LF lenses on a Hasselblad? Adapter? Helicoid?

[Early Riser]

Does anyone make an adapter with a helicoid that allows the use of LF lenses on a V model Hasselblad?

 

[jspillane]

I'm not aware of any... 500 series is very flexible for many things, but not for adapting lenses from other makers. It is likely easier with an F-series focal plane shutter model than with the classic leaf-shutter bodies. One would likely also have to use the bellows in order to focus a lens, even if you could get it attached.

The older Bronica S/D/Z cameras (not SQ or GS) are one of the better ones for adapting other lenses since the focusing system isn't part of the camera itself. I've looked into this route before but I've never experimented with it beyond research. I would imagine the RB67 has options as well.

This thread might be of interest to you:
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[Dan Fromm]

SL66, too.

 

[Early Riser]

I'm not aware of any... 500 series is very flexible for many things, but not for adapting lenses from other makers. It is likely easier with an F-series focal plane shutter model than with the classic leaf-shutter bodies. One would likely also have to use the bellows in order to focus a lens, even if you could get it attached.

The older Bronica S/D/Z cameras (not SQ or GS) are one of the better ones for adapting other lenses since the focusing system isn't part of the camera itself. I've looked into this route before but I've never experimented with it beyond research. I would imagine the RB67 has options as well.

This thread might be of interest to you:
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Thanks for the reply.

I'm not looking to adapt MF lenses to a Hasselblad body. I'm looking to adapt LF lenses. LF lenses have their own shutters and diaphragms and require no linkage to the camera body, so all I need is basically a tube with a Hasselblad lens mount on one end, a focusing helicoid and a threaded opening on the other in which to attach a LF lens.

 

[Ai Print]

I'd maybe buy a used V lens that is for parts and send it to SK Grimes to see what they could do with the rear of the lens to accept a helicoid tube to get proper extension from the film plane and a way to mount at least up to a Copal-1 LF lens on the front.

I don't think it would be cheap, but once done, a worthwhile tool. John Sexton no longer travels overseas with his 4x5 but instead a Hasselblad 500 body and either a flex or arc body for movements.

 

[Len Robertson]

Hasselblad made a 64 to 85 mm variable extension tube (which was actually a focusing mount for the 135mm Planar bellows lens) but they aren't inexpensive. The last couple shown on eBay Sold Auctions went for about $300 US.
The non-auto Hasselblad extension bellows gives an extension range of 63.5mm to 202mm and is far less expensive on the used market but of course is more bulky and heavy.
For either of these you must add the Hasselblad focal flange depth of 74.9mm so it seems about a 150mm view camera lens would be the shortest focal length you could use and focus to infinity. A 135mm might be possible but I suspect not.
Hasselblad made a #40037 "Lens mount adapter" for mounting special lenses for photomicrography. It was essentially a Hasselblad rear lens flange mounted to a blank aluminum round to be machined for the special lens. These adapters aren't common. Adapting a regular Hasselbad extension tube which are plentiful and cheap makes more sense as the mount for your view camera lens.
I just did a search on eBay for "Hasselblad helicoid" and there seem to be several different helicoids with a Hasselblad mount available from China at reasonable prices.

Len

 

[jspillane]

Thanks for the reply.

I'm not looking to adapt MF lenses to a Hasselblad body. I'm looking to adapt LF lenses. LF lenses have their own shutters and diaphragms and require no linkage to the camera body, so all I need is basically a tube with a Hasselblad lens mount on one end, a focusing helicoid and a threaded opening on the other in which to attach a LF lens.

Yes, I understood that you are looking for LF lenses. But there are further issues of course, such as syncing the shutter of the LF lens with the Hasselblad body... the adapters on ebay appear to be 'dumb' adapters, so one would be limited to using mirror-pre-release, then triggering the lens. Certainly doable, but I think a bellows/variable helicoid MF camera with focal plane shutter (such as Bronica S or Rollei SL66) would be a more usable solution.

Or an ArcBody, but that is a very pricey solution (and doesn't give reflex viewing).

