Any suggestions? confused what camera to buy

<p>I am very confused. I plan to get a medium format SLR which has interchangeable film back. I have been shooting Yashica TLR and my love of 6x6 format is inclining my choice to Hasselblad. However, the lens collection for film hasselblad is not good. I am looking at getting a super wide and a super tele lens. Any suggestion regarding which system I should consider? Also, I adore systems which do not need battery in any form (well, metering purpose is fine).</p>

<p>Indeed the Hasselblad V-system is rather limited with lenses ranging from 30 to 500 mm only (not including converters).<br>

Ulrik</p>

<p>Hasselblad lens choice limited? I don't think so!</p>

<p>Oops, sorry, I forgot that irony does not work in an english-speaking forum. Of course the Hasselblad V-system is the most comprehensive ever made.<br>

Ulrik</p>

<p>Super wide and super tele don't really exist in the medium format world. You can get down to 23mm on a view camera, but that's not an SLR. Widest on SLR is 28mm. Longest I've seen is something like 500mm, but that was on a different platform to the 28mm.<br>

Have a look at the Rollei 6000 series. It's also 6x6 (or 645 if you want) and more sophisticated than the Hasselblad.</p>

<p>Limited choice for under $500 maybe! But my experience shows that Hasselblad lenses are as good (if no better!) than Rodenstock or Schneider for LF.</p>

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<p>You can get down to 23mm on a view camera, but that's not an SLR. Widest on SLR is 28mm.</p>

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<p>Uh, the RZ67/RB67 have an 50mm lens, which is equivalent to 25mm. Then there is also a 37mm fisheye. The Pentax 67 also have 45mm (rectilinear) and 35mm (fisheye) lenses. Even in the lowly Pentacon/Kiev-60 lens line-up there are rectilinear 40mm lenses (24mm equivalent).<br>

A super telephoto lens is not very convenient as it is super-large and super-heavy. The longest I know of is a 1000mm mirror lens for Pentax 67, but there is also a rare and super-heavy fast 800mm f/4, an modern 800mm f/6.7 and a 600mm f/4 for that system.</p>

<p>The Hasselblad is a good choice - a compromise between format and portability. The availability of used lenses and accessories is phenomenal (if not exactly cheap). The quality is without equal.</p>

<p>Medium format photography is centered on image quality with lots of detail and tonality (compared to 35mm). A 40mm lens is considered "extreme", with a price to match (even used). At the other end, anything longer than 250mm is "extreme", and seldom used. That's comparable to a range of 25mm to 160mm on a 35mm camera. You can get a decent zoom lens for a DSLR that spans that range and more. On the other hand, an useseable 4x5 kit might consist of a 90, 150 and 210 mm lens.</p>

<p>Personally, I don't find this limiting. It's a different camera, a different medium, with a different purpose.</p>

<p>If Hassy lens line up does not satisfy you, I am wondering which kind of pictures you are taking. In my opinion, medium format system is for fine art photography, such as landscape, portrainature, architecture, still life, etc. It is not ideal system for action, photojournal and wild life.</p>

<p>For me, the price/quality/value winner for a 6x6 SLR system is Bronica--no surprise.</p>

<p>Thanks. Bueh, for mentioning the P6. ;)</p>

<p>While I could never recommend a P6 system for a working photographer, those of us who have them love them in their own gritty and hesitant way.</p>

<p>Thanks for all the responses. I think I am wrong with most of my gestures, but let me see....<br>

I personally prefer Hassy. No complaints on the wide (I have seen 40mm which I think is wide enough). However, on the tele side, the 300mm looks like only for the digital (H) system (please correct me). I checked B&H for availability. I have not got to the price because they will be collected as and when I have the money, but I want to start with the right system. Actually, I wanted to do some wildlife with medium format. Thats why I got bored of my Yashica TLR.<br>

Just in case, I wanted to mention that I prefer the 503CW model. I don't like to depend on batteries. I like the option to have both (yes and no to battery need).</p>

