Hasselblad Ixpress

[hef]

Ok. i've got a D200, 5d & 1dmk2n for wedding photography. My hassey 501c with several lenses is getting jealous.

What is the comparison of these digital backs to the DSLR formats? Would i be happy with a digital back like the Ixpress on my hassey as a compliment to weddings?

Does anyone have experience with these backs. Don't want to spend 10K now, but a couple 2-3K could be OK. If it's worth it.

Thanks in advance for your replies... howie

 

[steve_hendrix]

howie feller (Hef) wrote on January 12:

' 2007 - 5:43 pm,'

Ok. i've got a D200, 5d & 1dmk2n for wedding photography. My hassey 501c with several lenses is getting jealous.

What is the comparison of these digital backs to the DSLR formats? Would i be happy with a digital back like the Ixpress on my hassey as a compliment to weddings?

Does anyone have experience with these backs. Don't want to spend 10K now, but a couple 2-3K could be OK. If it's worth it.

Thanks in advance for your replies... howie

Howie:

I don't want to curb your enthusiasm, but shooting weddings with an iXpress after shooting with top-end D-SLR's could be frustrating and challenging. As good as the Hasselblad backs are.......

The first challenge with an iXpress is that you have cables connected to the ImageBank, which is a good-sized hard drive that you shoot to instead of CF cards. Those cables can be problematic in terms of reliability. And imagine trying to get off a quick shot of a moment with the cables and the hard drive, and getting all that coordinated. Not easy.

Another issue is that the iXpress will perform wonderfully in good lighting, but in low lighting, if you have to move to 400, you'll find the results lacking compared to, say, a 1DS-MKII. The results are probably better than they used to be, as Hasselblad has tweaked that ISO algrithm very effectively of late, but the word is that it benefits the CF/H2D/H3D product more than the iXpress product.

And perhaps the biggest challenge - refurbished iXpress 132C's from Hasselblad still sell in the $11,000 range.

That all being said - we have customers who use iXpress backs for weddings and outside portraits. So, potentially, it can be a productive solution for you. The difference in quality between an iXpress and 35mm can be significant when shooting in optimal conditions.

Those are just some points to consider, based on the information you've provided.

Thanks,
Steve Hendrix

 

[fotografz]

I agree with Steve.

Howie, like you I shoot weddings with a 5D and 1DsMKII. But I often also use my Hasselblad 503CW. I tried using a 96C but the cables and Image Bank were a PITA. When Hasselblad offered the CFV which is self-contained and shoots to a CF card, I jumped on it.

It should be noted that I very frequently shoot both digital and MF film with the same camera.
Film still has its charms, and I like the latitude for highly contrasy outdoor wedding settings.

 

[wbulte]

Hi Marc,

Just expressing my curiosity here: how difficult (or easy) is it for you to match CFV images to (say) Portra NC images when shot during the same session/wedding?

I am also wondering about exposure latitude, given that the CFV reputedly behaves more like chromes, don't you get things mixed up when you swap backs? I shot Ektachrome100 along with Portra 160VC with the same camera and I constantly had to remind myself of the difference in behaviour. Oh, for the curious, that did work out fine, it is just a constant attention point for me.

Last: are you not a bit worried swapping the CFV for a filmback? Compared to the price of the back a seperate body to hook it up to would be warranted in my view?

thanks for your insight, Wilko