100mm Shooting Distance for Portraits

[35mmdelux]

<p>What is the closest distance I can shoot with the 100mm Planar and not get elongated noses? Shooting 6x6.<br>

Thank you!</p>

[leicaglow]

<p>Are you talking about a Hasselblad lens? It is best at infinity, but for portraits it should be fine. I never noticed an elongated nose at its closest distance. Maybe because I never got much closer than filling the frame with the head.</p>

[steve_mareno]

<p>It's possible you could get some distortion, as it is the equivalent of roughly a 50mm lens if you were shooting a 35mm camera. I doubt you'll be able to do a head shot because it probably won't let you get that close, which may eliminate the big nose syndrome. This is the basic problem w/ all of my MF cameras. The close focus distance isn't that close. I do better w/ my Leica 35mm gear for portraits, and an Elmar C or Rokkor 90 make great portrait lenses (although the Elmar and Rokkor need some unsharpening because they're a little too sharp).</p>

[35mmdelux]

<p>I dont think I'd ever get closer than 1/2 body shot with the 100mm, but I thought to ask. Its a 100mm Hasselblad Planar, with 501CM platform. If I wanted to get closer or head/shoulder I'd try the 150mm or the 180mm for sure.<br>

Thanks again.</p>

[randy_boren1]

<p>You will get a little distortion if you fill the 6x6 frame using the 100. To avoid that just back up 1 or 2 steps and crop the neg. The lens is sharp enough that when using 100/125 speed film you can't tell the difference. The 150 with a 21 tube would be the prefered setup for "face" shots, the 180 is excellant also. I've used the 120 macro for portraits but always with a Softar, the lens is just too sharp and the 100 is even sharper. It doesn't matter how perfect the complexion these lenses will show every little thing in great detail.</p>

[Ed_Ingold]

<p>It is the distance, not the focal length, which determines the amount of perspective distortion in the subject. Conventional thinking would want a distance of about 5 feet.</p>

<p>A CF100 will focus close enough to cover a 15 inch square, which is perhaps a little larger than the area of an head shot. However the focusing distance is under three feet which will result in unpleasant (IMO) distortion of facial features. A 150mm covers about the same area but at a further distance, as would a 180mm lens. Either the 150 or 180 would provide suitable perspective.</p>

<p>Refer to (<a href="http://www.hasselbladusa.com/media/b257f2b0-cd24-497b-b21f-47dcf6ee295a-Closeup.pdf">http://www.hasselbladusa.com/media/b257f2b0-cd24-497b-b21f-47dcf6ee295a-Closeup.pdf</a>) for further information on closeups with Hasselblad "V" lenses.</p>

[35mmdelux]

<p>Thank you.</p>