News Hasselblad V to Fuji GFX

[superwhite]

I'm a working photographer (paintings and sculpture) and thinking of chopping in my Hasselblad V system (5 lenses, 503 and 555 bodies and all the bits and bobs) and getting GFX mirror less and lenses.
Any thoughts?

 

[superwhite]

Sorry, forgot to mention that the Hasselblad is on the front of a Phase One P-45 and has been since 2009.

Steve.

 

[adischaub]

Not sure what your rationale is and what you expect from the switch of systems?

I own a 501 with several lenses and then bought a 907x with the CFV II 50C and some X lenses. I use the digital back alternatively with the 501 CM and the V Lenses or the 907x with the X lenses and am very happy with either solution. I however found the use of the V lenses on the 907x not practicable because the aperture cant be changed and the electronic shutter creates rolling shutter effects.

 

[biggles3]

Hi. I'm not sure whether you'll make a significant gain in versatility from such a switch. I can praise the Fuji glass from personal experience as I was an early adopter of the GFX 50S. I can't speak to the Hasselblad V series lenses as I use the H series but I note that there is a wide variety of adapters to allow you to use them on the GFX models. I have been staggered by the quality of the sensor on the GFX 50S and have also shot a couple of piccies with the larger 100S and was blown away. I use Zeiss lenses for the Contax 645 on my GFX via the Fringer AF Adapter to fill in the current gaps in the Fuji range of lenses. I suspect that using your existing lenses, the IQ won't quite match that of the Fuji glass (they also make the lenses for the 'Blad H-series), and that your current digital back will be more forgiving than the sensor on any of the Fujis. For work of the highest quality, such as recording art works or documents, I still prefer to use the Contax 645, Zeiss glass and my old Hasselblad Ixpress 528C back in multi-shot mode; each photo produces a 528Mb file with astonishing detail. However, I suspect the GFX 100S and Fuji glass would actually be a match, perhaps more than a match.

In summary, the Fuji is likely to highlight any minor shortcomings in the Hasselblad glass but if you switch completely, you certainly won't be disappointed. However, it seems to me that you have a perfectly adequate system already - and a wider variety of lenses from which to choose than can currently be offered by Fuji. However, if you ever decided to extend the nature of your photography, then the Fuji can offer something that is way beyond the scope of the Hasselblad V-series bodies: fast shutter speeds of up to 1/4000s.

My suggestion, for what it may be worth, would be to find a top retailer, take your 'Blad along and try it against one of the Fujis with a similar lens. You might also check YouTube for I think there are some videos on their platform which feature your types of lenses being used on GFX cameras. It's a major investment if you decide to switch so the more research you can do the better. Nothing beats being able to try the gear - who knows, you might not like the ergonomics...

 

[superwhite]

Thanks for you response adischaub. The rational for the system change is my P-45 has a mark on the sensor (my fault) and should be upgraded and IQ backs won't fit on my 555 in portrait mode, my 555 ELD gets tired after 7.5 hours work (I know we all do) and starts misbehaving. I would like Auto focus, meta data, control from the laptop including fine focus and all the bells and whistles that a modern camera system has to offer.
I guess I posted the question to see if anybody had experience of working daily with a Fuji system, has anyone had issues with moire or other system failures after prolonged use.

 

[superwhite]

Thanks Biggles,
your message came through as I was writing my last missive.
The plan is to replace the entire kit with Fuji camera and lenses (the 503,P-45 and a couple of lenses might find their way into my suitcase for a trip to Sicily this summer) the real question is about the suitability of running a Fuji kit 4 or 5 days a week for 45 weeks of the year.
We are chasing Wex to let us run a full suit of lenses and body for a week before buying as you suggested.

thanks for your input family

 

[biggles3]

I suspect Wex will oblige you and of course, they may be able to help with part-exchanging your current kit. Being nearer 80 than 60, my days of chasing commissions are way in the past but I use the Fuji GFX50S every week using a variety of native and adapted lenses. In some 18 months of regular use, I have yet to encounter an issue with either the camera or any of Fuji's lenses. There are quite a few professional photographers who have posted comprehensive reviews on YouTube of the GFX system and are users of the same. Most of them would I'm sure be willing and able to answer your questions as to reliability on the basis of 5 days a week operation throughout a year.

