Hi forum,
I am looking at picking up a Hassy H2 body to use with a Phase P45 back (non plus H101 version) and the HCD 28mm lens.
So the question is quite simply will they all work together? Searching the web throws up conflicting opinions on this and asking the local Hassy dealer was like poking him in the eye with the mention of the P45!
Is there much difference between the auto focus performance of a H2 and P45 compared to an 'integrated' system like a H3d39?
Being that the P45 is a non plus version, i wont have tethered live view so am a little concerned about nailing focus.
Anything else I should be aware of?
Appreciate any user experiences or or advice
Hasselblad chose to lock their customers who own H2 from using the HCD lenses.
If you're not using leaf-shutter lenses for their high-speed flash sync then you might reconsider the body you go with since leaf shutter lenses have more physical weight, size, inherent manufacturing costs, higher failure rates, and tend to show diffraction earlier than focal-plane-only lenses. Of course if you need the high-speed flash sync that come with leaf shutter lenses these negatives are well worth it. If not then you might consider a body like the Mamiya, Phase One, or Contax offerings. A huge plus here would be that a backup body for a Phase One or Mamiya would be a Mamiya AFD1 which only costs $600 and does not need to be 'matched' to your digital back at the factory.
Also if you're shooting wide-angle as your main use of the system you might take a look at
dedicated wide-angle tech camera bodies. These offer across-the-board better image quality than any medium format wide-angle lens, are inherently nearly-free of distortion, chromatic aberration and (most) allow for stitching for higher resolution, different aspect ratios, or wider angle of coverage. Some solutions like the CWRS also offer optics-free tilt-swing (no additional lens elements or magnification of the focal length).
While all plus backs have live view most non-plus backs do not. However, some P45 digital backs have Live View enabled - others do not. To ensure that you purchase a P45 with Live View I would *selfishly* recommend buying from a reputable and knowledgeable Phase One dealer.
Re: the focus of an H2 with a Phase One back. All I can say for sure is that the fashion industry in Miami still shoots more often with a Phase One back on an H2 body than any other medium format system. The focus is darn good - not on par in my experience with a Phase One DF body, but darn good nonetheless.
Anyway, don't take my word for it - get your hands on one of each. If you're nearby St. Louis or Birmingham we'd be happy to have you at our
upcoming events in those two cities where we will have many different medium format solutions for hands-on evaluation including the H3D-50 (note: we don't sell H3D systems, we just have it for your hands on comparison) and various Phase One backs on different bodies. Otherwise we'd be happy to arrange a rental which counts towards a purchase if you move forward with one.
Doug Peterson (e-mail Me)
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