Discussing telephoto lenses for landscape photography

[Sirius Glass]

I use the Hasselblad 903 SWC and the Hasselblad 503 CX with the 50mm and 80mm lenses the most for landscape and architecture photography. I prefer to move in close to eliminate extraneous things and use a wide angle lens. The fact the the SWC is rectilinearly correct is very useful.

 

[pgomena]

I almost never hand-hold my Hasselblad, so the size and weight of the 250mm for such is irrelevant to me. I will on occasion hand-hold the 80mm or 50mm, but it's the odd grab shot. Now that the OP mentions that he's shooting Antarctic icebergs from a ship, the 350mm doesn't seem unreasonable. It's a big, heavy lens, and I've handled but never used one. I've never seen a Hasselblad 500mm, but I'd imagine they're not common. The 350mm shows up on KEH's site once in a while.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I've never seen a Hasselblad 500mm, but I'd imagine they're not common. The 350mm shows up on KEH's site once in a while.

Kinda like hand holding a howitzer.

 

[alex gard]

just looking over the prices on the bay... the price is pretty much the same for 350 or 500mm... seeing as there is a considerable difference in the focal length, would it be a safer option just to jump straight on the 500mm? It is a pretty big lens though!

also, I'm assuming that with a 350mm and longer you're going to need to have the tripod mounted on the lens rather than the body, how does the camera/lens hold up with that weight where they join? has it been known to damage the locking mechanism at all?

 

[Sirius Glass]

This landscape was taken with a 250mm lens at f/11 at 1/250 second with Ektachrome.

 

[Slixtiesix]

I´m a fan of using longer focal lengths (especially in the 120mm - 250mm range) for landscapes and architecture as well. However, having a 150mm, 180mm and 250mm I would not recommend getting all of them (Please don´t ask me now why then it is the case with me ;-) ) In my view it would be sensible to have either the 150mm and 250mm or only the 180mm (maybe paired with a 100mm or 120mm then). I have no use for all of these lenses and I think I might sell some of them next year...

 

[pgomena]

KEH has both the 350 and 500 in stock. Consider the size of filters you might need . . .

I'd imagine that yes, the 350 and 500 have tripod mounts. The Hasselblad bodies are so light and relatively fragile that I can't imagine another configuration. There's a lot of metal in the big lenses.

Have you thought that 35mm might be a better option for your needs? Faster lenses, less bulk and bother, 36 exposures to a roll, etc.

Yes, I know bigger is better, but shooting from the deck of a moving ship with a huge f/5.6 or f/8 lens begins to make me wonder. You could pick up a bunch of used Nikon or Canon gear and some nice lenses for the equivalent expenditure, including backups!

 

[Sirius Glass]

Have you thought that 35mm might be a better option for your needs? Faster lenses, less bulk and bother, 36 exposures to a roll, etc.

TREASON! Go from a Hasselblad to 35mm! Are you daft?? Go wash your mouth out with mouthwash and stand in the corner for a month!

After composing on a large viewfinder, how could one pick out the subject on a 35mm postage stamp size viewfinder?

Lose the ability to change film mid roll? Oh the insanity of it all!

 

[alex gard]

Have you thought that 35mm might be a better option for your needs?

Are you sick in the head?


Ha, but no. I don't think I'd have much a problem with an f/8 lens if I got some 400 or 800 speed film. Especially down here where it's so bright. The 150 is a nice lens but it really doesn't have the reach I want, I wouldn't get a 180mm unless I was actually trading up the 150. The next step would be 350 or 500 I think, I don't think 250 would quite cut it, but again what would I know

 

[Mick Fagan]

Possibly the best accessory on a ship with a Hasselblad and a heavy lens between Tassie and Antartica, would be a Miller Fluid Head atop a decent tripod; with the tripod strapped to something of course.

Mick.

 

[pgomena]

My apologies, gentlemen. I don't even use my 35mm gear anymore. I should know better!

 

[aoresteen]

I use my 150 on the Hasselblad quite a lot, both for landscapes and other kinds of things. If your vision works in a "less is more" sort of way, it's a good way to go. If you want to be very selective in your compositions, a 250 might be a better choice as an addition to your 150, rather than the 180. Aside from a converter, another good way to find out might be to rent one or both.

+1 My thoughts exactly. I use my 250 as much as I use my 150. Get a 250 as they are cheap!

 

[jeffreyg]

Alex,

Have you considered the Mutar 2x to go with the 150? You would have a 150 and 300 that way. I have the 50, 80, 150, 250 and 350. When I travel I take the 50, 150 and 2x. Mine is super sharp and since I predominately use a tripod the 2 stops are not a big deal (I don't use the 2x with the 50). The 350 is a big lens and a hefty tripod is best. As I mentioned on another page I recently used the 2x with the 350 and the subject was a landscape about a half mile across a bay. Even in a scanned negative 7 inch print as a proof the details are there.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

 

[jovo]

When you consider that mf lenses translate to roughly half of 35mm lenses' angle of view, a 250mm lens would be 125mm in 35. That's not much in the way of telephoto even though it's a lot of lens in size and weight. I use a 300mm for my P67, and don't think of it as a really long lens. The only ones bigger for that system are 400 and 800...HUGE lenses, but just 200 and 400 mm's in pulling power compared to 35mm. Get the 250!

 

[Sirius Glass]

No the 250mm for a Hasselblad translates to approximately 150mm in 35mm. One has to compare the horizontal dimension since the shape is different the diagonal comparison does not apply.

 

[alex gard]

The 150mm has been practically living on my camera the last 3 days. I also really like how it renders a scene through the viewfinder (of course, will have to see how they turn out on print) I almost prefer how it makes a landscape look over the 80mm, but I could just be seeing through rose coloured glasses (or a red25). I think I've found my new favourite way of shooting scenery

 

[PKM-25]

I shoot mostly landscapes with my Hasselblad system which consists of all CF lenses.

50mm FLE
60mm
80mm
100mm
120mm
180mm
1.4XE

I think the 180mm is *perfect*, not very expensive at $600-4800 used and works fantastic as a 250mm 5.6 with the 1.4XE converter.