Hasselblad HC 120mm F4 Makro problems?

[sean_chen3]

I am thinking about buying the HC 120mm F4 Makro for my H1. But someone told me about

the first batch lens has lens aberration problems and focusing issues. Anyone experience

any problem on this lens? How could know if it is first batch or not?

Thanks!

[uk]

Gee, thanks for that as I bought one yesterday !!

 

Fortunately, it is a CFE variant and hopefully unlikely to have any issues.

 

Regards,

[shiver_me_timbrrrre]

Gary, Gary, Gary. He asking about the 120mm Makro for the Fujiblad <b>H1</b> camera, not for the V series.

[simonpg]

Sean and Gary, while I do not use an H1, nor that lens (I use V series gear and have the Zeiss 120mm Makro-Planar), I'd just like to say something that may relieve some of your stress.

 

This forum is generally a place of great experience and valuable knowledge - been a great help to me for some years. BUT, it does have an element of rumour creation that should always be viewed with care and if of real concern, more deeply investigated.

 

The reality is that Fujinon lenses are all round of an excellent standard. They are at the top end of overall performance and have lovely imaging characteristics - XPan, H series and LF lenses as well as their own MF branded lenses.

 

Try before you buy - see if focusing is as fast and accurate as it should be (remember though that a macro lens may have different focus speed specs like they do, for example some macros on Canon EOS); shoot a range of images to examine types of aberrations. Saying they had "aberration problems" is a throw-away line. What type of aberration does this rumour refer to, because naturally there are many?

 

I got told the CF 120mm Makro-Planar is soft at longer distances - absolutely complete rubbish! This is alround one very very sharp lens.

 

Maybe try the Hasselbladinfo.com forums for an experienced user of this lens on an H1. Gary will be protected by a new warranty anyway. I just doubt the lens would be so fundamentally flawed.

[__jon__]

>shiver me timbrrrre , jul 28, 2005; 09:18 p.m.

 

>Gary, Gary, Gary. He asking about the 120mm Makro for the Fujiblad H1 camera, not for

the V series.

 

Uh... which is why he said this:

 

>Fortunately, it is a CFE variant and hopefully unlikely to have any issues.

[shiver_me_timbrrrre]

Jon, Jon, Jon, Gary said "Gee, thanks for that as I bought <b>one</b> yesterday !!" Exclamation marks are Gary's.

 

<p>There is no CFE variant of the Fujiblad HC 120mm Makro. Nor are there any other variants.

[uk]

Sorry if my post was misleading, didn't intend to start a word pick.

 

It was just a joy to place an order for a nice piece of kit and the first mail I read thereafter stated there was a problem with a Hasselblad 120mm Makro lens, albeit for the H1.

 

Mine is a V Series CFE 120mm Makro now received and mounted on camera, but as yet not tested. It replaces an old 150mm with a bust spring. I bought the Makro with great confidence after reading nothing but positives on this excellent forum and speaking to several photographers who rate it as their best/most used lens.

 

It's good to know that some of you have good experience with it too.

 

I was mildy concerned with sharpness at infinity, but my primary use will require near to medium distance performance and a bit more backgound blur will only emphasise the subject more, I suspect.

[q.g._de_bakker]

You don't get <i>"a bit more backgound blur"</i> if a lens isn't sharp. You just get a less sharp image, all over. ;-)<br>When using a lens that is best near by and a lens that is best far away, and focus both at something near by, the far away background will be blurred by defocus several orders of magnitude more than the lack in performance of the better-near-by lens would cause.<br>When focussing both on the far away bits, you will see a difference (if the difference between the two lenses is big enough for it to become visible, of course ;-)) in the 'level' of detail in the sharp bits.<br>The 120 mm Makro-Planar is best near by, but i too don't think the difference between it and, say, a 150 mm lens is big enough to be noticable. And in a visual medium... ;-)

[ken_pops]

No need for sarcasm, if not for the "HC" the obvious variant is the 120 f4 - with the adapter. I use a 150mm on an H1. Sometimes I use the HC and as recently as this morning I used the 150 f4 Sonnar with the adapter. If anyone else has the adapter besides me out there when can you remove the cable? Its rather annoying. (I know - cable on versus off is a separate variant)

[edward_caliguri2]

Hi Folks-

 

The HC 120 Makro is fantastic! The "problem" rumor is that the body needs a firmware upgrade (and has to be sent to Hasselblad to do this). The ONLY thing this does is allow you to go into 'settings' and (with the 120 and 300) set AF Focus Ranges ( such ss 3 ft. - infinity ) or whatever you'd like to keep the lens from hunting to find the focus point if you are using it in a pre-determined range.

 

Have fun!

Ed

[sean_chen3]

Hi Edward,

Many thanks! My H1 has the most recent firmware updated. I test with one HC 120mm in the

shop. No problem with focus at all!