Hasselblad 80mm f/2.8 C T* Lens

[dennisbrown]

My local dealer had an 80mm f/2.8 C T* lens which I just bought after trading in the older chrome 80mm f/2.8. The serial number on this one is 75xxxxx. According to the web site, the lens was produced in 1995.

 

I've compared photos of mine to other "C" lenses, and there are some differences. This lens has a finer focusing ring than others, and the aperture ring doesn't have the lock switch for using EV numbers for setting exposure. The EV numbers are engraved in white (as opposed to orange), but apparently no means of locking the EV's in. It, of course, has the PC connector and DOF switches as other lenses.

[orsetto]

This is a relatively uncommon version of the 80mm CF, known casually as the "New C". It was "de-contented" (no EV lock, no F focal plane setting) to make it a bit less desirable, and bundled exclusively with the similarly de-contented 501c body as a "starter kit". Like the CB lenses, this idea was one of Hasslblad's less-stellar marketing notions. It didn't really make the camera or lens remotely more affordable at the time: roughly the equivalent of Rolls Royce selling an "entry level" sedan with vinyl on the glovebox fascia and plain wool carpeting instead of Alpaca, then knocking a whopping 4% off the list price (gee, thanks). Hard to find by itself, even today its usually only available attached to a complete 501c.

 

I personally feel this version is the best of the lot. It only had a couple production runs, and all examples I've tried were consistently sharp with vivid color and buckets of Zeiss "snap". Its also ergonomically better than the CF: the focus feel is smoother and lighter, closer to the CB/CFi versions that immediately followed. And the focus ring is a solid metal single-piece: not the plastic, easily broken, impossible to replace piggybacked plastic focus ring of the CF. This makes it more durable, but you do lose ability to remove the focus ring and attach the CF quick focus handle. Tho that would be redundant anyway, since this lens focuses with ease.

 

Think of it as a transitional experiment en route to the CFi. Its essentially the CFi in feel and workmanship, but with CF cosmetics and mainspring. The missing EV lock can be simulated by just grasping the two rings together as you move them. The F setting isn't really required with any body but the final, insanely expensive, who-actually-uses-one "200" series with inbuilt AE. It works fine on the 2000F and FC with their focal plane shutter set to B, and of course normally on all other 'blads.

 

Short answer: you found a VERY nice 80mm Planar: enjoy! :)

[dennisbrown]

...Short answer: you found a VERY nice 80mm Planar: enjoy! :)

 

Thanks very much for the quick turnaround. One of the reasons I traded for this lens, was to get away from the awkwardness of the older chrome 80. The EV lock isn't a priority, just the snap and sharpness of the lens.

[orsetto]

The only thing I don't like about this "New C" variation of 80mm Planar is the aperture mechanics. For whatever reason, they seem just a little sloppier in the New C vs old C /CF/CB/CFi/CFe. The diaphragm blades gap more, and when stopped down to f/16 the opening is lopsided instead of a perfect pentagon. I've satisfied myself that these are purely cosmetic considerations that have no effect on performance, but it is a little disappointing on an otherwise phenomenal lens.

 

Over the years, I've owned the old all-metal C (silver and black), the CF, the CFe, and CB Planars. My favorite was a rare-ish silver barrel C with T* multicoating: looked great on the camera, performed well, and had a bit better bokeh than later models (the metal-barrel C lenses all have rounded-edge aperture blades, after that Zeiss changed to straight edges: a slight but occasionally significant difference when shooting thru pentagonal diaphragms).

 

I vastly preferred the old C lenses for their indestructible, no-holds-barred build quality and "OG" appearance, but loathed the always-locked EV system and "chainsaw turning in quicksand" focus ring feel. As the endless repair bills mounted (the old Compur shutter is an absolute money pit), I bailed and slowly migrated everything to CF. The CF (and later series) with Prontor shutter are noticeably more reliable, but have facepalm-worthy build quality issues (you never win 100% with anything Zeiss: one way or another, they screw something up).