<p>Thanks again.</p>

<p>On the tele-side, there are two different versions of a f/8 500 mm lens that can be used on all V-Series Hasselblad bodies.<br />Put a converter behind one and you'll have a f/16 1000 mm lens.</p>

<p>A perusal of the KEH site reveals that you could pull out your credit card today and buy a comprehensive Bronica SQ-Ai outfit in excellent condition for around US$4,250. This would with a prism, a couple backs and eight lenses covering the range of the later model PS lenses from 40mm to 500mm (the top of the line fluorite model), including a macro, and the excellent 180mm f/4.5. This represents an outrageous value in a highly capable and reliable camera system with excellent lenses. Of course, the SQ cameras do need a battery, but they last a long time, and the electronic lens shutters controlled from the body require less frequent service and calibration compared to Hasselblad V system lenses.</p>

<p>How often do Hasselblad V system lenses require service and calibration?</p>

 

<p>Just curious, can I use the Mamiya 67 lenses on Hassy? Is that an option? I'm looking at a 100% manual system.</p>

<p>No. You can only use Hasselblad lenses on Hasselblads.<br>

Hasselblad lenses are 100% manually.</p>

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<p ><a href="../photodb/user?user_id=282122">Q.G. de Bakker</a> <a href="../member-status-icons"><img title="Hero" src="http://static.photo.net/v3graphics/member-status-icons/hero.gif" alt="" /><img title="Frequent poster" src="http://static.photo.net/v3graphics/member-status-icons/1roll.gif" alt="" /></a>, May 08, 2009; 03:39 p.m.</p>

<p >How often do Hasselblad V system lenses require service and calibration?</p>

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<p >The answer is obviously that it depends. I have worked with full-time commercial shooters who sent in their whole Hasselblad system annually for CLA. A few others seemed to only send something for service when it outright failed, but they often made exposure adjustments based on known shutter speed discrepancies (for example, when testing revealed that the 1/2 second speed on their 150mm was a third stop off, they would just remember to compensate for it), or just made adjustments based on the results of Polaroid tests. </p>

<p > </p>

<p >A hobbyist who only shoots occasionally may not need to have his shutters serviced for many years. But it is a fact that mechanically timed lens shutters all gradually shift away from proper calibration with use over time. Electronic shutters are far more accurate over time, and tend to require less maintenance.</p>

<p > </p>

<p >Now, back to the more important point, which is price v. performance. How much would it would cost to purchase a comprehensive Hasselblad V system, with, say, a 503 CXi body, prism, two backs, and the following lenses: 40mm, 50mm, 60mm, 80mm, 120mm macro, 180mm, 250mm, 500mm (all in excellent condition and 1990s vintage)? It appears to me that buying such a system from a reputable dealer would cost almost three times as much as a Bronica system that delivers comparable results. Ultimately, if someone prefers Hasselblad, that's great, but Bronica is an astonishingly good deal these days. Personally, there are things I'd rather spend my money on than a famous brand name.</p>

<p > </p>

<p>I'm looking at the same. The Mamiya 7 system is nice, but if you hunt around on ebay you can find systems at reasonable prices. There was a CM body etc and 50, 80 and 150 lenses for $1500. Thats good value.</p>

<p>Justin,</p>

<p>The "important point" is that you 'know people who ...', etc. but don't know yourself.<br />I have never experienced a lens shutter "shift away from proper calibration" in my Hasselblad lenses, either Synchro Compur or Prontor.<br />If you keep using these things (which could be seen as 'maintenance', yes) they go on working accurately until indeed something fails (which happens perhaps once in 20 - 30 years. Perhaps not at all.).<br />No worries! ;-)</p>

<p>Another important point is that price thingy. Bronica may cost less. Yes.<br />There is also a reason why. Why, also, it was not the #1 choice.<br>

(Part of that is in the "comparable" thingy. More in particular the outcome of the comparison. ;-) )<br />Does low cost make up for that?</p>

