Recently I took a gamble and bought a 0.72x focal reducer from an eBay store called Roxsen. It's similar to the RJ Focal Reducer. Unlike the Mitakon Lens Turbo, this one fits without any trouble at all. Last weekend I got around to giving it a field-test whilst shooting a video for a client - an exclusive car rental agency here in the Netherlands.
For those interested: the topic of the shoot was a half-million-euros Lamborghini Aventador.
It was all shot using the Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera. Using the following lenses:
- Sigma AF 24-70mm f/2.8 IF EX DG HSM - Canon EF mount
- Panagor 135mm f/2.8 MC - M42 mount vintage lens
- Samyang 14mm T*3.1 ED AS IF UMC VDSLR - Nikon mount
Comparison shot sets were shot from a locked down tripod, of course. The intermissions were shot using a Kessler Crane with a Kessler Revolution head, controlled via Oracle Controller with the help of Site Steendam and Thom van Seijen.
The entire video was shot in CinemaDNG RAW, and graded using Adobe Camera RAW. All DNG's have received the exact same treatment as far as colour temperature, sharpness and colour settings go. Exposure was adjusted to match each other, since otherwise the shots with focal reducer would be way too light (since it's adding an extra stop of light).
You can watch the video below, as well as a couple of comparison images from the video. If there are questions - please feel free to ask them.
Below I've embedded two image sets from the video. It gives a clear and obvious difference between the field of view with and without the focal reducer.
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http://www.ebay.com/itm/Focal-Reducer-Speed-Booster-Adapter-Nikon-F-mount-G-lens-to-Micro-4-3-GX7-E-PL6-/400655817523?pt=US_Lens_Adapters_Mounts_Tubes&hash=item5d48f29b33
I can't seem to find anything that says RJ
Fit perfectly-- and works like a charm so far.
I have to admit- it's the first time I really liked what I saw coming out of my BMPCC-- coming from an 1.5x this 2.88x messed with my head and sense of proportion---
And sorry cats and kittens, the C-mount lenses- are only good if you have the really expensive ones-- the cheap ones-- well.. -- too much trouble for what ends up looking like a novelty image.
I'm in a trouble, i have GH2 and BMPCC, without nikon lenses, i only have minolta md mount lenses, but i don't know if metabones for MFT or BMPCC is 300 euros better than cheap speed boosters.
Nice job, great blog! So I am looking for an alternative on the metabones too, pricewise ;) So stumbled upon your blog. Does the given specs of lenses mean you put the FR on BMPCC first, than lets say an EF to Nikon adapter for your Samyang glass and than the lens itself? And doesn't that affect te outcoming image in a bad way?
Thanks in advance.
Groeten uit Arnhem
You're 100% correct. I used a Nikon > EF adapter to mount the lens to the EF > Micro 4/3 focal reducer. It works just fine, no issues - just make sure to get a good adapter, because you want a 'tight fit'. Since you'll be adding 'two' adapters in practice, you want them to be tight fits so to have as little play as possible :-)
~Ruben
Sorry for my bad english and the question, I'm a beginner...
Thank you.
Nope. You can't use the HolyManta ND and a focal reducer like this Roxsen, nor the Metabones SpeedBooster. Simply because both 'devices' are lens-adapters for larger sensor lenses to a smaller sensor mount.
The Roxsen adapter ain't bad, but it's not 100% without 'hiccups' either. When (sun)light hits the lens at a certain angle, it tends to give the image an purple hue. Not something that can't be easily fixed, but noteworthy.
But ... when taking the price into consideration - one cannot expect perfection at that pricepoint. If you want the ultimate quality: Metabones is the way to go. If you don't mind a little less than perfect, then save some cash and get a Roxsen, and a nice Samyang prime to go with it ;-)
Great review! Thanks a lot, this was extremely helpful.
Do you know if/have you tried using a crop-only lens (i.e. a Sigma DC, Nikon DX, or Canon EF-S, or any other crop lens) on the Roxsen focal reducer?
I did try the 18-135mm EF-S kitlens I had lying around. However that simply didn't fit. It won't mount on the Roxsen. A crop Nikon lens should work in theory, when mounted via a Nikon to EF adapter. Again: in theory ;-)
I have got an RJ reducer, too. Have you also found some corner softness and vignetting like me on an mft camera with wide lenses. This is how it appears to me:
http://sonneo.blogspot.de/2014/12/rj-lens-turbo-review.html
I have BMPCC and Samyang cine lenses canon mount.
which one should i buy,. they have FD mount and EOS mount lenses type.Please suggest.Thanks
Thanks for this review. Your result with your focal reducer and your lenses are awesome. I bought this focal reducer but it seems I have some trouble with focus. I just got the impression that I can't have focus infinity with this focal reducer on my BMPCC. Peaking works, but when I look at my footage, I just don't have the impression it's focus...Did you have this type of trouble ? I ask before to write to Roxsen...