Well, for starters lens and body are married to each other. Taking lens and lens to film plane distance were calibrated carefully at the factory.
No unnecessary mechanical movement either. Only the snick of the shutter.
No film back cassette that can have film plane alignment problems.
Hasselblad has set the standard for precision when it comes to film plane and lens mount alignment. I've never seen a problem with it unless some amateur messed with it. In terms of mirror vibration the camera can be pre-released to only activate the leaf shutter for taking the photo. It's also a heavier system, which tends to be more stable when taking photos.
In the real world I don't think you'd be able to tell the difference. I like the Tessar equipped Rolleiflex because it's very lightweight. A 2.8 Planar Rolleiflex starts to get heavier, so might as well use a Hasselblad with the interchangeable lenses and the advantages of an SLR.
Wear and manufacturing differences will always, even with immaculate tolerances, be worse than a completely matched set.
F&H were not casual in that department.
Prerelease mirror means that you lose that half second, at least, between it and the decisive moment.
Not so with a TLR.
The form factor of the Hasselblad is more unwieldy than the Rolleiflex.
The latter can be held to your body for support. A Hasselblad will stick out from your belly or be held in a sideways stance.
It’s basically a shrunk down version of a camera shape that was meant for air reconnaissance.
The 3.5 Tessar was because more lens surfaces didn’t make much sense in medium format before coating.
And even with coating there was, as you say, weight and size advantages.
But even a 2.8 is still significantly smaller and lighter than a Hasselblad.
If it's a "decisive moment" shot, then it's probably being hand held. Camera shake from hand holding a camera is orders of magnitude more destructive to image quality than virtually any manufacturing tolerances or mirror shake!Prerelease mirror means that you lose that half second, at least, between it and the decisive moment.
Not so with a TLR.
Hasselblad has set the standard for precision when it comes to film plane and lens mount alignment. I've never seen a problem with it unless some amateur messed with it. In terms of mirror vibration the camera can be pre-released to only activate the leaf shutter for taking the photo. It's also a heavier system, which tends to be more stable when taking photos.
In the real world I don't think you'd be able to tell the difference. I like the Tessar equipped Rolleiflex because it's very lightweight. A 2.8 Planar Rolleiflex starts to get heavier, so might as well use a Hasselblad with the interchangeable lenses and the advantages of an SLR.
I sold my 2,8 F because mostly because of its weight and I didn't feel I needed the slightly faster lens. The 3,5 Planar is great, and the Tessar models are lighter and the lens has more "character". A pre-war Rolleiflex Automat is currently one of my favourite cameras, and it's even lighter. The uncoated lens is charming and has all the sharpness I want from a Rollei.I like the Tessar equipped Rolleiflex because it's very lightweight. A 2.8 Planar Rolleiflex starts to get heavier, so might as well use a Hasselblad with the interchangeable lenses and the advantages of an SLR.
3.5 tessar fan here. (Automat). Lightweight, rugged. Lots of aperture blades, so nice bokeh at any aperture.
I also have a 2.8 tessar but it's quite a bit heavier and nose heavy, but otherwise nice.
I'm sufficiently pleased with the TLRs (but not smug) that I have not sought to see if the grass is greener in Hasselblad land.
I sold my 2,8 F because mostly because of its weight and I didn't feel I needed the slightly faster lens. The 3,5 Planar is great, and the Tessar models are lighter and the lens has more "character". A pre-war Rolleiflex Automat is currently one of my favourite cameras, and it's even lighter. The uncoated lens is charming and has all the sharpness I want from a Rollei.
Thing is a Rolleiflex with Planar has the potential to be better than a Hasselblad with “the same” lens.
I sold my 2,8 F because mostly because of its weight and I didn't feel I needed the slightly faster lens. The 3,5 Planar is great, and the Tessar models are lighter and the lens has more "character". A pre-war Rolleiflex Automat is currently one of my favourite cameras, and it's even lighter. The uncoated lens is charming and has all the sharpness I want from a Rollei.
