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ZEISS SONNAR F 250mm 56 CAMERA LENS

applezappa

New Member
Hiya,

Just got given a Hasselblad 500 c/m camera with above lens.

I'm new to to medium format cameras, but am very excited about it.

What kind of pictures are achievable with above lens, and could anyone give any feedback on the lens i should get as a first purchase.

I've a limited budget (any good second hand lenses for +/_500 US?, and where to look for them)

Thanks again.

Looking forward.
 
Nice present! A 250mm is not the first lens people typically think of, it must be said. Do you have a filmback with the camera? If so, what type?

Wilko
 
Best bang for the buck in that price range would be 80mm 2.8 CF. Good place to start is KEH.com. You can do better on price but they are "risk free".

Steve
 
The first Hasselblad lens I brought was the 250mm because it was available at a good price. Then I picked up the 80mm ($500), followed by the 50mm (B60)and finally the 150mm.

All CF lenses.

Steve
 
Hiya folks,

Thanks for the responses.

------------------
Wilko : Yes i have an A12 back.
------------------------

Just bought a B&W developing kit.

I'll probably be looking for 50 or 60mm at the moment.Anyone to persuade me for which one i should go for?

Ps. I bought a Seaugull stereo camera for peanuts on ebay. The only problem was that the shutter wasn't working properly but the camera repairman said it'll be easily fixed + He told me i might be surprised with the pictures i would be taking with this cheapo camera. Maybe i should post this one in a new tread.

Anyhow, thanks again for your feedback.
 
Dominique,

Although it is difficult to recommend any lenstype over the
other without knowing what your shooting style & preferences are:

I personally would recommend the 50. Just simply because it is
my most commonly used lens :)

At some point your would then probably want an 80 to fill the
gap between the 50 and the 250. For me the 60 is not enough of
a wide angle lens.

Wilko
 
I also bought mine opportunistically - somebody's "fire-side" sale! But I was also keen to one day add that focal length to my kit, just not that soon.

While I don't really use it for portraits, if it is with me I will take a couple of frames with it.

But, I love this focal length for landscapes - I really enjoy taking "compressed landscapes". It also produces excellent images. I have the CF version and am 100% happy with it.
 
Hi all,

Mine also came in at a super price, and gives super results even wide open!
Another advantage is that it responds well to use with an extension tube or even, dare I say it, with a Proxar! (but watch out for flare)
I prefer my portraits with only the subject in focus and the OOF effect on this lens is fun.

You are right to set up for B&W processing, it's cheap and the whole Hassy range just punches out sparkling images.

I agree on the next choice being the 50mm, who's only drawback for me is the weight. (photo taken on 50mm, on vacation in the Pyrenees - unfortunately fell and broke my arm on the first day!!!!)

33669.jpg


Hope you enjoy your kit as much as I do mine! Gérard
 
Being a lazy fellow, I was not prepared to climb up and remove those bits of wood on the right (above all with my arm in plaster!) however I kept the tripod in the same spot and turned to face downstream.....
33689.jpg

Point of view fishing the streams all go through falls of 50 to 100 feet (Glaciated mountain valleys)but surprisingly there are fish even in the higher lakes and tarns.

Regards, and many thanks for the encouragements!

Gérard
 
Great shots there Gerard! It is illuminating how often one just needs to turn around in certain spots to find a shot that is as good -- or perhaps even better -- than that which one is fixating upon (not to say that you are fixating or fixated
wink.gif
). Just shows the value of 'shooting-in-the-round' may have once one has completed a 'set-up' shot (whether in the field or in the studio).

Much of what I have been shooting since arriving in Alaska four years ago are shots similar to yours (not necessarily just of falls) but what one could call close-in landscape. What is illuminating is if that if one compared some of these shots side-by-side with your's it would be easy to assume that both were taken in the same area rather than many thousands of miles distant (unfortunately, until such time I acquire a digital back or scanner I cannot share my own work online). Perhaps this says that one often need not go to far-off locales to encounter interesting possibilities as such can often be found in one's own locale if one has developed the sensibilities to 'see rather than just look'.
 
250, 150 and 60mm are somewhere in transit and are awaited with anticipation.

Spent 2/3rds of my finances on the hassy and related stuff. While i'm waiting for the lenses to arrive, i've been messing around with an old Chinese vintage camera (seagull).

I've a feeling that medium format will do the trick for me as it is not as intrusive as a point and shoot SLR.

My only drawback is the proper scanning of the film. I have an epson perfection 3170 which seems to give me a sense what the picture is about but doesn't give me the quality i desire.Then on the other hand i probably gonna look into darkroom development. (Digital is handy, but a good friend of mine stresses me to hold on for a wee bit longer and get into the artistry of darkroom development).
 
Dominique,
Now I'm seriously jealous!
Did you sort out the Seagull?
I really reccomend the home developement option, with a good scanner it has to be a good half way house whilst waiting for the prices of FF sensors to come down, and B&W still seems best when it's made on film to me!
Regards and good light!
Gérard
 
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