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The 500mm lens.....

B

bensonga

Member
I'm one step closer to a completing my collection (guess I have to admit that's what it is now) of a lens in each focal length. I purchased a 500mm C T* lens in nearly mint condition (including the leather case etc) locally yesterday. Have no idea what I will do with a 500mm lens on my Hasselblad, but the condition and price left me no choice....even my wife agreed! :)

So now I wait for the right 30mm Distagon........

Gary
 

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My congrats Gary

I always thought of getting a 500 for my collection too , but I dont really know what to do with it and where to store it .
And I think I don't want to carry that "Gun" around with me . :)
Your "Gun" looks beautiful .

Jürgen
 
Try it out as a portrait lens - you'll be amazed about the shallow depth of field effects. It can also be cool to have just a little bit out of focus - I do such photos with animals in landscapes and the effect is pretty cool.

Good luck,

R
 
I know exactly what you mean Jurgen.....the 500mm lens wasn't even on my wish list. I bought a CF 350mm from Marc Williams at least a year ago (beautiful lens and condition), but I haven't used it even once yet. If I had really wanted a 500mm, I would have been looking for the CF ApoTele-Tessar, despite its higher price. This beautiful C T* lens just showed up unexpectedly and for only $600 USD, so I couldn't pass it up. By the way, in the interest of full disclosure...the picture above is not the actual lens I purchased, but it looks just like the one I bought, although I don't think the lens in this picture is a T*, which mine definitely is.

I'm determined to get out and shoot with both the 350 and 500 this year....but I think I'll wait for Spring. Zero degrees Fahr. was the high temp here today. Very beautiful blue skies, lots of snow and hoarfrost on the trees....but it has been very cold and I don't think I want to take this beauty outdoors in such brutally cold weather. Or maybe that's just the excuse I'm using until it warms up a little. :lol:

Gary
 
Was born in the same climate as you describe. I'm working down south in Central Europe now and envy you - winter or lack thereof sucks - at least for me. There is no cold weather just poor clothing:)

Ronald

bensonga said:
I know exactly what you mean Jurgen.....the 500mm lens wasn't even on my wish list. I bought a CF 350mm from Marc Williams at least a year ago (beautiful lens and condition), but I haven't used it even once yet. If I had really wanted a 500mm, I would have been looking for the CF ApoTele-Tessar, despite its higher price. This beautiful C T* lens just showed up unexpectedly and for only $600 USD, so I couldn't pass it up. By the way, in the interest of full disclosure...the picture above is not the actual lens I purchased, but it looks just like the one I bought, although I don't think the lens in this picture is a T*, which mine definitely is.

I'm determined to get out and shoot with both the 350 and 500 this year....but I think I'll wait for Spring. Zero degrees Fahr. was the high temp here today. Very beautiful blue skies, lots of snow and hoarfrost on the trees....but it has been very cold and I don't think I want to take this beauty outdoors in such brutally cold weather. Or maybe that's just the excuse I'm using until it warms up a little. :lol:

Gary
Click to expand...
 
If you like a cold climate Ronald.....Alaska would suit you nicely! It's currently -23C (-9F) at my home here in Eagle River, Alaska and in Fairbanks, Alaska the current temp is -39C (-38F). Much colder than I prefer. IMHO, only crazy people live in Fairbanks. :crazy:

Sooo.....what would be the coldest temps folks here have encountered when using their fine Zeiss lenses? Do you have any real concerns about using Zeiss glass in very cold temps?

Gary
Cold in Alaska
 
I have only used the 50 F2.8 and 80 F 2.8 down -40C. It gets colder but I'm not so much home anymore. No problems with cold with the Hasselblad cameras. I have heard that wrong lubrication can make the leaf shutter lenses slow. As a teenager I used a Pentax KX which never showed any symptoms from cold (used it down to -45C). I come from the northern part of Sweden just east of the Mountain range. This is one of the very coldest spots in Europe. Winters have though varied weather due to proximity of the Atlantic so sometimes continental climate dominate and sometimes maritime (much warmer). One thing to say about really cold weather is that the colors in the sky are unbetatable at early sunrise/sunset with its greenish tinge of the sky.


