Hasselblad 80mm CF extension tube?

6by6cm · Nov 19, 2006

Hi all,

I am using a Hasselblad 80mm CF lens. I want to get an extension tube so I can use it for close-ups. Any ideas on what to buy?

Basically, what I need is to be able to go closer to the subject and do a tighter crop until I manage to get a 120mm. I will also use it for product photography. Right now, I could only crop to the chest level for portraits 'coz of the minimum focusing distance.

Thanks.

André E.C. · Nov 20, 2006

Available are tubes of 8, 16, 32 and 56mm if I remember correctly!
Maybe the 56?

Good luck!

André

TheFlyingCamera · Nov 20, 2006

The 56 will probably get you TOO close. I'd say the 32. If you are looking to do 1:1.5, the 56 would get you in the vicinity, or at least 1:2. Also, bear in mind that you'll have at least a whole stop of exposure comp with the 56. See if you can rent one - some good camera rental places actually have the tubes available. There is also a 65-85 vari-tube if I recall correctly, but that would be definitely too much for what you're looking for.

max_ebb · Nov 20, 2006

A macro tube for portraiture? The idea behind using a longer portrait lens is so you don't have to shove the camera in subjects face (makes for a better comfort level).

A 16mm tube should be enough to fill the frame with a head shot. Any more than that for portraiture use I believe would be too close.

6by6cm · Nov 20, 2006

Thanks André, TheFlyingCamera for the info!

Are these tubes standard tubes? Or I need something very specific for the Hasselblad? Do you have any ideas what brands I should look for?

I'll just try out the different tubes and see what I need. I still have no budget for a 120mm or a 150mm so this would be a temporary solution for now.

max_ebb has a point. I wouldn't want to get too close to the model for portrait shots. It would be useful though for product shots which I specified in my query.

MikeK · Nov 20, 2006

6by6cm said:
Thanks André, TheFlyingCamera for the info!

Are these tubes standard tubes? Or I need something very specific for the Hasselblad? Do you have any ideas what brands I should look for?

I'll just try out the different tubes and see what I need. I still have no budget for a 120mm or a 150mm so this would be a temporary solution for now.

max_ebb has a point. I wouldn't want to get too close to the model for portrait shots. It would be useful though for product shots which I specified in my query.

Are you sure you are not confusing extension tubes with an extender? I have never seen 3rd party extension tubes for a Hasselblad, not to there are non. They are not particularly cheap either. The extension tube will get you in close but will not mimic a 120 or 150mm lens. The 2x extender will do just that. Use that with an 80mm and you get the equivalent of a 160mm lens. I bought a Vivitar 2x from KEH for a really good price.

Mike

Mark Feldstein · Nov 20, 2006

Actually, I think you'll find that Hasselblad extension tubes are the right tubes for the job and that these are specific for the purpose intended. The reason is because after the tube is installed on the body the lens still has to connect to the bod through the tube itself and also requires the standard bayonet mounts front for the lens (or another tube because you can stack two) and for the attachment end to the body. The only other manufacturer that might work is Kiev and I have no idea how well they might might work.
Take it light.
Mark

6by6cm · Nov 20, 2006

MikeK said:
Are you sure you are not confusing extension tubes with an extender? I have never seen 3rd party extension tubes for a Hasselblad, not to there are non. They are not particularly cheap either. The extension tube will get you in close but will not mimic a 120 or 150mm lens. The 2x extender will do just that. Use that with an 80mm and you get the equivalent of a 160mm lens. I bought a Vivitar 2x from KEH for a really good price.

Mike

Now I'm confused. Probably used the wrong term. haha

Hmmm...Mike you have a point. I probably need an extender since I want to mimic a portrait lens like the 120.

How much was the Vivitar 2X and what specs do I look at when buying one? Would it just be the diameter of the lens?

Are there any other alternatives? I'm looking into something that gets the job done quality wise. Something that would give me the most value for my money. I'm ok with a little degradation in quality since it's medium format anyway.

Mark, thanks for the inputs.

MikeK · Nov 20, 2006

6by6cm said:
Now I'm confused. Probably used the wrong term. haha

Hmmm...Mike you have a point. I probably need an extender since I want to mimic a portrait lens like the 120.

How much was the Vivitar 2X and what specs do I look at when buying one? Would it just be the diameter of the lens?

Are there any other alternatives? I'm looking into something that gets the job done quality wise. Something that would give me the most value for my money. I'm ok with a little degradation in quality since it's medium format anyway.

