Best for wedding Photography? Hassleblad H1 or 203 fe

I am looking to buy a MF. this will be my first, shot mostly photojournalism

with a35mm up until now. I have been doing alot more weddings of late and

some portraits. I have read prior post.. so many on the subject.. I have

narrowed it down to the H1 or 203 Fe . Can anyone sway my decision either

way? Why are the reps at camera stores so jerky,.. i proposed the same

question to them.. it was as i had suggested i was going to eat them or

something..

I shot many weddings. i used to have a contax 645 , and now i have a 503 cw but

wouldn?t choose any for this type of work. My vote goes for a canon 1ds if resolution is

important or a 1d mk II if speed is your main concern.

I may have found your web site...

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What exactly are you looking to get from the new camera that you are not getting the way/

with what you shoot now?

What you gain in image quality in medium format is offset by the slow cycle rate, slow focusing speed and the need to reload frequently. The image quality might be justified for formal shots at the alter, but the need to reload almost demands an assistant to keep things moving.

 

You would find that a DSLR would improve the image quality over 35mm. Though not as sharp, the apparent grain is less than that of 6x6. You don't need high cycle rates. A D1x is fine for me, even at 3 fps maxium; I've only used full-auto a couple of times in the last year, and my flash wouldn't keep up anyway. In a nutshell, that's why you can buy a used Hasselblad for 30 cents on the dollar these days.

 

If you're set on medium format, I'd recommend a 6x6 camera: 503CW, 201, 203 or 205. All have TTL flash metering, and you can keep the flash directly above the lens without a flip-flop mechanism because there's no need to flip. If you shoot society weddings at society prices, the customer deserves an Hasselblad.

The only MF work I have done for weddings is with my Hassy 501CM for the portrait stuff away from the "action" and un-posed shots. Otherwise I use my EOS 1vHS.

However, if you want to use MF for all the wedding shots, I have used an H1 recently and found it amazingly good. It even tempted me to trade up from my EOS. I can only image that it would be sensational for weddings - portrait and the "action"/un-posed stuff. It's autofocus is fast and accurate and other functions are easy to use etc.. I think the Hassy 200 series stuff would be "harder work"/more fiddly (but I'm not a pro).

 

But the H1 is 6x4.5 and I like my Hassy for its 6x6 square format - different creatively to the rectangular 35mm format and a bigger neg than 6x4.5 again.

 

I'm told by pros that the H1 is superb and that the Fujinon lenses are outstanding. I think traditional Hassy (V series) gear complements 35mm rather than replaces it. But, time will tell if the H1 is a viable replacement for 35mm top end gear (ignoring the system cost for a moment).

 

Don't you have stores where pros work in sales and help out offering their experience? In Australia there are some such stores that are a great help. You really need to play with them and even rent both to try out before buying.

The 503 or Bronica SQA (or SQAi). The old saying still holds true... KISS

(keep it simple). Sales people are in it for themselves! The "Now" thing is

digital. I have to use it at work but I will not use it on the weddings I do. Film

definitely has a much better look with detail in shadows and highlights

(dynamic range) and another thing you want to consider, the cost and

longevity of the digital output with the lab your going to use. My lab does

Epsilon prints and they are nice but you need to know for yourself.

I don't shoot weddings, but I do a lot of candids with my 203fe and Metz 50 MZ flash. I think it would work great for weddings when coupled with a decent flash, but be sure to get the 45 degree viewfinder for speeding up focusing times. As far as comparing it to the H1, I have not used that camera.

The Hasselblad H1 is a Fuji camera with Fuji lenses, which sells under the Fuji nameplate in Japan for much less. You are paying a huge premium simply for the snob appeal of the name Hasselblad pasted onto a Fuji camera. The H1's nickname is Fujiblad.

 

You should really do some research in your area as to what wedding pros are shooting and what customers are buying. All the pros in my area save for a couple of shiny-pants n'er-do-wells are shooting digital, with Canon or Nikon DSLR's, and that's what the customers are equating with pro quality these days. Someone showing up with a MF film camera is considered passe. The only people I know shooting with MF digital backs are in the studio.

I would go with a 500series hassey as this gives more shutter speeds with flash.

Russ, the 203 has that "c" option as well.

<I>The Hasselblad H1 is a Fuji camera with Fuji lenses, which sells under the Fuji

nameplate in Japan for much less.</I><P>And does does any of that have anything at all

to do with the quality ofthe photos produced or how the camera works? <B>No.</B> The

H1 (or what ever Jay chooses to call it) is an excellent camera with terrific lenses. It

handles beautifully and the optical quality of the lenses is as good as the Zeiss lenses, at

least in my tests with both film and various 22mp digital backs. Is it the right camera for

you? Only you can know that answer. Befoe you buy you need rent both systems for a

week each and see which works better in your hands.<P>

 

The sales guys at camera stores are generally a cynical bunch, many of them are frustrated

photographers. I do not advise eating any of them as they no doubt have a sour taste.

The workhorse combination is the 503 with a metz 60 flash. The camera does not depend on batteries and will not let you down. The flash metering is TTL. The metz 60 will light up a room for a group. Lense wise 60mm for groups, a 120mm for portraits, a 180 for head shots or closer candids. A softar no 1 for the bride. A pro lense hood for better contrast control. A good off camera flash and 3'x4' soft box or 6' umbrella to light the bride head to toe. Try for about 1000 watt seconds in a one head unit on a strong stand. If you want flexibility then a winder CW with infra red trigger so you can set up the pictures and then take them. AND 3 or 4 24 shot backs.

Hi all! thanks so much for all the feedback. I decided to go with the 203..

yipee.It just felt sooo right! I think it will round things out for me .. since i am

already shooting with the 35mm as well. I am prepared to slow down a bit

now too.. haha thanks again for all your help!

One thing: buy two units of which ever camera you decide. And maybe 3 backs. The cost does add up quickly.. 2 H1's! I would not sway your decision in either camera direction :-)