 

CF lenses below 100mm have detachable plastic focus rings: these can become brittle and crack after some years. Replacements are unobtanium, and if you find one expect to pay $90 or more. CF focal lengths 100mm and above all have an incredibly flimsy paper-thin plastic retaining band on the rear focusing ring edge that keeps the rubber grip in place- this hopelessly fragile ring is cracked, loose, superglued or missing altogether from 3 out of 5 Makro Planars and 150mm / 250mm Sonnars. I've had to replace the ring on my 100mm Planar three times in the past six years at unbelievable cost. I finally gave up, and now use black silicone wristbands instead. The fact that the "New C" Planar omits both the plastic focus ring AND plastic retaining band endeared it to me immediately (the easy focus feel and crisp optics sealed the deal).

 

Today I've settled on two of these "New C" 80mm lenses, and one 80mm CFe that was an incredible eBay steal (a studio liquidation began their listing with a $385 opening bid, and amazingly nobody else bid so I won it). The CFi/CFe/CB are weird looking, but eliminate all plastic in the focus ring, have the newest mainspring, and softest focus feel of all. But they're still significantly more expensive than plain CF, and have their own Achilles heels (the plastic aperture handles, DOF slider and flash lock are easily damaged by impact). Other than my 80mm CFe, my only non-CF is a 60mm CB (fantastic).

 

Of all the Hasselblad lens design permutations, I think the "New C" 80mm Planar is where they peaked (and should have stopped) in ergonomics vs build. It fixes the most vulnerable plastic issues the CF had, doesn't add the plastic issues of CFi, and has the silky focus feel of the CB.

Edited March 9, 2019 by orsetto

[dennisbrown]

I took a very close look at the aperture blades, and they seem excellently done. There don't appear to be any gaps, and the pentagon looks very close to being completely symmetrical. Maybe I've gotten a very good copy, so I won't complain.

 

We've still a bit of bad weather, so it'll be a few days before I can get out with it. I also need to wring out the 120mm Makro, and a 50mm f/4.

 

Thanks again, for your help and information. I'll make a document for future reference from your posts. One can never have too much documentation.

[tom_chow]

... detachable plastic focus rings: these can become brittle and crack after some years.... I finally gave up, and now use black silicone wristbands instead....

That was one ray of sunshine with the silicone wrist band craze.

I found these faux-focus ring silicone wrist bands for a few $. Focus scale is wrong, but the focus feel is excellent....

 

I think you have the best version of the 80mm for Hasselblad (as long as you do not need the "F" mode)

[pmarcus]

Just found this thread via google. I've owned one of these in 80mm for about eight years yet I never understood what it was. Mine says C but it is obviously a CF. The lens is uneventfully excellent (aren't thry all?). I'm grateful for this conversation.

[andyfalsetta]

Nice camera porn Tom!

[tom_chow]

.... Mine says C but it is obviously a CF....

Well, technically it is just a "C" lens as it does not have the "F" setting on the shutter. But it is in the same mechanical body as a CF series, and optically the same.

[clq]

Hi guys,

I'm new in the Blad world and I just bought the same Planar 80mm f/2.8 C T* lens made in 1995 such as @dennisbrown. I didn't realized that it was made exclusively for 501 bodies. I have a 500CM body and I tried to use it and it doesn't works well, sometimes the shutter stucks. It is normal that this happens ? There's any adaptor for the 500CM body? Should I sell it and buy another 80mm Planar adapted to my 500CM ? Thanks a lot !!!

 

[orsetto]

I have a 500CM body and I tried to use it and it doesn't works well, sometimes the shutter stucks. It is normal that this happens ? There's any adaptor for the 500CM body? Should I sell it and buy another 80mm Planar adapted to my 500CM ?

 

1. This lens, like all C, CF, CFi, CFe and CB lenses, is totally compatible with all "500" series Hasselblad film bodies (500c, 500cm, 501c, 501cm, 503cx, 503cw, 500el, 500elm, 500elx, 553elx, 555eld) as well as the 200 and 2000 series focal plane shutter film Hasselblads.

 

2. So, no, you don't need an adapter to use this lens on your 500cm. Do you have any other lenses for your 500cm? if they work OK, this lens is definitely faulty. If you have no other lens but this one, the fault could be in either the body or the lens. If you can go to a camera dealer and try another lens on your 500cm, you will know for sure.

