The 150mm f4 CF lenses

[ted_smith]

I have a Hasselblad 501CM. Love it, but so far only have the 80mm CB Plannar lens.

Due to some work successes, I am due to get £300 soon and wanted to use it to buy either a longer lens or a Macro lens for it.

Have looked at FFordes.co.uk and note they have quite a few 150mm f4 CF lenses (CFi lenses are out of my reach!) for about £300.

http://www.ffordes.co.uk/product/12101216325681

My main usage for my Blad is to photograph my kids (who are toddler aged) and landscapes when I get chance to get out and about. So on the one hand, I need a wider lens than the 80mm I have, but I think I'd use a 150mm more, but it's relatively slow f4 worries me a little as I tend to use slow films like Acros 100. Are the 150mm f4's recommended lenses, and if anyone can suggest a slightly better one for a little more money, I'd be pleased to hear of recommendations. How much were these lenses when bought from new before Hasselblad moved to H system?

Ted

 

[EASmithV]

I have it, and it's a great lens. From what I've heard, it's not something you'd want to shoot lens resolution charts with, but i've never had an issue with that, in fact it's sharp enough it seems to almost out resolve my 4x5 lenses... You definitely want to get an 8mm or 16mm extension to use with it, it brings the focus in and gives you a nice range to work with for portraits.

But we can talk all day about supposed goodness, here's a few images instead: http://www.flickr.com/search/?ss=2&w=30767964@N02&q=150mm&m=text

 

[BrianShaw]

Who cares about lens resolution charts when you're talking about top-notch lenses.

The 150 CF has become my most used lens, especially for pics of the kids. I shoot slow film too (160 mostly) and never seem to have a problem unless shooting indoors... and then I have no problem with connecting a strobe to it.

 

[jk0592]

It is a great portrait lens, and nothing prevents you from using it for landscapes as well.

 

[Slixtiesix]

This is a good lens. Have one in SL66 mount. The 180mm is said to be better (well it is better if you look at the MTF charts), but that does not mean that the 150mm is bad. I search Ebay quite often for Hasselblad gear and you can get a 180mm CF for 500 Pound if you have some luck. The 180mm is said to be much longer physically and heavier. For handheld work consensus seems that 150mm is better suited. Then there is also a 160mm CB Tessar. Some people say it is bad but I have seen wonderful pictures made with it. It is also rather light. I have seen this for about 300 Pound used (but beware: dealers often list it at unreasonable prices). The 150mm is better in picture quality though. If it is in good working order I think you can´t get wrong at that price.

 

[sandermarijn]

Another 'go' for the 150mm. While not as sharp as say the 80mm standard, it does produce a nicely smooth look, the typical Sonnar signature. You can really make your subject drown in the surrounding blur. (Whow, I managed to avoid the word 'bokeh'.)

You may also consider a black 150mm C T*. Those are optically identical to the CF but go for less.

I agree with Slixtiesix above that the 160mm Tessar is very nice in handling but not as cool optically, not the same softish drowning effect.

Good luck with your choice.

 

[ted_smith]

Thanks for the info guys.

Interestingly, having looked at FFordes.co.uk first, I was shocked to see how much MORE they are selling for on eBay. Whilst £299 seems to be the average at FFordes, £450-£500 seems to be the average over at eBay! http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_s...enses_Filters_Lenses&rt=nc&LH_ItemCondition=4

Not sure why given that with FFordes you get a little warranty too?

 

[bdial]

...Not sure why given that with FFordes you get a little warranty too?

The reason is that you have done the work to get educated, and many ebay buyers do not. They just assume that ebay is the best source for all things. There is probably some "auction fever" at work, too, assuming you are looking at completed auction prices.

As for the 150, if I had to restrict myself to only one lens of my kit and sell the rest, my 150 would be the keeper. Buy it, you won't be sorry. As mentioned, though, you probably will want a short extension tube if you're looking to do tight portraits.
I would buy the 8 in preference to the 16, but I think the 8 is the most expensive one.

