Best aperture for Hasselblad 350mm F5.6 CF

I have been using a 180mm 4.0 Sonnar CF with the 1.4XE and it is great so I added a 350mm 5.6 CF today, will get it next week. I use a

pair of 501CM's and a 500ELX so no mirror blackout issues.

 

I am using all my Hassy gear strictly with black and white film, no scans, wet print only so the reports of CA with the 350mm have not

concerned me so much. What I am wondering is since this is mostly for long distance landscapes or at least ones with not a lot of closer

foreground subject, what is the optimum aperture with the lens alone and then as a 490mm F8 with the 1.4XE? Figure the lens will mostly

be used from about 100 feet to infinity for 90% of its load.

 

A stop down from wide open on the 180 with or without the 1.4x has pretty much been standard if there is not a lot of concern for depth of

field so I figure I will start there. Either way, it would be good to know what it's optical limitations are with black and white film, if any...

I used that lens once years ago. It was on a tripod and I probably shot at 8-1/2 or 11 and it was very good. That was black

and white probably Ilford HP5. I use the 180 for a number of things, actually I have two because I bought a backup for my

son to use if he was helping on a job. I would say in general, don't expect the 350 to be as sharp as the 180 because the

180 to my eyes is one of the sharpest lenses I've ever used. The 350 with movement and what I would call that

"creamier" type of sharpness is IMO just not going to be there. With the 1.4 I would imagine another step worse.

Betweeen the extra glass, magnification and blur from movement. I remember one guy I used to work with nailed some

incredible shots with the 250, the 350 though to me, and probably why I only bothered with it once, is a different animal.

Don't misunderstand me that I'm trying to be negative or dis this lens, that's not the case, it's just that you will have to

spend time with it to figure out the possibilities and it's personality and how it fits into your work.

Cheers, Dave

<p>Thanks, I'll give it a run tomorrow, hopefully it will work for what I need it to do, otherwise I will return it and dream of finding a 350 SA at a yard sale. </p>

<p>Got it a few hours ago, wicked sharp on it's own, pretty good with the 1.4XE. Here is my first shot ever with it, 350+ 1.4X on Acros...</p><div></div>

Nice photo! I had the lens and shot it from F8 to F22. If I recall correctly it went to F32.