<p>I think I have been well directed by you all. Yes, KEH survey gave me 350 and 500mm lenses for the V system. My problem was, BHphotovideo did not have these items in their list. Actually, I have not seen the 500mm lens in the product list under the V system in hasselblad.com</p>

<p>Are these available new at all? Not that I'm buying tomorrow, but just curious. (You know when you think about stuff, how you feel. Excuse me for that!!)</p>

<p>Hi<br>

Apologies for piggy backing on this thread. I am also in the market for an medium format SLR system. I'm looking for one that does not have an electronic shutter as I like doing exposures of several minutes. I was thinking of RB/Z 67...<br>

Any ideas?</p>

<p>James</p>

<p>Many electronic shutter 6x6 and 6x7 MF SLRs offer simple and effective mechanical solutions for super-long exposures without draining the batteries. Among them are the Mamiya RZ, Bronica SQ series and GS-1, and Pentax 67II. I do mechanical exposures of several minutes with my SQ-A all the time.</p>

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<p>

<p ><a href="http://www.photo.net/photodb/user?user_id=282122">Q.G. de Bakker</a> <a href="http://www.photo.net/member-status-icons"><img title="Hero" src="http://static.photo.net/v3graphics/member-status-icons/hero.gif" alt="" /><img title="Frequent poster" src="http://static.photo.net/v3graphics/member-status-icons/1roll.gif" alt="" /></a>, May 09, 2009; 04:01 a.m.</p>

 

<p >Justin,</p>

 

</p>

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<p >The "important point" is that you 'know people who ...', etc. but don't know yourself.</p>

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<p >I have a great deal of industry experience, and really don't need to be lectured by someone who presumes to know what I do and don't know.</p>

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<p >I have never experienced a lens shutter "shift away from proper calibration" in my Hasselblad lenses, either Synchro Compur or Prontor.<br />If you keep using these things (which could be seen as 'maintenance', yes) they go on working accurately until indeed something fails (which happens perhaps once in 20 - 30 years. Perhaps not at all.).<br />No worries! ;-)</p>

<p > </p>

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<p >Others have had different experiences.</p>

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<p >Another important point is that price thingy. Bronica may cost less. Yes.<br />There is also a reason why. Why, also, it was not the #1 choice.<br />(Part of that is in the "comparable" thingy. More in particular the outcome of the comparison. ;-) )<br />Does low cost make up for that?</p>

<p > </p>

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<p >Let's see.... reasons Bronica costs less:</p>

<p >1) When new, because of lower labor costs, more efficient manufacture, lower materials costs, less investment in marketing.</p>

<p >2) Today, it has a great deal to do with the fact that the people who actually used Bronicas – primarily professional wedding photographers – dumped their film gear en masse. Add to that the fact that Bronicas (and Japanese cameras in general) were never fetishized by gear collectors in the manner of Leicas and Hasselblads.</p>

<p > </p>

<p >The real difference in results is minimal, and many over the years have said that they can't see the difference between chromes from Hasselbland and Bronica SQ cameras with PS lenses. The difference in results in real world application really isn't significant from a practical point of view. It is a well established phenomenon that a lot of photographers like to think they own "the best," (for which they often use the justification that they want to know that they can blame any image faults on themselves rather than on inferior gear), but the practical advantages of using "the best" are virtually nil. The fact is that Japanese MF cameras make images every bit as good as Hasselblads, and in any case it is the photographer that matters, not the camera.</p>

<p > </p>

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<p>I have a great deal of industry experience, and really don't need to be lectured by someone who presumes to know what I do and don't know.</p>

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<p>Oh, but it is quite apparent that you do.</p>

 

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<p>The fact is that Japanese MF cameras make images every bit as good as Hasselblads,</p>

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<p>Absolutely. But even you acknowledge that Bronicas are not those Japanese cameras that do.</p>

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<p>and in any case it is the photographer that matters, not the camera.</p>

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<p>So why don't we all use Dianas or Holgas?</p>