Which Hasselblad digital back, used?

[eli griggs]

I find I am able to buy a used, digital back and want to hear your opinions on what back to invest in.

 

[Pieter12]

There might be some good prices on the X50C since the introduction of the 100mp version.

 

[mshchem]

Still pretty pricey to get anything made in the last 10 years. The 50 mp back is quite available still mucho expensive.

 

[John Wiegerink]

Still pretty pricey to get anything made in the last 10 years. The 50 mp back is quite available still mucho expensive.

mshchem,
I've been thinking along those same lines, but know very little about digital backs for the V-series Hasselblads. If I have to spend a good chunk of dough I want to make sure I won't be disappointed afterwards. I'll be watching this thread with interest.

 

[Sirius Glass]

With the prices and the tariffs, I will stick with film and wait for the digital prices to come down.

 

[John Wiegerink]

With advancing technology used backs will certainly start coming down, but how long that takes is an unknown. At my age it better happen pretty darn fast. I can get by just fine using film and my Nikon scanner for the time being. A digital back would be a fun new toy to play with, but not a necessity.

 

[abruzzi]

How expensive can you go? I mean there are the $10k-$40k backs, which I can't comment on. I got a Phase One P65+ for two reasons--I could get it for $2k, and it has close to a full size 6x4.5 sensor (54x40). It means your wides are still wides. If you get a back with a 44x33 sensor your wide lenses won't be nearly as wide. The older backs can create some great images, but their limitation is they use CCD sensors which means no high ISO, it also means that live view focusing isn't very useful.

EDIT: Forgot to mention, findind V-mount backs is much harder than H-mount or Phase One/Mamiya 645 backs.

 

[John Wiegerink]

How expensive can you go? I mean there are the $10k-$40k backs, which I can't comment on. I got a Phase One P65+ for two reasons--I could get it for $2k, and it has close to a full size 6x4.5 sensor (54x40). It means your wides are still wides. If you get a back with a 44x33 sensor your wide lenses won't be nearly as wide. The older backs can create some great images, but their limitation is they use CCD sensors which means no high ISO, it also means that live view focusing isn't very useful.

That's the one thing I want to keep, my wide angle lens to remain wide or semi-wide. I have a SWC, but don't know how compatible the 38mm Biogon is with digi backs.

 

[mshchem]

I think if I really wanted to pursue, learning Hasselblad digital, I would have to be comfortable spending a bunch of money. There's so many folks like us who have nice old V series cameras I think the used market will stay strong.

I'd like a nice air cooled Porsche too

 

[Pieter12]

That's the one thing I want to keep, my wide angle lens to remain wide or semi-wide. I have a SWC, but don't know how compatible the 38mm Biogon is with digi backs.

Hasselblad shows an SWC with their current digital back. It just won't be as wide.

 

[John Wiegerink]

Hasselblad shows an SWC with their current digital back. It just won't be as wide.

View attachment 406646

Yes, I've seen that picture, but that back is out of this world for me cost wise. I need to know how it goes with some of the older digital backs. I guess I'll have to do a search later this evening when I have more free time.

 

[itsdoable]

I find I am able to buy a used, digital back and want to hear your opinions on what back to invest in.

A price range limit and type of use would be good to know.

Back when Digital Backs were $50K, the current $10K backs sound down right affordable! But they are heavily cropped. My own rule of sensor size is the area has to double (ie: M4T - APSC - FF - MF), and that makes the affordable cmos sensors on the small side. Keeping in mind that the original 645 negative was considered "cropped" medium format when it came out - equivalent to 1/2 frame in the 35mm world. If you want something closer to 645 (36x48 or bigger) then you are back into the higher prices, or older backs. For a 645 equivalent, only ccd backs are available for Hasselblad V...

Just for reference, I have a P65 (IR converted), CF39 (not a CFV!) and a P25.

 

[Pieter12]

A price range limit

If I remember, the OP is the guy who was looking for a $10 Leica not that long ago...

