Best H Lens for food photography

[mitchino]

I've got a possible restaurant shoot coming up, shooting plates of food. Keen to use my Hassy H4d-50. Just wondering which lens people would recommend. I currently have an 80mm and a 35-90, and the HTS 1.5. I read somewhere that the 100mm 2.2 on the HTS 1.5 is a good combo. Or could I use an extension tube on the 80mm with the HTS 1.5?

All ideas and opinions valued.

[Peter Devos]

The easiest way to make the most profit is to use your 80mm on the HTS. Your client will NOT be able to see the difference between the 80 and 100mm, more likely they will not see the difference between micro 4/3, 35mm and MF :-)
With the money in the pocket you can buy some super nice lighten gear. Good use of it is something every client sees in an image. just my 2ct

[douglevy]

Personally, I shoot 99% of my food with the 120, but you can definitely use the 80, especially shot top down.

[mitchino]

Nice food shots Doug. How are you lighting those - esp the moody ones?

Do you sue the 120 mark I or mark II? Do you use it as is or with extension tubes? Is it true that it doesn't work with the HTS 1.5?

I know the client won't care what I use, but I'm always looking for an excuse to get a new (used)  lens!

[landscapephoto]

Is it true that it doesn't work with the HTS 1.5?

The 120 macro cannot be mounted on the HTS. The lens does not fit.

[douglevy]

Never used the HTS, so I'm not sure. Lighting-wise, I'm using mostly Elinchrom Rangers, with a variety of modifiers, though lately I've been using relectors and book light. This shot was one light - http://www.douglaslevy.com/#!/index/G0000OWuYGo6MBLM/I0000GuXX9YKueVQ 50" softbox just out of the frame to the top.

[hasselbladfan]

I know the client won't care what I use, but I'm always looking for an excuse to get a new (used)  lens!

Nobody will see the difference, but yourself.

The best results you will get with the 120mm II or the 50mm II with Macro adapter. Two good reasons to buy a new lens.

[mitchino]

That's my favourite shot Doug!

[bpepz]

 http://shutterstock.com/g/joshuaresnick

I use either the 120mm version I or I attach my back to my Fuji GX680 for all my food photos. The Fuji GX680 system was the reason I picked Hasselblad H in the first place. I love the EBC coatings and the rendering Fuji lenses give.

I can give a brief overview of the H lenses I have used and how they perform though

50-110mm - Not that sharp wide open for food and too heavy.

80mm - Nice rendering, but is not optimized for close up, terrible sharpness close up wide open, does not get sharp until something crazy like 5.6

100mm - Nice rendering, but just like the 80mm, not optimized for close up. Sharpness is not where I would want it to be until f/4

120mm MK1 - Awesome 3d rendering, I actually prefer it over the 120mm MKII. Super duper sharp close up even wide open, however, suffers from a small amount of purple CA at f/4, but is very easily corrected.

150mm 3.2 version N - Boring rendering, and not sharp until 5.6 close up.

[mitchino]

Joshua, very nice food shots - and almost exactly what my client is hoping to achieve. How do you tend to light yours?

Do you correct the purple CA  of the 120 Mk I in Phocus?

[Ken R]

I've got a possible restaurant shoot coming up, shooting plates of food. Keen to use my Hassy H4d-50. Just wondering which lens people would recommend. I currently have an 80mm and a 35-90, and the HTS 1.5. I read somewhere that the 100mm 2.2 on the HTS 1.5 is a good combo. Or could I use an extension tube on the 80mm with the HTS 1.5?

All ideas and opinions valued.

Unless you want to do something technically specific like macro shots of food (details) and/or need huge depth of field (everything in focus) almost any standard lens will do that provides you with the working distance you want/need. Shooting food is MUCH more about the food styling, lighting and concept (which includes props and surface treatments etc) than the lens.

[NickT]

Well I shoot food.

The 100 mm at around 4 most of the time.

The 80 at whatever overhead.

[douglevy]

Did this with the 80 today - https://www.instagram.com/p/BA-HvQquou5/?taken-by=douglevy

[bpepz]

Joshua, very nice food shots - and almost exactly what my client is hoping to achieve. How do you tend to light yours?

Do you correct the purple CA  of the 120 Mk I in Phocus?

To correct the CA, I export from phocus as a tiff and go into photoshop and use the CA removal tool in the camera raw filter (not the actual camera raw plugin). I have to export as a tiff anyway as part of my editing process so its not a big deal. Also, the CA does not come up very often.

As far as lighting. I use Alienbees b800s and some cheap yn-560 strobes. I have some large 5x7 diffusers and light stands with some modifiers as well as some really large hard poster board to stand up and use as fill. I also shoot sometimes with no diffusion as well.