Extension tube to use with X2D-100C and Zeiss 120mm/f4 on X-H adapter

[RWilsonL]

I have been using a Hasselblad-Zeiss 120mm CF Macro-Planar on my X2D-100C with an X-H adapter for Macro work, as it does not vignette like my Leica 100/f2.8 APO Macro-Elmarit-R, used with a Novoflex HAX-LER adapter. However, the 120mm lens does not focus anywhere near as close as the Leica lens does. The obvious answer would seem to be an extension tube. Then the decision would be an XCD extension tube or a CF one. The only XCD extension tube available is a 9mm one, which would not move the close focus distance a whole lot. Can anyone more familiar with the CF mount system, advise what length extension tubes are available for those lenses and if you have experience with using extension tubes on the 120mm lens, maybe recommendations on which length to use and which to avoid.

Wilson

 

[Patrick]

You can use 2 of the X Extension tubes together

 

[RWilsonL]

At a mere £260 each, that is getting rather expensive. I can buy a Variable CF/H extension tube for the same price or a kit of 3 CF tubes for £181.

Wilson

 

[nathantw666]

For what it’s worth I’ve been using the 120mm CF Macro for over 30 years. As you found it only gives you 1:4 magnification. With a 32mm extension tube you’ll get 1:2 magnification and when you add the 56mm or 55mm tube with the 32mm you’ll get 1:1 magnification. The red color scale on the lens will show you the magnification without the tubes.

When taking the lens off the camera or adapter start with the lens, then work your way down. That way you won’t trigger the built-in shutter.

Good luck.

 

[RWilsonL]

There is no built in shutter on my 120 Macro-Planar as it is a CF model. It would only be the later H version that has a shutter. Unfortunately this means I have to use the quite slow electronic shutter which really means tripod only but realistically, for Macro, I would be using a tripod anyway. I found a very reasonably priced 21mm extension from a UK trade seller and I will keep my eyes open for any other ones that come up at less than £40.

Wilson

 

[RWilsonL]

I was talking garbage in my post above, as I discovered when I accidentally tripped the internal shutter to close and had to go online to find how to open it again. It is a pity that there is no active X to H adapter as that would avoid using the rather lazy sensor read out on my X2D-100C in electronic shutter mode. I had some difficulty getting the extension to mount on the lens, even with connecting it to the X-H adapter first, as there is no shutter reset mechanism on the adapter. Once I had got both lens (in F speed mode) cocked and the extender cocked, the lens would now mount on the adapter.

Please excuse the ignorance of someone who has never been a Hasselblad film camera user (Leicas for the last 60+ years). The 21mm adapter does not provide really sufficient magnification for my current purposes (taking a large image of a tiny orchid flower, which my wife has cultivated by cross pollination), so I have a bid in for a V55 extension. If that bid fails there is a 32mm tube from the same seller as I got the 21mm from on a buy it now eBay offer, which with the 21mm tube would give me 53mm, which should be sufficient with a bit of judicious cropping.

If all that does not work, I shall break out my Novoflex Leica R lens to Hasselblad X adapter and then mount my Leica 16880/BR-2 bellows and the 100mm APO Macro-Elmarit-R lens I have, as a friend who is much better at macro than I am, tells me there is next to no vignetting on the X2D with this combination but I will believe that when I see it for myself.

Wilson

 

[Gio]

I think there is some mistake here. The CF lens is a V series, not an H. So I suspect you are using a XV adapter, not a XH. Btw, if you use HC(D) (for the H series digital Hasselblads) with the XH, you do have the leaf shutter working properly with the X series, no need of using the electronic shutter. Btw there is a great HC120mm: with the XH it will be also working with leaf shutter with your Blad.

 

[RWilsonL]

I corrected my post - see above-confirming an X to V adapter. I am currently using two extension tubes a V21 and a V55 but the magnification is not really enough, with the close focus distance only coming down from the standard 0.8m on the CF 120mm to around .22m. I am probably going to end up using my Leica 100mm/f2.8 APO Macro-Elmarit-R with a HAX-LER adapter and a 16880 Leica R/ROM bellows, as from memory that focuses down to around 7.5cm or less.