 

[bdial]

Hasselblad made an adaptor that is basically the bayonet for the body and a flat aluminum plate that could be drilled to mount a lens. But, it has no helicoid, you would need still to use it with a bellows or a lens with a focusing mount.

You could possibly buy one of the cheap tele-coverters and gut the optics to cobble one up. Or else just fashion a plate that could go onto a bellows. There are some Russian or Chinese makers doing helicoid mounts sold on ebay for various cameras, I don't know if any of them do a Hasselblad mount one though.

 

[k.hendrik]

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Argh; now you realise you bought the wrong camera. Any 'glass' will fit your Rolleiflex Sl66 with a little help from ducktape

 

[Early Riser]

Hasselblad made a 64 to 85 mm variable extension tube (which was actually a focusing mount for the 135mm Planar bellows lens) but they aren't inexpensive. The last couple shown on eBay Sold Auctions went for about $300 US.
The non-auto Hasselblad extension bellows gives an extension range of 63.5mm to 202mm and is far less expensive on the used market but of course is more bulky and heavy.
For either of these you must add the Hasselblad focal flange depth of 74.9mm so it seems about a 150mm view camera lens would be the shortest focal length you could use and focus to infinity. A 135mm might be possible but I suspect not.
Hasselblad made a #40037 "Lens mount adapter" for mounting special lenses for photomicrography. It was essentially a Hasselblad rear lens flange mounted to a blank aluminum round to be machined for the special lens. These adapters aren't common. Adapting a regular Hasselbad extension tube which are plentiful and cheap makes more sense as the mount for your view camera lens.
I just did a search on eBay for "Hasselblad helicoid" and there seem to be several different helicoids with a Hasselblad mount available from China at reasonable prices.

Len

Len, thanks for the very useful information.

I'm curious about the 135mm Planar lens. It's a macro I assume but am curious as to whether it could be used, maybe with the variable extension tube if it allows infinity focus, as a useful landscape lens. I own the 100mm planar and the 180mm, both are extraordinary lenses. I have found the 150mm to be adequate, but not ideal, for landscape, and as it's already close to the 180mm I own I wanted something more equally between the 100mm and 180mm focal length. The 120mm macro is not a great landscape lens, so that leaves me with the notion of maybe using a 120mm symmar-L, adapted to fit a Hassy body, or maybe the hasselblad 135mm planar-s macro. Do you know much about the 135mm planar?

 

[removed account4]

ER
look for an iris. they sell for between 150 and a few hundred dollars and basically they just clamp down on a lens
and secure it. these irises are used often times as a universal mount for people who use barrel lenses so they don't have
to deal with lens boards. if you can get lens / body a mount for your camera, telescopic focus tubes/ macro extension bellows
and a lens board you could probably do it.
adam and his pals at SK GRIMES can probably make it for you.

 

[John Koehrer]

With a bellows and gaffers tape any LS lens that fits the mount works.
Use the pre fire to open the blind and cable release for the LS.
OK maybe not Gaffers tape, but you get the idea.

I did this with a 35 years ago, not the most convenient thing to use
but there's a lot to play with in LS lenses.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Does anyone make an adapter with a helicoid that allows the use of LF lenses on a V model Hasselblad?

the question is why?... You won't be able to match he quality of Carl Zeis lenses for the Hasselblad. LF lenses are not as good.

 

[removed account4]

With a bellows and gaffers tape any LS lens that fits the mount works.
Use the pre fire to open the blind and cable release for the LS.
OK maybe not Gaffers tape, but you get the idea.

I did this with a 35 years ago, not the most convenient thing to use
but there's a lot to play with in LS lenses.

totally agree !
gooooogle mark tucker and his plunger cam

 

[paul ron]

perhaps you should get an rb67?

 

[Early Riser]

the question is why?... You won't be able to match he quality of Carl Zeis lenses for the Hasselblad. LF lenses are not as good.

