Who uses a high resolution back with a Hasselblad V?

[henrikfoto]

I want to buy a new 80 mp back and am tempted to use it on my V-system since I have a lot of lenses.

I wonder  if it wil be hard to focus correctly with MF lenses when the back is so large and the pixels so tiny?

[Peter Devos]

You will have to have your camera focus tolerances calibrated and even then, i yhink it will be a hell of a job making really sharp images handheld deu to the 500 series construction. I have never seen a person making 8 scharp images out of 10 when the subject moved itself ( and stood still during exposure). Good night and good luck. 

[henrikfoto]

You will have to have your camera focus tolerances calibrated and even then, i yhink it will be a hell of a job making really sharp images handheld deu to the 500 series construction. I have never seen a person making 8 scharp images out of 10 when the subject moved itself ( and stood still during exposure). Good night and good luck. 

It is of course a lot harder to focus quickly without af, but is it harder with an 80mp back than with a 22 mp back?

[Chris Livsey]

I find it a challenge to get correct focus with a 16MP back, with film it was/is fine. You just see the focus point/plane so much more accurately (acutely) on digital and I suspect an 80MP back would make it easier again to see it, and by how much you missed it. 

I had the body serviced first to check tolerances were OK BTW. Mirror up or at least 250th if hand held is mandatory. Yes it is nice to use that classic glass and the nostalgic body but it is a frustrating experience, and that's as an amateur. If I was shooting for cash it wouldn't be my choice.

[psorantin]

I have experience with an Aptus-17 on a 503cw.

Its working fine focus-wise (and otherwise) with steady objects.

The 120mm macro, for example, works great on portraits; I can get images sharp even when close.
Hit rate in term of correct focus  is not 100% of course,  but fully acceptable.
Light levels need to be OK of course.

... That said this back is at much lower resolution than a 80 MP.
I am posting this since Chris mentioned that he has experienced some issues with his 16 MP back.

Best - Peter

[DeeJay]

I shoot with a P65+ on a Hasselblad 555ELD. Am going to get the IQ180 in V mount.

The large sensor size does make the focus a lot more critical and I do think you need good eye sight. But even if you don't you can use a chimney finder with what ever diopter you eye needs. You might find there is a bit of getting used to. But really, by the end of a decent sized shoot you will have found your method. It really makes you concentrate rather than switch off which I think is an added bonus. I would definitely recommend shooting tethered so you can keep an eye on it and a focus light helps where possible but it's not essential. By the way if a shot looks OOF on the monitor, just zoom in and you may find it's tack sharp. Something to do with the way that it renders on the monitor when viewing the full image at certain res at times. WLF is easier to focus with it has more magnification. 45 prism is find though but the discernible difference between super sharp and not so sharp isn't as great. Use the acute screen. Only thing I would like is a bright screen that you can't see any fresnel lines but it's not going to happen. I'd never really noticed the fresnel lines in film days but now that I'm alot more critical with focus i really notice them and find them a little too distracting at times. Not so much now after a while of using it. I use a split field screen which helps in lower light. I quite often hand hold it but am usually using flash.

I shoot everything from full page editorial to billboard on it. and what I gain in quality I would never consider a compromise for a bit more of involved shooting. Personally I think the V System is the best option still. Think about hiring a P65 or wait till a 180 becomes available to hire if you think it may really be an issue.

[henrikfoto]

Hi DeeJay!

What do you think about the V-lenes for digital?

Henrik

[DeeJay]

Hey!

They are certainly older in design and you do see that at times. Either way, it's never been a problem and in terms of anything else I've used in the past it blows it all out of the water. When you nail it you seriously nail it. It's insanely good. I like the tones, more flattering for my line of work. I started a post recently for the same reasons as you. I am reviewing the system with the back upgrade. I'm not so keen on the look of the H Lenses nor the Mamiya lenses a great deal. They are OK but I find both cameras particularly uninspiring so combined it's not so great. Haven't tried the Phase Schneider lenses yet. I would consider the Rollei but the IQ backs aren't covering the Rollei mount. Am going to have to make some time to try out V, H and Phamiya systems side by side but it's not easy to arrive at a single conclusion as each have their merits and weaknesses to some degree and it's strange that we have ideal world in capture but compromised camera system.

The softness that you do see from time to time in the lenses is easily corrected with some USM. It seems to be more diffraction when shooting at 16's 22's which the older lenses are known for.

I am, by all means, happy with the P65 V System but I do see it's flaws or limits at times which makes me want to review the system as I Obvs want the best possible particularly as I hear the new 180 is a step up from the P65 (which is hard to fathom as it's so good!) so maybe the V lenses will have past their limit...I'll wait to get my hands on one and see and I probably won't buy until I try in this case. But I'm happy so far with the V System.

