Blackmagic Forum

Hello,

I recently noticed ugly flares with a speed booster for Canon FD lens when the aperture is not wide open.
It looks like a milky spot in the center of the image.
It can probably be diminished using a matte box.

My question is if this is the attribute of every speed booster or if is it worth trying to buy another one.
Mine was relatively cheap.

Thanks

You are not mentioning the brand. Some of the early models of cheap Chinese ones used to have that spot.
The Lens Turbo mark II was improved in that regard, but Metabones is still leading.

Yes, Metabones is the way to go. Expensive but worth it.

They are all "cheap Chinese ones" including Metabones. For what it is Metabones cost way too much.

Don't get me wrong, there are some great lenses coming from China these days and the Lens Turbo Mark II is quite acceptable. But it seems that, even if probably manufactured in China, the calculations behind the Metabones are better. If it is worth the much higher price for you can only be judged by yourself.

It's similar to the situation with many other complex devices, like cameras and lenses: the last 5-10% of perfection may cost you 50% or more of an extra.

I use vintage lenses all the time and believe these lenses need matte boxes or lens hoods for lens flare protection.

I had a shoot on monday and I had that "milky" look in one shot where the actor was close to a window..., I forgot to put the lens hood on, and when I did the flare disappeared.

I use vintage lenses all the time and believe these lenses need matte boxes or lens hoods for lens flare protection.

I had a shoot on Monday and I had that "milky" look in one shot where the actor was close to a window..., I forgot to put the lens hood on, and when I did the flare disappeared.

There are things called lensers, french flags which can catch flares without adding whole matte box.

drknsss wrote:I use vintage lenses all the time and believe these lenses need matte boxes or lens hoods for lens flare protection.

I had a shoot on monday and I had that "milky" look in one shot where the actor was close to a window..., I forgot to put the lens hood on, and when I did the flare disappeared.

That sounds like veiling flare, but the flare the OP is describing sounds different: a white spot in the centre of the image, and apparently some of the older/cheaper speedboosters could cause it. Veiling flare looks like a milky cast over a larger portion of the image. Very common with vintage lenses with more primitive coatings. Here's an example:

Backlit spruce by Brad Hurley, on Flickr

For Vintage lenses especially the long lenses like 135mm these lenses typically came with comically long lens hoods. The Super Takumars i have have those so I see the difference.

As for the circle in the center, the two times I encountered this was on a drone and that was caused by condensation on the protective glass over the lens.

The second time when I use a homemade rig for two anamorphic elements in front of the lenses. When I used modern lenses all was good, but when I used vintage lenses I got the white circle in the center. The solution was to shoot wide open....,

Is this due to reflective coating being better on the new lenses?

The latter might help, but the curvature of the last piece of glass would also play an important role.