Hasselblad Short Tele for Landscape

[Prospero]

Hi all. My current Hasselblad kits consists of a 50, 80 and 250. I'm looking to fill the gap between the 80 and 250 - and I take landscapes, not portraits, so I'm looking for something that performs well stopped down. I've reviewed a few threads here and elsewhere and am still looking for some help. I don't have a strong preference one way or another for 150, 160 or 180 in terms of the framing they give, so I am looking for the best resolution I can get. My budget precludes CFE and CFI lenses. My questions:

1. 160 CB Tessar - I don't know much about CB lenses - how would the quality compare with C and CF?

2. 150 f4 C/CF and 180 f4 CF - which is sharper stopped down at infinity?

3. If there is anyone out there who has used all three, which do they prefer?

thanks in advance...

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Go with the 150 CF. For those odd times when you want an out-of-focus area, it will produce the more pleasing Bokeh. They're also plenty on the used market, so you can pick one up in good shape for less if you watch carefully. The CB lens has a somewhat slower maximum aperture (f4.8 vs. f4), and the shutter is not quite as robust (that said, the lenses are new enough that it shouldn't be a problem for the life of the lens in your hands). Another thought about the 150 vs 180 - the 150 is a substantially more compact lens than the 180 - it will pack and travel easier. What you should do if you can is rent both a 150 and a 180 and see how you like the results. Is the difference in field of view significant to you, and which gets you closer to what you want, perspective-wise?

 

[Pinholemaster]

My 150mm is my bread and butter.

That said, I also love my shorter 100mm.

Go with the 150mm.

 

[Terence]

Another vote for the 150mm CF. Great for landscape, and fantastic for portraits when combined with a 16mm tube.

Whenever I head to the western U.S., my hiking kit is usually a 150mm CF and a 2x converter. Between the two focal lengths I can cover a large range of shots. The landscapes out there are so broad that any wide-angle lens is disappointing in MF, so I focus on what a friend calls "landscape portraits".

 

[arigram]

I use the 180 and love it (supposed to be sharper than the 150 but can't verify that) but also consider the 120 macro if you take shots up to 20m or so. It supposed to lose quallity only after that distance.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

The 120 is ok for landscapes, but a bit too close in focal length to the 80 relative to his 250. Also, it produces extremely sharp, contrasty images and quite harsh and unflattering out of focus areas (OOFAs aka Bokeh) at non-macro distances.

 

[pgomena]

I'd ditto the 150, especially since you already have the 250. I own the 120, and it suits my needs, but as Flying Camera said, it's a bit close to your 80. And, yes, there's a lot of them available used. They are/were a staple of the wedding/portrait photographers' kits.

Peter Gomena

 

[DrPablo]

The 150 C T* f/4 is a wonderful, compact, and sharp lens with great background blur. And the prices are extremely good for them these days -- only the 80mm lenses are cheaper.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

The downside of the C lens is that the shutters are getting quite up there in years, and some parts are no longer available, resulting in either A: VERY expensive custom repairs or B: a very pretty glass-and-aluminum bookend. The CF lenses have come down enough in price that you can pick up a very late model CF for not much more than a late C T*. In some cases, less, because there are folks out there collecting the black C lenses now.

 

[Tony Estcourt]

160 CB

Sometimes the 160 CB is available at a bargain price compared to the 150 CF. I'v e been very pleased with mine, its light, not quite so sharp as the 150 but performs very well in backlit situations compared with other tele's i have owned. This may be due to the very simple optical design.

This was taken with the 160

Dead Link Removed

 

[PatTrent]

Next to my 80, I use the 150 the most, and the 250 only about 1/3 as much as the 150.

 

[Prospero]

Thanks to all for advice. I've ordered a 150 CF from KEH.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

If you can't rent one, KEH is the next best thing. There will be no hassles and no questions asked if you get it in and decide you need the 180 instead. Great folks to deal with.