 

3. It is not normal for the lens shutter to stick: there is a problem with the lens you just bought. Most likely it has sat unused for too long, and requires service. This is one of the big nasty secrets about the "wonderful, reliable" Hasselblad: it breaks down more often than the legend would have you believe, and the cost of repair will take your breath away. The lenses have an annoying tendency towards sticky shutter: once the lens starts sticking. you are facing a repair bill of at least half what you paid for the lens.

 

You will need to decide how you want to handle the situation. What country do you live in? Did you buy the lens from a local camera store/dealer, or from another country? Do they have another similar lens you can exchange it for? If not, can you return it for refund? If bought from another country, return shiipping + duties/taxes could be expensive: consider repair instead in that case.

 

Chances are, you can find another C or CF lens in better working condition, but you never know when a working lens will suddenly go sticky. So even if you exchange this lens for another, the problem could come up again in two months or a year. Sooner or later, all of us Hasselblad owners pay for a lens service. If you get this one serviced now, it should work properly for 5-10 years as long as you use it every few weeks (fire the shutter at all speeds every month, even if you don't make photos with it).

 

Shutter service is unfortunately expensive, but if you pay for it now you know the lens will be good for a very long time. Trading for another lens that is currently working gives no guarantee that it will continue working OK for a long time. The only way to be confident in a Hasselblad lens is if you've seen a receipt from a technician proving it was recently serviced.

 

This particular version of the 80mm Planar tends to be slightly better optical quality than the CF version, with nicer focus ring that won't ever break (no plastic like the CF). If it were me, I would have it serviced and keep it. Of course, its a personal decision: most people prefer to take a chance and trade for another lens that seems to work OK (for the moment).

Edited October 23, 2019 by orsetto

[clq]

1. This lens, like all C, CF, CFi, CFe and CB lenses, is totally compatible with all "500" series Hasselblad film bodies (500c, 500cm, 501c, 501cm, 503cx, 503cw, 500el, 500elm, 500elx, 553elx, 555eld) as well as the 200 and 2000 series focal plane shutter film Hasselblads.

 

2. So, no, you don't need an adapter to use this lens on your 500cm. Do you have any other lenses for your 500cm? if they work OK, this lens is definitely faulty. If you have no other lens but this one, the fault could be in either the body or the lens. If you can go to a camera dealer and try another lens on your 500cm, you will know for sure.

 

3. It is not normal for the lens shutter to stick: there is a problem with the lens you just bought. Most likely it has sat unused for too long, and requires service. This is one of the big nasty secrets about the "wonderful, reliable" Hasselblad: it breaks down more often than the legend would have you believe, and the cost of repair will take your breath away. The lenses have an annoying tendency towards sticky shutter: once the lens starts sticking. you are facing a repair bill of at least half what you paid for the lens.

 

You will need to decide how you want to handle the situation. What country do you live in? Did you buy the lens from a local camera store/dealer, or from another country? Do they have another similar lens you can exchange it for? If not, can you return it for refund? If bought from another country, return shiipping + duties/taxes could be expensive: consider repair instead in that case.

 

Chances are, you can find another C or CF lens in better working condition, but you never know when a working lens will suddenly go sticky. So even if you exchange this lens for another, the problem could come up again in two months or a year. Sooner or later, all of us Hasselblad owners pay for a lens service. If you get this one serviced now, it should work properly for 5-10 years as long as you use it every few weeks (fire the shutter at all speeds every month, even if you don't make photos with it).

 

Shutter service is unfortunately expensive, but if you pay for it now you know the lens will be good for a very long time. Trading for another lens that is currently working gives no guarantee that it will continue working OK for a long time. The only way to be confident in a Hasselblad lens is if you've seen a receipt from a technician proving it was recently serviced.

 

This particular version of the 80mm Planar tends to be slightly better optical quality than the CF version, with nicer focus ring that won't ever break (no plastic like the CF). If it were me, I would have it serviced and keep it. Of course, its a personal decision: most people prefer to take a chance and trade for another lens that seems to work OK (for the moment).

