GA645w vs. Hasselblad with distagon CF 4/50

[andreas_meyer]

Hello,

usually when I'm travelling I used to backpack my hassy with the

distagon for landscape. Together with a lightweight tripod I obtained

very good results with no limitation concerning the ability to

enlarge the negatives. Recently I purchased a used GA645w and I was

wondering If I can expect the same contrast and sharpness. The fuji

is of course much more easy to carry and to handle, especially when

travelling. Does somebody has made some experience with both ? Does

the Fuji offer the same degree of picture quality ? Thanks for your

contributions.

[vartan_grigorian]

Since you already have both cameras why not tell us? My guess is that you will not get the same results as the Hasselblad and 50 mm. Under optimum condition the Fuji should give better results because the lens is a true wideangle rather than a retrofocus design, also the straight film path and smaller format will tend to result in better film flatness. Whether the difference will be evident in practice is largely down to you. I'm assuming you crop the Hasselblad pictures to fit a rectangle.

[Rob F.]

Andreas, it all hinges on whether you have the CF 50mm FLE (floating element) model, or the non-FLE that came before it. The latter is very sharp in the center, by F/8. It requires stopping down to at least f/11 for sharp results near the edges; halfway between 11 and 16 is better. At the corners, you need f/16.

 

We have it on good authority (from Dr. Fleischer) that things are much better with the FLE version, even at longer distances.

 

Now, how does your other lens compare with these results?

[andreas_meyer]

I had no possibility to compare both systems up to now (hard work to carry both ey...). I went to Lisboa Portugal recently with the Fuji an the results seemed to me to being just fine (enlargement 30x40cm).But I'm planning a longer trip to Asia later this year and want to have best possible results and I'm not sure what to take. The distagon is the modell without FLE (I thought the improvements due to the floating elements only affect pictures taken short distance?). Is there an easy method to compare both systems just by taking some same pictures ? How to compare them? Do I have to enlarge and see?

[jhbeckman]

The Fuji has a marvelous lens. The problem is the camera that is attached to it.

 

You never know quite what it is focusing on. The flash is awful. The metering is not particularly good. The instructions are terrible.

 

But the lens... Well, I sold mine because I thought it was such an irritating camera, but from time to time I look at the photos I took with it, and I miss it: that lens was really breathtaking. Plus it is small and light -- ideal for travel

[paul_osgood]

I have a GA645w - Great lens, very compact camera for MF. Scale focusing only (no rangefinder) - usually not an issue since considerable depth of field. Has internal meter. I use it only for travel (have a Pentax67 for landscape). It's a lot cheaper than a Hassy and more compact.

 

Also have a GA645 folder - which is my other travel camera - Have had some mechanical problems, but like it enough to have it repaired. (With the folding mechanism it's a bit more fragile.) It's even smaller than the GA645w - it will fit into a sport coat pocket.

[jhbeckman]

Paul -- I thought the manual versions were GS, and the AF versions were GA

[tak_ming_leung]

On a recent trip to China and Thailand I had the chance to compare the technical quality of images taken with a discontinued Fuji GS645W (w/ 45mm F/5.6 lens) and a Bronica 6X6 body w/ PS 50mm lens. I would image that your Hassy w/ Distagon CF 50mm is more or less the same as my Brony w/ PS 50mm in terms of imaging performance and technical attributes (confirmed by several published test reports). So by extrapolation I conclude that the Fuji lens has actually less distortion and higher edge resolution than the Zenzanon PS 50mm and possibly the Zeiss Distagon 50mm also. The Fujinon is an amazing lens to have if you do a lot of travel photog or casual snapshots. The EBC coating that Fuji offers is as good if not better than Zeiss's T* coating. Just my 2 cents...

[alan_krantz]

I suspect the advantage of the distagon (I assume this is an medium format slr lens) is that it has less light fall off when stopped down. The traditional rf wide angle has light fall off that cannot be fully corrected even stopped down. Having said that the traditional rf wide angle lens usually has less distortion, better resolution and much cheaper to make (though due to less volumne more expensive)...

 

Usually the light fall-off isn't too bad for 25mm lens (in 35mm terms) but anyways...

[jim_leigh]

Hasselblad makes the "ideal" camera for your needs. edge

distortion and light fall off are not an issue , it is extremely light

weight and makes an ideal point and shoot camera. the 903

SWC!

[diego_k.]

It would be nice to have a fuji-hasselblad-bronica-rollei-mamiya6, 50mm comparative, since it is a lens that alot of us use. Now the problem would be to gather all of them in one place to do the test.

 

Just a thought.

 

Diego K.

 

PS: are you happy with you camera? then go out and do some photos, bye bye Im off to the street.

[paul_osgood]

Just to set the record straight: John is correct. The GS645 models are the older non AF models (and not GA645). I've been v happy with both.

[andreas_meyer1]

It is impossible for me, up to now, to have a system pointed out to be the better system. I have made severall tests on both, with enlagements made up to 50x75cm, with no winner.

regards

[gyuri]

I think the most important side of this dilemma is on the usage side, not the lens performance. If You use a tripod for the shots, You will see some difference in the pictures, but only if You put the slides side by side. The Fujinon, and the Zeiss has the same pretty good performance. Maybe there is a bit difference in the color rendition, or in the bokeh feeling, but not too big.

I have made few rolls in Wienna in the last month with a Fuji GA645Zi, and when I was show the result to my friend, who use the mentioned Distagon, He told me, that the Fuji has very impressive pictures.

 

So, back to the usage (maybe I do not have to mention to You, just a reminder to see everithing together):

 

- As the Hassy is an SLR, it has a mirror. I do not have to mention, that in this case You have no mirror shaking at the Fuji. (not important, if You use a tripod I know :-)

 

- Faster to operate with the Fuji, as it has a motorized film winding (it was too noisy at my GA645Zi for the street shooting).

 

- Easier to load the film, with the Fuji (IMHO)

 

- The Fuji needs a battery for the operation

 

- You can capture _exactly_ what You can see in the viewfinder with the Hassy (You can check the effect of a polarizer for a landscape)

 

- You can see the effect of the graduated filters

 

- more freedom in the cropping and composing with the 6x6 - more pictures with the 645 on the same roll

 

- You can change the backs with the Hassy

 

- and maybe there is more...

 

I have to say, that the usage of the two camera is so different, that Yourself have to decide, what is most important feature on your trip for You. As I am a travel, and landscape photographer too (mainly with backpack in the mountains) I have to say, that I could prefer a totally manual, battery free, lightweigt 6x9, camera, like my GW690 ;-)

You can check few of my pictures here: www.hege.tk

 

But for the lens performance I think both lenses are perfect!

 

All the best:

 

Gyuri