The 2000 series was initially found to have cold weather problems by dedicated outdoror shooters in Sweden. Thereafter lubrication was changed so there are no problems. This was directly at introduction of the 2000FC in 19777 (I think).

I have never had any problems with condensation in these temperatures. The amount of humidity that air can contain dimish with colder temperature. Slow warming in a box is not so bad either.

Since Hasselblads were used on the moon and in space they should fare well at low temperatures.

So Gary,

Have a nice one and keep jyour hands, feet and head warm and dry (for you others getting wet or sweaty that the one thing one do not want in cold weather),

Ronald

bensonga said:
If you like a cold climate Ronald.....Alaska would suit you nicely! It's currently -23C (-9F) at my home here in Eagle River, Alaska and in Fairbanks, Alaska the current temp is -39C (-38F). Much colder than I prefer. IMHO, only crazy people live in Fairbanks. :crazy:

Sooo.....what would be the coldest temps folks here have encountered when using their fine Zeiss lenses? Do you have any real concerns about using Zeiss glass in very cold temps?

Gary
Cold in Alaska
Click to expand...
 
bensonga said:
I know exactly what you mean Jurgen.....the 500mm lens wasn't even on my wish list. I bought a CF 350mm from Marc Williams at least a year ago (beautiful lens and condition), but I haven't used it even once yet. If I had really wanted a 500mm, I would have been looking for the CF ApoTele-Tessar, despite its higher price. This beautiful C T* lens just showed up unexpectedly and for only $600 USD, so I couldn't pass it up. By the way, in the interest of full disclosure...the picture above is not the actual lens I purchased, but it looks just like the one I bought, although I don't think the lens in this picture is a T*, which mine definitely is.

I'm determined to get out and shoot with both the 350 and 500 this year....but I think I'll wait for Spring. Zero degrees Fahr. was the high temp here today. Very beautiful blue skies, lots of snow and hoarfrost on the trees....but it has been very cold and I don't think I want to take this beauty outdoors in such brutally cold weather. Or maybe that's just the excuse I'm using until it warms up a little. :lol:

Gary
Click to expand...

Gary

This morning it was -14C here , but even at that temperature , i would not hesitate as well , if I would get such a good offer , regardless if I need that lens or not . And I am sure , I would find a place in my glass cabinet were that lens could stay with all my other collector HASSELBLADs .
But as no such offer comes along , I think I should continue hybernating .
I dislike cold winter and my gear does too .:)
What about bear hunting (in springtime of course) .

Jürgen
 
Gary

You were really lucky with that 500 TESSAR .
I had a look in *bay yesterday and found some 500 TESSARs .
They are all between 800 - 1500 € . :z04_photos:

Jürgen
 
A 500 Tessar is never wrong.
I can't say that I use mine that much. Sometimes I shoot a roll at the moon with a 2x converter. Or trying to get some birds.
But mostly it rests in the case.


Here in Gothenburg it's now just below zero (C) and the forecast is snow.
Other vice the weather this winter has been storms and plus 5-10 degrees.

- Olof
 
Olof B said:
A 500 Tessar is never wrong.
I can't say that I use mine that much. Sometimes I shoot a roll at the moon with a 2x converter.
- Olof
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Hey Olof, the moon subtends about 1/2 degree. Do you happen to know the equation to relate focal length to field of view for a hasselblad? With your 1000mm equivalence, what field of view do you get in degrees?
 
I live in Fairbanks.... That everyone thinks we are crazy suits me just fine. Not sure what I would do with a 500 for the Hassy, 400 pushes the limits for my Canons.

Took this one yesterday, looks a bit chilly windy on Denali (6300 m).

CFV 50 150 mmm Sonar.

