Do you use your favorite medium format lens to shoot digital?

[Alexander6x6]

With the moderator's permission I would like to start here the discussion about the experience with medium format lenses on modern digital cameras. It doesn't make much sense to start such kind of discussion in the digital section of this forum because the main reason people use MF lenses there is usually budget-related, not analog medium format legacy-related. I would rather hear the opinions of people who used their MF lenses for years before buying digital cameras.

My first medium-format camera was the Kiev-88. The heavily modified Hartblei 688 Master and Hartblei 1008 Studio Master cameras with Arsenal and CZJ lenses still work since 1998. In contrast, the focal plane shutter of the rarely used Hasselblad 201F, which was installed a couple of years ago, has recently broken.

It has always been my dream to use my favorite lenses, such as the Vega-28 120/2.8 or the Hartblei 150mm/2.8, for digital photography. Big sensors were always extremely expensive, and small ones didn't meet my expectations. The Fujifilm GFX 50s was the first affordable digital medium-format camera for me. Since then, I have used this camera with adapted lenses. I don't like the rendering of native Fuji lenses, which is why I only have the GF 63mm lens, which I use for snapshots.

 

[Hasslebad]

I used Hasselblad and Mamiya 7 lenses for years before getting a digital back for my Hasselblad when it became more affordable. I limit the digital backs for studio because of the amount of overhead needed between getting white balance set, sync cable applied etc. Also my studio work is more work related where tethering is helpful to get everything right.

For leisure or family photos, I prefer film since I get a look that I’m used to and it matches a lot of my earlier photos. It’s also easier in some ways (see sync cable and not having to worry about white balancing). That said, if I can spend the time to setup, I may take the digital backs out into the field.

 

[Hasslebad]

By the way, if I had GFX, I would consider the focal reducer adapter that allows using the Pentax Super Takumar 105mm f2.4. I think that lens has a beautiful rendering and being able to get that full field of view on a modern digital camera would be amazing.

 

[abruzzi]

Sure. I have a 6x9/6x7 view camera setup with a bunch of lenses that do double duty when I put a digital back on the camera. My investment in digital is somewhat limited so I can afford last generation Rodenstock digital, instead I use the film lenses I have available. It ranges from a 50mm/ƒ6.3 Mamiya on the wide end to a 150mm/ƒ9 Apo Ronar. I haven't yet had the need to go longer. My normal is a Nikkor-M 105mm/ƒ3.5. Its fairly long for a 6x4.5 sensor, but I lean long on my preferred lenses.

 

[Alexander6x6]

By the way, if I had GFX, I would consider the focal reducer adapter that allows using the Pentax Super Takumar 105mm f2.4. I think that lens has a beautiful rendering and being able to get that full field of view on a modern digital camera would be amazing.

Don't do it! The created image will be something else than the native 105mm. You will get swirly background with a bunch of chromatic aberrations. I have seen a number examples with this lens via reducer.

The focal reducer is simply the teleconverter that has been rotated 180 degrees.

 

[Alexander6x6]

I used Hasselblad and Mamiya 7 lenses for years before getting a digital back for my Hasselblad when it became more affordable. I limit the digital backs for studio because of the amount of overhead needed between getting white balance set, sync cable applied etc. Also my studio work is more work related where tethering is helpful to get everything right.

For leisure or family photos, I prefer film since I get a look that I’m used to and it matches a lot of my earlier photos. It’s also easier in some ways (see sync cable and not having to worry about white balancing). That said, if I can spend the time to setup, I may take the digital backs out into the field.

The new CFV 50c is just fine to take it into the field. The main advantage of this back that it can wait until the button on the camera is pressed, so no need to use the sync cable. The white balance is automatically adjusted.

I am struggling with the idea to modify it for my Hartblei cameras.

 

[abruzzi]

Yeah, I'd avoid adding optics like a focal reducer and just accept that most of your lenses are going to feel significantly longer on a digital body. I hate that everything except the obscenely expensive options has settled on the 44x33mm sensor. Thats smaller than any format using 120 film. Its not that I think bigger is better, just that smaller sensor means that my existing collection of lenses doesn't cover wide very well. My 50mm Mamiya is nice and wine on 6x9 or even 6x7, its moderately wide on 6x4.5. But on a 44x33 sensor it barely registers as wide.

My DB is pretty old, and CCD based so no usable live view, but it does have a 6x4.5 sensor, and takes very nice photos. For the price I paid I couldn't get any CMOS sensor, even a 44x33 one like the IQ1-50, but thats ok since I use the exact same process that I use for 6x9 and 6x7 focusing on a ground glass. (using an Arca Swiss 6x9 F-classic.)

 

[ic-racer]

Do you use your favorite medium format lens to shoot digital?

Why?