HC 35mm or 50mm or 80mm???

[rogerxnz]

I'm in the process of building a Hasselblad H1/H2 kit for use with an IQ180 back.

I shoot mainly landscapes and need to be able to carry the kit in a backpack. I also shoot small groups. In the past, when I have gone on trips with my Hasselblad V camera, I have been able to get by with a 50mm and a 150mm.

At this stage, I can afford three lenses, one of which will be a 150mm.

I am having trouble deciding on the other two. All the zooms are too big and heavy for me.

Linhof published a diagram showing how to select lenses based on the frame size of the recording media:

Standard lens=the length of the diagonal (for the IQ180's sensor, this is 68mm and nearest lens in the range is 80mm)
Wide-angle=the length of shortest side of the frame (for the IQ180's sensor, this is 40mm and nearest lens in the range is 35mm)
Extreme wide-angle=half the length of longest side of the frame (for the IQ180's sensor, this is 27mm and nearest lens in the range is 28mm)
Telephoto=twice the length of longest side of the frame (for the IQ180's sensor, this is 108mm but I have decided on a 150mm)

My experience is that I do not use the standard lens in any of my kits very often.

So, should I get a 35mm and a 50mm?

Or a 35mm and an 80mm?

Or a 50mm and an 80mm?

I am aware that I need a 50mm mark II to match the resolution of the 80MP back.

Having typed the above, I think I should get a 35mm and a 50mm. Or . . .?

Please help—I'm going nuts over this!
Roger

[landscapephoto]

I just found this thread which may answer your question, although the tests were not done on an IQ180:

http://forum.luminous-landscape.com/index.php?topic=94852.0

There is a slight error in that thread: now the HCD lenses work on H1 and H2 cameras.

[orc73]

Hello

I have a 50(II), 80 and 150(old version).
All of them are excellent, the 35mm seems not to match them.

For me the 50 II is already bit wide for my portraits.
I will sell it, it is 1 year old, less then 5000 actuations and bought in Germany,always used with filter.
Price would be 3200USD+shipping.

best regards
www.valentino-photography.com

[Chris Livsey]

I find the converter does an excellent job of extending your choice. I don't detect any noticeable degradation on a P45+ but perhaps a higher MP count back user can comment? 
If you have not disposed of your "V" lenses you could use the CF converter, which for landscape work is not limiting as it is for more mobile subjects. Note that the cable connection is not mandatory, shooting without it just delays, slightly, the rear shutter closing. I know the cable puts people off but the manual does state this option clearly and I find it so in practice. It opens the H to my V set some of which do stand up to the required resolution.

Be aware that the HCD lenses, although they now are "unlocked" for use on H1/2 may not fully cover the 6x4.5 frame if you intend using a film back at some stage.

[rogerxnz]

Thank you for your offer but I have been offered two others, each with very low uses, for less.

If you will go lower, please PM me.
Roger

Hello

I have a 50(II), 80 and 150(old version).
All of them are excellent, the 35mm seems not to match them.

For me the 50 II is already bit wide for my portraits.
I will sell it, it is 1 year old, less then 5000 actuations and bought in Germany,always used with filter.
Price would be 3200USD+shipping.

best regards
www.valentino-photography.com

[rogerxnz]

Thank you all for your great help.

I have pretty much decided to start off with a 50 and a 150 and see where i get to.

I forget to say I use the IQ back mainly on a Linhof Techno and I have a good range of lenses for that. I only want the H outfit for very mobile subjects and when I do not have time to set up the Techno.
Roger

[gss]

I think you're missing out on a great lens with those two choices, the 100 mm.  You might want to ponder doing three lenses, 50/100/150, or 50/100/210.  I have all of those, and while I used the 150 all the time with a Hasselblad V camera, I find myself reaching for the 210 or for the 100 over the 150 nowadays.

[Chris Livsey]

I think you're missing out on a great lens with those two choices, the 100 mm. 

