digital back or camera to fit older Hasselblad lenses

[joe_degennaro]

hi, I inherited a Hasselblad 500 C with 4 lenses, all in very good shape...first instinct is to sell it all, but are there any existing

digital cameras like the phase one or others that will accept these lenses..is ther eany way to utilize these incredible lenses

using todays digital technolgy without going broke<<< thanks in advance for any answers.....

 

joe degennaro

[robert lee]

Just shoot film and scan. Even a cheap $130 flatbed will give you around 18MP of real resolution. A $2500 Nikon scanner will give you pretty much everything that's recorded on the film (which for slow color and B&W emulsions is _alot_.)

 

Digital backs will break the bank. They don't make sense unless this is being done as a money making business.

[mharris]

Robert which scanner is the 2500 dollar one? I'm thinking about buying one.

[ellis_vener_photography]

"but are there any existing digital cameras like the phase one or others that will accept these lenses."

 

All of the digital back manufacturers Kodak, Phase One, Leaf, Imacon (now Hasselblad), Sinar and Jenoptik all make

(or made in the case of Kodak) digital backs to fit Hasselblad 500 series cameras. Depending on your budget you

have options from 6 to

39 megapixels. M yadvice isto look for one i n the 16 to 22mp resolution class.

 

there is a big difference in image quality ,to say nothign of time spent between an "18mp" scan even with the

excellent Nikon Coolscan 9000 (especially if you invest about $500 more and get the Aztek fluid mount tray for

the Coolscan 9000) and a 16mp original capture. Of course which tool, scanner or back, works best for you can

only be determined by you.

 

It is also import to consider the cost of film and decent processing, the learning curve for scanning, and the

time spent scanning as part of the scanning film solution. On the digital side there is also a learning curve and

the cost for storage media and the need to back up.

[robert lee]

"Robert which scanner is the 2500 dollar one? "

 

Nikon 9000.

 

Ellis is right in that scanning is time consuming. So it's all about how the trade offs are necessarily

weighted. For the enthusiastic amateur, MF film gear can be a great value. Even now, you can realize

technically superior

image files than similarly priced DSLR gears.

 

Selling the 500C system probably doesn't make sense because getting appreciable money for it isn't likely. On

the other hand, I'm not sure throwing in another $2.5k for the 9000 is worthwhile either. Maybe get the 5D when

Canon announces its follow on.

[joe_degennaro]

I would most likely go the digital route rather than try to shoot and scan film...already got tons of nikon equipment plus a coolscan iv..i was hoping to use all the MF lenses on some digital MF camera or MF cameraback and take advantage of the larger format and still keep the cost reasonably down....i have never shot MF but have always appreciated the clarity and detail provided by MF images....thanks for all your answers...

[Ed_Ingold]

You can get a good estimate of the value of the camera and lenses from KEH.com. You can sell Hasselblad gear to KEH outright for about half the value listed in their catalog. You might get full sentimental value by selling them on Fleabay, but then you might not get paid at all.

 

There are a few used digital backs, 16M to 22M for $5000 to $10,000, and you can get a new Hasselblad CFVII (16M) for about $9000. 39MP backs go for about $30K. Nearly every digital back made will fit a 500 series Hasselblad body. If you want to do some shooting, I suggest you stick to film for the present. It is likely that the body and lenses will need minimal factory service - cleaning and lubrication (estimate about $600 for a body and 4 lenses).

 

6x6 images scanned on a flatbed will be useable, but disappointing - barely 35mm quality and sub-DSLR. If you find yourself getting really interested in medium format film, then a Nikon LS-9000 (or Imacon) is the way to go. By the time you can actually find and take delivery on Nikon scanner, you will probably have lost interest.

 

Roll film processing can be a problem. If you can't drive to a suitable lab, you will spend more on shipping than for processing if you do less than 5 rolls at once. Expect the prints to be of "snapshot quality" until you are geared up to scan, adjust and print them yourself. Unless you live near a large camera shop, you will have to order film from Adorama or B&H.

 

There was a Tom Hanks movie called "The Money Pit" a few years back. You might find yourself in a comparable situation with this "free" camera.

[graham_mitchell]

The digital cameras and backs are so expensive compared to those lenses that it makes no sense to build a system around a relatively small asset which can easily be sold or exchanged. You should probably do lots of research, get to know ALL the systems and backs (from Sinar, Leaf, Phase One and Hasselbald) and then build the system you really need from scratch.

[joe_degennaro]

thanks..i am of a mind at this point to try and get the best price i can for the camera lenses and backs and several

accessories without going too crazy or getting too greedy...i appreciate all the input but spending thousands is out of the

question and buying a scanner and shooting film is not a desirable option...i will contact KEH and usedcamerabuyer.com

and others...i do not mess with e-bay...

[marzuki_stevens]

You could buy a Nikon d700 or Canon 5d DSLR and get a hasselblad to eos or nikon adapter and use those pretty lenses. Your files will look cleaner and sharper than scanning medium format film on a flatbed. Of course you don't get the fancy metering or auto focus. I've read that those lenses do pretty well for image quality on those digital bodies if you don't mind slowing down a bit, using manual focus and a hand-held meter (or stop-down metering). Btw, which lenses did you inherit?

[odille esmonde-morgan]

What lenses do you have and what are you going to ask for them?