Finally getting myself a medium format...

Hello all!

I'm finally taking the dive and getting a medium format. Opting for a used (obviously!) Hasselblad 500 c/m with a 80mm Chrome f/2.8 (not T*). It's my cousins who used it for her work until she finally went all digital. Works for me though. Should be getting The body, waist level, 12 back, and the lens for 650. I'm very excited, but I REALLY want a wider angle lens, something under 50 preferably, but 50 would work if I can't find a wide in my price range. I was hoping to snag one for 500 or less, It doesn't have to be a 2.8, but I would certainly prefer it to be at least f/4. Any suggestions?

Thanks a ton, and I look forward to hopefully contributing to this great community finally!

-Will

Congratulations on your new camera and may you have decades of fun with it.
As for the wide angle, well, there is only one 4/50 and its different "updates" through the years...

Hi Will!

Welcome to Apug and the Hasselblad community. I own and love a 500C/M, a 80 T* and a 50 and 150 C.

For lenses, I often raid KEH: Dead Link Removed. All my lenses have been in BGN condition, you should be able to get something nice there.

Antje

Will,

First: congrats!

When shopping for lenses, be aware that there two different series of Hasselblad lenses: one with shutter (and this series comes in three different 'generations'), and one without shutter (which comes in two only slightly differeing versions).

There is an f/2.8 50 mm lens, but it is part of the series of shutterless lenses, and wil not work with your 500 C/M.
So mind what you order!

The selection of wide angle lenses for the 500 C/M is limited: an f/4 40 mm (in three optically different versions, none of which you can get for less than US$1000), two optically different versions of an f/4 50 mm, and an f/3.5 60 mm lens.
And the f/3.5 38 mm Biogon, which is fixed to a non-reflex camera body: the SWC (several different generations exist).

total idiot question here but...

Is there anything in particular to look for in the name of the lens to be sure that it'll work with my 500c/m. I certainly don't want to get the wrong thing...I would have to wait that much longer to get what I wanted to use!

I'm planning on using it for a book of nightshots to sell in my town, by the way. It's a smaller town, but there are a lot of local artist, and a lot of people seem to love stuff about the area. That's one of the big reasons I wanted the wide angle. I'll probably buy her 150 a little later on after the wide. I really cannot wait to use it!

-Will

Try to get a CF 4/50 or CFi 4/50.

KEH has a CF 50/4 BGN for $616 at the moment - that would almost fit the bill, wouldn't it.

Did I already mention I really like my 50/4 C? Sharp, nice colour, the filter size is a little odd, but well, so I got an adapter for it. $349 at KEH.

Antje

Antje said:

KEH has a CF 50/4 BGN for $616 at the moment - that would almost fit the bill, wouldn't it.

Did I already mention I really like my 50/4 C? Sharp, nice colour, the filter size is a little odd, but well, so I got an adapter for it. $349 at KEH.

Antje

Click to expand...

Mmm, I'm looking quite hard at the C, would match my 80 too! Very exciting indeed, and all at a steal

-Will

Regencyriggs said:

Is there anything in particular to look for in the name of the lens to be sure that it'll work with my 500c/m.

Click to expand...

Will, I'm afraid that your choices for Hasselblad lenses is restricted to, well, Hasselblad lenses. I don't know of any third party manufacturers who make lenses for your 500 c/m. There area a couple of former Soviet Union made lenses that fit Hasselblad, but these are without shutter and not suitable for your body.

There can be quite a bit of debate about the imaging quality of C vs. CF vs. CFi lenses, but I would not be terribly concerned over that. Hasselblad never offered anything but the best lenses for a very discriminating market. I have a 50 f/4 CFi and it is an outstanding lens. I've a friend with an older 50 F/4 C lens, and aside from a slightly greater tendency to flare, the images produced by that lens are nothing but first rate. Flare can be handled over 90% of the time by judicious use of a lens hood. I would be more concerned over condition, since most used gear is likely to have been used by professionals who actually use their gear hard. Then again, the Hasselblad is often used in less harsh studio environments.

KEH is a good place to look for used equipment. Their rating system is very conservative, and they have a very liberal return policy. If you are not satisfied, they will work with you to make it right or refund your money.

Sweet score on the camera, Will. Welcome to the forum.