hasselblad distagon 50 4.0 question

Willie Jan · Jul 10, 2007

Hi,

im quite new to hasselblad and searching for a 50mm lens for my new 500cm.

Is there a big difference in quality between the black *T lens and the newer CF *T lens? The black lens is around $400 and the cf lens around $700.

kjsphoto · Jul 10, 2007

I believe the only difference is the CF are newer style lenses and the bay mount is bigger, 60 versus 50, which when buying filter just buy a bay mount adapter ring and your set.. I used to own the T* ( chrome ones ) and now the CF because I wanted to have all the same bay mount.

Kev

Pinholemaster · Jul 10, 2007

Optically no. I'm sure the specs on the lens will contradict me on that, but any difference on paper will not show up on film.

Sirius Glass · Jul 10, 2007

Pinholemaster said:
Optically no. I'm sure the specs on the lens will contradict me on that, but any difference on paper will not show up on film.

No, there is an optical difference. The C lenses have a single layer of optical coating and the CF lenses have the T* multiple layers of coating. The contrast is better on the CF and the flare rejection on the CF lenses is better. While a lens hood will help cut down the flare on the C lenses there will still be more flare. Put the lens hood on the CF lenses and the flare reduction is even better.

As noted the C lenses have a Bay-50 filter size and the CF lenses have a Bay-60 lens size. If all your lenses are CF then you only need one polarizing filter for all most all the CF lenses [40mm lens is excluded for one]. Bay-60 filters can be hard to find, but Bay-50 filters are even harder to find.

I recently purchased a Hasselblad with the 50mm, 80mm and 250mm CF lenses. I am considering getting the 150mm CF lens. I will only purchase the CF lenses because I can see the difference.

Beware that the chrome lenses have not been made for years and some of the parts are no longer available. Chrome lenses therefore have been rendered unfixable for the most part. 50th anniversary Chrome lenses excepted.

Steve

Andrew Moxom · Jul 10, 2007

These lenses are identical otical design wise. I think the only difference is the hood / filter dimension as already stated. The 50mm Distagon lens design stays the same until the FLE version comes along. It is supposed to be higher quality. Even then, it would require a lab to determine differences.

edtbjon · Jul 10, 2007

Eh, the earlier C-style 50mm Distagons had used Series 63 filters. They are not bayonet filters but are set inside a special filter ring or the hood. The same filter size was also used with the SWC cameras until they also standardized on the Bay60 filters.
Second, in general chrome C lenses doesn't have multicoating, i.e. T*, while the black C lenses does have T* coating. (There are exceptions, but they are very few, read "expensive" as in collectors items.)
What is more important than optical performance when it comes to choosing in between a C lens and a CF lens is that spare parts for the shutters on the older C lenses are running out.
If you buy an older C lens it is important to first check that all the times are correct and then to excersise the shutters every month. (E.g.: Today is the 25'th so it's shutter excersise day. Oh yeah, it's payday too. (In Sweden paycheck days are normally once a month, on the 25'th.) )

//Björn

Sirius Glass · Jul 10, 2007

Thank you for the clarification and the shutter discussion.

Steve

mcd · Jul 10, 2007

Hasselblad 50mm

Willie Jan said:
Hi,

im quite new to hasselblad and searching for a 50mm lens for my new 500cm.

Is there a big difference in quality between the black *T lens and the newer CF *T lens? The black lens is around $400 and the cf lens around $700.

Careful here. There are two versions of the 50mm lens, the later having floating elements that are adjusted per focus distance using a separate ring. This version (which I have) is reputed to be superior for close focusing. I have heard that the earlier one is fantastic also, so your mileage may vary.

DrPablo · Jul 10, 2007

There are indeed C versions with T* coating, which is the kind I own.

I have no complaints about that lens. It's magnificent. There's a very small amount of light falloff in the corners when shooting wide open with it, but it actually looks pretty nifty on some pictures. Stopping down to f/5.6 or f/8 gets rid of it.

Otherwise it's sharp as a razor, and it's a nice, versatile wide angle.

david b · Jul 10, 2007

Parts are no longer available for the C lenses. It's worth the extra money for the CF in case something where to happen to the lens.

mcd · Jul 10, 2007

david b said:
Parts are no longer available for the C lenses. It's worth the extra money for the CF in case something where to happen to the lens.

David, are you sure about this? I had my C lens SWC/M overhauled in 03 in the New Jersey location. At that time I was told that the only parts that were unavailable were cosmetic pieces for the silver C lenses, and that shutter parts were abundant, and the whole situation was overblown.

Willie Jan · Jul 11, 2007

So when i gather the info together for the black T* lens:

1) Spare parts
probably in the future it can get more problematic when spares are needed

2) 50 ring where the 50 CF has a 60 bayonet (all my other lenses are 60 to)

3) Flare. The black 50 lens has more flare due to the older coating.

Thanks for your help!
I think i will search for a CF. Probably the lens has to stay with me for the next 40 years so that $3 per year extra for the cf lens....

Sirius Glass · Jul 11, 2007

Willie Jan said:
3) Flare. The black 50 lens has more flare due to the older coating.

Slight correction: A black C lens has more flare than a black CF lens.

The rest is correct.

Steve

hasselblad distagon 50 4.0 question

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