Lens Decision

[rkharris]

I'm trying to do some research on a lens for landscape photography. I want to buy either a 40mm or 50mm lens. Two questions: Which is best for landscape and being new to Hasselblad I would like to know should I steer clear from the older "C" lenses and limit my selection to CF T*. I will have to buy this lens used. I really apprecaite your help.
Rick

 

[hiker]

I do a lot of landscapes using a 50 Distagon - I tried a 40 but prefer the 50 due distortion

T* are great - older than T* is getting very old

 

[wolfgang]

Hi Richard!

I would avoid the older C-lenses, they are supposed to be not servicable any longer (prob. in Europe), the CF is a newer design.

Regards
Wolfgang

 

[celticboy]

My advice is to go with the FLE (floating lens element) version of either, better edge/corner sharpness. Try springing for CF versions and rent both, nobody but you can tell wheather the 40 or 50 will work depends on your vision.

 

[wbulte]

CF lenses are a helluvalot more expensive, even used. So it really depends on what you want to do with them / can justify the expense. Of course there is the issue that C lenses are really quite old by now..

 

[kommini]

Hello Everybody

After much deliberation I placed an order for a new 4/120 Makro-Planar CFE - which is only my second lens after the 80mm CFE. I am expecting it to be delivered in 4 days from now ( can't wait !). What can I expect from this lens ? I have also ordered my second back - a A16. Has anyone ever taken a portrit (orientation) picture with a A16 and only a waist lever finder ? Do I need a rubber spine, or is there a simple way of doing it ?

Thanx in advance
Kommini

 

[qnu]

Kommini,

Expect to get an excellent lens. A nice focal length (though it differs not from other lenses in that it sometimes is too short, sometimes too long). Great performance.

Why don't you try the vertical, 'portrait'-orientation thing with your camera and 80 mm?
Just turn the camera on its side, and see what fun it is trying to view, compose and focus the upside down image, holding the camera up so you can see in the waist level finder?

When you need vertical 6x4.5 cm images regularly, i think there really only two choices: either crop from a 6x6, or use a 90 degree prismfinder.

 

[simonpg]

I have the CF version and just love it: angle of view; out of focus; how it makes point of focus pop out when wide open; colour rendition; sharpness - yes it is very very sharp IMHO. I'm so pleased I got one. So expect a great deal of pleasure! Enjoy.

 

[flo]

Richard
As a keen landscape photographer I also have a wide angle Zeiss lens for my Hasselblad. It's an 40mm FLE CF IF and I am absolutely happy with it.
It is as prev. mentioned: it all depends on your vision. There is however one noticable advantage of the 50mm CFi (not the FE!)over the 40mm: filter size. The 40mm takes 93mm filter in diameter, the 50CFi 60mm as you also use for the 80mm.

As regards distortion I can only say that the 40mm is as sharp a lens can be. Of course one must take care with tilting ...

 

[kehravuo]

>Richard >As a keen landscape photographer I also have a wide angle Zeiss lens >for my Hasselblad. It's an 40mm FLE CF IF and I am absolutely happy >with it. >It is as prev. mentioned: it all depends on your vision. There is >however one noticable advantage of the 50mm CFi (not the FE!)over the >40mm: filter size. The 40mm takes 93mm filter in diameter, the 50CFi >60mm as you also use for the 80mm. > >As regards distortion I can only say that the 40mm is as sharp a lens >can be. Of course one must take care with tilting ... >

As mentioned 50 mm CFi is very usable and high quality. Although it's filter bayonet is unfortunately 70 mm. 50 mm CF used to use 60 mm filters. On the other hand CF allows only about 5 mm shift when used with Flexbody and CFi allows about 12 mm with out filter or hood.

Kerkko K.

 

[lucait]

I have decided to buy my first Hassi kit made of a CM 501 with WF + A12 and three CFlenses: 50-80-150. Now I need the following info:

1)What is the "correct" price for the above second hand material in good/excellent conditions?
2) I shoot only B&W and I will need 5 or 6 filters. How to minimise the expenses and mantaining the possibility of using the shades of the B60 lenses?
3) Is the choaice of the three lenses correct ?
4) What are the pluses of the FLE 50 over the non FLE ?

 

[qnu]

1) I don't know, EU 2,500, or thereabouts?

2) Just buy 5 filters, make sure they have bayonet 60 mount, and they will fit all lenses mentioned, plus allow use of the regular lens hoods, or bellow hoods/compendium'ProShade'.

3) It is the most popular choice by far.
But only you can say whether it is the right one for you. I think it is pretty 'universal' in what you can do with this set, yes.

4) Better image quality at close range, particularly in the corners of the image.