I wish someone would develop a camera that is technically outstanding AND also inspiring design. I just wish they bought this V System into the modern age instead of the clap trap H system they moved too.

[Chris Livsey]

Just for the record I am using acutte matte screen/ split image and either pme 90 or wlf.
I suspect the "problem" is me not the back. I tend to shoot mostly hand held so exaggerate the problems, if I was locking down on a tripod I am sure my hit rate of focus would increase and, as an amateur, I don't have the daily throughput of say DeeJay where constant use improves consistency.
As I posted don't underestimate the quality of the old glass, some of it not so old really, you can pay so much more for the newer stuff and not get the look you love/need. For landscape work in particular remember the new glass is optimised for a closer working range the old for infinity (macro-planar excepted  ).
Wouldn't it be interesting if a new light tight box, optimised for digital, could be made, to fit between the new high res. backs and our legacy glass ?

[John R Smith]

From the posts in this section in the past we know that there are still a lot of people out there shooting with a V-System Hasselblad gear and using digital backs of one sort or another. There is no doubt that using these backs demands a lot tighter technique than we were used to with film, for all sorts of reasons. But it is nonetheless perfectly possible to get an excellent result, and there is nothing much wrong with the old Zeiss glass either.

Quite how this might work out with the new 80 MP backs is hard to say, but I would guess that using them will just raise the bar another notch.  Probably the easiest way to think about it is to treat the camera (and your technique) as if you were shooting 5x4 film, rather than MF. This is because you pretty much end up with 5x4 DOF, critical focus, and fussiness about shutter speeds and tripods. If you can be content with that, you will be OK.

John

[henrikfoto]

Thanks everybody!

Do you all think the mirror of the V-system is making more vibrations than the H-system and other
"digital" systems?

I used it last time with the Phase H20 with great results, but now the pixels are much smaller and the sensor bigger..

I now use the H, but don't like the glass much.. miss the old I guess

[DeeJay]

I do hand hold my 555 alot. I like it that way infact. I use my feet and body to fine focus rather than the focus knob making it more fluid shooting. But you need to get into the habit of training yourself compose first focus after. If you focus first and then compose it will be soft. Using a tripod certainly helps nail it though. If you are having problems I would suggest renting or borrowing another lens and body as the manufacturing of the older gear disn't have the demanding tolerances of today.

As far as a broad system goes though, when you nail it, man it's phenominal and more sharpness that you even need. `Strangely though you would think it needs more retouching, but I have found that it is easier to retouch because you can really pick the detail out. Work on your technique and try lots of different things. I think the hand-eye-mind thing improves with use in time just in the same way a golfer becomes more accurate after practice.

Henrik,

No I don't think it's a problem with the mirror. The softness is not vibration movement it's definitely glass related. I'm shooting with flash nine times out of ten so it's not the issue. When you see it, it's an ever so soft haze. It goes away with a bit of Radius based USM. I do think it's internal diffraction and flare from shot to shot as it's not always there and even still the good majority of people won't even see it.

Perhaps though it's different from body to body as I know the 555ELD has enhanced mirror dampening and is recommended for digital use. I would say that the older the body and lens you ahve the more probability of error you will have.

[Dustbak]

If it is just the glass, you might want to try the CF adapter? At least you will have the focus confirmation (AFAIK) helping you with getting focus where it needs to be. I have gotten rid of my V after I got the 39 and never looked back. I prefer my files to be sharp to begin with and the H simply gave me a higher hit rate with less effort.

Personally I find the V highly overrated with the ergonomics of a brick.

[DeeJay]

If the H Series wasn't a closed system then I'd consider it probably a bit more.

I have heard a rumour though that Hasselblad are close to opening it up again.

[JV]

If the H Series wasn't a closed system then I'd consider it probably a bit more.

I have heard a rumour though that Hasselblad are close to opening it up again.

Any particular source you got this from?

[michele]

I use some MF lenses with my phaseone camera, i also have an hasselblad lens. I can use the AF confirmation also with my cheap adapter, a Fotodiox, and is the only way to get sharp images with my p45.. 80mpx will be simply worse. You really need a kind of focus confirmation. I suggest you to go with the mamiya afd and keep using your hasselblad glasses

[DeeJay]

No source as such to give, I have heard it from many people over the last couple months.

[henrikfoto]

Does the Hasselblad v need a cable from the back to the lens?

[Dustbak]

Unless you are using a CFV back (or a CF back on a 555ELD) the answer would be 'Yes' on this question.

[henrikfoto]

Unless you are using a CFV back (or a CF back on a 555ELD) the answer would be 'Yes' on this question.

Ok
So there is no way to attach a Leaf back on a Hasselblad V without this cable?
Does it make any differense if it's a 555, cwd or anything else?