Hi Sean - Thanks for the comment about my work with the H1/132c. I love this system and the lens is superb when it is working. I regularly make fine art prints 40" x60" from images taken with this system and could not be happier with the quality. I thought I would add my comments on the lens to this forum - there is also a running thread over at the Flexframe users group in Yahoo Groups for those that are interested. Here is what I recently posted. I appreciate Micheal bringing light to this problem - this lens costs way too much to fail in the field like this.
I was at the ClearFocus studio last week and talked to
Hassleblad reps about this problem. One told me that the 50-110 lens
is quite heavy and has not been designed to hold in the downward
position - this leads to stress on the front element and can cause the
front of the lens to fall off, similar to what happened to me. Mine is
off for repairs in NJ, it is under warranty so I expect it to be
repaired or replaced. I have heard that Hasselblad has considered some
other instances of this problem to be caused by impact to the lens,
and would not cover it under warranty. My lens was not dropped or
impacted, I just took it out of my padded LowePro pack and the front
came loose after I rotated the focusing ring and heard a grinding noise. I will let the group
know the outcome of the repair/replacement. I have been without my
lens for a little over a week now. From now on I will be taking the 80
mm with me on all trips as a back up. When I was in the Grand Canyon I
was left with the 35mm and the 300mm and nothing in between!
Elizabeth Carmel
www.ElizabethCarmel.comwww.HawksPeakPublishing.comI use H system too. I have NEVER had any problems, though I don't have their zoom. For landscaping the results are spectacular. The 1/2006 issue of their Forum magazine has a wonderful article @ Elizabeth Carmel. Check out her site www.elizabethcarmel.com She uses nothing but H system (50-110 zoom too) with Ixpress CF 132C back with ImageBank. The magazine has printed results of some of work at Lake Tahoe, which are just spectacular.
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