Metabones Firmware Upgrade – Canon CN-E 18-80mm T4.4 and Panasonic GH5 Support

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by Fabian ChaundyApril 14^th, 2017

The latest Metabones Firmware Upgrade for their EF-mount Speed Boosters and Smart Adapters adds better compatibility with the Canon CN-E 18-80mm T4.4 cine zoom, as well as support for the Panasonic GH5.

Metabones Firmware Upgrade – Canon CN-E 18-80mm T4.4

With the Canon CN-E 18-80mm T4.4 Cinema Zoom Lens, Canon delivered a relatively affordable lens with a wide range of features. The latest firmware update to the Metabones EF-mount Speed Boosters and Smart Adapters allows you to now use the lens’ servo zoom capabilities via the camera interface — be it the zoom rocker of a JVC, the touch screen of a Panasonic or the Sony PlayMemories Mobile App.

The Metabones software also makes use of the smooth aperture control on the Canon CN-E 18-80mm T4.4 to achieve “virtually imperceptible” aperture changes when a camera is set to auto-iris.

In addition, when used with a Sony camera, the new Metabones firmware upgrade allows you to map the REC button on the lens grip to a variety of user-customisable camera functions, including REC Start/Stop when assigned to the MOVIE function.

One important detail to keep in mind: as the Canon CN-E 18-80mm T4.4 is a Super 35mm lens, using a Metabones Speed Booster to compensate for its rather slow constant aperture will result in vignetting in everything but Micro Four-Thirds sensors. The Metabones Smart Adapter would be the one to use in most situations.

Metabones Firmware Upgrade – Panasonic GH5

The latest firmware upgrade from Metabones also brings compatibility to the new Panasonic GH5, adding user-selectable image stabilisation (either the lens or the camera’s), smooth iris control with compatible lenses, detailed EXIF transfer and contrast detection autofocus… although, as always, remember that autofocus capabilities suffer heavily when using a third-party adapter.

This Metabones firmware upgrade is already available for all compatible products HERE. For more information, check out the Metabones press release.

Will this update enhance your set up? Let us know in the comments below!