Tom
 

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Some of my best photos have been taken up close and personal to the Great Ice Mountain from my airplane with the door open, but alas this one was taken through the crappy windows of an airliner between Fairbanks and Anchorage. Why? On my way to Asia on a work trip. In Tokyo at the moment braving the rains to have a peek at some temple grounds nearby.

I'll guess the 500 mm is pretty spectacular for moon shots.
 
Temperature competition

Here a little competition with todays forecasts :

OJMJAKON (SIBIRIA) L -43C H -38C
VERHOJANSK (SIBIRIA) L -43C H -37C
FAIRBANKS (ALASKA) L -30C H -28C

OK. No more joking now .
But that leaves a question open . How can you shoot digital in these areas ? ?
Batteries ans and sensor electronics ? ? ?
Does the glas of your lens (TESSAR 500 ? :)) not break ? ? ?

Jürgen
 
BTW Olav: Nice moon image!

Cold weather? A more serious issue for photography in the dark months is a lack of light and texture. As we speak the light is returning at about 6-7 mins per day. Feburary and March hearld the return of a very low but spectacular light.

Cold temperatures, the warmth and motivation of the photographer are usualy the greatest impediment. Batteries can be slipped into a warm pocket. some equipment works better than others. My gals son climbed Denali two years ago and lugged a Nikon to the summit without issues. I have sucessfully taken a photo with my 500CM (using film) at -80F.... LCD's can dissapear at cold temps, but about time to head for some shelter if that happens.

(1) don't cold soak the equipment, especially the batteries (2) important to be mindful of possible condensation with inside outside temp and humidity changes. Ironically this is more of an issue going from cool air conditioning to hot humid outside. Inside in cold climates is usually quite dry.

With fresh warm batteries the camera will likely do better than you do in the chill. No experience worth much with the CFV yetin extremee cold, done a bit of temp -30 F wiht it.... OK.

T
 
Thanks everyone for the nice pictures of moon and the big mountain.

This might sound crazy but I'm sitting in a grey bleak Berlin with rain and mud - this is much worse than cold at least for me:). I'm actually longing for some cold weather into which I was born. You are quite right about cold weather and equipment - the air is so dry that its not a big issue with condensation. One though need really adequate clothing - its difficult to keep hands warm if touching metal. So gloves in several layers so one can have a thinner inner glove to use for shooting and then quicjly put it into a warm and cozy bigger glove. The light yes - that is the big problem of getting enough with light - especially for handheld photography. If all intents fail - sit indoors with a nice fire and have good book and a nice cuppa tea:)

Fliger747 said:
BTW Olav: Nice moon image!

Cold weather? A more serious issue for photography in the dark months is a lack of light and texture. As we speak the light is returning at about 6-7 mins per day. Feburary and March hearld the return of a very low but spectacular light.

Cold temperatures, the warmth and motivation of the photographer are usualy the greatest impediment. Batteries can be slipped into a warm pocket. some equipment works better than others. My gals son climbed Denali two years ago and lugged a Nikon to the summit without issues. I have sucessfully taken a photo with my 500CM (using film) at -80F.... LCD's can dissapear at cold temps, but about time to head for some shelter if that happens.

(1) don't cold soak the equipment, especially the batteries (2) important to be mindful of possible condensation with inside outside temp and humidity changes. Ironically this is more of an issue going from cool air conditioning to hot humid outside. Inside in cold climates is usually quite dry.

With fresh warm batteries the camera will likely do better than you do in the chill. No experience worth much with the CFV yetin extremee cold, done a bit of temp -30 F wiht it.... OK.

T
Click to expand...
 
The light weight thinsulate gloves work pretty well. Inside a large warm loose mitt is best, the kind with no cuff so you can just shake them off ad slide back in easily. One type I liked we called "woodchopper mitts".

Back to the issue at hand, the 500, wonder if there are any serious wildlife types using the 500 and Hassy system, or they have all gone to the (very excellent) SLR's.

Cheers: t
 
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