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How to Use a Metabones Speedbooster on the Panasonic GH5

The use of Speedboosters on smaller-format cameras is a recent trend that has brought joy to many users and greatly eased the switching costs from larger-sensor systems. They reduce crop factor while increasing image brightness and sharpness. So, when the GH5 was first released to the world, many users grabbed the metabones adapter off their trusty GH4, booted up the new camera, and were unfortunately treated to a black viewfinder with no control over the lens. Turns out that Metabones adapters are sometimes more software than hardware, and require precise, specific patches for every lens and camera body they interact with. Many intrepid users found workarounds, but they were clunky, complex, and lacked many features. 

One creative workaround

Luckily Metabones has brought us a firmware upgrade that makes the most of the technology in the GH5 and the lenses you intend to mount. But how do you take advantage of these fixes? Simple - you download the official one-app-fits-all firmware upgrade app from their website.

1 - Download the Updater

Navigating Metabones’s website isn’t easy, so for your convenience here is the download link for Windows users, and the link for Mac users as well. Make sure you scroll all the way to the bottom for the download button. 

2 - Plug in your Speedbooster

Once the download is complete, plug in your Metabones Speedbooster XL or Ultra via the micro USB port on the side of the adapter. Metabones cautions that you should plug the adapter directly into your computer, not through a hub or other external device. 

3 - Open the App and Begin the Update

The Metabones App is designed to be as straightforward as possible - you should see a large green button that simply reads “update.” So, of course, you click it. Follow the directions on screen, and when the update is complete you should now be able to access the full functionality of your lenses on the Panasonic GH5 body.