I've just go my first Hasselblad! Advices from "mediumformaters"

[miguel_angel_p._prieto]

Yes,

 

After several years shooting only b&w 35mm, I'm going to try Medium Format..

 

I mainly do street photography and documentary, and I'd like to try this format for portraiture and for taking "city pictures":

streets,buildings etc...

 

I've just got a beautiful and almost unused chrome Hassy 500c/m, with black 80mm planar.

 

I haven't shot anything yet (got it yesteday), tomorrow I'll get some rolls of fp4 and tri-x and I'll go out to shoot.

 

I love how you can handle this camera, and I think this system has an almost perfect design. It's like the Leica M3 for medium format

(in terms of peak of design and craftmanship) The only thing that annoys me is the fact that you have to look at the things flipped on the

viewfinder. So,that makes me think that photographing and composing with this camera MUST be a much more calmed process than

shooting with my Leica M3 :) .

Is there any trick for composing with this "flipped viewfinder"?

 

I've never taken pictures in 6x6 format, so I'm a bit worried about composing...can you give me some advices to begin with this format?

Should I begin with portraits,landscapes,architecture....?¿

 

Can you take pictures without tripod on the street at 1/250 or 1/500 without worrying about sharpness?

 

I'm thinking about getting an used "The Manual of Hasselblad". what do you think?

 

Which extension tube would you recommend me for close up portrais? (Don't have budget for another lens), a 16, maybe a 21?

 

thanks,<div></div>

[olof_b]

Yes, the left-right flipped waist finder slows down the work a bit. Mostly for the better.

At a air show that I was at this summer, it was somewhat tricky. Luckily there where most vintage airplanes (like Spitfire, Saab B17 and first generation jets (Saab J29 and Saab A32)) which are quite slow and are flown more gently.

But it was easy to turn the camera the wrong way, I whised that I had a 45°-prisma at that time.

But with the "slower" finder the composition also evolves more natural - you start to think!

 

For me, I can go down to 1/60-sec hand hold with the 80mm-lens. But that's for me, you'll have to test and see what you think.

 

And I read almost everything I can about photography and Hasselblad. You always pick up something new here and there.

 

--- Olof

[diegobuono]

You will be soon used to the reversed image, anyway the trick consist of lloking only at the viewfinder and follow the object on that, if you look at the subject and then on the viewfinder you probably move the camera the wrong way (untill you are well used).

In do not recommend the extension tube for portrait, yes it allow to get closer to the subject but this way you change the perspective and in a portrait it will result ina big nose of your subject. The longer leses allow you to take the pucture from a distance and compress a little the face resulting in a more pleasant effect.

So if you don't have a lens longere than the 80mm is better if you shot with it without extension tube and "crop" the picture when you print it, you have plenty room on a 6x6 negative to crop from without loosing much in terms of quality.

[marek_fogiel]

This camera thrives on a tripod, but you can adapt to shoot almost anything with it. I would not particularly recommend it

for street shooting though - a bit too big, too slow to focus, too noisy. You can try a roll of tri-x at ISO 800-1250 and

develop it in Diafine - this should give you a lot of latitude, and enough leeway to shoot handheld with the lens stopped to

f8.0 or more for the extra dof. I would try it for half body portraiture, and see how you like it. A 120 or 150 lens could be

useful down the road. For architecture you would want at least the 50mm, but the best choice would actually be the

SWC/M, which would also be much better suited for wider angle street work ( look up Lee Friedlander's work).

[sallymack]

Congratulations, Miguel! I LOVE my Hasselblad! But I hated shooting "waist level" so I bought a prism finder to use at eye level

which has the (debatable) advantage that things aren't upside-down and backwards.

 

Post some photos after you've shot a roll or two. . .

[ken_kuzenski1]

<p>Miguel, you're right that the 500cm is a wonderful camera--I find mine a joy to use.  I almost never use it handheld, but that is a matter of personal preference and you may love using it handheld.  I do very strongly agree with your idea of buying Mr. Wildi's Hasselblad book--older editions can be found at very reasonable cost, and it is a very useful book for the new Hassy owner!  Congratulations, and post again soon to tell us how you are doing with your new camera!   --ken</p>

[larry_freytag]

<p>Hi Miguel, You asked about subjects, well one of the best things about these cameras is<br />the nice big & bright viewfinder & precise composing, so go shoot some architectural<br />scenes. What's nice about that subject is it just sits there and waits<br />for you to work, enjoy the Hasselblad!</p>

[35mmdelux]

<p>it is best to keep your speeds up as much as possible when not shooting w a tripod. for handheld shooting try 400 iso film.</p>

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