Hasselblad V-series lenses on EOS body

[squareframe]

admittedly, I have been out of touch with current-events vis-a-vis all things

Hasselblad and Canon. however, having just purchased a 40D, I was thinking it

would be interesting to fit some of my Zeiss lenses to the new camera body. no

metering or auto-focusing required. I use all lenses wide-opened ... just need

to attach them to the 40D and work with whatever it affords.

 

point me in the right direction .. please.

 

daniel taylor

[bobatkins]

You could start here for some general comments about using manual focus lenses on EOS bodies - http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/eosfaq/manual_focus_EOS.html

 

Hasselblad to EOS adapters exist. Just do a Google or eBay search and you'll find them. I think Rugift has one for about $90, but I'm sure there are others, probably at lower prices.

 

They don't need optical elements to reach inficnity focus, so the original lens quality will be retained. Focus and aperture control will be manual of course. In camera metering will probably be quite accurate, but some lenses make require exposure compensation.

 

In general you won't get better results from medium format lenses than EOS lenses. They have a larger image circle (which you don't need), but they are rarely sharper than good 35mm lenses. The benefits of medium format come mostly from the larger image size, not better lenses (though obviously the Hassy lenses are good).

[erikhaugsby]

Why not try using Zeiss' new Nikon F-mount or M42-mount lenses (with the appropriate adapter, of course)?

 

http://www.zeiss.com/C12567A8003B58B9?Open

[squareframe]

> In general you won't get better results from medium format lenses than EOS lenses.

 

not true. it's a 'bird in the hand ..' thing. a better photo usually results from using the lens you have, and not the lens you wished you had.

 

I don't equate 'better results' with lens quality.

 

thanks

[chrisjb]

My hassy silver lenses fit fine on EOS, problem I found was while the adapters claim inf, some actually are at inf long before the inf mark on the lens, eg yhe adapter from `fotodiox` I have my 50/80/150 lenses are at inf at the 30 feet mark. The lenses are closed down manually and with `Av` ok. I have not bothered lookin for a better adapter, the ext tubes work well and TC`s. sharpness of 50mm on par with 50mm ef 1.8 but better on the edges, considering the price diff new, I paid 140aud for the canon, the hassy 50 was 5500aud new :)

[bobatkins]

Daniel - I assumed you wanted to do this because you had the lenses.

 

The caution I added was for those people who think that because MF gives superior images, MF lenses must be responsible. That's not true of course. In fact the best 35mm lenses probably outresolve the best medium format lenses in the image center because the smaller image circle means that there don't need to be as many design compromises (or expensive design solutions).

 

Edge resolution of medium format lenses on 35mm may be better than 35mm lenses because the corners of the frame aren't pushing the limits of the image circle quite as hard.

[keith_lubow]

Yes, there are adapters.

 

You won't get better "quality" pix with the Hassy lenses. In fact, on a strictly technical basis, 35mm lenses will provide "better" quality, as they need to be a lot better to handle the amount of enlargement people typically give small format pix. Also, it is easier to pack a lot of quality into a lens that only has to cover so much area. You will get the same quality as is you cropped into a Hassy neg so far that you were only printing an area as large as a standard 35mm frame (or 110 frame for APS-C sensors).

 

However, if you already have the lenses, and don't need the best of the best, why not use what you have for now?

 

Keith

[bluphoto]

From what I can see, a 35mm with a MF lens is simply cropping the image circle in the same way as a 1.6x crop camera (XXd/XXXd) crops the edges off a 35mm full frame image.

 

As such, I don't see how lens performance in the center of the image would be any worse, as Bob says, it's likely to be better than most Eos lenses at the edges - so you'll get more consistency across the frame.

 

Conversely, the image circle produced by the lens will be "all over" the inside of the mirror box, so there may be a chance that you'll get minor reflections disturbing your image. Haven't tried this, but it's just a thought.

 

That said, I'm sure the assembled lens/body combination would look like the "dogs cojones" (impressive).

 

cheers

Guy

[chrisjb]

Hmm, Hassy Xeiss 50 f4 on EOS, slight front heavy :)<div></div>

[squareframe]

thanks. I just bought a Canon 40D and thought it would be fun to see if I could match-up my Zeiss 110mm f2 lens for my Hasselblad. I have five Hasselblad lenses, but this one lens would be fun. it is my favourite, as it is one of the fastest lenses in MF, and is a hoot to shoot with wide-open. yes, it seems silly to capture such a small segment of the image-circle, but like I mentioned .. the 'bird is in the hand'. I have the lens and it seems that for less than $100 if I could fit it onto my new camera body it would be interesting to pursue. it was one of those things I thought I might do before looking seriously at the EF85mm f1.2.

 

I guess I am of the 'f1 and be there' crowd!

 

thanks again ...

 

daniel taylor