Hasselblad 60 mm Biogon in MK 70 camera

Struan Gray · Sep 8, 2009

Someone is selling a Hasselblad MK 70 camera on the Swedish auction site tradera:

http://www.tradera.com/HASSELBLAD-MK-70-EXTREMLY-RARE-EXTREMT-OVANLIG--auktion_98124859

I can't see myself getting caught up in collector pricing, but I wondered if the 60 mm Biogon on these cameras can be used on other Hasselblad models. Or, as seems reasonable, must it have the Reseau plate in front of the film to achieve it's proper performance.

Q.G. · Sep 8, 2009

The answer is: no. It cannot be used on other cameras. With one possible exception.

It's not just the reseau plate: the rear of the lens extends quite a long way into the body, almost all the way to the other end.
So you would have to take the mirror out of the camera.

Which brings us to the possible exception: the 2000-series Hasselblads have mirror lock up (not the thing frequently called lock up, while really it isn't), so you do not need to remove the mirror.
Just lock it up before you mount the lens, and keep it that way until after you have removed the lens.

Another thing would be whether you would want to spend enormous amounts of money for a lens whose superb performance, though very real, is lost in 'every day', run of the mill photography.

Sirius Glass · Sep 8, 2009

Getting 70mm perforated film for those three backs will be challenging to say the least.

Steve

Q.G. · Sep 8, 2009

The price (still) is quite good.
For that money, it would be a nice thing to have even if you couldn't find film for it.

Struan Gray · Sep 8, 2009

Thanks for the comments. I do have a mild obsession with photogrammetric and mapping cameras, but thus far it hasn't extended to buying equipment I am unlikely ever to be able to use.

I would guess the Biogon could be jury-rigged onto a 2000-series camera (I have one, so that bit's solved . Faking the Reseau plate would be harder though.

In case anyone here is tempted, I have bought from the seller before, and would happily do so again.

Sirius Glass · Sep 8, 2009

Yes Straun, but your GAS tells you to buy it now. Strong the pressure of the GAS is.

Steve

Struan Gray · Sep 9, 2009

GAS leads to parcels. Parcels lead to discovery. Discovery leads to suffering.

Dear Santa. I still want a Rollei 3003. And an Aviogon. And a portable rollfilm back for 9x9. Please get it right this year.

Q.G. · Sep 9, 2009

Struan Gray said:
I would guess the Biogon could be jury-rigged onto a 2000-series camera (I have one, so that bit's solved . Faking the Reseau plate would be harder though.

You wouldn't need to, except for inifinity focus.
That can be solved by stopping down far enough.

So why don't you?

Struan Gray · Sep 9, 2009

As I understand it, a uniform glass plate will do more than just shift the paraxial point-of-best-focus. If the angles at which the light rays pass through the glass vary you get spherical aberration too. A non-retrofocus wide angle is about a worst case for this.

I suppose I could sell it as a unique soft-focus Biogon

Q.G. · Sep 9, 2009

Bids have still not gone up. The set is still dead cheap (i'm almost tempted myself...).
For that money, it would be worth trying to find 70 mm film so you can use the set as it is. If not, not much lost.
(And i'm not even kidding. )

Struan Gray · Sep 9, 2009

"Reservationspris ej uppnått" means reserve not met, so I assume the seller roger.g has a reserve that makes sense.

I bought a vintage 480 mm Dagor for ULF from roger.g a couple of years ago, as well as one of those iris clamps for mounting LF lenses without flanges. Both experiences were very positive. I know he can handle enquiries and transactions in English, but if you or anyone else would like help translating the incidental text in the auction, just ask.

Jerevan · Sep 10, 2009

I can also vouch for Roger, having talked with him and done some deals in person. He knows his stuff.

Q.G. · Sep 10, 2009

Temptation was too strong, so i tried to place a bid.

First, i have to register, of course.
So i click Registrera dig här.
Next page tells me that because i have been inactive for too long, i have been logged out.
So i click the log in link.
Which takes me back to the page with the 'register here' link.
And round and round and round we go.

Probably an issue with cookies, but also a sign from above that i really shouldn't?

So as far as i am concerned, all yours Struan!

Struan Gray · Sep 11, 2009

Why thank you QG, that's most gracious of you

I'm more of a dumpster diving type myself. My own cure for GAS is to set such a miserly low limit on what I'm prepared to pay that I only snap up the truly astonishing bargains. Given that using the lens is probably a non-starter, this one's already well beyond my curiosity budget.

Hasselblad 60 mm Biogon in MK 70 camera

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