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What proportion of Hasselblad V series users use XPan

simonpg

simonpg

Active Member
This is certainly a low traffic forum. So, that makes me wonder what proportion of V series Hasselblad users have bought an XPan; and furthermore how many of them still shoot with an XPan.

I have to say that every time I use my XPan II I'm reminded of how wonderful this tool is. It comes with me if I am shooting 35mm as well as when I am shooting 6x6.

Interestingly I am now amazed by how many people are trying to buy one these days since it was discontinued.
 
G'Day Simon:

Yes, a great camera, the XPan, built like an old brick schiezer you could find out near Silverton.

Only borrowed, never owned. But I watch and wait. As you say, perfect companion for MF or 35 shooter on any trip.

Cheers,

Colin

PS Did the horse come in for a beer at the Pub in Silverton? I'd been in there at about 4pm when he has walked in the door and they gave him a stubbie! I think half the MAD MAX cast were locals without makeup ... just kidding of course !
 
Simon,
I am one of those "lucky people" who added an XPan II to their camera collection just early last year. I love it and use it - as you do - in combination with my MF and 35 gear. It's also my "MF/35-travel kit", as it is so versatile and compact.
 
I have both and use both, but the Xpan sees much less use since I got a 4x10 reducing back on my 8x10. I've been thinking about using it more as a travel camera.
 
> I had one until earlier this year. Ended up selling it to get some > Dynalite strobes. Really liked the camera, but just did not use it > enough.Also, the stitching software has gotten so good, that the > occasional panoramic I do shoot I can easily generate from > individual stills in PS.
 
Come on, give me time to catch up!

I just got my Hassy in May and I am up to two backs and four lenses. I want to get a SWC first.

Steve
 
I have a Fuji-tagged first version. So it wasn't the name, as such.

I like it for the reasons Simon says here and elsewhere.

It is small and rugged - the main virtues, along the convenient film format and lens quality!

Its size and automation mean it can be used as a panoramic point and shoot, which is something other options don't do as well. I will use it in this way walking around if I go to the big smoke for a trip...maybe with some XP2.

I find it does produce nice colour, as well.

Nick

PS Stever, you are catching up VERY fast.
 
Good Afternoon Simon & All--

I am a first time visitor so please bear with me while I learn to navigate this forum. I have been enjoying the forum as a reader only for a year or so now.

I have had my XPan for several years now but it saw very little use since I also have a Fuji 617. However, with the new airline rules in place, I have been taking my XPan along with my Hasselblad Kit when I travel to our various Southwestern States to photograph and I must say that I am impressed with the images that I get when scanned with my Nikon 8000 scanner. I print most of the XPan images 8x20" on an Epson 7600. I rarely shoot the 35mm format and most of the time an entire trip is shot using the panoramic format of this camera. I have the 45mm & 90mm and use the 45mm most of the time. Most of my other images are shot with the 202FA.

Hope y'all have a good day,

Don Neyhard
 
Welcome Don. Personally I never use the Xpan in standard 35mm format - for that shooting the Leica M7 dominates.

Thanks everyone for participating.

Colin wrote: [[[[[Did the horse come in for a beer at the Pub in Silverton? I'd been in there at about 4pm when he has walked in the door and they gave him a stubbie! I think half the MAD MAX cast were locals without makeup ... just kidding of course !]]]]]

No, no horse, we were there midday - God it was hot. No need to kid about the locals - like visiting Queenstown in Tassie!
happy.gif


Nick, you raise a good point about the XPan as a good panoramic point and shoot. I often do street shooting with it. XP2 is a perfect film for the Xpan because you can change the film speed mid roll and simply have it processed at the nominal 400asa. Great for overcoming the limited widest apertures of both lenses.

A 6x17 is something that has always had appeal to me, but having the XPan and a 6x12 on my 4x5 view camera, I have been able to resist the temptation. But maybe if a used Chinese (Photoman I think) 6x17 was available at a low price, I'd jump in anyway since theirs enables use of 4x5 lenses with it thus maximising my use of the 6x17.

