Hasselblad lens review site?

olwick · Mar 21, 2012

Hi,

Is there a site with reviews of Hasselblad lenses?

(yes, I'm sure they're all good, but I'm sure some are better than others)

Thanks,

Mark

johnielvis · Mar 21, 2012

check hasselbladhistorical website--they have the MTF graphs and you can compare them all yourself--

as far as subjective comparisons--forget it--each lens has it's fans...you will not make heads or tails of the opinions.

some opinions seem to be universal among those who have not owned the lenses, such as "500 c is a dog"....I doubt so many people have even used one, they just go by the relative MTFs and with popular opinion (in my opinion).

by the length you need and use it---hasselblad lenses ARE all good, really.

jeffreyg · Mar 21, 2012

Mark,

You will get almost as many different opinions as replies. I assume you are looking to get a lens or more. The focal length would be influenced by what you intend to photograph. If you are looking to purchase one, my suggestion is to test it with a roll or two at different settings preferably with your camera on a tripod. Process the film and see the results. It would also be wise to purchase from a reliable source with a return policy.

I have five Hasselblad lenses and their 2x and am quite pleased with all.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

Sirius Glass · Mar 22, 2012

They are all good. As noted above, choose the focal lengths that you will use.

cjbecker · Mar 22, 2012

Sirius Glass said:
They are all good. As noted above, choose the focal lengths that you will use.

^ nailed it. Also sharpness is the last thing to sorry about. Worry more about the focal length, or even more the subject.

Leigh B · Mar 22, 2012

Johnielvis nailed it.

All of the Zeiss/Hasselblad lenses are superb. Where differences do exist they're only between superb and superb+.

That fact is what convinced me to start using the Hasselblad system 42 years ago.

You'll find fans of each, and detractors of each. Everybody's experiences and shooting style differ, so you can't expect uniform results.

The one lens to avoid unless you actually want it is the 135mm bellows macro. It has no focusing helicoid, so it cannot be used without a bellows, and the combination is $$$.

- Leigh

film_man · Mar 24, 2012

The process of buying a Hasselblad lens is this:

1. What focal length do I need.
2. What is the newest lens I can afford.

Sirius Glass · Mar 24, 2012

film_man said:
The process of buying a Hasselblad lens is this:

1. What focal length do I need.
2. What is the newest lens I can afford.

The Revised process of buying a Hasselblad lens is this:

1. What focal length do I need?
2. What is the newest lens I can afford?
3. Purchase that lens.
4. Go to Step 1.

BrianShaw · Mar 24, 2012

I'm on step 4, again. Now I "need" a 250.

film_man · Mar 24, 2012

Sirius Glass said:
The Revised process of buying a Hasselblad lens is this:

1. What focal length do I need?
2. What is the newest lens I can afford?
3. Purchase that lens.
4. Go to Step 1.

Technically, the lens buying process is steps 1 and 2. What you describe is the process you inevitably end up in once you buy a Hasselblad!

BrianShaw · Mar 24, 2012

Does it really matter? "Process people" will forever be debating the difference between a process step and a subprocess.

How many Hassy lenses do you have, film_man... or which step are you currently on?

Leigh B · Mar 24, 2012

Sirius Glass said:
1. What focal length do I need?
2. What is the newest lens I can afford?
3. Purchase that lens.
4. Go to Step 1.

Simplified procedure:

1. Make a list of all Hasselblad lenses.
2. Buy them in whatever order you encounter them.

- Leigh

BrianShaw · Mar 24, 2012

Being of "thrifty" ancestry and ways... my step 2 in Leigh's simplified proc is "Buy them in whatever sequence I can convince myself of "true need".

Sirius Glass · Mar 24, 2012

Some people get GAS, but there is no more satisfying GAS then Hasselblad Glass GAS!

Leigh B · Mar 24, 2012

??GAS??

- Leigh

film_man · Mar 24, 2012

BrianShaw said:
Does it really matter? "Process people" will forever be debating the difference between a process step and a subprocess.

How many Hassy lenses do you have, film_man... or which step are you currently on?

My kit is the bare essentials. Just a 501CM with A12 and 80. And well another 2 A12s and a Polaroid back. Oh and a PM90. And a 50CT. And that 250CT. Oh and the 150CF I bought 3 weeks ago. But that's it. I don't need anything else. Well...maybe I'll get a 553ELX. And maybe a 40...maybe?

What is SG says, "Warning!! Handling a Hasselblad can be harmful to your financial well being!"

BrianShaw · Mar 24, 2012

... so how do you like the 250? I'm convincing myself I need one to better photograph my kids playing baseball. The 150 is good, but I sometimes can't get close enough to the action.

Sirius Glass · Mar 24, 2012

Leigh B said:
??GAS??

- Leigh

GAS = Gadget Acquisition Syndrome
Compulsive buying of camera, lenses and other photographic equipment

brucemuir · Mar 24, 2012

BrianShaw said:
... so how do you like the 250? I'm convincing myself I need one to better photograph my kids playing baseball. The 150 is good, but I sometimes can't get close enough to the action.

I have the older 250 "C" version. ( not the SA )
It's a bazooka so consider you might have only one shutter speed (1/500) available when handholding.
You may become adept at 1/250 but I usually use it at 1/500.

It's also great on a tripod

brucemuir · Mar 24, 2012

BrianShaw said:
Being of "thrifty" ancestry and ways... my step 2 in Leigh's simplified proc is "Buy them in whatever sequence I can convince myself of "true need".

Ahhh, a fellow Scot
I opted to go all "C"s due to filter compatibility (nowadays bay 50 filters are cheeeeep) and CF's can get pricey.

vpwphoto · Mar 24, 2012

I agree with most above.
The only blad pissing war's were over
80mm and 100mm being that much better and so similar a focal length.
and the 180 was known as better than the 150... the 150 has always served me just fine though.
TODAY buying used!!!! I would be more concerned with weather it was taken apart and re-assembled by a professional that lives up to the professional standards. The lenses come apart similar to view camera lenses paper thin tolerances are required to return to factory spec.

brucemuir · Mar 24, 2012

I was going to say something about the 180 being supposedly better but I've never shot one so it would be hearsay anyway.
I LOVE my 150 "C" and can't imagine wanting much more.

Leigh B · Mar 24, 2012

Sirius Glass said:
GAS = Gadget Acquisition Syndrome
Compulsive buying of camera, lenses and other photographic equipment

That's called "Natural Selection".

It's a fundamental (perhaps even definitive) characteristic of the human species.

- Leigh

tony lockerbie · Mar 24, 2012

Don't discount the pre T coated C lenses, they are in my humble opinion, just as good, especially the 150 and 250, and pricing is very good. Like Leica lenses, the Zeiss for Hasselblad lenses are of a uniform high quality, just find a clean one with a good shutter. My most used is the 150mm Sonnar, very nice, and a must have after the 80mm.

Sirius Glass · Mar 25, 2012

I prefer the CF lenses, which are easier to use, newer, their are no parts shortages, and they are multicoated.
The C lenses are optically the same, but have reflection and flare problems when bright light sources approach the front aperture.

Hasselblad lens review site?

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