GEAR TALK: Viltrox EF-FX2 0.71x Adapter Review

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Recently I got to fumble around with the Viltrox EF-FX2 0.71x (speedbooster) adapter, used to adapt Canon or EF mount lenses onto the Fujifilm system. I tried a couple of lenses and shot at a military parade just to test out the functionality of the adapter with non-native lenses.

(Disclaimer: I’m no professional photographer / reviewer; these are my personal opinions. I did this because I was curious and could not find many other reviews for this adapter.) Do note that if you’re looking at a Viltrox EF-FX1 without the 0.71x magnification, it will not work with the Tamron and Sigma lenses that I have tested it with.

Fujifilm’s mirrorless system has been around for quite a few years now, and some feel that their APS-C sensor is inferior to the newer full frame mirrorless cameras from other brands. This Viltrox speedbooster adapter allows for the Fujifilm APS-C sensor to view the lens in a full frame field of view (even though it is not a full frame) with similar depths, and one extra stop of light.

I took it out for a field test on the Fujifilm X-T3, with these lenses:
1. Canon 16-35mm f4
2. Canon 50mm f1.8 STM
3. Tamron 18-400mm f3.5-6.3 (APS-C: will have serious vignetting corners when used with 0.71x)

I know some of you are wondering if the adapter can work with older Fujifilm cameras, so I did some static shots on the Fujifilm X-T1 too.

Design

It looks similar to any metabones / generic mount adapter you can find on the market. It has a tripod mount too, if you prefer to mount the adapter to your tripod for more balance. There is an element inside the adapter to give you that 0.71x magnification. It also acts as protection for your sensor, and is definitely easier to clean than the sensor itself.

It fits on the X-T3 nice and tight. When it comes to the X-T1, it has a bit of play to it (perhaps because it has been used a ton), but it doesn’t affect the functions of the adapter.

Operation

Plug and play, right out of the box. Aperture has to be set by the dial wheels at the front or back of the camera, depending on your preference. This can be set under the command dial settings.

Tip: Set your aperture beyond the minimum aperture to get auto aperture.

It works well with STM lenses that operate on an electronic focus wheel instead of a manual motor. Just toggle the MF lever on the lens and you’re set for Manual controls.

And because the Tamron 18-400mm is a lens designed for APS-C sensors, you’ll notice a bunch of vignetting. I saw a bit of chromatic aberration while pixel peeping, maybe caused by the element in the adapter. Here’s one taken with the Canon 50mm STM, at f2.0.

With some cropping in, the chromatic aberration becomes a bit more obvious.

Performance

AF-S:
Autofocus was pretty fast on the Canon lenses that I tried – pretty snappy even though there was some hunting at longer focal lengths.

Good news is that Sensor stabilisation works with the adapter, along with in-lens optical stabilisation if your lens offers it. Eye-AF is also not an issue; you get the full function of all the new add-ons that Fujifilm has in their lineup.

Tamron 18-400mm, 400mm f4

With third party, non-Canon lenses like Tamron and Sigma, this Viltrox adapter feels like a hit or miss. The Tamron 18-400mm f3.5-6.3 had issues when it came to focusing. Most times, I had to remount the lens to get the focusing back in action; but within a minute or so, it would start to lose focusing abilities again. I lost a bunch of photos due to this issue.

The camera was so sure this was the focus mark for AF-S. This is what the focus usually looks like after a minute of use with the Tamron.

That being said, when tested with a bunch of Sigma Art lenses, it worked great. Focusing was on par with native Canon lenses. I do not have access to more variety of Tamron lenses, therefore I can’t say for sure if all Tamron lenses have this issue.

AF-C:
I only really tested the X-T3 with the Tamron 18-400mm lens, at mostly 400mm focal length. When the lens did work with the adapter, the focus on a walking subject was spot on – be it across the frame, or a subject walking toward and away from the camera. I’m no sports shooter, but I do feel confident with the results on AF-C.

Tamron lens at 300mm f4, AF-C mode

On X-T1

Focusing is slower in low light as compared to the X-T3, but I felt no difference in good lighting conditions. Unfortunately, the focus on the Tamron is similarly inconsistent. This might be a symptom of a firmware issue that a few people have already speculated about on various photography forums. In any case, I’m confident that the Viltrox EF-FX2 adapter will work on your older Fujifilm cameras. Eye-AF and face-detect also works really well. I didn’t know that there was Eye-AF on the X-T1. I was shook.

Conclusion

The Viltrox EF-FX2 adapter is great to use as a substitute for a full frame camera, retaining the small form factor with great Fujifilm colors and usability. You get to keep all the awesome eye-AF, AF-C and stabilisation functions, even with the adapter on. I personally feel that this adapter from Viltrox is not lacking anything, so I’ve gone ahead and ordered one for myself. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that it’s a full frame Fujifilm – it does however feel like one.

Canon 50mm STM, f2.0 (A little bit of swirly bokeh, caused by the magnification)