gents big decision time. I'm totally in love with the hasselblad V. I gotta get one. I'm also on the digital path. I'm sure this has been covered plenty of times but perhaps I can learn a few things from you all. Option one, converted 203fe with a cfv on the back. Option two, a 503cwd deal with cfv on the back? Option three, 503 with a leaf. Money isn’t plentiful, but I can also stretch up to obtain the correct kit that will bring years of enjoyment. Any way any points of view welcome, perhaps some of you even have the above kit? Cheers, enjoy xmas. Stay safe. jace
Medium Format Forum
Register a free account now!
If you are registered, you get access to the members only section, can participate in the buy & sell second hand forum and last but not least you can reserve your preferred username before someone else takes it.
digital back decision
- Thread starter buganah
- Start date
polypal
Active Member
More options
Jace,
Welcome to the forum!
The 203 path gives more options. Faster lenses without a shutter and databus (FE) are more expensive and less often offered for sale.
If the extra stop is not essential to you I would opt for a clean 503CW body.
For a kit with three lenses and a body the difference can be as much as 2500-4000 USD.
Whatever you decide the CFV back is an excellent choice.
Paul
Jace,
Welcome to the forum!
The 203 path gives more options. Faster lenses without a shutter and databus (FE) are more expensive and less often offered for sale.
If the extra stop is not essential to you I would opt for a clean 503CW body.
For a kit with three lenses and a body the difference can be as much as 2500-4000 USD.
Whatever you decide the CFV back is an excellent choice.
Paul
wbulte
Active Member
service aspects
Something to keep in mind is that the 200 series needs specialised electronic tooling to be serviced. As far as I know only Hasselblad themselves have that equipment, eliminating third party repair technicians. To what extent all the electronic parts/spares are still available is a question I cannot answer.
Wilko
(before someone takes me for a Luddite: I am a BSEE/CS
)
Something to keep in mind is that the 200 series needs specialised electronic tooling to be serviced. As far as I know only Hasselblad themselves have that equipment, eliminating third party repair technicians. To what extent all the electronic parts/spares are still available is a question I cannot answer.
Wilko
(before someone takes me for a Luddite: I am a BSEE/CS
)
jotloob
Well-Known Member
Might be , that you will find a camera like this under your X-MAS tree ?
View attachment 618
I will give Santa a last minute call .
Merry X-MAS
Jürgen
View attachment 618
I will give Santa a last minute call .
Merry X-MAS
Jürgen
polypal
Active Member
Starting with MF
General advice for starters is: keep it simple.
Unless you need faster lenses or can justify the extra expense and more complex 200 series cameras start with a 500 series body.
That gives you a wider choice of gear and friendlier prices as well.
A clean 503CW or 501CM body is a good start.
Look at a metering prism from the later series, PME, PME 3 etc.
That choice is a personal one.
It adds weight to the camera and makes it slightly top heavy.
Any CF/CFE/CFi lens will do just fine.
Older C lenses are optically just as good as the later lenses.
Later lenses are easier to handle and need to be serviced less often.
Consider buying the fabulous 100 mm Planar instead of the 80 mm Planar as standard lens.
The 100 is half a stop slower but dramatically better than the 80 mm.
General advice for starters is: keep it simple.
Unless you need faster lenses or can justify the extra expense and more complex 200 series cameras start with a 500 series body.
That gives you a wider choice of gear and friendlier prices as well.
A clean 503CW or 501CM body is a good start.
Look at a metering prism from the later series, PME, PME 3 etc.
That choice is a personal one.
It adds weight to the camera and makes it slightly top heavy.
Any CF/CFE/CFi lens will do just fine.
Older C lenses are optically just as good as the later lenses.
Later lenses are easier to handle and need to be serviced less often.
Consider buying the fabulous 100 mm Planar instead of the 80 mm Planar as standard lens.
The 100 is half a stop slower but dramatically better than the 80 mm.
vandevantersh
Member
"Look at a metering prism from the later series, PME, PME 3 etc.
That choice is a personal one.
It adds weight to the camera and makes it slightly top heavy."
************
From the perspective of a hobbyist, I second the "value" of a metering system. It is especially with "outside" photograhy and hiking; it's nice to get "good" exposure with every shot. Bracketing with 12 shot rolls of film is a PITA; add a polarizing filter and it becomes a real crap shoot. With a digital back, it is less useful.
Steve
That choice is a personal one.
It adds weight to the camera and makes it slightly top heavy."
************
From the perspective of a hobbyist, I second the "value" of a metering system. It is especially with "outside" photograhy and hiking; it's nice to get "good" exposure with every shot. Bracketing with 12 shot rolls of film is a PITA; add a polarizing filter and it becomes a real crap shoot. With a digital back, it is less useful.
