Canon has announced a new EF to RF 0.71x speed booster adapter. Like the speed boosters from Metabones and similar items from Viltrox and others, it allows you to use lenses designed for a larger sensor on a camera with a smaller sensor while retaining a wider field of view and, as the name suggests, effectively increasing the light transmission.
The release coincides with the launch of the new Canon EOS C70 cinema camera, but could it add more fuel to the rumours that Canon is planning to ditch the EOS M camera system in favour of APS-C EOS R RF mount cameras?
The description for the Canon EF-EOS R 0.71x mount adapter does specifically say that it’s “intended for cameras featuring a Super35 sensor size” and essentially reduces the effects of full-frame lenses down to a Super35 crop factor, increasing maximum aperture performance by one stop. It features electrical contacts, like Canon’s other EF to RF mount adapters, allowing you to retain metadata information and take advantage of Canon’s Dual Pixel AF.
Priced at $599, it’s certainly not an inexpensive item. Much like the Metabones Speed Boosters, it’s an item designed for optimum performance for demanding filmmakers. And a locking collar is included to provide a more secure bolt-on attachment to the EOS C70 camera body. But might this be Canon testing the waters to see if people are willing to accept an APS-C RF mount mirrorless camera?
It would be a shame to see the EOS M system disappear, especially after Canon has repeatedly said that it won’t. But the rumours of exactly that seem to be coming more frequently of late, with rumours of an upcoming APS-C RF mount mirrorless camera coming just as often.
The Canon EF-EOS R 0.71x Mount Adapter is available to pre-order now for $599. It’s expected to start shipping in late November