All my "very" wide angle shooting is Xpan these days with a 35mm lens on my Leica; a 50mm lens on the Hasselblad 6x6 and a 90mm lens on my Linhof 4x5 being my widest shooting - the XPan's 45mm lens gives me a 35mm equivalent angle of view of a 25mm lens.
 
Dear Mr Galbally,

You have another victim to your enthusiasm here ! This thread has done some damage to my bank account.

I await the arrival in the next few days of my XPAN with 45mm lens. This will bloat my extensive kit bag even further.

I've never been persuaded to view an XPAN before, probably because my favourite landscape instrument was an Ebony 45SU with 6x12 back - alas no more. I'm not certain that I've even handled one.

Before I set off on a ruthless search for an XPAN film mount for my Nikon 8000 glass holder, can anyone direct me to a thread that will solve this?

Regards (& thanks)

Gary
 
> What you want is the Nikon FH-869GR neg holder with ALL the masks. > There is one there that is the exact size of the XPan. I too had an > XPan (and loved it) until recently. I just never did enough pan > shots to keep the $$ tied up, so I ended up selling it for more > than I originally paid! Now I am picking up a bunch of Dynalite > components, and a 10.5 mm Nikon DX lens for my digital, with the > proceeds
 
Thanks Robert,

I have the Nikon FH-869G holder already, that I use fo all MF formats to 6x9.

Are you suggesting that this should be replaced with the GR version? These holders are twice the price in the UK v the USA.

My 35mm glassless holder has two frames 'snipped' to take XPAN film. I haven't used it for such, but maybe that's a solution?

Hoping I take to it and keep it.

Gary
 
>

I just noticed another BIG difference between the 2 carrier versions (I have both ...the 869G and the 869GR versions). The GR has an additional slot cut out on one end that allows a series of "hole punches" that are on the end of the mask to be scanned. These are IN ADDITION to the normal "hole punches" that are used to ID the carrier itself.

I assume the hole pattern tells the scanner which mask is inserted. That explains how it is able to scan just the negative area desired and not the entire carrier when using a specific mask.
 
Gary, that is great news. I'm sure you'll be delighted with it - the camera and lenses are wonderful. Like most shooters I use the 45mm about 70% of the time. But the 90mm is also wonderful. I always use the camera in Pan mode. Enjoy it!
happy.gif
 
I bought the 30mm lens just before I migrated away from the Xpan and found it to be amazine. This thread is getting me motivated to go back to my Xpan, reminded me just how much fun I had with it. Don, your point about airline rules is a good one: it would be easy to tuck this system in my carry on. Simon: thanks for introducing this thread.
 
Talking about airlines: I had 0 / nil problems with getting my kit over to the US. I have one rather compact backpack which holds (tightly I might add..):

- 2x 500C/M - 1x PME (mounted on body) - C50 - CF40 - C80 - 4x A12 (one mounted on body) - my converted Kodak DC3400 which now takes infrared pictures - 35 rolls of 120 - a bunch of filters - Gossen Polysix

The filters, I have to admit, I put in my checked luggage. In that checked luggage is also a Slik tripod. The 500C/m backup body I do not constantly drag around, the space it would occupy in the backpack now holds the filters. The Gossen also plays 'backup', and I do not normally carry it. The PME meter is really good enough in my experience. Even for chromes.

Only disadvantage: it is heavy. And for the Dutch: the backpack comes from Foto Konijnenberg. It is black and boring, and does not look at all like a fotobag. Which is a Good Thing(TM).

Wilko
 
Thanks Timothy, you are welcome.

Thanks for the link Wilko. Funnily enough it was an outing with 2 shooters using IR film that gave rise to my desire for the XPan.

The guy showing us how to use IR film had an XPan and let me use it for a couple of hours - I loved the angle of view of the 45mm lens and then realised that all my Leica M shots with the 24mm Elmarit-M ASPH (one brilliant lens) were cropped to panoramas.

From then on it was goodbye 24mm and marriage to the XPan.
 
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