How good is Hasselblad 80mm f2.8 for taking headshots?

[iaent]

Guys,
How good is Hasselblad 80mm f2.8 for taking headshots?
I know 150mm & 210mm are better, But I don't have a choice. Pls. give me a link if u can.
If u have a comparison, pls. feel free to share it. Thx.

[petermfiore]

If you don't have a choice, you have your answer. Learn how to make the very best with what you have. I don't think you will be too disappointed.

Peter

[Doug Peterson]

Depends largely on if you're using a full frame back or a crop-sensor back.

With a crop-sensor it actually falls nicely into the traditional "portrait" length.

If you're using a full frame back and like the traditional "portrait" length lens then just take an extra step back and crop in - you (presumably) have plenty of resolution to play with assuming you're using a modern digital back.

Check out the second visualizer here: https://digitaltransitions.com/page/tech-camera-visualizers

[bcooter]

If you don't have a choice, you have your answer. Learn how to make the very best with what you have. I don't think you will be too disappointed.

Peter

Peter's quote is more than great advice.

Yes pulling back gives you essentially a longer focal length look, though there are ways to make this a plus.

I use an 80mm all the time on 1.26 cropped sensor backs.    


I like the slight excaggeration and it seems to bring the viewer more in the moment, than a longer lens that can give an at a distance feel.

I guess in real world terms that makes it something close to a 100mm (I'm not going to pull out my iphone to calculate), but remember all lenses have a different characteristic and look.  An 80mm from one maker can look very different from another.  

On my Contax I shoot a lot of horizontal, usually not worrying if I'll crop vertical or not, with a waist level finder, because it forces you into a slightly different angle and in a way also feels more personal.

I use the 55mm also and if you really learn a lens, you can get a lot of looks out of it.

This is basically a gear forum, always talking the latest and greatest,  but great photographers from the past, usually worked with only a few lenses, sometimes just one focal length.

They knew it, breathed it and understood how to make any lens work for what they wanted.

IMO

BC

[orc73]

Shot landscape and cropped left and right. The nose might be a bit long but this gives more depth
Customer and model were happy.

[iaent]

orc73, this is a superb image. I went to ur website, but didn't find more like this.

[Ken R]

Guys,
How good is Hasselblad 80mm f2.8 for taking headshots?
I know 150mm & 210mm are better, But I don't have a choice. Pls. give me a link if u can.
If u have a comparison, pls. feel free to share it. Thx.

If you do not have a choice well then u do not have a choice. Does not matter what anyone says! You have to make do with what you got. Ideally the 120 Macro would be perfect next would be the 150mm. I tried both and they are excellent.

[iaent]

Ken,
Which 120mm did u try V1 or 2?

[Ken R]

Ken,
Which 120mm did u try V1 or 2?

V2. It was at a Hasseblad demo event in a NY studio last year. I used it on a H5D-50 I believe. The camera was tethered so I got to look at the images right away on the monitor. I also tried the 150 and the 210. All three match very well in regards to color, contrast and sharpness at similar apertures. I really liked how the 150 handled on the body. It is a bit larger and heavier than the 80 of course but not much. The best balance seems to be the 100mm. The 120 is a bit larger and heavier than the 150 though. The 120 does offer a very large range in focus distance since it can focus very very close which is nice.

[orc73]

thx Iaent yes, beauty head shots in this style is not what I usually do. thats why I went with the 80mm as I'm not sure if I should invest in a longer lense.
I just started with the hassy and got a 50mm v1 and the 80mm kit lense

[Brian Hirschfeld]

Theres nothing inherently wrong with it, but something slightly more telephoto like (my favorite) 100mm f/2.2 or the 150mm (or 120 if you need it to be more versatile) since that seems to help with head shots in my experience.

[Professional]

I use Hasselblad 80mm for headshots, before on H3DII-39 and then on H4D-60 after i traded-in my H3DII-39, and in both bodies i was very happy or in fact i was blown away, sure another lenses such as 100mm or 150mm could be a better choice, but this 80mm never disappointed me anyway.

[StoneNYC]

Anything Hassleblad is going to be good.

I've shot plenty of headshots using an 80mm on 6x7 format, if it's 645 or smaller, then the 80mm is even better.

I wouldn't worry.

[zackysavestheworld]

Considering one of the most prominent portrait taking cameras ever, the Rolleiflex, is a fixed 80mm lens (I know the film size is a bit different to digital backs), I find the focal length is fantastic. I use mine for about 70% of my shoots.

[SecondFocus]

Photographers always think the best lens for a job is the one they don't own.

[eronald]

Photographers always think the best lens for a job is the one they don't own.

Best lens for the job is the one I have on the camera.
And my feet are the best zoom I ever got.

Seriously, I have moved my Canon 85/1.2 from body to body over the years, but never found any reason to fault it.

Edmund

[Gel]

http://chrisgilesphotography.com/portfolio/headshot-photography-sussex/58

All the ones with a brick wall were shot with the 100mm 2.2 on a H4D50. If say, you have a 1.3x crop sensor then it's very similar with an 80mm on.
Adding something like a 1.7x extender will give you a longer reach and a extension tube (shortest one) will get you in closer.