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Lens differences...

R

roguegeek

New Member
I am slowly putting together a very nice Hasselblad 500C/M system. So far, I've purchased the body, waist-level viewfinder, and two A12 magazines. The next thing I'm looking for is a lens and I'm wanting to go with the standard 80mm f2.8, but I'm hitting a wall with it. I'm noticing different types of lenses and I don't know the difference nor have I found a place that clearly explains the difference. This is where you guys come in!

I'm seeing the Hasselblad Zeiss Planar 80mm f2.8 come in C, CF, CB, late C, CFE, F, FCC, and FE. What are the differences between all of these and which ones will work on a 500C/M body?
 
C, CF, CB, late C, CFI, CFE, are the ones that will work on your 500CM body. The order from oldest to newest is C, CF, late C, CB, CFE and CFI. A CF or late model C lens would be a good match for your camera, and not cost that much. There are many out there!

Terry
 
terrydent said:
C, CF, CB, late C, CFI, CFE, are the ones that will work on your 500CM body. The order from oldest to newest is C, CF, late C, CB, CFE and CFI. A CF or late model C lens would be a good match for your camera, and not cost that much. There are many out there!

Terry
Click to expand...

Thanks Terry!

And I'm guessing those work because they work for leaf shutter systems? So what are the differences between the C, CF, late C, CB, CFE and CFI besides just coming out at different times? Function? Construction? Quality?

I'm also seeing some came in silver/chrome. I would LOVE to pick up one of those. Are they only found on certain types?
 
Lenses for 500 series bodies

The first generation lenses for the 500 series Hasselblad cameras were called "C" lenses after the name of the shutter : Compur.
The first C lenses were produced in 1956 a year before the 500C camera became available.
Starting in 1971 C lenses received an improved 6 layer coating called T*
All lenses are subcequently T* coated except superachromat versions.

C lenses were superceded by CF lenses in 1982 and later for some focal lengths.
The shutter was replaced by a Prontor one.
The F indicates these lenses can also be used with 200 series bodies that have a focal plane shutter.
To accomodate full functions of these cameras the Prontor shutter is not used when the lens is set to "F"
The lens stays open to allow viewing of the subject immediately after the picture is taken.
Winding the camera is not necessary. This is similar to any 35 mm SLR camera.

The CF series was improved in 1998.
Improved lenses were known as CFi models.
Improvements were: better anti reflection coating, different helicoid, better PC for flash or digital back and a new type mainspring to improve already very good reliability.

Some improved lenses also received data bus contacts for cameras of the 200 series that have built in light metering systems.
These lenses were known as CFE models.
Of course CFE lenses also function on 500 series bodies without the light measuring system.
Technically for 500 series bodies CFE and CFi lenses are the same.

To complicate matters some lenses are available now used as CF, CFE and CFi versions.

The 80 mm started life as a CF lens changed in 1998 into a CFE model and is now available as CFi lens.
Similar things happened to the 120 Makro Planar lens:
The lens started as CF changed over to CFi became a CFE and is now again available as CFi lens.
All CFE versions were dropped because the 200 series cameras were phased out in 2004.

For a user of a 500 series body there is no difference between a CFE or a CFi version.
Keep in mind the CF version is older and does not have the later improvements.
Still the CF is a very good lens.
The helicoid of the later lenses is ergonomically better although not everybody agrees on this.

Carl Zeiss also made an economy version of certain lenses.
These lenses are called CB and were available in four different focal lenghts: 60/80/120/160 mm.
Economy version as in 1700 euro against 1950 euro for the 80 mm lens.
Not a big difference and certainly not big enough to persuade buyers to buy CB lenses.
Production and supply of CB lenses stopped after a couple of years.


source: hasselbladinfo forum


This survey needs to be updated because for instance there is no more 80 mm Planar lens available new from Hasselblad.
Furthermore the F and FE also known as TCC lenses for 2000 and 200 series bodies were not mentioned.

Forum moderator
 
Lots of "chrome" 80 mm lenses floating around.
Unless aesthetics are of utmost importance to you I think you will be better off with a CF or later lens.
C lenses perform just as well as CF versions, only CF lenses are ergonomically better.
Difficult to explain in writing try to find a shop where both versions can be tried.


Paul
 
Excellent! I guess my only question left is about the chrome/silver lenses. The ones I'm seeing out there for sale seem to only be C versions. Are they found on any other versions?

Other than eBay and KEH, does anyone have another place they can recommend picking up a lens?
 
I gladly recommend KEH for buyers that are not used to buying at eBay.
KEH gives a 60 day warranty and is serious about keeping customers happy.
If you do not like the item they send you they take it back, no discussions.

I am sure they have a selection of chrome C series Planars available.

Carl Zeiss made a small series of retro looking chrome lenses.
A pity there is no chrome 80 mm amongst those.
The retro series consist of 50/120/180 mm lenses.
Be prepared to cough up around 3000 euro for a lens from this series.
 
What about the new C-lens (the CF without the F-mode)?
How common is that?


Regarding the 80mm focusl length:
I don't like that either.
Why, I can't really put words on it, more that it does not apeal me. But I do love the 60mm.

But before I chip that into stone I have to try it once more. Because I hade it on a F-lens. And I never got used to its slightly different ergonomics, compared to C/CF, with the aperture at the rear to the body.

What I would say is that you should not rule any lens out before you have tried it yourself!
Listen to others but do as you like.

-- Olof
 
The "new" C lens was only available as part of a kit with the 501C body.
It was not made in large quantities just like the CB lenses that did not enjoy much attention from buyers.
Apparently Hasselblad buyers do not need an economy model to be persuaded to buy their first camera.
 
The 80mm CF 'whatever it is' Planar lens is my fave Hasselblad lens and the one i most use.....great sharpness, good bokeh, love it.....I've shot 80% of everything on it....back in the early 90s when i had the 503 CW body all i had was the 80mm CF Planar.......
Second fave and most used is my silver 150mm C lens......
 
i stand corrected late 90s then....it had just come out i remember....bought it from the then Hasselblad dealer in Gibraltar Cohen's Camera Shop in Main Street
 
Sorry for the resurrection but .... my CF lens doesn't mount

So everything in this thread, and everything I've ever read, tells me that a CF lens should mount on to my 500C (note: C not C/M) body exactly the way as my C and C T* lenses mount. Smooth, clean, and a satisfying lock-in feel.

But my new-used 150mm CF lens will not mount. Comparing this lens with my other C lenses closely, I see that they are actually not exactly the same. See pix attached (sorry about the cell-phone quality).

Notice with the C lens there is a step up to the bayonet face, but with the CF there is no such step and the bayonet face is uniform across the entire ledge. It "shouldn't" make a difference perhaps, but something is making a difference because I can't mount it.

What do you think?


C and CF front view.jpg

C-mount-med-resize.jpg

CF-mount-med.jpg
 
You say that you have a 500C body?

How old is your (camera) body?
In the first (3?) years there was a pin at 3 o'clock, looking at the lens mount from the front. see attached picture.
And the C-lenses have a hole that corresponds to this pin that the CF and later lenses doesn't have.

If this isn't the case, then I don't know. As all lenses should fit every body.

And as nice info to know:
The two holes on the body (one above the trigger) are for a removable motor, that never came into production.
 

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Lenses can only be fitted to a V series body when they are cocked.
This means shutter and aperture blades are open.

If not use a small coin to turn the slotted shaft at the rear of the lens all the way to the right.

The shaft locks in this position.

The lens can be fitted to any V series body privided the body is cocked as well, meaning mirror is down etc.

The pin Olof B mentioned has no influence on the fitting of a lens.
 
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