It is pretty simple really, ask anyone who has used the camera. Topping the list of the Panasonic GH4’s biggest downfalls is its low light performance. It’s nothing against the camera; it’s just a physical limitation of the M4/3 sensor size. Today, Metabones announced their new Speedbooster XL, which aims to give you as much light as possible for your tiny M4/3 GH4 sensor.

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The new Speedbooster XL features built-in contacts to control Canon EF lenses, increases your max aperture by 1.3 stops, and gives your GH4 the field of view of an APS-H or Super35 film. This will be a really nice feature for videographers looking to get a more cinematic look and feel out of their 4k GH4 footage.

[REWIND: COMPARING CANON EF- SONY FE AF ADAPTERS FROM METABONES, COMMLITE, & FOTODIOX]

Key Speedbooster XL Features

  • Increase maximum aperture by 11/3 stops
  • Increase MTF.
  • Makes lens 0.64x wider.
  • Build-in electronics to control lens aperture.
  • The lens aperture is set by the controls on the camera body.
  • Powered by camera body. no external power source required.
  • High performance 32-bit processor and efficient switched-mode power supply.
  • The interior is painted with flocking coating to further reduce the internal reflection.
  • The tripod foot is detachable and compatible with Arca Swiss, Markins and Photo Clam ball heads.
  • Support Panasonic GH4, GH3, G3, G5, G6, G10, GF3, GF5, GF6, GX1, Olympus E-PL7, Blackmagic Cinema Camera with Micro Four Thirds mount, Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera

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The new Speedbooster XL is now available over on the Metabones website with a listed retail price of $649.

It’s a spendy upgrade, but when using a fast F/1.2 prime, you can get an insane F/0.8 effective aperture when using this adapter. While that may not be the best move for video, for stills, this brings bokeh to another level on M4/3 cameras, and could be great for anyone looking to shoot portraits.

What are your thoughts on this new Metabones adapter release? Do you think that the performance and features justify the high pricetag? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think!