Kipon reducers drop crop factor

Japanese lens and accessory maker Kipon has introduced two focal length reducers that allow owners of Nikon F and Leica R lenses to use them on Micro Four Thirds cameras, resulting in a 1.4x crop factor.

The maker says that the Kipon Baveyes NIK-m4/3 0.7x and Baveyes L/R-m4/3 0.7x reducers transform a full frame 50mm lens into a 70mm equivalent, once the focal length doubling effect of the Micro Four Thirds system is taken into account. Without using a reducer a 50mm Nikkor lens mounted on a Micro Four Thirds camera would behave as a 100mm.

Kipon also claims that the reducers give photographers a speed advantage of an extra stop.

The maker says the wide-angle elements in its reducers lessen the crop factor applied to the adapted lens. The company gives an example of a 35mm lens mounted via the adapter producing the angle of view one would expect from a 49mm lens on a full-frame body.

While local pricing is yet to be released the reducers are expected to sell for around $230 USD.

For more information see the Kipon website.