Hassleblad 100mm CFi incorrect DOF markings? f/32?

cirwin2010 · Jan 4, 2023

I recently acquired a Hasselblad 100mm 3.5 CFi lens. When examining it I notices a peculiarity. The minimum aperture f-stop value is f/22, however, the DOF scale has marking for f/32. I thought this was odd so I went and took a look online. Pictures I found of the lens online only has DOF marking that go up to f/22. Additionally there are some differences in how the DOF scale is marked such as the number '8' missing from my lens and only being marked by a line.

Everything else about the lens seems normal and the front of the lens is also correctly marked for being a 100mm f/3.5 lens. I have attached an image of my lens. Anyone have any idea why mine is like this? The DOF scale looks inaccurate when compared to images of the lens online. When the lens is set to the infinity position (like the attached image), the 'm' marking is at the f/11 mark. However, images online show the 'm' marking at the f/8 mark.

Edit: After comparing this lens against images of other CFi lenses, it looks like the DOF scale matches the 150mm lens. Could there have been a mix up?

Sirius Glass · Jan 4, 2023

My Hasselblad 100mm 3.5 CF lens' depth of field stops at f/22.

Oldwino · Jan 4, 2023

Maybe there was a factory repair at one point, and that's the only replacement part they had on hand, from the 150mm?

cirwin2010 · Jan 4, 2023

I ordered this from KEH, I'll try to get in contact with them about this. I have not used the lens yet so I can't comment on if the lens optics are in proper order. Looking through the lens and looking at it closely I cannot find any other faults with it.

Kodachromeguy · Jan 4, 2023

Amazing coincidence. I just ordered a 100 CFi from Camera West. It will arrive tomorrow. Their photograph ~~shows the same DOF scale~~:

Products

www.camerawest.com

Oops, not correct. The one I ordered shows a DOF scale to ƒ/22. The lens only stops down to ƒ/22, not 32. Another Hasselblad puzzle.

Steven Lee · Jan 4, 2023

This doesn't look like a reused part, because the 100mm model markings are on the same ring as the DOF range marks... And the entire DOF range seems to be more compressed vs what's on mine. I wonder that perhaps at some point they've decided to re-calculate the DOF scale using a tighter circle of confusion, and left f/32 by mistake? Also, @Kodachromeguy your link shows the typical DOF scale ending with f/22.

cirwin2010 · Jan 4, 2023

Steven Lee said:
This doesn't look like a reused part, because the 100mm model markings are on the same ring as the DOF range marks... And the entire DOF range seems to be more compressed vs what's on mine. I wonder that perhaps at some point they've decided to re-calculate the DOF scale using a tighter circle of confusion, and left f/32 by mistake? Also, @Kodachromeguy your link shows the typical DOF scale ending with f/22.

I would agree that this doesn't look like a reused part. The letter where "100mm" is printed looks factory. I took a look at the hasselblad service manual and while the part number for this DOF ring for 100mm vs the 150mm is different, that may just be to account for the different lettering. The part itself looks to be inter compatible. I would think that this could be a factory error, but hard to say.

I don't think hassleblad would have adjusted the DOF scale for a tighter circle of confusion and leave the 32 markings on the lens. I also cannot find any evidence of that in part manuals.

Edit: I seem to recall that Hasselblad hand assembles their products. Could be pretty easy to put a part in the wrong bin during assembly.

JPD · Jan 5, 2023

Maybe they had already made aperture and DOF scales going to 32, but decided not to let the lens stop down more than 22, maybe because of some mechanical reason, and made new aperture scales but kept the DOF scales to save money. So perhaps this is the rare first batch.

cirwin2010 · Jan 5, 2023

JPD said:
Maybe they had already made aperture and DOF scales going to 32, but decided not to let the lens stop down more than 22, maybe because of some mechanical reason, and made new aperture scales but kept the DOF scales to save money. So perhaps this is the rare first batch.

I thought that too at first, but the CFi lenses are much newer than the C and CF lenses that predate it. The 100mm optical formula hasn't changed since its conception in the C series and the earlier lenses only stop down to f22 with matching DOF scales. Additionally I cannot find any record of a change in part number for the 100mm lens CFi DOF scale.

Kodachromeguy · Jan 5, 2023

Steven Lee said:
This doesn't look like a reused part, because the 100mm model markings are on the same ring as the DOF range marks... And the entire DOF range seems to be more compressed vs what's on mine. I wonder that perhaps at some point they've decided to re-calculate the DOF scale using a tighter circle of confusion, and left f/32 by mistake? Also, @Kodachromeguy your link shows the typical DOF scale ending with f/22.

