{"id":52685,"date":"2024-04-03T08:09:15","date_gmt":"2024-04-03T07:09:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/?p=52685"},"modified":"2026-03-23T14:41:14","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T13:41:14","slug":"using-speedboosters-on-fullframe-cameras","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/using-speedboosters-on-fullframe-cameras\/","title":{"rendered":"Using Speedboosters on Fullframe Cameras"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/h2>\n
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Zhong Yi LensTurboII and Nikon AF 85mm 1.4D via Pixco Speedbooster on Sony A7rII<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Speedboosters are still somewhat popular among videographers, but since these days used fullframe cameras are very affordable, this is not really the case for still photographers anymore. They can be used for some creative shallow depth of field photography on fullframe cameras though, and that is what we will have a look at here.<\/p>\n

Sample Pictures<\/h2>\n
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Sony A7r | Zhong Yi LensTurbo II | Canon nFD 85mm 1.2L | \u00a9Simeon Kolev<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Sony A7r | Zhong Yi LensTurbo II | Samyang 35mm 1.4 | \u00a9Simeon Kolev<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Sony A7r | Zhong Yi LensTurbo II | Zenitar 50mm 1.7 | \u00a9Simeon Kolev<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Sony A7r | Zhong Yi LensTurbo II | Zenitar 50mm 1.7 | \u00a9Simeon Kolev<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What is a Speedbooster?<\/h2>\n

A Speedbooster is the opposite of a Teleconverter. Teleconverters have a factor bigger than one (most common are 1.4 and 2.0). They give you more reach at the cost of speed and they also degrade the lens’ image quality, as they will magnify the image, they also magnify all the aberrations.<\/p>\n

Speedbosters on the other hand have a factor smaller than one (for example 0.71 or 0.73). They give you a wider field of view and at the same time they improve the lens’ maximum aperture. As the image will be compressed, the image quality of the lens theoretically even improves. Sounds too good to be true? Yes, because there is one more thing: as the image will be compressed, it will not cover the same area as before anymore. Therefore Speedboosters have originally been developed to negate the crop factor of APS-C sensors, so that fullframe (D)SLR lenses can be used on APS-C mirrorless cameras to their full extent.<\/p>\n

This was very useful before we had affordable fullframe mirrorless cameras. Nowadays these Speedboosters are not really needed anymore for still photography – unless you are a Fuji X user and stuck with APS-C sensors.<\/p>\n