I have seen this stated frequently, but usually in connection with portrait type work. Whilst I see the logic of your triple choice, is the 100mm ideally suited for the OP and his landscape work?
I have seen superb work with the 100mm but never the 100mm against the 80mm in a fair comparison. I don't doubt it is a favourite but I have never had the opportunity to shoot it, I have the 100mm CF Zeiss so know the focal length but obviously the character is miles apart.
I would would value your comments on its particular attributes over the 80mmHC, other than being slightly faster and the consequent shallow depth of field wide open which I find narrow enough on the 80mm thank you 

[landscapephoto]

I have seen superb work with the 100mm but never the 100mm against the 80mm in a fair comparison.

There is one in the link I gave above.

[rogerxnz]

The way I look at it, if you crop the middle 50% out of an 80MP shot with a great 50mm lens, you get a good 100mm lens shot at 40MP and, if you crop to only 25% of an 80MP shot with a great 50mm lens, you get an acceptable 200mm lens shot at 20MP.

So, I have reasonable telephoto options even with just a 50mm lens.

With the 35mm lens, the options become 70mm at 40MP and 140mm at 20MP, which would give a more useful range for my purposes, BUT it seems the 35mm lens may not have the quality initially to make the subsequent range acceptable. 

My main points are that the H outfit is subsidiary to my Techno outfit; I have decided I can only afford two lenses now and the 35mm is apparently not up to the quality of the 50mm.

Thank you for your interest.
Roger

[Chris Livsey]

There is one in the link I gave above.

Indeed, "never" was my bad, can I go with rarely?

However: indeed f/2.2 shows the typical veiling of spherical aberration that is sought after for portrait lenses. Field test very similar to the one of the 80mm, best aperture if you want to use that lens for landscape: f/8-f/11.

Would seem to indicate it as not being ideal for landscape and that cost wise , for that application, the 80mm may perform equally well.
The crop possibilities with so many pixels is well made by the OP. Being "second shooter" at a UK air show against my son with the D3 showed the limitations of cropping these days with my venerable D2H, but the high speed still sounds impressive 

[Chris Livsey]

^ +1

(Absence of LIKE button)

[Joe Towner]

My perfect kit seems to be the 35/80/150 - and I own the 1.7x tele (not sure if that's in your interest).  I wonder if the 50/tele/150 would work for you, as shooting anything wider than 50mm should allow the time for the Linhof.

Best of luck.

[ddolde]

Get them all !

[calindustries]

Just my 2¢ but you had mentioned the weight factor of lugging around the zooms. I have the 35-90 and I doubt it weighs more than the 35 and 50 combined, or at least not much more. It focus faster than the 50s I've used (although I've not used the mkII) and at 35 is pretty damn sharp. I'm using on a 40mp sensor, but have quickly tried it on a p65 and although it's not listed as usable with a full frame sensor there was only a minimal amount of vignette at the shortest setting. It's basically greatly similar to a 24-70 lens is on a 35. Sort of a does-a-lot lens.

That's only my opinion though....
Does your source let you try a few options out before pulling the trigger?

[Chris Livsey]

I have the 35-90 and I doubt it weighs more than the 35 and 50 combined, or at least not much more.

35 and 50 are both 975g = 1950g
35-90 Zoom is 1410g

So in the bag the two lenses are heavier, I however tend to use the lens on the camera  when a prime has a 435g advantage.
I agree you should try first, even rent? Most rental houses that sell as well will allow a discount on the rental against a purchase.

[rogerxnz]

The 35–90 zoom is an "HCD" lens which means it cannot handle full-frame sensors, such as, are in the 60 and 80MP backs, well because Victor & Co never thought that full-frame sensors would become available.

I've ordered a 50 mark II and a 150. I'll see how I go with those lenses to start with.

Thank you all for your help.
Roger

35 and 50 are both 975g = 1950g
35-90 Zoom is 1410g

So in the bag the two lenses are heavier, I however tend to use the lens on the camera  when a prime has a 435g advantage.
I agree you should try first, even rent? Most rental houses that sell as well will allow a discount on the rental against a purchase.

[Chris Livsey]

I've ordered a 50 mark II and a 150. I'll see how I go with those lenses to start with.

Please report back.