Yes, this is odd. On the lens in the photograph that the OP posted, ∞ to 10m is adjacent to the ƒ/22 mark on the DOF scale. But on the lens in the Camera West advertisement, ∞ to 10m lies helf way between ƒ/11 and ƒ/16. My lens will arrive today, and I will take a roll of Panatomic-X to test it.

Here is a CF version of the lens:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/144828603998

On this unit, the 10m mark is again located half way between ƒ/11 and ƒ/16.

Sirius Glass · Jan 5, 2023

Kodachromeguy said:
Yes, this is odd. On the lens in the photograph that the OP posted, ∞ to 10m is adjacent to the ƒ/22 mark on the DOF scale. But on the lens in the Camera West advertisement, ∞ to 10m lies helf way between ƒ/11 and ƒ/16. My lens will arrive today, and I will take a roll of Panatomic-X to test it.

Here is a CF version of the lens:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/144828603998

On this unit, the 10m mark is again located half way between ƒ/11 and ƒ/16.

Yes the lenses is junk. Send it to me and I will swap the aperture ring and send back my CF with the f/32 aperture ring attached.

cirwin2010 · Jan 5, 2023

Kodachromeguy said:
Yes, this is odd. On the lens in the photograph that the OP posted, ∞ to 10m is adjacent to the ƒ/22 mark on the DOF scale. But on the lens in the Camera West advertisement, ∞ to 10m lies helf way between ƒ/11 and ƒ/16. My lens will arrive today, and I will take a roll of Panatomic-X to test it.

Here is a CF version of the lens:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/144828603998

On this unit, the 10m mark is again located half way between ƒ/11 and ƒ/16.

The position of the 10m mark is actually between the 22 and the 16 mark, just the angle of the photo makes it look like its on 22. The focus scale can be used past the f8 marks as long as you make a mental note that they are about a stop off (f11=f8, f16=f11, f32=f22, etc). I just ran a roll of Acros through the camera and will develop it tonight to validate sharpness and functionality to ensure nothing else is wrong.

Sirius Glass · Jan 5, 2023

cirwin2010 said:
The position of the 10m mark is actually between the 22 and the 16 mark, just the angle of the photo makes it look like its on 22. The focus scale can be used past the f8 marks as long as you make a mental note that they are about a stop off (f11=f8, f16=f11, f32=f22, etc). I just ran a roll of Acros through the camera and will develop it tonight to validate sharpness and functionality to ensure nothing else is wrong.

I am willing to put up with that. Would you like to swap for my 100mm CF to get rid of that pesky f/32 on the aperture ring? I will pay for all shipping and the drinks at the bar.

GLS · Jan 14, 2023

I have the 100mm CFi, and the DoF markings on mine stop at f22. Furthermore the aperture markings for the DoF scale are different, with the lines for f4, f8, f11, f16 and f22 so noted. Finally, the spacing of the DoF marks are different: on mine when the aperture is set to f22, the f22 DoF mark lines up close to f4 on the aperture ring; on yours it is at the half stop between f8 and f5.6.

The markings on mine look the same as the one in this picture:

Yours seems to have the DoF markings for the 150mm, despite the printing saying 100mm. Very odd.

JPD · Jan 14, 2023

I would contact Zeiss about this and see what they have to say. I did some googling, and the scale looks indeed like the one for the 150mm.

Sirius Glass · Jan 14, 2023

JPD said:
I would contact Zeiss about this and see what they have to say. I did some googling, and the scale looks indeed like the one for the 150mm.

Or Hasselblad New Jersey.

BrianShaw · Jan 14, 2023

Sirius Glass said:
Or Hasselblad New Jersey.

Ahem...

WE'RE MOVING TO A NEW LOCATION!
HASSELBLAD INC.
201 S. VICTORY BLVD.
BURBANK, CA 91502 USA
Dear Customers,

In order to improve our services, we are moving the US Hasselblad service center to a new location in Burbank, California, starting November 7, 2022. Please update your records with our new address.

Due to this adjustment, our US repair service may experience temporary delays. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

To learn more about this change or to contact customer support, please e-mail us at support.us@hasselblad.com

We expect to complete this move by the end of November 2022. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Hasselblad USA moving from New Jersey to California

Just got this email: WE'RE MOVING TO A NEW LOCATION! HASSELBLAD INC. 201 S. VICTORY BLVD. BURBANK, CA 91502 USA Dear Customers, In order to improve our services, we are moving the US Hasselblad service center to a new location in Burbank, California, starting November 7, 2022. Please update...

www.photrio.com

Sirius Glass · Jan 14, 2023

BrianShaw said:
Ahem...

