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  #31  
Old 31st July 2019, 02:40 PM
Mike O'Pray Mike O'Pray is offline
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I both "soup" my film and film my soup . I don't get out much.

Mike
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  #32  
Old 9th January 2020, 08:07 PM
JOReynolds JOReynolds is offline
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Although the Hasselblad design is based on an aerial cameras of WW2 it is remarkably comfortable. Held in the left hand the shutter and aperture rings are accessible and the release button falls below the left index finger. The wind-on knob or crank is operated by the right hand.

When changing magazines, the darkslide is inserted by the left hand, the magazine is held with the left hand and the release button falls naturally beneath the left thumb.

To remove a lens, keep holding the body with the left hand, grasp the lens barrel with the right and the release button is now below the right index finger.

And the strap with its lugs never get in the way. Brilliant.

The only problem is ignoring the cocked/released indicators when changing backs, lenses and, especially, extension tubes. In fact I sourced Proxar closeup lenses to avoid having to use tubes, although they are optically inferior.

I have used Mamiya Press (pull-push to advance the frame) and Mamiya C33. Both awkward! The Bronica SQ is fairly comfortable, with the same layout as the Hasselblad but it's loud, generates camera-shake when hand-held and I never did work out how to raise the mirror when under pressure.
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  #33  
Old 10th January 2020, 01:05 PM
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Martin Aislabie Martin Aislabie is offline
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I too have heard the siren calls to own a Hasselblad.

When I was at University the Hasselblad rep came up from London with a car full of them for the photographic group to play with for an afternoon - the rep was a friend of our course tutor.

I loved the feel of the mechanical camera in my hands - its ergonomical layout made sense to me and it just seemed to fit my hands.

That day I promised myself that one day I would own one.

However, many years later when I was looking at buy a MF mechanical system I went with a Mamiya RB67 instead.

Although heavier, the RB67 was cheaper to buy, the lenses and film backs were much cheaper and the RB67 took regular screw filters which were much much cheaper than the bayonet fittings of a Hasselblad.

And, dare I saw it, the 50mm Hasselblad lens has a reputation of poor sharpness, particularly in the corners of the frame.

The sharpness of the 80mm and longer lenses are superb but the Mamiya lenses are no slouches either.

From my perspective, the RB67 made better sense as a piece of photographic kit - however, a Hasselblad is a beautiful thing to own and use.

YMMV

Martin

Last edited by Martin Aislabie; 10th January 2020 at 01:08 PM. Reason: english !
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  #34  
Old 10th January 2020, 05:17 PM
big paul big paul is offline
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Oh Martin I must stick up for the humble Hasselblad 50mm lens ,I have always found it sharp and easy to take sharp pictures with ,its a great lens for portraits ,and was popular with photographers such as Gered Mankowitz ,who took the famous jimmy Hendrix photo on the said lens .OK it takes a while to focus from closeup to infinity but it gets there in the end .



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  #35  
Old 11th January 2020, 03:58 PM
MikeHeller MikeHeller is online now
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I own a couple of Hasselblads. After my wife died back in 2005, I developed a yen to try MF and wanted a Hasselblad and bought a 500C. If she had been alive at the time she would have had it off me in a trice for her own use. A fellow member of the Camera Club referred to it as my mistress.

A couple of years later I was in London Camera Exchange looking at a 150mm lens for it and they also had a 500CM for sale and in a fit of greed bought that as well as the lens and an extension tube. They were both fun to use.

I was given a Bronica ETRSi which is no slouch either and three lenses a couple of years ago and have been using them since.

I may go back to using the Hasselblad - using them (as is the case for Leicas) adds a feeling of superiority to the activity. and then decide what to do about the excess of MF Cameras as I feel it is difficult to justify them all especially as I think my cameras should be used or disposed of, nice as they are to finger every now and then.
Mike
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  #36  
Old 12th January 2020, 09:51 PM
JOReynolds JOReynolds is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by big paul View Post
Oh Martin I must stick up for the humble Hasselblad 50mm lens ,I have always found it sharp and easy to take sharp pictures with ,its a great lens for portraits ,and was popular with photographers such as Gered Mankowitz ,who took the famous jimmy Hendrix photo on the said lens .OK it takes a while to focus from closeup to infinity but it gets there in the end .
The photo shows the 50mm FLE Distagon in a Prontor shutter, which is a superb lens and not at all humble. My complaint was over the previous version in a Compur, which Hasselblad should never have put their name to.
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  #37  
Old 12th January 2020, 10:06 PM
big paul big paul is offline
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well you learn something new everyday ,its handy to know and if somebody needed to buy a 50mm lens it would be worth spending a bit more and getting the later lens like mine
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  #38  
Old 13th January 2020, 10:40 AM
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pentaxpete pentaxpete is offline
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I took the plunge in 2002 and bought a NEW 501CM from David S,H Leung of Goodmayes -- it was 'Tax Deductible' over several years. Then I got the infamous 50mm f4 CFi Distagon new and a secondhand 180mm f4 Cfi Sonnar and 2 16-on backs secondhand . I DO find the 50mm is not as 'sharp' as I thought it should be. I did a VIDEO all about the kit with PRINTS -- you c an see it here :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeE-uPO8ACg&t=7s
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  #39  
Old 13th January 2020, 04:54 PM
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Rob Archer Rob Archer is offline
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I'm following this thread with interest. A friend has just lent me his old Hasselblad 500c/m to check over and test with film as he's thinking of getting back into film photography. It's the first one I've ever actually handled, let alone used. I really is lovely to use. I had a Bronica ETRSi for many years and this feels more solid and somehow intuitive to use. I haven't finished the film so can't comment on the quality of the glass yet but I don't expect to be disappointed!

On the other hand, will it persuade me to switch from my Mamiya 7ii? I suspect not but I'll reserve judgement.
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  #40  
Old 13th January 2020, 08:36 PM
big paul big paul is offline
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my problem is the old mince pies are going so when I can I use auto focus ,so I am using my Nikon AF cameras all the time now ,the good thing is with medium format its easier to manual focus ,my mamiya/phaseone are both AF , my hasselblads are both MF both have very bright focusing screens and my lenses are very sharp CF lenses ,also one of my eyelevel finders has a dioptric adjuster ,that also helps .so i can keep my Hasselblad's and still be able to use them with my old dodgy mince pies .
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