Hasselblad digital Back

RalphLambrecht · Sep 5, 2017

I'm holding on to my Hasselblad collection several 501cs and lenses from 40-250mm in he hopes that a reasonably-priced digital back will be eventually available. Do you thinks will ever happen during our lifetime?not willing to pay$30k+

spijker · Sep 5, 2017

You should be able to get a decent back for less than 10k$. It depends on how old you're willing to go. Check out the GetDPI forum for ads from private sellers and links to commercial sellers of used digital backs. It will give you a good indication what digital backs go for nowadays. Just be aware that most CCD sensors are about 48 x 36mm and most CMOS sensors are 44 x 33mm so much smaller than the original 56 x 56mm negative size.

watkinssr · Sep 5, 2017

They really aren't that high anymore. I had a Leaf Aptus that did a wonderful job and I paid 1700 for it used from Adorama. 2-3 k and you can get a pretty nice one.

Bob Carnie · Sep 5, 2017

I agree, there actually should be quite a few of them available.

Sirius Glass · Sep 5, 2017

RalphLambrecht said:
I'm holding on to my Hasselblad collection several 501cs and lenses from 40-250mm in he hopes that a reasonably-priced digital back will be eventually available. Do you thinks will ever happen during our lifetime?not willing to pay$30k+

That you of course depend on whose life time you are talking about. I will hold off as long as I can and stick with film.

Bob Carnie · Sep 5, 2017

I have clients that have the very first phase backs that were adapted to film hassalblads bodys and I have clients that have the new 100mp system... I can say there is a huge difference when going up in size , but I have made many medium to large prints from these first generation backs that are good..

Right now I am making a 59 inch x 77 inch print show from the new back that looks like 8 x10 original film to print.

wiltw · Sep 5, 2017

Ralph,
Be aware that there are some operational difficulties arising from using a digital back that is retrofit on a film body like the 501c. Unlike today's bodies which have electronic communications between the 'for-digital body' and the digital back, the 501c has no such communications.
So you need to

cock the lens shutter (and lower the reflex mirror)
AND ALSO 'advance' the digital back to be ready to record another image,
AND THEN use a special 'cable release' to both open the shutter and have the digital back grab an image during the open shutter.

And keep all of that coordinated yourself (without assistance of automation) from shot to shot, rather than that being accomplished in the electronic linkage of body to back.

It is possible to find some bargain digital backs to fit your Hassy...used digital backs like this one
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Leaf-c-most...-6-/122675747961?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368

or reasonably affordable ones like this one
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Leaf-Aptus-...254118?hash=item283ecc15a6:g:mIoAAOSw1YRZpG8B

RalphLambrecht · Sep 5, 2017

Bob Carnie said:
I have clients that have the very first phase backs that were adapted to film hassalblads bodys and I have clients that have the new 100mp system... I can say there is a huge difference when going up in size , but I have made many medium to large prints from these first generation backs that are good..

Right now I am making a 59 inch x 77 inch print show from the new back that looks like 8 x10 original film to print.

thanks all for the tips.If I find something good for around $5k I'll bite. until then I'll stick to the Nikon D800 and film for the Hassy.

watkinssr · Sep 5, 2017

RalphLambrecht said:
thanks all for the tips.If I find something good for around $5k I'll bite. until then I'll stick to the Nikon D800 and film for the Hassy.

This is a shot I did with a 1700 dollar Leaf Aptus 17. For 5k you can get a really nice back.

Ai Print · Sep 6, 2017

wiltw said:
So you need to

cock the lens shutter (and lower the reflex mirror)

AND ALSO 'advance' the digital back to be ready to record another image,

AND THEN use a special 'cable release' to both open the shutter and have the digital back grab an image during the open shutter.

This is not true of all backs.

I have been using the latest iteration of a Hasselblad V system digital back, the CFV50c for over two years now and all you have to do is mount it on the camera like a regular film back, power it on and get down to business. I simply re-cock the shutter like I would any back and it is ready to go. You don't have to re-set the back or attach a cord, it works just like a film back except that you don't even have a dark slide to pull.

I paid $9,995 for mine new, the person above who claimed it went for as low as 5K must have been talking about a different back, no way on the CFV50c. I find the back outstanding and well worth the money I spent, it paid for it self in 3 months. I also find it is by far the best digital device I have ever used for long exposures, 20 minutes is fairly routine. The files it produces are just flat out gorgeous with better color and range than anything I have used to date, including the D810. It is also fairly small, only a little bigger than a film back and gets great battery life. Focusing MF is already kind of a bear so the fact the back has live view really helps to keep the image quality as high as it can be. And since I use this back with a 500ELX, four 501CM bodies and 9 lenses, making sure they all are in spec via live view is a breeze.

