Hasselblad 50 or 60 mm lens

Willie Jan · Jul 2, 2007

Hi,
I just bought a 500cm with 80 lens, and am searching for a wide angle.

What I can find is that the 60 is a very nice lens, but the 50 is more wide angle...

Have you guys used both lenses and went for a specific one after using it?

Willie Jan.

Magnus W · Jul 2, 2007

I have owned both, but the one I have right now is the 50mm. Reason; well it was the one I got at a good price. But that aside, if I had both to choose from I still would have bought the 50. The wider angle does it for me. Quality-wise I never noticed any difference. The 60 is a tad more compact, which might be a selling point.

-- MW

Dan Henderson · Jul 2, 2007

I also cast my vote for the 50, although I've never used a 60. The 50, in my opinion, can give a definite wide-angle appearance to compositions, such as stands of trees or other vertical objects. I also like the extreme near-far perspective it is capable of. The "Black Church and Cross" image in my gallery was taken with the 50. Unless I had unlimited funds and a mule to carry many lenses, I'd think the 60 was too close to the 80 to make a significant difference.

wfwhitaker · Jul 2, 2007

I have both and I like both. The 60 is wide without feeling wide. It's close to the way I see and it's a good lens for getting two or three people in the shot without distorting them. The 50 definitely feels wide. Both are superb. You need to choose according to the way you see.

colrehogan · Jul 2, 2007

I had both and sold the 50 because it was too wide for me. However, as you have the 80, I agree that the 60 is too close. However, consider what subjects you tend to shoot and how you look at them. I decided to stay with only the 60 mm for my 6x6 system and am quite happy with it.

David Henderson · Jul 2, 2007

For a two lens system - or as a single wide lens I'd find the 60 both not wide enough and too close to the 80. The only way I'd buy the 60 is if I had a short term plan to buy a 40mm as well.

benjiboy · Jul 2, 2007

You don't say what you want to use it for Willi, a 60mm moderate wide angle lens very useful in the studio and outdoors for family groups wouldn't be as useful for architectural photography, the 40mm would.

Willie Jan · Jul 2, 2007

benjiboy said:
You don't say what you want to use it for Willi, a 60mm moderate wide angle lens very useful in the studio and outdoors for family groups wouldn't be as useful for architectural photography, the 40mm would.

For me the wide angle would be a lens to take along when shooting pictures when we go out with our photoclub, or on holiday (landscapes,mountains).
The 40 is nice, but a beast and not affordable. for architecture i use a 4x5.

Sirius Glass · Jul 2, 2007

My past experience with 35mm was that a 35mm lens was too close to 50mm. I found the 28mm lens was the most useful lens to have in Europe followed by either the 21mm or the 50mm lens.

Based on that I felt the 60mm lens was too close to the 80mm lens and so I brought the 50mm. If I feel the need and have the money I would buy the 38mm SWC over the 40mm lens because the former has less distortion/convergence issues.

Steve

MattKing · Jul 2, 2007

Are you happy with the angle of view that the 80mm gives you? Are you thinking about a moderate telephoto as well?

The answers to these questions may help determine which wide-angle will be best for you.

I tend to prefer moderate wide angles as a standard lens - for 35mm film, I use a 35mm lens, for 6x4.5, I use a 55mm lens and for 6x6 I use a 65mm lens.

I then try to complement those moderate wide angles, with short telephotos (where available) - for 35mm, I like an 85mm, for 6x4.5, I like a 110mm, and for 6x6 I use 135mm, but would like a 105mm.

I have wider lenses as well, and longer lenses, and I use both, but not as much.

It depends very much on what angle of view appeals to you, and what sort of photographs and photographic situations appeal to you.

If you already shoot other formats (such as 35mm, then what focal lengths work there for you?

Matt

Willie Jan · Jul 3, 2007

MattKing said:
If you already shoot other formats (such as 35mm, then what focal lengths work there for you?

Matt

i stopped working on 35, but had a 24-90. But i do not want to have a rocket lancher in by bag when i go into the mountains... Wide angle is often nice for holiday pictures, not for real images. And if I need real wide, than I use my 4x5 and put the 6x12 back onto it. For the "Fast" work i want to use the 6x6.

benjiboy · Jul 3, 2007

Willie Jan said:
For me the wide angle would be a lens to take along when shooting pictures when we go out with our photoclub, or on holiday (landscapes,mountains).
The 40 is nice, but a beast and not affordable. for architecture i use a 4x5.

In that case Willie I would go for the 50mm, it has angle of view of 75 degrees (about the same as 28mm on 35mm) that I think would be the most useful for your purposes regardless of the relative cost of the lenses , if you already have the 80mm standard lens, to me this would be the best buy.

Willie Jan · Jul 4, 2007

I found a 50 CF T* 4.0 yesterday in excellent condition.

thanks to you all for your help.

Sirius Glass · Jul 4, 2007

Willie Jan said:
I found a 50 CF T* 4.0 yesterday in excellent condition.

thanks to you all for your help.

Congradulations!

You have made the same choice that I did!

I can unconditionally state that you have excellent taste!

You can follow my advice anytime!

Steve

Hasselblad 50 or 60 mm lens

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