Zeiss 180 for Hasselblad, how is the flare and close up?

<p>I have a 150 and a 250 (both C) for Hasselblad. These are fairly good lenses, but once again a feel the itch for a 180. I would consider a CF or a CFi and the 180 would then most likely be contrastier and sharper than the 150, the fast speeds on the 150 aren't accurate and a newer lens is ever so slightly more reliable and comfortable to use. But I feel that rationally, these reasons are not enough to get yet another lens, if you know what I mean. So I was thinking of one thing that bothers me with the 150, it's sensitivity to stray light and flare. Even with the hood on its very sensitive to flare and this is hard to detect in the viewfinder. How is the 180 in this regard? Could I do night shooting with it in the city without worrying about contrast destroying flare or weird light artefacts?<br>

Another thing is the close up properties...I don't have a macro and I want one, but OTOH I can do closeups with the 80 or 100 using tubes or use my Nikon if I want to get really close. Plus I would have difficulties packing since I'd probably need both the 100 and 120 to cover different distances. Now I was thinking, how suitable is the 180 for closeups? Let's say that the magnification would be around 1:5. I'm thinking of tubes, but possibly a tele extender and/or close up lenses. If the results are good, then it would be much more convenient to carry around a 100 and a 180 than adding a macro to my bag.<br>

Any input appreciated, as often happens, I'm trying to balance my desires for lens purchases with the rational "what do I really need?".</p>

<p>Difficult one.</p>

<p>When you drop the 150 mm from your line up, replace it with an 180 mm, i think you definitely will need a 120 mm also.<br>

I like the 120/150 + 250 mm combo better than a kit that is built around the 180 mm. Unless the 180 mm is in addition to the 120/150 + 250 mm kit. But then the 180 mm is redundant, and the first to be dropped.<br>

For me, a 100 mm + 180 mm kit is very unsatisfying. Both lenses being just a tad too long for what they are supposed to do, i'm much more at ease with a 80 mm + 120/150 mm kit (extended on the long end with the 250 mm).</p>

<p>Anyway.<br>

I never experienced any flare problems with the 150 mm lens myself, but am sure that getting a newer lens (even a CF 150 mm) will do a lot to get rid of them.<br>

The 180 m lens is contrastier and sharper though. But not by much; the 150 mm isn't bad either.</p>

<p>I would use all the lenses you mention with tubes for close-ups without worrying about image quality.<br>

The 100 mm is to short i find, for portraits though. Great for other close-up work.<br>

The 80 mm lens is even more so (as you know, the shorter the lens, the shorter the tube needed to get closer).</p>

<p>I think both are very good. I have had no flare problems, however, I don't use uv or sky filters, and I use various tubes and the closeups are really nice. I do use a 50, 80, 100, 180 kit and it works for me, some don't care for that as already mentioned. I can't say about night shots but I've never ha any problem with the 180, mines a plain CF.</p>

<p>Until I (regretfully) sold my Hassy system, I'd had great luck with a 50-80-120 combo. My "missing link" in this was the 180. I've always tended to favor an approximate 1.5X multiplier, in going up the FL chain, with exceptions occasionally being made for lenses with "special" qualities, or in avoiding focal lengths to which I cannot relate (I've never warmed up to 24mm in the 35mm format, but I like the 21 and cannot live without a 28). </p>

<p>Thanks for the insights. I think that the question of the suitable focal lengths is somewhat a matter of taste and style; I wouldn't consider carrying a 150 and a 180 at the same time. I suspect that the 180 would probably work for me, though.<br /> <br /> I don't have picture of the flare issue handy, but it happens with hood, without filters in somewhat difficult conditions. I don't expect the 180 to be absolutely perfect, but better.<br /> <br /> I think I'm still just as undecided as yesterday about whether to buy lenses or not...in any case I probably need to buy a 55/56 mm tube anyway.</p>

<p>I don't know if this applies to what you're looking for, but I shot a night photo with my Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 35mm lens and a Hasselblad 120mm f/4 lens. The 85mm lens had a mirror image of some lights in the sky that were on the horizon. The Hasselblad lens didn't have any reflections whatsoever. If the 120mm is indicative of how Carl Zeiss lenses perform at night photos then I don't think you'll have a problem with the 180mm lens.</p>