Tilt option for the Hasselblad

Richard Man · Jan 16, 2016

I know about the Flexbody and I know many people say that if you want tilt and shift, just use a 2x3 or 4x5 (I do use a 4x5 extensively BTW), but how come things like the Arsat 45mm Super Rotator Tilt Shift lens are available for 645 camera, e.g. Contax, Pentax, etc., but not for Hasselblad? The image circle should cover, so what gives?

Looks like a single lens solution is limited to an occasionally available modified Schneider Super Angulon 55mm, but if they are available at all, they go for $4000+ (there's one now on that site asking for $6000(!!!!) ).

Dr Croubie · Jan 16, 2016

Richard Man said:
how come things like the Arsat 45mm Super Rotator Tilt Shift lens are available for 645 camera, e.g. Contax, Pentax, etc., but not for Hasselblad? The image circle should cover, so what gives?

I thought they were? They're certainly available for Pentacon Six which has the same IC and flange length. Note that they won't have shutters so they'll only work on Hassy 2000s.

The history of the Hartblei Superrotator is long and convoluted, both designs and names have been sold/lent/used/stolen at various points.
The current 'Hartblei' is both one of the founders in Germany teaming up with Zeiss and selling Superrotators for $2k+, and alternately the old 'Hartblei' is still continuing in Ukraine fixing up Kiev Cameras and probably working with Arsenal/Arsat.

Whatever's being sold as 'new' is a crapshoot as to how new it is and where it was made, could be NOS. But they do come up used occasionally (anything Kiev or Hartblei related, I'd actually trust the used market better than buying new).

Sirius Glass · Jan 16, 2016

Richard Man said:
I know about the Flexbody and I know many people say that if you want tilt and shift, just use a 2x3 or 4x5 (I do use a 4x5 extensively BTW), but how come things like the Arsat 45mm Super Rotator Tilt Shift lens are available for 645 camera, e.g. Contax, Pentax, etc., but not for Hasselblad? The image circle should cover, so what gives?

Looks like a single lens solution is limited to an occasionally available modified Schneider Super Angulon 55mm, but if they are available at all, they go for $4000+ (there's one now on that site asking for $6000(!!!!) ).

The Rollei SL66 has some tilt and shift, but they and their parts can be hard to come by. For the kind of money you are talking about just get a FlexBody or a 4"x5" view camera.

cowanw · Jan 16, 2016

Like you I have wished the super rotator was available in Hasselblad mount. I believe it could be done with a spare mounting from a trashed lens. I think it is a patent thing.
My super rotator is for the Contax 645 and is a great lens.

Richard Man · Jan 16, 2016

Sirius Glass said:
The Rollei SL66 has some tilt and shift, but they and their parts can be hard to come by. For the kind of money you are talking about just get a FlexBody or a 4"x5" view camera.

I have a 4x5, my original post mentions both of those possibilities. I am just wondering WHY the options are not available.

Richard Man · Jan 16, 2016

cowanw said:
Like you I have wished the super rotator was available in Hasselblad mount. I believe it could be done with a spare mounting from a trashed lens. I think it is a patent thing.
My super rotator is for the Contax 645 and is a great lens.

If I get serious about pursuing this option, I may just get a Super Rotator for other mount and have it re-mounted.

cowanw · Jan 16, 2016

Let us know how it works out, please

TheFlyingCamera · Jan 16, 2016

The reason is that all the other cameras you mention have focal-plane shutters. So it's easy to make a tilt-shift lens for those cameras as the lens doesn't need a shutter of its own with a (highly complicated) shutter connecting mechanism. The V-series Hasselblads would require a lens with a built-in leaf shutter. This adds to the weight, complexity, and would also limit the range of movement for the lens, and might also interfere with the amount of movement you could apply with a retrofocus wide-angle lens.

RobC · Jan 16, 2016

there was the PC-Mutar 1.4x which provided vertical shift, ideally with a 40mm lens.

if you want tilt and shift then look at rollei SL66

Richard Man · Jan 16, 2016

I forgot to mention that I do shoot with a Hassy 203FE, and the main reason I want a "single lens" solution is that the Hassy is an alternative of trekking through HK/China for 2-3 weeks with a 4x5". So far I only have FE lens (50/2.8, 80/2.8 and 150/2.8). This is why the Flexbody does not make much sense, as I would have to get the body and at least one C lens.

I am also not interested in shift only so the Mutar is out.

As for why not just carrying the 4x5, I may do that. I have shot over 400+ sheets of 4x5 in colors and doing 2 portraiture projects with 4x5 (*), so it's not that I don't like 4x5, but I am hoping to be able to do both (quickish) environmental portraits and landscapes, hence the Hassy.

I know about the SL66. Not interested in another system.

(*) For anyone interested:
http://richardmanphoto.com/PICS/TransformationsCosplay-Portfolio/
http://richardmanphoto.com/PICS/WorldbuildersSFnF-Portfolio/

frank · Jan 17, 2016

TheFlyingCamera said:
The reason is that all the other cameras you mention have focal-plane shutters. So it's easy to make a tilt-shift lens for those cameras as the lens doesn't need a shutter of its own with a (highly complicated) shutter connecting mechanism. The V-series Hasselblads would require a lens with a built-in leaf shutter. This adds to the weight, complexity, and would also limit the range of movement for the lens, and might also interfere with the amount of movement you could apply with a retrofocus wide-angle lens.

So how about the Bronica S2a with its shutter in body? Any tilt/shift options for it?

frank · Jan 17, 2016

Has anyone got a Bronica S bellows to sell?

john_s · Jan 18, 2016

Sirius Glass said:
The Rollei SL66 has some tilt and shift, but they and their parts can be hard to come by. For the kind of money you are talking about just get a FlexBody or a 4"x5" view camera.

The Rollei SL66 has a useful amount of tilt but no shift.

When looking at Tilt and Shift options for MF the SL66 might end up being cheap! But tilt only of course.

I looked hard and long at the MF options for tilt and shift and in the end decided that the 4"x5" view camera was the easy option, despite some inconvenience.

Sirius Glass · Jan 18, 2016

I have been tempted several times to by the FlexBody and/or the ArcBody but by the time I started getting interested in tilts and shifts I had already started into 4"x5".

TheFlyingCamera · Jan 19, 2016

frank said:
So how about the Bronica S2a with its shutter in body? Any tilt/shift options for it?

I've not seen/heard of any for the Bronica S-series of cameras. Doesn't mean they don't exist, but I've just never seen one.

Tilt option for the Hasselblad

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Tilt option for the Hasselblad

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