Nice example of the mandatory Rollei selfie!To regress further: My favorite TLR is a Rolleicord II with a Triotar lens. It's even lighter and simpler than your Automat, and its Triotar lens renders a distinctive look of its own that I love. I also have a couple of Art Deco Rolleicords with f/4.5 Triotars and while they too produce amazing images, they don't feel quite as bulletproof as the Rolleicord II so they stay up on the shelf. Here's a selfie I shot with one ten years ago, when I was young and handsome:
The two Planar lenses share the 80mm and f/2.8 but otherwise are very different lenses. One is 5- element and compact. The other is 7- element and slightly retrofocus to allow the rear element to clear the mirror. They both perform very well.
To regress further: My favorite TLR is a Rolleicord II with a Triotar lens. It's even lighter and simpler than your Automat, and its Triotar lens renders a distinctive look of its own that I love. I also have a couple of Art Deco Rolleicords with f/4.5 Triotars and while they too produce amazing images, they don't feel quite as bulletproof as the Rolleicord II so they stay up on the shelf. Here's a selfie I shot with one ten years ago, when I was young and handsome:
Yes, there is a difference.
I own a Rolleicord with a Tessar 3,5/75 and a flex 3,5F with a Planar 3,5/75.
For critical work (brickwork that reaches to the corners) you need to stop down the Tessar to f/8. Half a stop wider open, f/6.7 may be accceptable, but you see a difference.
The Planar can be used at every case at f/5.6 and may be at f/4.7, that is "one stop faster" for the same image quality. Wide open the Planar is slightly soft in the corners but quite sharp in the center. The Tessar is soft even in the center at f/3.4 and f/4. May be used for portrait work, but not for landscape or architecture.
To regress further: My favorite TLR is a Rolleicord II with a Triotar lens. It's even lighter and simpler than your Automat, and its Triotar lens renders a distinctive look of its own that I love. I also have a couple of Art Deco Rolleicords with f/4.5 Triotars and while they too produce amazing images, they don't feel quite as bulletproof as the Rolleicord II so they stay up on the shelf. Here's a selfie I shot with one ten years ago, when I was young and handsome:
To regress further: My favorite TLR is a Rolleicord II with a Triotar lens. It's even lighter and simpler than your Automat, and its Triotar lens renders a distinctive look of its own that I love. I also have a couple of Art Deco Rolleicords with f/4.5 Triotars and while they too produce amazing images, they don't feel quite as bulletproof as the Rolleicord II so they stay up on the shelf. Here's a selfie I shot with one ten years ago, when I was young and handsome:
To regress further: My favorite TLR is a Rolleicord II with a Triotar lens. It's even lighter and simpler than your Automat, and its Triotar lens renders a distinctive look of its own that I love. I also have a couple of Art Deco Rolleicords with f/4.5 Triotars and while they too produce amazing images, they don't feel quite as bulletproof as the Rolleicord II so they stay up on the shelf. Here's a selfie I shot with one ten years ago, when I was young and handsome:
Talking about Rolleiflex selfies, after almost 50 years, the 3.5F is still there, the hair is a lot shorter and a bit less.
In the 1970s, a Rolleiflex was so far beyond my means that I could not imagine ever owning one. You were lucky to have the privilege.
From my own limited experience, I'd say the Planar is decisively sharper off-center, somewhat sharper in the center, and has a certain "pop" factor the Tessar types lack---but it might fairly be accused of a certain modern, "clinical" look that isn't always what you want. But neither one will ever, *ever*, be accused of being a technically inadequate lens, except by someone who's got something wrong with them!
We may lose sight of this aspect sometimes, inveterate gearheads that many of us are---it's easy to get caught up worrying about the difference between "really really good" and "technically better than practically anyone needs".
-NT
Bought it second hand for around us$250 if I remember well.
The two Planar lenses share the 80mm and f/2.8 but otherwise are very different lenses. One is 5- element and compact. The other is 7- element and slightly retrofocus to allow the rear element to clear the mirror. They both perform very well.
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