WE'RE MOVING TO A NEW LOCATION!
HASSELBLAD INC.
201 S. VICTORY BLVD.
BURBANK, CA 91502 USA
Dear Customers,

In order to improve our services, we are moving the US Hasselblad service center to a new location in Burbank, California, starting November 7, 2022. Please update your records with our new address.

Due to this adjustment, our US repair service may experience temporary delays. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

To learn more about this change or to contact customer support, please e-mail us at support.us@hasselblad.com

We expect to complete this move by the end of November 2022. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Hasselblad USA moving from New Jersey to California

Just got this email: WE'RE MOVING TO A NEW LOCATION! HASSELBLAD INC. 201 S. VICTORY BLVD. BURBANK, CA 91502 USA Dear Customers, In order to improve our services, we are moving the US Hasselblad service center to a new location in Burbank, California, starting November 7, 2022. Please update...

www.photrio.com

MattKing · Jan 14, 2023

Don't you remember Sirius - they moved to be closer to you
(there was a thread about this, and I told that joke there too)

Steven Lee · Jan 14, 2023

For a photographer who shoots film, LA is an awesome place to be. They have Harry Fleenor in Manhattan Beach, there's Steve's Camera, they have Freestyle and Photo Warehouse, real Kodak ECN-2 chemistry at retail (the only place in the country) and now they have the Hasselblad repair center. I'm moving!

Sirius Glass · Jan 14, 2023

MattKing said:
Don't you remember Sirius - they moved to be closer to you
(there was a thread about this, and I told that joke there too)

No it slipped my mind. I have been knee deep in GAS buying the Nikon mount Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DI VC USD G2 AF Lens with the 2X extender and TAP programming device, Nikon AF Fisheye Nikkor 16mm f/2.8D, and Nikon f/3.5 15mm lens, 95mm filters for the Tamron and two sets of Nikon Bayonet rear filters for the 13mm, 15mm and 16mm lenses. I am so full of GAS that I could just explode.= Warning do not follow closely behind me!

RalphLambrecht · Jan 15, 2023

cirwin2010 said:
I recently acquired a Hasselblad 100mm 3.5 CFi lens. When examining it I notices a peculiarity. The minimum aperture f-stop value is f/22, however, the DOF scale has marking for f/32. I thought this was odd so I went and took a look online. Pictures I found of the lens online only has DOF marking that go up to f/22. Additionally there are some differences in how the DOF scale is marked such as the number '8' missing from my lens and only being marked by a line.

Everything else about the lens seems normal and the front of the lens is also correctly marked for being a 100mm f/3.5 lens. I have attached an image of my lens. Anyone have any idea why mine is like this? The DOF scale looks inaccurate when compared to images of the lens online. When the lens is set to the infinity position (like the attached image), the 'm' marking is at the f/11 mark. However, images online show the 'm' marking at the f/8 mark.

Edit: After comparing this lens against images of other CFi lenses, it looks like the DOF scale matches the 150mm lens. Could there have been a mix up?
View attachment 325785

Your lens is a misfit; send it to me; it will be happier here.

Philippe-Georges · Jan 15, 2023

You can always 'see' the DOF on the focusing screen while closing the aperture, which is more accurate than any scale.

Anyway, you'r lucky tho have an object with an anomaly, which might be less boring as a normality can be, now at least you can puzzel...
This one of the many delights of shooting a Hasselblad!

Oldwino · Jan 15, 2023

Sirius Glass said:
No it slipped my mind. I have been knee deep in GAS buying the Nikon mount Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DI VC USD G2 AF Lens with the 2X extender and TAP programming device, Nikon AF Fisheye Nikkor 16mm f/2.8D, and Nikon f/3.5 15mm lens, 95mm filters for the Tamron and two sets of Nikon Bayonet rear filters for the 13mm, 15mm and 16mm lenses. I am so full of GAS that I could just explode.= Warning do not follow closely behind me!

But…but…none of these will fit a Hasselblad…
Or are you just hoarding?

Sirius Glass · Jan 15, 2023

Oldwino said:
But…but…none of these will fit a Hasselblad…
Or are you just hoarding?

No, my interest in the Hasselblad continues, as I use the Nikon generally for more casual shooting or then I am traveling and do not have time to dwell on subjects. And GAS does feel good. I have not had it for a long time.

Hassleblad 100mm CFi incorrect DOF markings? f/32?

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