 

[bernard_L]

but it's relatively slow f4 worries me a little as I tend to use slow films like Acros 100

In medium format ISO 400 film grain is hardly visible. And the two stops extra can be used to avoid blur, especially if shooting handheld. The gain in image quality is probably more than whatever you might lose from film grain. Just an opinion. .

 

[ted_smith]

Looks like the 150mm it will be then. Everyone seems to be in favour.

Excuse my stupidty (still learning the fineness of MF) but what are extension tubes for? A few people have saide I'd need one with this lens but I'm not sure why? Are they like "x2 Converters" in 35mm, making a 50mm to 100mm but with typically one or two stops lost? Again, I looked at ffordes.co.uk and found this, which is a 'Hasselblad Extension Tube 55' :

http://www.ffordes.co.uk/product/12112717332081

No specific mention of "8 or 16" extension tubes? And I'm not sure what sort I'd need for 501CM body?

 

[BrianShaw]

Extension tubes will allow you to focus closer than the minimum focus capability of the lens.

They came in various thicknesses: 8, 16, 32, etc. The bigger teh extension tube, the closer you can focus... and the more you need to compensate exposure.

 

[Alan W]

I use an 8 tube with my 80mm when I want a "head shot",it allows you to get closer than the lens alone,almost like a bellows.And yes the 8 is definitely the most useful one to have.

 

[bdial]

The extension tubes let you focus a closer distances than the lens can on its own, they fit between the body and the lens, and include the necessary linkage for the shutter.
The minimum focus distance on the 150 is 1.4 m, and if you want to do a tight head and shoulders portrait, that isn't quite close enough.

There are several extension tubes available designated by their length in mm, the 8 is the shortest, the longest is about 55 mm.
The longer ones are only good for macro use, but tubes like the 8 or 16 will bring your focus distance close enough for a tight head and shoulders portrait.

There is a chart and more info at Hasselbladhistorical; http://www.hasselbladhistorical.eu/PDF/HasManuals/Extubes.pdf

 

[Sirius Glass]

Great portrait lens. About the right price. I use Kodak Tri-X and do not have a grain problem at all.

 

[darinb]

Just to be even clearer on the extension tube issue...

You'll note that when you focus a lens it gets longer and shorter. When it is at infinity it is at its shortest--rotating the focus ring doesn't move it any farther in. Likewise, when you focus closer, rotating the focus ring makes the lens get bigger--it sticks out more. If you do this, back and forth, with the lens off the camera you'll see that all that is happening is that the entire lens assembly is just moving toward and away from the film--the lens barrel just provides a hollow tube. Now, focus the lens all the way out, focus it as close at it will go. At some point the focus ring will stop rotating and you can't get the lens assembly any farther from the film. That's the closest the lens will focus--without extension tubes.

But note that what is stopping you from focusing closer isn't the optics, but the lens barrel itself. But since the barrel is just a hollow tube, what if there was a way to make the tube just a little bit longer--to move the lens a tad farther away and to thus focus even closer?

That's what extension tubes do. They add a little bit of length to that hollow tube called a lens barrel (which is why extension tubes themselves are nothing more than hollow tubes without any g). They come in different sizes which you can combine in any way you want because once you start doing this you'll start getting fancy about it. The bigger the tube you add the closer the lens will focus (since the glass keeps getting farther and farther from the film).

Note: Depth-of-field? Very slim. Exposure adjustment? With a prism looking through the lens the adjustment is automatic. With a handheld meter you have to tell the meter that you added tubes --the glass is farther away down that hollow tube called a lens barrel and/or extension tube so the light is dimmer, right? In fact, it was dimmer even without the extension tubes, as you focused closer and the glass got farther from the film, but we all just sort of ignore that most times

--Darin

 

[ted_smith]

I took the plunge! This is winging its way to me from FFordes.co.uk! I can't wait!

 

[RalphLambrecht]

congratulation!. now, you need a sunshade and a filter...that's why ha$$y stands for:hassy enough money left for film, but once you have them, you don't want to be without.