I was hesitant to spend that kind of money at first, but the goal was to get a system going within Hasselblad V that allowed me to seamlessly work with both B&W film and digital on the same outing with the same camera. No other system does this as well as the V system with a digital back.

Now all this may or may not sound great, but you are going to have to buy it used. Hasselblad discontinued it last year when they got pinched for sensor resources for the new X1D. And considering the position they are now in with DJI, the CFV50c might very well be the last digital back they ever make. I am fine with that though, because with truly great files even at ISO 3.200 and 50MP, it is the only one I need for my V system.

You can generally find it used for $7,000-$9,000 depending on all the usual things like timing and luck. I love it, very glad I have it.

RalphLambrecht · Sep 6, 2017

Ai Print said:
This is not true of all backs.

I have been using the latest iteration of a Hasselblad V system digital back, the CFV50c for over two years now and all you have to do is mount it on the camera like a regular film back, power it on and get down to business. I simply re-cock the shutter like I would any back and it is ready to go. You don't have to re-set the back or attach a cord, it works just like a film back except that you don't even have a dark slide to pull.

I paid $9,995 for mine new, the person above who claimed it went for as low as 5K must have been talking about a different back, no way on the CFV50c. I find the back outstanding and well worth the money I spent, it paid for it self in 3 months. I also find it is by far the best digital device I have ever used for long exposures, 20 minutes is fairly routine. The files it produces are just flat out gorgeous with better color and range than anything I have used to date, including the D810. It is also fairly small, only a little bigger than a film back and gets great battery life. Focusing MF is already kind of a bear so the fact the back has live view really helps to keep the image quality as high as it can be. And since I use this back with a 500ELX, four 501CM bodies and 9 lenses, making sure they all are in spec via live view is a breeze.

I was hesitant to spend that kind of money at first, but the goal was to get a system going within Hasselblad V that allowed me to seamlessly work with both B&W film and digital on the same outing with the same camera. No other system does this as well as the V system with a digital back.

Now all this may or may not sound great, but you are going to have to buy it used. Hasselblad discontinued it last year when they got pinched for sensor resources for the new X1D. And considering the position they are now in with DJI, the CFV50c might very well be the last digital back they ever make. I am fine with that though, because with truly great files even at ISO 3.200 and 50MP, it is the only one I need for my V system.

You can generally find it used for $7,000-$9,000 depending on all the usual things like timing and luck. I love it, very glad I have it.

View attachment 186206

View attachment 186207

that looks like what I want $10k... maybe...

Sirius Glass · Sep 6, 2017

watkinssr said:
This is a shot I did with a 1700 dollar Leaf Aptus 17. For 5k you can get a really nice back.

I am financially well off in my retirement and I cannot just plunk down $5k US. I will stick with film.

watkinssr · Sep 7, 2017

wiltw said:
Ralph,
Be aware that there are some operational difficulties arising from using a digital back that is retrofit on a film body like the 501c. Unlike today's bodies which have electronic communications between the 'for-digital body' and the digital back, the 501c has no such communications.
So you need to

cock the lens shutter (and lower the reflex mirror)

AND ALSO 'advance' the digital back to be ready to record another image,

AND THEN use a special 'cable release' to both open the shutter and have the digital back grab an image during the open shutter.

And keep all of that coordinated yourself (without assistance of automation) from shot to shot, rather than that being accomplished in the electronic linkage of body to back.

It is possible to find some bargain digital backs to fit your Hassy...used digital backs like this one
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Leaf-c-most...-6-/122675747961?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368

or reasonably affordable ones like this one
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Leaf-Aptus-II-5-Digital-Back-V-mount-for-Hasselblad-503CW-500CM-501CM-MINT/172852254118?hash=item283ecc15a6:g:mIoAAOSw1YRZpG8B

No, it doesn't work that way.

The Leaf/phase backs trigger off the flash sync port on the lens. You don't have to advance the back, you don't have to use a special release cable. You plug the sync cable from the back onto the flash socket on the lens and then just shoot like you would film -- cranking it to re-cock the shutter with each shot. There's a separate sync output on the back to drive your strobes if you're using them.

RalphLambrecht · Sep 8, 2017

RalphLambrecht said:
that looks like what I want $10k... maybe...

I checked with Hasselblad and B&H. the CFV50c is no loner unstuck and is currently no longer sold; no word about a future date.

Hasselblad digital Back

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