Manual focus lens noise is normal?

[eobet]

I've never owned a Hasselblad camera before so I was quite surprised when the manual focus (by wire, I know) made a very weird and uneven noise.

So I got a service case opened for it and now after they examined the gear they say that it's normal for this model (which is the XCD 65) and now I'm even more surprised.

Here's what I'm hearing:



I've never seen anyone ever mention this in any impressions or review of this lens, which makes me more confused. This isn't worth mentioning in reviews?

Does anyone on this forum have this lens and if so, does it also make this noise for you?

 

[Patrick]

I had the 45p and all four V lenses and I’ve never heard that noise.

 

[Ristretto]

I had the "old" 3.4/45 and 3.2/90 and neither of these made that noise

 

[RWilsonL]

I have just tried with my 80/1.9 XCD, which as it has larger lumps of glass to move around than the 65mm, you might expect it to be even louder. Right at the edge of my hearing, I can just hear a faint buzzing noise when the focussing element(s) are moving but nothing like the banging noise, you are hearing. Are you anywhere near a dealer? If so I would go and demonstrate the noise to them and try your noisy lens on another X2D camera body, to make sure it is purely the lens and not the combination that is causing the problem. I would have to say, it does not sound right to me. Just before you do that, try a reset of your camera body to make sure it has not got itself into some weird state. Also make sure that both body and lens firmware are fully up to date. I would also post on the Reddit Hasselblad forum, as you will access a different pool of users, who may have some other relevant ideas.
Wilson

 

[eobet]

Unfortunately there is no dealer around me with this particular lens in stock. I also do not use Reddit anymore.

But just to clarify, I can live with the noise I guess, but with the noise comes a vibration and if I change directions while manual focusing, there's a delay until the next "thunk" noise/vibration before the lens focus also changes direction.

I knew this camera was slow, but this slows me down even more. It does not feel like one of the best lenses in the world, quite the opposite (but the resulting photos so far are really great I must admit).

 

[davidmknoble]

@eobet , I have a new 45mm f/3.4 and it does the same thing. I sent it to Hasselblad US service as it was only an hour old (came in the mail). They said the same thing, that it was in spec and yes, some just do that. Not excited, very odd, but it takes great images and I am hoping it ‘wears’ in over time.