 

[biggles3]

I just thought the following piccie might amuse you as it shows the versatility of the GFX system. Here you can see the GFX50S using Zeiss' truly awesome 500mm f4.5 Mirotar lens made for the Contax RTS and using the Olympus EE-1 Dot Sight on Fuji's Tilt Adapter (a very useful accessory). In manual focus mode, the GFX cameras can work with a wide range of 35mm lenses without vignetting issues and as mentioned earlier, it can work in full AF with the Contax 645 range of lenses. I'm pleased to say that the Zeiss 35mm and MF glass is a good match for the Fuji sensors.

 

[adischaub]

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This makes quite sense to me. If you wanted to stay with the brand, then the Hasselblad X1D might be an alternative to Fuji. However the AF of the 907x is precise but rather slow and has some weakness in low lights as it works contraset based. I beleive to understand that the Hasselblad X1D has the same performance and you might check this, if you pursue that option.

 

[adischaub]

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what a lovely picture - the handle on the lense gives the viewer an idea of the likely weight thanks for sharing

 

[biggles3]

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Hello and thank you for your kind comment. It is rather heavy but Zeiss provide free hernia-repair surgery with every lens...

 

[superwhite]

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Thanks Biggles
I have Fuji sending in a body and four lenses tomorrow for a couple of days trial so will report back.
As I am nearer 68 than 70 for a couple of months I’m soon going to be leaving it to the young un’s to chase the jobs but it will be good to know they are going out armed with a good working system.

 

[biggles3]

Hi Superwhite

I look forward to finding out how you get on with the Fuji kit. I am so impressed with the sensitivity of the sensor in my older GFX50S; I've attached (hopefully) an image showing a monumental exposure error due entirely to my cocking up the settings; next to the dark original 11Mb photo is the robin I managed to extract which shows the bird in excellent detail.

 

[superwhite]

Stunning Robin rescue Biggles.
So Fuji sent us a body and 4 lenses for two days trial and we thought we would run them along side our Hasselblad V kit and compare and contrast. We turned down the offer of a demo "cos we are pro's and know what we are doing", we didn't have time and my co-photographer has had Fuji cameras for years. Massive mistake!
Running the two systems side by side was not as easy as presumed, the tether cable supplied was 2 foot long and meant we had to move the laptop to the camera instead of 4 meters away with the monitor etc.
Then we could not get any improvement over the V system in the focus department, then it all started to take too much time and we became aware that the client was becoming aware that this was all taking up too much time so we abandoned the test and reverted to what we knew with the V system and finished the first job.
Whilst the next work was being set up we tried again but could not achieve an improvement over the Hasselblad in focusing, it was good but not staggering. Put it back in the case and finished the days shoot and went home to read the manual.
On the 2nd day we had a half day shoot and tried the same thing having purchased a decent length tether cable and though the focus issue remained we were able to resolve which lenses worked for us and so not a complete waste of the two day loan.
Later that day at home without the pressure of the clients foot tapping, we set the two cameras up side by side and with similar length lenses on the cameras and the manual in one hand and a soothing cuppa tea in the other, shooting with available light as we do for certain types of jobs we noticed that the tiny spec of paint on the back of a chair 15 feet away exhibited camera shake despite setting shutter delay and mirror up so we checked out the manual for image stabilisation and low and behold the stabilisation needs to be turned off when working on a tripod which is what we had been doing, or it shakes the whole thing trying to stabilise it, LOL.
The subsequent results were amazing, incredible detail and the order went straight in for a body and three lenses.
Frustratingly we've have three lenses sitting in a box in the studio for a week and no camera body as Fuji were out of stock.
So now we wait......

 

[biggles3]

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I'm so pleased that you persevered and finally were able to extract the potential of the Fuji GFX system; if you've been working for a long time with the 'Blad V kit, you may lapse into a form of operant conditioning from time to time but it shouldn't take long before using the Fuji comes as second nature. I still use a Hasselblad H2D occasionally and it's worth noting that Fuji make the lenses for the H system. I also use a Contax 645 with a Hasselblad Ixpress 524C digital back for serious copy work but my 'go to' cameras are the Fuji and an Olympus E-M1III. One nice thing about the GFX cameras is that I can use the Contax 645 Zeiss lenses on them, retaining AF, via a Fringer AF Adapter which adds to their versatility. The 80mm f2 Planar on the GFX 50S is a stunning combination... I'm confident that you have made a sound commercial decision...