It depends on the lens. I own the 100mm Planar and the 180mm Sonnar. Without question two of hasselblad's best lenses. The 150mm is ok, it's better suited as a portrait lens than a landscape lens as it doesn't have the resolution and it's too close to the 180mm anyway. The 120mm Zeiss macro is not good for landscape. That leaves a hole in which a 135mm fits perfectly. In the 135mm range there are some excellent LF lenses, and given that they are designed to cover 4x5 that means that in order to cover 6x6cm you are using the center of the lens. Plus if the adapter is made with an add on tube I can also attach a 180mm SF Fuji lens, a lens type completely lacking with hasselblad.

Otherwise what's the alternative? Crop the 100mm image heavily? Use the 100mm with the 1.4 tele extender? I own the extender and have tested it on the 100mm and it's probably as good as the 150mm in the center but resolution falls off a bit at the edges. I already own the 135mm Sironar-s and the 180mm Fuji SF so the biggest costs are already covered.

 

[Early Riser]

perhaps you should get an rb67?

I already own a large Rolleiflex 6008i system, a large Mamiya 7II system, a very large Fuji G680III system and a Hasselblad system. I think I've got enough cameras.

In the field I carry 3 systems, a 6x6 and 6x7 combo, a 6x12cm (Fotoman) and a DSLR system (for color work). This is what I take on road trips (no flying)

In the field my system for small MF is 50mm, 65mm, 80mm and 150mm on the Mamiya 7II, and I now also carry the 100mm and 180mm for the Hasselblad. I added the Hasselblad because of the hole in the Mamiya 7II system between the 80mm and the 150mm, partly filled by the 100mm Zeiss. The Zeiss 180mm is a great lens and allows me to frame the scene exactly which my 210mm for the Mamiya 7II doesn't as it requires a rather inaccurate viewfinder. If I am flying to a location this is the only film system I carry.

The choice of lenses was also based on the fact that all of these lenses are about as good as you can possibly get. It's an all star team. And in regards to the RB67, a fine camera with very good lenses, it's lenses just aren't as good. My work is printed large and when not using a 6x12cm camera I still need to squeeze as much resolution out of the lenses as possible.

The Rolleiflex system is quite excellent but it's heavy and is heavily dependent on batteries. The Fuji GX680III system is also excellent but as I always carry at least two bodies and many lenses it's really cumbersome unless I leave the 6x12 system home.

 

[Len Robertson]

I had trouble finding the focusing range of the 135mm Makro-Planar using the 64-85mm variable extension tube. I finally found this post: https://www.photo.net/discuss/threads/hasselblad-variable-extension-tube-64-85mm.4065/ which gives the range as about 115cm to infinity. It is also pointed out the 135mm is an f5.6 lens while the newer 120mm Makro-Planar is an f4 and the 135mm "...has better correction at large distances than the 120mm f4."

So if you were dissatisfied with the 120mm, possibly the 135 may be better at landscape distances. However since you are fortunate enough to own both the 100mm and 180mm, reputed to be some of Hasselblad's best performing lenses, the 135mm may not compare well with them. It seems reasonable to think the 135mm Makro-Planar would perform better than a modern view camera lens adapted to a Hasselblad although it would be very interesting to see an actual comparison test.

Looking at this page: http://www.hasselbladhistorical.eu/HW/HWLds.aspx
it seems the 135mm was last made as a CF lens but whether the newer series lenses actually have improved performance I don't really know.

Len

 

[paul ron]

I already own a large Rolleiflex 6008i system, a large Mamiya 7II system, a very large Fuji G680III system and a Hasselblad system. I think I've got enough cameras.

In the field I carry 3 systems, a 6x6 and 6x7 combo, a 6x12cm (Fotoman) and a DSLR system (for color work). This is what I take on road trips (no flying)

In the field my system for small MF is 50mm, 65mm, 80mm and 150mm on the Mamiya 7II, and I now also carry the 100mm and 180mm for the Hasselblad. I added the Hasselblad because of the hole in the Mamiya 7II system between the 80mm and the 150mm, partly filled by the 100mm Zeiss. The Zeiss 180mm is a great lens and allows me to frame the scene exactly which my 210mm for the Mamiya 7II doesn't as it requires a rather inaccurate viewfinder. If I am flying to a location this is the only film system I carry.

