Pentax 645z with Hasselblad V lenses and live view?

[henrikfoto]

Is this a good way to use the good old V-lenses?
Manual focus on a 50mp sensor is difficult, but is the live view on the 645z
good enough to trust completely?

This camera is tempting since the price is low (relatively) and I have the complete line of the
V-lenses just laying around.

Any advice?

[Joe Towner]

Turn on focus peaking and you should be fine.  Even using the view finder, I'm 99% sure it'll focus confirm with a beep.

[henrikfoto]

Turn on focus peaking and you should be fine.  Even using the view finder, I'm 99% sure it'll focus confirm with a beep.

Thank you, Joe! Do you use the camera yourself? If so, are you pleased with the files?

Henrik

[Joe Towner]

Thank you, Joe! Do you use the camera yourself? If so, are you pleased with the files?

Henrik

I use it a lot, some of my most iconic work was done with it.  The files work for me, and I love shooting it in the rain.
Have you been using your Hasselblad V kit with a digital back?  Focus is focus, so it shouldn't care if its a 16mp fatpixel back, or an IQ280.

[henrikfoto]

Nice picture, Joe!
Yes I have use a back on a V, but was not happy about the vibrations from the shutter.

Do you use Lightroom for processing?

Henrik

[Joe Towner]

Yep, I use Lightroom, and it's been pretty good.  The 645z has a smaller mirror setup, so that should help.  The articulating screen will make you happy until you see the delay between pressing the shutter and capture - it feels really long.

[jng]

Yes I have use a back on a V, but was not happy about the vibrations from the shutter.

Henrik

Presumably you're referring to the seismic-scale vibrations from the barn door auxiliary shutter/mirror slap and not the leaf shutter... As I'm sure you know, shutter pre-release takes care of that - a practical solution if you're working slowly (e.g., when using live view). I've found that shooting portraits makes pre-releasing the auxiliary shutter impractical (subjects react to the initial thwop! and think the picture has been taken), but with the camera mounted on my 3-series Gitzo the results have been acceptable without pre-releasing the shutter, even using a 60 Mp back.

In any case, the 645Z sounds like a great - and relatively economical - solution for assisted manual focusing, something I've been thinking about more and more as these old eyes continue on their decline...

John