this one exactly.

Minolta MD Rokkor 50/1.4 on Lumix G2 (MFT camera) with Focal Reducer.

Samyang 10 mm 1:2.8 with Focal Reducer x0.7 [EF > m4/3] - first impressions

In my search for perfect ultra-wide angle lens I came across Samyang 10/2.8. It's relatively new on the market, but already astonishing. It's supposed to be very wide even without Focal Reducer and very fast at the same time. But hey, if you're using M4/3 camera with tiny sensor, you should demand the widest and the brightest you can get. So let's push the lens to it's limits and mount it on Focal Reducer 0.72x!

Samyang 10/2.8 (Canon EF mount) with Focal Reducer 0.72x on Micro Four Thirds full sensor (aspect ratio 4:3).

Tokina 11-16 mm 1:2.8 with Focal Reducer x0.7 [EF > m4/3]

It's been a while. It's been a really busy while. Luckily, my friend Michał got back from England and I had my opportunity to test Tokina 11-16/2.8 [EF mount], which I was writing about before.

Tokina 11-16/2.8 with focal reducer x0.7 [FF eq. 16mm/2.0] @11 mm

It's the fastest wide angle lens (with Focal Reducer of course) available in the market (not second-handed) for Micro Four Thirds camera.

As I suspected it works perfectly with Focal Reducer 0.7x [the one I use]. Well... by perfectly I mean you get really wide lens (about 8/2.0, eq. of 16 mm for full frame) and manual focus. I wasn't able to change aperture values due to lack of A-ring or electronic connection with Lumix G2 body. But... all in all - it's a really wide angle fast lens. You can always use ND filters or hand-made rings before front glass (or even iris if you're crafty!).

Olympus Zuiko MC Auto-S 50 mm 1:1.8 with Focal Reducer 0.7x [OM > EF > m4/3]

Olympus Zuiko 50/1.8 is my favourite manual focus lens. It's really sharp, provides good contrast and is really comfortable to use. Not to mention its creamy bokeh.
That's why I was wondering how it'd work with my

Focal Reducer 0.7x

(more elaborate description, packaging, FR photos and first impressions here).

I was waiting for over a month, but it finally came - EF > OM adapter. A really solid piece of metal I must say - a trustworthy one. It fits my EF Focal Reducer even better than EF > M42 used before.

Olympus Zuiko 50/1.8 without Focal Reducer EF - aperture unknown.

Previously I presented you first impressions with Micro Four Thirds Focal Reducer 0.7x with EF mount. Unfortunately, I didn't used best possible lenses. Both Beroflex 85/1.7 and MIR-1B 37/2.8 weren't the sharpest tools in my box. Also it was the middle of winter, it was snowing, so the conditions were far from perfect. Recently it got much warmer and sunnier, so today I'd like to present you razor-sharp Olympus Zuiko 50/1.8 with OM mount.

Focal Reducer 0.72x with EF mount [m4/3] first impressions

Last time I've presented you a simulation on how a focal reducer (FR) 0.72x might work with Tokina 11-16 mm 1:2.8 on micro 4/3 sensor. Today I decided to present you first impressions on $99 eBay version of FR with EF mount.

Check out all posts presenting
Focal Reducer with other lenses!

Focal Reducer 0.72x with EF mount for Micro Four Thirds (MFT M4/3)

What is Focal Reducer aka Lens Turbo aka Speed Booster?
The simplest answer is that it's the lens that focuses light from a mounted lens reducing focal length by a ratio (in this case 0.72x, which means 100 mm lens becomes 72 mm). It also makes lens faster (in this case by 1 EV step - f2.8 becomes f2.0, f2.0 - f1.4 and so on...).

Yesterday I've finally received my own FR. I must admit it's very well built and quite heavy. It didn't gave me the impression of any cheap materials used. Rather firm and dependable hardware.
All my life I've been an Olympus, then 4/3 and now micro 4/3 person. Obviously I don't possess any Canon lenses, and that's why I ordered EF > M42 adapter with flange (for M42 lenses with aperture pin). It fits perfectly and makes whole unit even heavier.

Tokina 11-16 mm 1:2.8 with micro 4/3 focal reducer to 8 mm 1:2.0 [simulation]

Recently a new version of Focal Reducer/Speed Booster/Lens Turbo for Micro 4/3 was released.
It's available on eBay with EF mount. It reduces aperture by 1 step and the reduction is 0.72x.

micro 4/3 focal reducer with EF mount

source: eBay.com, seller: jinfinance, store: RJ camera accessory store [ direct link ]

What's so interesting about this one?
It reduces focal length of used lens to 72%, expands FOV (field of view) and makes the lens faster by +1 EV step.

Finally tested it with Tokina 11-16/2.8. It works (almost) perfectly [click to see]! 

Here you can see first samples of the
0.72x Focal Reducer EF with M42 adapter.