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Crop factor with 503 CWD and CFV

pascal

Member
I don't own the 503 CWD or the CFV back but would have a question regarding the crop factor for these 16 Megapixel digital backs.
The neat thing is obviously the square sensor format, which retains the typical 6x6 format and the consequent holding of the camera. But the small size of the sensor compared to the 6x6 size implies a rather important crop factor of over 1.5.
It would seem to me that this presents two major problems:
- the need to use a wide-angle lens as a standard lens (e.g. 50mm to become an effective 80mm), meaning: larger, heavier, more expensive lens to be bought, and the lack of real wide-angle unless one splashes lots of extra money to get an additional lens (like 40mm), which in any case is not much of a wideangle with a 1.5 crop factor.
- the rather smallish composing frame in the viewfinder. Is this done via a special ground glass with masks? Is the composing frame not unpleasantly small?
I would appreciate feedback from actual users on these aspects !
Thanks
Pascal
 
"Is this done via a special ground glass with masks? Is the composing frame not unpleasantly small?"

The cropped area is out-lined on the view screen. No.

Steve
 
Another problem that follows from a smaller effective image on the viewing screen is focussing.
To overcome this Hasselblad developed a special 4x4 viewer the DPS with partnumber 72534.

This excellent help was discontinued two years ago so only used ones available now.
 
The CFV kit comes with a new focusing screen that has the outline of the crop area. It actually is pretty nice to see the area just outside of the frame. The crop factor is 1.5, just like most DSLRs. You can opt to buy a rectangular sensor camera that has a slightly less crop than the square sensor but have to pay a premium for it.
 
The screen has lines showing the area captured. You can make your own mask or tape the screen area not shown, it is up to you. My preference is to use the whole screen so that I can see what is just outside of the frame.
 
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