 

Thanks a lot @orsetto !!!

Actually I live in Paris and I bought the lens on Ebay from a Japan seller and at a first sight it seemed to me to be in excellent conditions. I realized some days after that it wasn't working really well. I just asked for a return and refund to the seller on Ebay. Crossing fingers that I will be able to send it back to Japan. Thanks again for your great explanation!

 

Any tip for buying a new 80mm lens for my 500CM ?

 

Cheers,

[orsetto]

There is no way to really be sure any Hasselblad lens will not have any problems in near future unless you buy from a repair technician directly, or the seller has a receipt proving recent service (within the past year or two). You can save a lot of money buying random used Hasselblad lenses, and there's a good chance if it works well when received it will remain good for some time. The catch is you never know how long that time will last: could be 10 months, could be 10 years, or anywhere in between.

 

The leaf shutter in Hasselblad lenses was designed to be used often, and be serviced every year or two. The system was marketed at an excruciatingly high price to professionals who could afford to write off the equally expensive maintenance costs as a business expense. Many years down the road, we "amateurs" are in a different, difficult position. The price of used Hasselblad gear has dropped to a fraction of what it was 20 years ago, making it available to enthusiasts who could never have afforded it in its heyday. Thats wonderful.

 

What isn't so wonderful is the upkeep costs: the Hasselblad purchase price has dropped steeply, but repair costs are higher than ever: typically $300+ USD. Its like buying an old Rolls Royce: the thrill of getting a car that originally cost $150K for $10K is fabulous, until you find out all the repairs and parts are still based on the original selling price. So if you aren't wealthy you need to purchase wisely: pay a little extra for a lens with a recent documented service history, or set aside some money toward potential repair costs of a random lens.

 

Most importantly, never let Hasselblad gear sit with no exercise for months or years: that guarantees the shutters will go bad. You don't need to constantly take pictures on film, but the lenses need every shutter speed cocked and fired a few times on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. Doing this will greatly extend the time between breakdowns, often by years. The worst enemy of Hasselblad lenses is sitting in storage unused.

 

In choosing an 80mm Planar, IMO the best compromise of cost vs features is the version you bought: 80mm "New C". See my comments at the beginning of this thread for details why. In brief: the old silver or black all-metal C version is beautifully built but the Compur shutter breaks more often and handling/ergonomics are awful. The CF is much nicer to use, but has a plastic focus ring which can be ridiculously expensive to replace if it cracks. The "New C" is like the CF but better built with less plastic and noticeably smoother focus feel. The CFe is the most desirable 80mm in terms of shutter, handling, and meter compatibility with the rare pricey electronic 200-series bodies, but the cost is disproportionately high (typically double the CF price or more). The CB version is an odd compromise: different optical design (slightly sharper in the center, slightly worse in the corners) combined with improved CFe barrel and focus feel. Depending on price, the CB can be an excellent choice, but at typical asking price the CB is poor value vs the CF or "New C".

Edited October 28, 2019 by orsetto

[orsetto]

BTW, the only lenses you CANNOT use on your 500cm are the ones labeled "F" or "FE" with no "C" in front. These have no shutter inside them: they are meant for the less-common 2000 and 200 series bodies which have their own internal focal plane shutter. Fortunately the "wrong" 80mm Planar is easily identified because it looks very different: focus ring in front instead of rear, and no shutter speed ring (see pic below). DON'T buy this version for any 500-series body:

 

[clq]

BTW, the only lenses you CANNOT use on your 500cm are the ones labeled "F" or "FE" with no "C" in front. These have no shutter inside them: they are meant for the less-common 2000 and 200 series bodies which have their own internal focal plane shutter. Fortunately the "wrong" 80mm Planar is easily identified because it looks very different: focus ring in front instead of rear, and no shutter speed ring (see pic below). DON'T buy this version for any 500-series body:

 

[ATTACH=full]1315837[/ATTACH]

 

@orsetto Huge thanks for this valuable info, now everything is more clear to me. Hopefully I will be able to find a good lens on a local reseller here in Paris!