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501CM or 503CW for use with CVF-39

K

kuau

New Member
I am about ready to purchase a CVF-39, I tried one the other day with a 503CW body, 40mm CFE, 120mm CFI, and 150mm CFI lens, but was wondering if I am not using ttl flash and have no need for the winder, what other advantage is there to buying a used 501CM over a 503CW?
Aren't they both basically the same thing? Or is the 503CW built better???

I think I will pass for now on the 40mm lens, for the kind of landscape work I like to do a 50mm CFI should do the trick since it close to a 35mm lens on a 35mm FF camera, I just hope it is sharper on the corners then the 40mm CFE was, looking at the MTF charts on the Hassselblad website, the 50mm CFE does not look much better then the 40mm CFE, now the 40mm CFE/IF is a whole other story, it should be for 7-8K US$

Thanks
Steven
 
TTL flash with CFV-39 does not work fine as a sensor with a glas on it is not like a film.
The 500CW has a longer miror that allow to use long lens (150mm or more) without vigneting in the viewfnder (on the film no difference !) As CFV viewfnder crop the center you will not be concerned so much.
The 503CW allow to use winder is more recent in "technology", so it may justify pice difference.
 
I mostly use my 501CM with CFV-39. This combination works very fine with all the V-lenses (CF30 to CFE350 tested). The lenses I use most is the CFi50/100 and 120. For flash, use almost always Elinchrom Studio Light box. Same experience when I use my 553ELX.
Overall 501CM fulfills all my needs.
 
Sounds like the 501cm would ne fine for my needs,
Yet I still have No idea on performance of the 50mm CFE
The mtf on this lens does not luck much better then the 40 CFE
Sharp in the center buck weak in the corners

Steven
 
kuau said:
Sounds like the 501cm would ne fine for my needs,
Yet I still have No idea on performance of the 50mm CFE
The mtf on this lens does not luck much better then the 40 CFE
Sharp in the center buck weak in the corners

Steven
Click to expand...


Stop looking at MTF transfers and look at the images these lenses produce.
If you persist on looking at MTF data compare lenses from other manufacturers with Carl Zeiss data.
 
polypal
I agree with you, but since I did not have access to a 50mm CFE lens to test when I had the 503CW +CFV-39 back I have nothing else to compare to.
And when comparing the MTF charts at Hasselblad the 50mm CFE does not look any better then the 40mm CFE did.
My whole purchase decision is based on whether a can find a good 50mm lens to use with a CFV-39 back, and I only know of two 50mm lenses to chose from the CFE of the FE and if the FE is better then the CFE that means I need to get a 200 series body

That's why I posted the question.

Steven




polypal said:
Stop looking at MTF transfers and look at the images these lenses produce.
If you persist on looking at MTF data compare lenses from other manufacturers with Carl Zeiss data.
Click to expand...
 
I suppose you mean the 50 CFi lens instead of the 50 CFE, there is no 50 CFE.

Comparing MTF data is not straightforward because these were given for different apertures: 2.8 and 5.6 for F/FE lenses, 4 and 8 for the CFi lens.
Distortion is worse for the F/FE lenses.

Keep in mind early versions of the 50 mm F/FE are in the heavy weight category with alittle over 1400 grs.
The later 50 F/FE is only 1000 grs.
 
Polypal,
I always get CFE/CFI mixed up sorry about that, but yes, I realize the mtf charts from hasselblad and zees are different.

I just wish I knew someone who had a 50mm CFI lens and a CFV-39 back and look at some 3FR files

Steven

polypal said:
I suppose you mean the 50 CFi lens instead of the 50 CFE, there is no 50 CFE.

Comparing MTF data is not straightforward because these were given for different apertures: 2.8 and 5.6 for F/FE lenses, 4 and 8 for the CFi lens.
Distortion is worse for the F/FE lenses.

Keep in mind early versions of the 50 mm F/FE are in the heavy weight category with alittle over 1400 grs.
The later 50 F/FE is only 1000 grs.
Click to expand...
 
You are prepared to go through a lot of trouble to use the FE 50 mm lens.

I am quite sure you will not be able to see a notiable difference between the 50 CFi end the 50 FE unless you are shooting test charts.

I own a 50 CFi end both versions of the 50 FE.
The only reason for me to use the FE lens is to enjoy the auto mode from the 203FE body.
Otherwise I would be perfectly happy to use the 50 CFi with a 500 body.
 
Polypal,
I understand.
This is a typical image I like to shoot.
Can you use the 50mm CFI lens on the 203FE and use the CFV-39 back cable free? Or do you need to use a sync cord?

Steven
 

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You can use the CFi lens with the CFV39 cable free in F mode only.

Please note you do not have light metering with full aperture.
Only stop down method with non CFE or FE lenses.
This should not be a problem because most of the time the histogram is used to determin correct exposure.
 
Polypal,
Thanks for all this very useful information.
I for sure don't care about metering in the camera, because like you said I just use the histogram.
If you were in the market today for a body to use with CFV-39 back, would you still go for the 203FE and CFE/CFI lenses or go for the 500 series body?
I kind of like the idea of being able to set lets say a 2 second exposure, being able to use the programable self timer mirror lock up, etc. Though I assume since the CFV39 back really does not talk electronically to the 203FE, I would still have to set the shutter speed on the CFV-39 and I assume use a sync cable because the shutter speed is below 1/8th of a second. I know you have to use a sync cable on the 500 series when shooting below 1/8th of a second. Is it the same on the 203FE?

Steven


polypal said:
You can use the CFi lens with the CFV39 cable free in F mode only.

Please note you do not have light metering with full aperture.
Only stop down method with non CFE or FE lenses.
This should not be a problem because most of the time the histogram is used to determin correct exposure.
Click to expand...
 
Steven,

Maybe you should just go with something like a H4D/40 and whichever H-series lenses suit your needs? Might be a lot less expensive and hassle in the long run.

Gary
 
Hello Gary,

The same thought crossed my mind although I doubt whether a H4D40 with 50 mm lens will
be less money than a used 203 FE with either the 50 FE or the 50 CFi lens and a CFV39.

Why bother with older lens designs when you can get state of the art latest Japanese lenses
with a sophisticated H series digital camera.


Paul
 
kuau said:
Polypal,
I understand.
This is a typical image I like to shoot.
Can you use the 50mm CFI lens on the 203FE and use the CFV-39 back cable free? Or do you need to use a sync cord?

Steven
Click to expand...

Wow, what a great picture! I haven't seen a picture of Yosemite in the winter in ages.
 
nathantw666 said:
Wow, what a great picture! I haven't seen a picture of Yosemite in the winter in ages.
Click to expand...

Nathan.....check out more of Steven's Yosemite photos on the GetDPI Digital MF and Pentax MF forums. They are all outstanding images (taken with the Pentax 645D).

I don't think I'm supposed to post the links to those sites here.

Gary
 
for this kind of shot use film and save yourself tons of cash!!!! hahahahhaha
kuau said:
Polypal,
I understand.
This is a typical image I like to shoot.
Can you use the 50mm CFI lens on the 203FE and use the CFV-39 back cable free? Or do you need to use a sync cord?

Steven
Click to expand...
 
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