Hasselblad lenses on Leica S 007 for conécollages

[Zerui]

I have been using Hasselblad for fifty years for scientific research. Since retiring I have continued to do so as a hobby, having switched to digital five years ago. I also use Leica for everyday use. With that back story, I would welcome advice on the following issue.

Since buying a Leica M 240 I have been enjoying the challenge of creating nature cinécollages, short documentary films in which the story is told through the combination of still and moving images, supported by a mix of sound tracks (Foley, voice, music and effects). I find it convenient to use just a single camera for the cinécollages, so my Hasselblad system has been languishing unused for over a year.

The video from the Leica M is quite decent, and I have had some success with a Røde videomic plugged into the Leica stereo adapter.  Nevertheless I am convinced that I shall soon need something with more advanced video/audio capability. Ideally a single camera that can handle both still and video at high quality. (I am comfortable with the challenge of processing 4K.) The camera must be not too elaborate or too heavy (old age!) and not too expensive: so while Red might do the job it is not for me. 

I have thought about the Sony A7s with an adapter for my Leica M lenses, but I am not convinced it would to a long-term keeper. On the other hand, Leicas are long-term keepers.  I am taken with the specification of the Leica S 007, which seems ideal for my cinécollages with their combination of still and moving images. I am therefore thinking of trading in my Leica M system and my Hasselblad system for the Leica S.

My question is: should I keep my five Hassy lenses for use on the Leica S with the Leica adapter, or is that combination so inferior to the Leica S lenses that It would be better to sell the Hassies and build up a set of Leica S lenses, step by step as cash flow permits?

Goff

[eronald]

Zerui,

 I have been investigating the issue of doing interview documentaries, and talking to a lot of people about the use of dSLRs and camcorders, and the consensus of these guys seems to be that one should use a (possibly cheap) external recorder connected to a good mic, sync with the camera by means of a handclap, and then results will be infinitely better than with an dSLR or most camcorders.

Edmund

[bcooter]

You mentioned weight and costs and those are two huge factors for motion imagery, no so much for stills.

The S at 4k is going to be difficult with wide angles, as at 4k th epixel is one to one, so the sensor crops.

For some production if you want to go wide and use PL's  that's great, but if weight is an issue an S with a few lenses, a recorder for 4k and the weight and costs go high.

The best option would be a true dedicated 4k video cam like a C500 or Sony has a new $10,000 FE mount video cam, but neither are build for stills.

I would think your best options would be.

1.   Keep your Leica and buy a A7S with a 4k recorder and an adapter for your M lenses.   The only downside is with a 4k recorder and two different bodies is multiple battery chargers, a slightly larger rig with the A7s and no autofocus, though with m lenses you'll have a small kit.
The main downside with the A7s is reading a full Frame 35mm frame in video will distort (jello very easily) so pans, car mounts, even walking with a stabilizer can make for some very funky looks.

.2.  A Canon 1dc that shoots a 18mpx still and 4k video, though it is a larger camera than the Leica and it's not cheap, though does both stills and motion imagery but cost and weight is probably a deal killer for you.

3.  I'd look at the Samsung NX1.    it's 4k 40MbitsS  (which is kind of the standard for small cameras), though shoots a 4:2:0 8 bit video file which is kind of week and you're exposures are going to have to be dead on.
Still the NX1 looks interesting and apsc (super 35) is the film makers format of choice. 
They make a 16 to 50 and 50 to 150 both constant 2.8 lenses with satabilization which will cover about anything anyone could shoot (approx 24mm to 230mm in full frame 35mm still terms).
Also you're going to need to add external ND's (or a fader) but that holds true on all the dslr type cameras I've mentioned.
My only caution would be on the NX1 is to wait and see how it works in real world.

4.  Keep your Leica 240, learn Da Vinci Resolve, improve your grading and editing skills and then look at more robust equipment.

5.  Rent first from borrow lens or any of the discount rental suppliers.   You can learn more from that than reading anything on the web.

Keep in mind the main reason to shoot 4k today is not 4k delivery.  Right now, few monitors, even computers will show a 4k file, but shooting 4k or more cuts moire, alaising, and allows a little more cropping than 2k, but once again you shoot 4k for the look, but I wouldn't kill myself trying to deliver 4k for personal use.

IMO

BC

[jerome_m]

My question is: should I keep my five Hassy lenses for use on the Leica S with the Leica adapter, or is that combination so inferior to the Leica S lenses that It would be better to sell the Hassies and build up a set of Leica S lenses, step by step as cash flow permits?

I would like to answer your question, but I am not entirely sure whether you are using V-series or H-series lenses (you said you started 50 years ago...). In any case the H-series lenses are exceptional. The only reason the S lenses are superior is that they are faster, yet the same i.q. (it is much more difficult to make a f/2.5 lens than a f/3.5 lens, for example).

[Zerui]

Thank you for helpful comments:
Edmund.  Yes, I have had good experience for birdsong with Røde NT3 feeding Apogee Duet into a MacBookpro.
BC.  Excellent advice. I had considered the Sony A7s option and you encourage me to reconsider it.
       I am currently playing with Da Vinci Resolve for grading my Leica M videos.
Jerome.  I still have my old Hassy V and Zeiss lenses, but currently use a Hassy HDII50 with five H lenses.
              Your assessment that the Leica S lenses are no better (except for faster) is what I suspected.
Thank you all
Goff

[Theodoros]

Thank you for helpful comments:
Edmund.  Yes, I have had good experience for birdsong with Røde NT3 feeding Apogee Duet into a MacBookpro.
BC.  Excellent advice. I had considered the Sony A7s option and you encourage me to reconsider it.
       I am currently playing with Da Vinci Resolve for grading my Leica M videos.
Jerome.  I still have my old Hassy V and Zeiss lenses, but currently use a Hassy HDII50 with five H lenses.
              Your assessment that the Leica S lenses are no better (except for faster) is what I suspected.
Thank you all
Goff

It's difficult to compare lenses unless if they are compared directly... I have compared some later Hasselblad V on my Contax (40, 60, 80 120, 180) via an adapter and they where very good (the 180 was excellent)... but the Contax Zeiss lenses were even better (especially the 120 micro APO). Fuji (the maker of H glass) is a very experienced company in making excellent lenses in various applications over the years inc. Pro cinematography and demanding MF applications like panorama and technical. I have 5 fujinons on my GX680 (on which I share my MFDB with the Contax for whenever I need movements) and they are all excellent.... Leica glass is also known to be of top quality. IMO, if one has a series of lenses that can be used on the S (especially Contax or Hassy H which have full dedication), he shouldn't bother with trivial image quality differences that may exist between them.
The S-system has attracted my attention also, the reason is that with the introduction of the S(007) one can abandon using his FF DSLR system altogether and finance the S body instead, thus improving portability of his system by far as well as improving quality considerably. The only lens I will consider from Leica, will be the 24mm (to go wider than the 35 I now have). If I find I will need a leaf shutter lens with it (I use the Fuji now for that) I may also look for a Hasselblad 100 (H), or I may get both the 24 and 100 of Hasselblad since I reckon that the H-adapter will be needed anyway.  I am very fond of the idea that a photographer should use the minimal possible equipment yet maximising the versatility of it and the Leica S supports exactly that.

[RVB]

One advantage of the S lenses is that they are better wide open..

[Theodoros]

One advantage of the S lenses is that they are better wide open..

It does apply with C645 lenses as well... I now use a 37x49 sensor and the improvement over image area that equals 6x4.5 film is significant... I expect this to be enhanced further with the S 45x30 image area.