Steve
I am also wondering if the acquisition of a digital back is it worth.
I usually shot landscape photography. Was thinking lately if I should get a CFV for my 500 series or not. On one hand, having it will allow me to experiment more and perhaps try other types of photography (that might bring me some $ as well
). But on the other hand, with more than 5000 euro (as I think a good CFV would cost) I would get a hard-core 5/4" enlarger, tones of film and some lens I always dreamed about.
Did you confront with this dilemma? What would you advise?
Thank you all for your thoughts
Cristian
I usually shot landscape photography. Was thinking lately if I should get a CFV for my 500 series or not. On one hand, having it will allow me to experiment more and perhaps try other types of photography (that might bring me some $ as well
). But on the other hand, with more than 5000 euro (as I think a good CFV would cost) I would get a hard-core 5/4" enlarger, tones of film and some lens I always dreamed about.Did you confront with this dilemma? What would you advise?
Thank you all for your thoughts
Cristian
wbulte
Active Member
I am also wondering if the acquisition of a digital back is it worth.
I usually shot landscape photography. Was thinking lately if I should get a CFV for my 500 series or not. On one hand, having it will allow me to experiment more and perhaps try other types of photography (that might bring me some $ as well
Did you confront with this dilemma? What would you advise?
Thank you all for your thoughts
Cristian
I'm into landscapes like yourself. For me the showstopper (apart from its price) is that the CFV sensor is small enough to turn my beloved CF50 and CF40 into rather useless almost-standard lenses.
I dearly love my wide angles, and any digiback that is not doing them justice is basically a no-go..
Wilko
vandevantersh
Member
I am also wondering if the acquisition of a digital back is it worth.
I usually shot landscape photography. Was thinking lately if I should get a CFV for my 500 series or not. On one hand, having it will allow me to experiment more and perhaps try other types of photography (that might bring me some $ as well
Did you confront with this dilemma? What would you advise?
Thank you all for your thoughts
Cristian
If you stick with film, it woud be film...quality scanner...high end computer/software...printer.
If you have the $$$, the digital back is the way to go, IMO. You have instant "feed back" on location....you can experiment a lot more and images can be down loaded and processed "on location".
The combination of a digitized image...software...and printer such as Epson 3800, will produce images in a relatively short period of time that are unlikely to be duplicated by any "wet darkroom" that you could do.
I was at the same point ~ 1 1/2 years ago....after a lot of thought I "coughed up" ten grand for a CFV and haven't regretted that decision.
The botton line, however, if $$$$.
Steve
vandevantersh
Member
I'm into landscapes like yourself. For me the showstopper (apart from its price) is that the CFV sensor is small enough to turn my beloved CF50 and CF40 into rather useless almost-standard lenses.
I dearly love my wide angles, and any digiback that is not doing them justice is basically a no-go."
*************
I don't have a 40mm but after buying an SWC, I now carry a film back. I shoot mostly digital with the SWC but where I want to maximize the 38mm, I will shoot film, or shoot digital and after evaluating esposure put on the film back. This approach worked very well on my last trip to Antelope Canyon...Shot with the CFV to get the number of seconds of exposure and then shot film.
Steve
I dearly love my wide angles, and any digiback that is not doing them justice is basically a no-go."
*************
I don't have a 40mm but after buying an SWC, I now carry a film back. I shoot mostly digital with the SWC but where I want to maximize the 38mm, I will shoot film, or shoot digital and after evaluating esposure put on the film back. This approach worked very well on my last trip to Antelope Canyon...Shot with the CFV to get the number of seconds of exposure and then shot film.
Steve
Well.... Since i am not earning any money out of my photography, my budget is rather limited. Guess I could spend around 7k euro for the whole thing (digital back & taxes). I will take some time to think about it. As i said, with this money I could buy a nice SWC, the Rolls-Royce of slide projectors (the PCP-80) and so on.
Maybe I am still undecided because I never actually tested a digital-back.
Anyway, the posts on this forum do sure push the balance towards the digital side
vandevantersh
Member
Well.... Since i am not earning any money out of my photography, my budget is rather limited. Guess I could spend around 7k euro for the whole thing (digital back & taxes). I will take some time to think about it. As i said, with this money I could buy a nice SWC, the Rolls-Royce of slide projectors (the PCP-80) and so on.
Maybe I am still undecided because I never actually tested a digital-back.
Anyway, the posts on this forum do sure push the balance towards the digital side
I'll be the heretic, shoot film with the Hassy for fun, have the images that are really good professionaly scanned, forget the "dark room"...go with DSLR to get into digital and to improve your photography. IMO, if you go with DSLR, invest in Pro glass which will actually be an investment and avoid paying a premium for the "best body" of the month.
Steve