What's new
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.

Hasselblad Makro lens advice please....

D

Deano

New Member
After using a 100mm macro lens for my Canon DSLR which i am more than inpressed with i decided to take the plunge and buy a macro lens for my Hasselblad 503CW.
I chose the Makro Plannar CFI f/4 120mm. However once i fitted it to my camera it does not seem to focus 'very close' to things. Nothing like my Canon 100mm for example. I have to be a few feet away to get things in focus and even then they do not seem very magnified.
Forgive my lack of knowledge if this is the norm but can anyone shed any light on this for me please?
 
120 mm Makro lens

The 120 CFi lens has 0.8 m as minimum object distance.
The lens performs best for objects recorded at close distance i.e. up to about 1,5 m.

Without extension rings the reproduction ratio is 4.5 to 1.
This means objects 4.5 times the size of the filmframe can be recorded filling the film frame completely.
This gives a size of 250 mm for the object at 0.8 m distance recorded full frame.

You can get closer and have larger images of objects by using extension rings.
For the 120 Makro Planar with a 32 mm extension ring the reproduction ratio is 2 to 1 resulting in objects of 112 mm being recorded full frame.

I can not comment on the Canon lens you mentioned as I do not know that lens.
In 35 mm photography most manufactureres offer 100 mm lenses for macro applications.

Please note the 100 mm lens with 35 mm cameras is twice the standard focal length.
The 120 in MF is only 1,5 the standard focal length.

Focal length and minimum object distance are the factors that control reproduction ratio
or magnification possible for lenses without the use of extension rings.
 
Just had a quick look at my Hasselblad book and they list a couple of different extension tubes. Would i be correct in getting 40568 32m extension tube?
 
Extension rings

The number you mentioned is for a 32 mm extension ring of the second series:

The first series offers: 10, 21, 55 mm rings.

The second series offers 8, 16, 32, and 56 mm rings.

The third series is basically the same as the second series but besides the 8 mm ring all others have contacts to transmit data from lenses with data bus to the 200 series bodies.
The rings from the third series can also be used with lenses and cameras that do not have data bus.

The size of the ring or combination of rings you choose depends on the size of the object you want to get full frame in the picture.

With a 32 mm ring an object of 200 mm at a distance of 500 mm is recorded full frame.
Smaller rings allow for larger objects larger rings and a combination of rings allow for smaller objects to be recorded full frame.
Please note the use of rings causes less light to reach the film.
For a 32 mm ring you will have to add 0.5 stop to get the exposure right.

Hasselblad used to make a close up calculator that helps to find the amount of extension for a given size object to record full frame.
It also informs you about depth of field at F11, the amount of correction needed for the correct exposure and the object distance.
It does so for all lenses from 80 till 250 mm
There is one for sale in the classified section of this forum.
Guess who is the seller!
 
Your Canon lens has a reproduction of one to one (life size) at it's closest focus. I think you will need 56mm of extension to achieve this with your 120mm macro lens. You might also consider the auto bellows instead of an extension tube. Much more versatile.
 
Extensions for macro

For a 1:1 ratio you will need 121 mm extension which is best realised with a bellows.
Two 56 rings and an 8 mm will offer this extension too.
That kind of extension will mean two stops loss of light.

All these answers can be found in a few seconds with the close up calculator once available from Hasselblad.
Please note the minimum extension from either bellows, the manual or the automatic one is 64 mm.
That means a couple of extension rings to cover the part under 64 mm is still money well spent.
 
503CWD, 120/4 CFi, 32E tube.

Remains of St. Valentine's Day rose ... time corrupts us all, no matter how beautiful.
 

Attachments

  • Rose 2.jpg
    EXIF
    Rose 2.jpg
    266.3 KB · Views: 34
  • Rose 2.jpg
    EXIF
    Rose 2.jpg
    266.3 KB · Views: 33
polypal said:
For a 1:1 ratio you will need 121 mm extension which is best realised with a bellows.
Two 56 rings and an 8 mm will offer this extension too.
That kind of extension will mean two stops loss of light.

All these answers can be found in a few seconds with the close up calculator once available from Hasselblad.
Please note the minimum extension from either bellows, the manual or the automatic one is 64 mm.
That means a couple of extension rings to cover the part under 64 mm is still money well spent.
Click to expand...

Paul, Excellent!

Hasselblad V system close up guide. http://tinyurl.com/a9wnlt

Paul Claesson
Hasselblad USA
 
Another help with macro

Thanks Paul,
I am just repeating data easily found in the close-up calculator.



The other help with macro is the diagram found with the auto bellows.

I will copy that one in as large format as possible to upload in PDF.

Paul
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top