 

[chuckroast]

I find I am able to buy a used, digital back and want to hear your opinions on what back to invest in.

As a very long time 'Blad user, I too started looking into this and came to these findings:

Pros

• Protects investment in glass and bodies
• Relatively large sensor yields high quality images
• 16 bit/color yields very high dynamic range and color fidelity

Cons

• Effective capture is only 645 not 6x6
• Cycle time is slow
• No live view without being tethered? (Not sure about this)

My conclusion was that is was a poor price/performance tradeoff for me. YMMV.

Personally, I'll wait until Leica M19 or something comes out and get a 60Mpix M11...

N.B. I did this some years ago, so things may well be different now, specs different, etc.

 

[Pieter12]

As a very long time 'Blad user, I too started looking into this and came to these findings:

Pros

• Protects investment in glass and bodies
• Relatively large sensor yields high quality images
• 16 bit/color yields very high dynamic range and color fidelity

Cons

• Effective capture is only 645 not 6x6
• Cycle time is slow
• No live view without being tethered? (Not sure about this)

My conclusion was that is was a poor price/performance tradeoff for me. YMMV.

Personally, I'll wait until Leica M19 or something comes out and get a 60Mpix M11...

N.B. I did this some years ago, so things may well be different now, specs different, etc.

It really depends on which back you get. The newer backs have smaller sensors but are faster and offer live view.

 

[btaylor]

If I remember, the OP is the guy who was looking for a $10 Leica not that long ago...

 

[blee1996]

For $2K, you can either get an older CCD digital back or a more recent Fujifilm GFX body.

- CCD back: color science, (sometimes) bigger sensor size, old hardware and software, slower, cumbersome to use in the field, poor high ISO performance
- Fuji GFX body: modern hardware and software, faster and lighter, can adapt all lenses (including Hasselblad V)

Personally I think CCD color science is a bit over-hyped. With a good RAW file from a modern sensor, you can invest some effort in proper color grading skills to get any look you want. If I really want filmic, I use real film.

 

[Pieter12]

Be prepared: any older back will become a doorstop if something goes wrong with it. No parts, no technicians.

 

[NortheastPhotographic]

Definitely an X2D or even GFX. Focusing a digital back with a V series camera is an awful experience. Alternatively a 907x with the correct adapter for lenses.

 

[itsdoable]

D<snip> ... Focusing a digital back with a V series camera is an awful experience. ... <snip>

No different than focusing a film back with a V series camera.

 

[NortheastPhotographic]

No different than focusing a film back with a V series camera.

So, challenging and slow.

 

[itsdoable]

So, challenging and slow.

Speak for yourself!

This is an analog film forum...

 

[Pieter12]

No different than focusing a film back with a V series camera.

Sure, you can focus as you would a film camera, but if you want to take advantage of the instant feedback of a digital back there can be some drawbacks (pun could be intended). Monitors on older backs tend be low resolution and not too bright, making focusing in live view or judging a frame afterwards difficult--even zoomed in to 100%. Plus, there is no hood to block out extraneous light. And digital backs can be more revealing of poor focus than film. Newer backs are much improved in those aspects, besides usually being higher-resolution.

 

[mpirie]

How about the option to use existing Hasselblad lenses on an existing Hasselblad digital camera?

You could go for an H4/5/6D with digital back, then find the C to H lens adapter......retaining your investment in C/CF glass?

Mike

 

[RezaLoghme]

Way back when I was using V Series Hasselblads, I wanted one of those.

Eventually I came to terms with reality and switched to Leica M system, which is as modular and versatile like hell. It even has EVFs, which helped me to overcome focus issues I had with WLFs.

So, while the OP's idea is totally relatable, I gave up and just switched to a more integrated solution. The current V-"lookalike" from HB is tempting, but then again it has a whiff of "retro cosplay" instead of "the real thing". But maybe that is just me...