Which lens for Hasselblad ?

[durr3]

I have a 500 C/M with a CZ80/2.8 C lens. Which lens would you add for portraits? 150mm f4, 120mm f5.6 or 100mm f3.5? Any experience with these? thanks

 

[frank]

150 is the classic portrait lens. Add a 16mm extension tube for tight head shots.

 

[Amfooty]

The 150mm f/4 is a crazy lens. Also has corrected parallels if you are in to that kind of thing.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I have the 38mm [SWC], 50mm, 80mm, 150mm, 250mm and the 2X extender. I do not shoot portraits and I could easily do without the 150mm lens. The 60mm lens is too close to the 80mm lens worth having.

 

[Luis-F-S]

I hated the 150 which is why I have the 135 w the variable extension tube for focusing. Much sharper lens.

 

[frank]

40/50/80/150 and komura 2x converter, 16mm extension tube

 

[bdial]

The 150.
I don't do a lot of portraits, but it's the usual go-to for that. I do lots of other stuff with it though, it's my favorite.

 

[Alan Gales]

150 is the classic portrait lens. Add a 16mm extension tube for tight head shots.

Like Frank says!

The 100mm is razor sharp and is used as a normal lens like your 80mm. A lot of people who own the 100mm also own the 180mm for a portrait lens.

The 150 is plenty sharp for portraits and you may even want to tame it a bit with a Softar 1 soft focus filter. Women of a certain age do not appreciate tack sharp pictures of themselves.

 

[Richard Man]

On the Hasselblad, I use the 150/2.8, although many people swear by the 120 as well. 150 would be the "classic" focal length, FWIW.

 

[jspillane]

The 120mm 5.6 S-Planar is my personal favorite Hasselblad lens - it is great for portraits, although it is extremely SHARP (some feel too much for conventional portraiture). I prefer it to the 150mm for a few reasons, mainly that I don't have to get a tube on it to get reasonably close. I use it for a lot more than just portraits, but it fills that niche comfortably.

The 150mm is a bigger difference from your 80mm though, which probably makes it a more useful kit unless you also want the 120mm for macro / still life, which is really what it is made for. I have 60/80/120/250, and I probably use the 60mm and the 120mm 75% of the time.

80 and 100 are very, very close in focal length, so you won't see a huge change there. I haven't used the 100, but I suspect for most applications the advantages it gives you will be academic (the 80mm is already great).

Honestly, the 80mm with a tube works well for portraiture as well. Or even without a tube! Many of the greatest portraits of all time where taken with a Rolleiflex with a similar 80mm Planar. Never under estimate the power of a good normal lens.

 

[Slixtiesix]

I can recommend the 180/4 lens, if funds permit. Maybe add a 8mm or 10mm tube. I like this one over the 150mm because it gives a more flattening perspective for tight headshots and can focus very close. If the 180mm is out of your reach, go for the 150/4. It´s a sharp lens with nice smooth bokeh, cheap and readily available. I like the 120/5,6 S-Planar as well, one of my favorite lenses, but find it too short for really tight portraits.