New Hasselblad CFE lenses

The Macro-Planar T* 4/120 mm, Sonnar T* 4/180 mm and Sonnar

Superachromat

5.6/250 mm, will shortly be available as CFE lenses, having databus

contacts.

 

See:

 

http://www.hasselblad.se/press/detail.cgi?new/998991600.txt

 

Deliveries of the new CFE lenses are expected to start at the end of

2001.

 

But not just good news:

 

"Following the introduction of the new CFE lenses, the FE lenses

Sonnar T*

2.8/150 mm and Tele-Tessar T* 4/250 mm will be discontinued."

 

Two less fast lenses...

"Following the introduction of the new CFE lenses, the FE lenses Sonnar T* 2.8/150 mm and Tele-Tessar T* 4/250

mm will be discontinued."

 

I would cancel the CFE and keep the FEs if it were me. Maybe those FEs don't sell: quite why I cannot imagine. Extra speed is always nice.

On a related note, what would the price difference be (in U.S. $) between a used 150 F lens and a used 150 FE lens? How many camera models thus far have been created that benefit from the databus connections?

Richard,

 

I wouldn't dare to say anything about the price difference. Apparently things are quite different depending on what part of the world you're in.

 

There currently are 3 Hasselblad cameras (perhaps more soon) that can use the lens' aperture information. They are all Hasselblad cameras that have built-in metering, which are (in numerical and alphabetical order ;-)) the 202 FA, the 203 FE and 205 TCC/FCC (counting these two as one).

They should re-introduce the 201F, as there needs to be an affordable introduction into the focal-plane line-up. I just picked mine up last month on eBay ($1025 U.S.) and am completely hooked. If getting into all the electronics for in-camera metering means hunting down only databus lenses AND upgrading all my filmbacks to E-models, then forget it. In fact, seeing as Hasselblad is now pushing databus-connection lenses so much, do you think they would eventually discontinue the A-12/A-24 filmback line-up and force us to buy the "E" backs?

Richard,

 

You have described the perfect low budget entry into the Hasselblad focal plane line-up: buy used. ;-)

 

You can have some of the benefits of built-in metering even without Databus lenses. It will mean stop-down metering, but it will work even faster perhaps than using a handheld meter.

 

Apropos no need for A-series backs since an E-series back does all the A-back does, and more, and at a higher price as well: don't go and put such ghastly ideas into our Swedish friends' heads...!!!

Seems that the press release on the new lenses have been removed from Hasselblad's web site. I saw it there before but at least in the last 2 days it's been gone.

What is the purpose to own FE system if Hasselblad no longer supply the high speed Zeiss lenses?

Ed,

 

The purpose of having an FE-system, but without fast lenses is to have a full fledged "500" series, but with extras like the built-in metering and (optional) focal plane shutter.

That's why people miss the Databus in CFi lenses so much, and would like to see all of them converted to CFE.

Seems to me that they removed the link from their side?

 

Peter