Mark, thanks for the inputs.

KEH (www.keh.com) has a few 2x extenders on their web site. Komura in Excellent condition is selling for $53.00 and $56.00, a 2x Rokunar for $99.00. KEH only sells over the Internet or via phone - their service is 1st class.

By the way you mount the teleconverter to the body and then the lens. When you want to put the lens back on the body take it off the teleconverter, then remove the teleconverter. Also remember you will need to increase your exposure by a full stop when using one of these puppies. You will probably loose a little sharpness compared to a prime lens, but for portraits and less than $100 can't really go wrong.

Mike

6by6cm · Nov 21, 2006

MikeK said:
KEH (www.keh.com) has a few 2x extenders on their web site. Komura in Excellent condition is selling for $53.00 and $56.00, a 2x Rokunar for $99.00. KEH only sells over the Internet or via phone - their service is 1st class.

By the way you mount the teleconverter to the body and then the lens. When you want to put the lens back on the body take it off the teleconverter, then remove the teleconverter. Also remember you will need to increase your exposure by a full stop when using one of these puppies. You will probably loose a little sharpness compared to a prime lens, but for portraits and less than $100 can't really go wrong.

Mike

Thanks for info Mike. I'll check out KEH.

André E.C. · Nov 21, 2006

MikeK said:
Also remember you will need to increase your exposure by a full stop when using one of these puppies.

Maybe it`s better to increase 2 stops, just in case...!

Cheers

André

6by6cm · Nov 21, 2006

Thanks for the additional advice André!

P.S. Are you guys the only Hasselblad users in this forum? Just wondering. It would be nice to get in touch with photographers using a similar system. What's the best forum to hang out? An online forum dedicated to using a Hasselblad system.

Sorry mods for the OT.

André E.C. · Nov 21, 2006

6by6cm said:
P.S. Are you guys the only Hasselblad users in this forum? Just wondering. It would be nice to get in touch with photographers using a similar system. What's the best forum to hang out? An online forum dedicated to using a Hasselblad system.

No, there are many more Hasselblad users around here and this one is "The Forum" to hang out for sure.
Keep asking your questions or sharing your thoughts, more users will pop up.
There are some online hasselblad dedicated forums, but to be honest, none of those are so helpful as this one.

Cheers

André

6by6cm · Nov 21, 2006

André E.C. said:
No, there are many more Hasselblad users around here and this one is "The Forum" to hang out for sure.
Keep asking your questions or sharing your thoughts, more users will pop up.
There are some online hasselblad dedicated forums, but to be honest, none of those are so helpful as this one.

Cheers

André

It's nice to hear that this is "The Forum" to hang out.

max_ebb · Nov 22, 2006

A 1.5x converter (80mm-120mm) might be better than 2x for portraiture. It should allow you to crop in tight for head shots, and won't lose quite as much detail/lens speed as with a 2x converter. In my experience with converters, there is a significant quality difference between a converted focal length and an actual focal length (if the longer lens is decent quality). IMO (based on my experience), with medium format film, cropping an image from an unconverted lens will give just as good of print (or better) as printing full frame from a converted lens.

A longer lens or a 2x converter isn't really going to help for close up (product) photography. You end up shooting from too far away. When you photograph products, you are basically shooting still life. If you want to do close up still life that 'pops', there's no substitute for a macro extension tube (or a dedicated macro lens) IMHO.

bill schwab · Nov 22, 2006

6by6cm said:
Thanks for info Mike. I'll check out KEH.

Check out eBay too. Every tube I have came from there and at cheaper prices than I've seen mentioned here.

Good Luck,

B

JLP · Nov 22, 2006

Bill is right, if you need extension tubes ebay is the place, i picked up a really nice 55mm for 36$ That is by the way no good for an 80mm in portrait "mode".

jan

max_ebb · Nov 23, 2006

I don't know if your more immediate need is for telephoto or macro (different ends of the scale), but if telephoto is your more immediate need, and you wind up getting a 2x converter, you can always take out the lens elements and use it for a macro tube after you get a longer lens (or you could put the lens elements back in and use it for both).

Both the teleconverters I've had have ended up being used as macro extention tubes (with the lens elements removed).

6by6cm · Nov 23, 2006

Thanks Max, Bill and Jan for the advice!

As of now, I think I need a teleconverter more since I'll be using it for portrait close-ups. Later on, when I get longer lens, I'll try to convert it to an extension tube like what Max suggested.

Thanks again!

Hasselblad 80mm CF extension tube?

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