new Nikon G lens speed booster NEX possibilities

<p>I understand that the Nikon 35 1.8 dx G lens gives the equivalent approximately 52mm field of view on a Nikon dx/aps-c sensor dslr (ie cropped). I have been around this stuff for a good while, but I need some schooling on a few of these "more recent" developments. Are all Nikon G (without aperture ring I think is the deal) Nikon lenses only DX lenses or are there full frame aperture-less (G?) lenses?<br />Really my question is for those who both know about Nikon G lenses and understand about the Metabones Speed Boosters. I know "something" about the Speed Boosters except I'm unclear about the new one announced today, and my question is whether a Nikon G series 35 1.8 lens (apx. $200) on the new Nikon G mount speed booster ($420) would behave on my NEX 5n like a 35 1.2? I'm not obsessed about the aperture speed advantage so much as just asking if there is indeed enough optic size in the DX 35 to have to remain as a 35-looking field of view with the speed booster. Know what I mean?<br />If so, even at about $625 for the pair, that is quite a cool wide-normal-very fast combo even especially for the dollar, and not really so big at about 1.8" I assume for the speed booster and about 2" for the lens. Okay, that isn't small, but I'm just looking at everything. I realize of course there would not be autofocus on the NEX 5n....I assume...unless the new speed booster does that too and I wasn't/am not aware of it.<br>

Happy 4th everybody!</p>

<p>DX lenses not supported: http://www.metabones.com/sony/ef-e-speed-booster</p>

<p>It's only logical. DX lenses do not get their image circle cropped when used on NEX cameras. A non-optical adapter will do the job (with aperture control for G lenses of course.)</p>

<p>Just get any manual focus 35mm Nikkor or the 35/2 AF if you want to use the Speed Booster.</p>

<p>My point was that I would like a fast 35 field of view for my NEX and not a 50, so if the new speed booster let me use the really cheap nikon 35 1.8 as a 35 then that would be interesting. Using a 35 Nikon on a nonoptical adapter on my NEX has no appeal to me because I don't need more 50 lenses. I see your point however that if metabones has the speed booster now for nikon ai/ais then I could do similar to what I'm after with an older 35 ais or 35 f2 af. I don't have any of those however and the idea of a new dust and mold free 35 optic for $200 seems worth thinking about especially if it is 1.8 (or faster with speed booster).<br>

But I'm still confused because the 35 Nikon DX lens is physically a 35mm "long" focal length lens, but it doesn't have the glass diameter to cover a full frame negative or sensor, so it doesn't have the glass for the speed booster to "reduce" onto my NEX aps-c sensor to stay a 35, right?, so I don't see how that can work at all for what I described.</p>

<p>Well not all used lenses are dusty or moldy. In fact most of them are not. If you would only buy AF, the 35/2 D is even recent enough to work with current Nikon cameras. The Speed Booster does not have any electronic connections so an AF lens will only work manually anyway.</p>

<p>Don't get hung up on G lenses. I don't like them one bit. They are just Nikon's way to further reduce backward compatibility to deal with an enormous 2nd hand market saturated with 50 years' worth of selection.</p>

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<p>but it doesn't have the glass diameter to cover a full frame negative or sensor, so it doesn't have the glass for the speed booster to "reduce" onto my NEX aps-c sensor to stay a 35, right?</p>

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<p>Correct.<br>

DX lenses cover the circle of the sensor in the NEX, but the speedbooster requires a full frame coverage to do its magic. There are plenty full frame G-lenses (all lenses introduced in the last few years without a DX badge are G-lenses too).<br>

Some people will claim the 35 f/1.8DX has enough coverage for full frame, despite it's DX label. Even if this is true, the performance in the corners will be lacking, and I think the Speedbooster will only make matters worse and more visible, so it's really not the ideal choice for this application.<br>

__</p>

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<p>Don't get hung up on G lenses. I don't like them one bit.</p>

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<p>Yeah, let's generalise everything and forget that there is no serious non-G alternative to something like a 14-24 f/2.8, 24 /f1.4 or a 70-200 f/2.8 with VR. Whether <em>you</em> like them or not, does not need to decide for the OP whether they suit him or not. Statements as the above quote really do not help at all.</p>

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<p>there is no serious non-G alternative to something like a 14-24 f/2.8, 24 /f1.4 or a 70-200 f/2.8 with VR. Whether <em>you</em> like them or not, does not need to decide for the OP whether they suit him or not. Statements as the above quote really do not help at all.</p>

 

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<p>Talk about helping: how do those lenses you mention fit the OP's budget or purpose? Besides, my posts have more than one statement (which you so conveniently neglect) that answered the question already, whether you like them or not.</p>

<p>Thanks Wouter and Fred. I think Wouter answered the meat of my question, and it sounds like the speed booster for G lenses isn't intended for DX lenses and that Nikon also makes full frame lenses that are "G" also.<br>

Fred, thanks for your thoughts too. I agree that used lenses can be fine and I have many. I also don't like the idea that G lenses don't have an aperture ring, but the metabones speed booster for G lenses does; now you have one for G! My only interest at all in Nikon G lenses has/had to do with clarifying the capability of this new speed booster as I think you realized. Thanks again!</p>

<p>That speed booster can take <em>any</em> Nikon SLR lens that is <em>not</em> DX. You can use the 35mm f/2, or one of the manual focus options. My understanding is that the adapter does not enable AF or auto aperture control, so a lens that isn't G should actually be better because you can control the aperture using the ring on the lens (which has the real aperture numbers).</p>

<p>Old manual focus Nikon lenses (or any third party lens with Nikon mount from Sigma, Tamron, Tokina, etc) should work on this. But it is safe to test the lens before hand with a visual inspection to see if the rear element doesnt got to far back past the rear of the lens. I always have a new lens focused as far forward as I can when I mount it on the speedbooster the first time. Then I slowly focus it back to make sure the rear element doesnt contact the glass of the SB.</p>

<p>BTW, here is my speedbooster folder on flickr. I have the C/Y to NEX version and the examples here are mostly from Yashica ML lenses though there are some M42 and Tamron Adaptall photos as well. </p>

<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8539414@N07/sets/72157633126249795/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/8539414@N07/sets/72157633126249795/</a></p>

<p>Oh, and if you want to find out the exact focal length of your lens on the SB use this equation.<br>

<em><strong>(Focal length of your lens) x 0.71 x 1.5= new focal length</strong></em><br>

<em><strong> </strong></em><br>

<em><strong><br /></strong></em>So a 35mm would be 35 x 0.71 x 1.5 = 37.275</p>

<p>So a 35/f2.8 would become a 37.2/f2, and a 35/f1.8 would become a 37.2/f1.2. (The 0.71 is the crop of the SB and the 1.5 is the original crop of a NEX)</p>

<p>You could surf on over to the Nikon site and actually look up their lenses. They will define which ones are FX or DX, AF-D or AF-G, etc.</p>