The choice of lenses was also based on the fact that all of these lenses are about as good as you can possibly get. It's an all star team. And in regards to the RB67, a fine camera with very good lenses, it's lenses just aren't as good. My work is printed large and when not using a 6x12cm camera I still need to squeeze as much resolution out of the lenses as possible.

The Rolleiflex system is quite excellent but it's heavy and is heavily dependent on batteries. The Fuji GX680III system is also excellent but as I always carry at least two bodies and many lenses it's really cumbersome unless I leave the 6x12 system home.

I see you already have an extensive load for road trips, packing heavy. But with all the armament you carry, why would you want to use LF lenses on a Hassie? Ive built adapters for LF lenses to RBs and having used it, I can tell you there are no benifits other than an I CAN DO IT in my cap.

Why not just carry a LF camera instead?

 

[btaylor]

Maybe I am dense. If you want big blow-ups and you want to use LF lenses in a compact format: Linhof Super Technika. If you insist on using roll film slap a Super Rollex on it and done.

 

[Early Riser]

Maybe I am dense. If you want big blow-ups and you want to use LF lenses in a compact format: Linhof Super Technika. If you insist on using roll film slap a Super Rollex on it and done.

I own a Linhof Technika MT3000 and use it with Sinar Zoom II backs. And while I carry at least 2 of the zoom backs with me, I only carry the one Linhof. Should that Linhof get damaged on a trip, that trip is over, not a good thing when you have flown a great distance and planned to work for 6 weeks. In the past when I used the Linhof I also carried the mamiya 7II system as a back up camera, but as I now also carry a Nikon D810 system for color work I can only afford to carry the Mamiya/Hasselblad system with it.

 

[Early Riser]

I see you already have an extensive load for road trips, packing heavy. But with all the armament you carry, why would you want to use LF lenses on a Hassie? Ive built adapters for LF lenses to RBs and having used it, I can tell you there are no benifits other than an I CAN DO IT in my cap.

Why not just carry a LF camera instead?

I only want to use 2 very small LF lenses, (copal 0) on my Hasselblads. The 135mm because it fills a lens hole, and the 180mm soft focus Fuji because it has a unique look and Hasselblad does not have a similar lens.

 

[Kodachromeguy]

Early Riser, I think your project is possible. The easiest might be to buy:
1. Hasselblad bellows (not the bellows hood, the bellows that attaches to the body).
2. A M39 to Hasselblad adapter ring. I have seen them on ePrey.
3. A device called, "A solid adapter with female 32.5mm x 0.5 thread inside and 39mm x 0.75 thread on the outside and a 1.2mm thick flat rim."
I have a 135mm Xenar, and for that, only items 1 and 2 would be needed because its mounting ring is already the Leica M39 thread. This would be a tripod only arrangement because you would need to lock up the mirror and then trigger the lens with a cable release. Let us know if you try it.

 

[itsdoable]

If you search that *bay site with "hasselblad helicoid", you'll get several helical focusing mounts that fit the hasselblad, with a 65mm theaded, or smaller hole for a large format lens on the other end. I have one, which currently has a Imagon attached to it. You just have to select the correct length, and/or get some spacers.

 

[Early Riser]

Early Riser, I think your project is possible. The easiest might be to buy:
1. Hasselblad bellows (not the bellows hood, the bellows that attaches to the body).
2. A M39 to Hasselblad adapter ring. I have seen them on ePrey.
3. A device called, "A solid adapter with female 32.5mm x 0.5 thread inside and 39mm x 0.75 thread on the outside and a 1.2mm thick flat rim."
I have a 135mm Xenar, and for that, only items 1 and 2 would be needed because its mounting ring is already the Leica M39 thread. This would be a tripod only arrangement because you would need to lock up the mirror and then trigger the lens with a cable release. Let us know if you try it.

Thanks for the reply.

A bellows is just too cumbersome for me to take on location.