leica S2 vs. hasselblad H4D-40 vs. IQ140

[pophoto]

Seriously looks and feel are a factor in buying and nothing wrong with that. Like golf clubs if you hate the looks of it staring down at it most likely you won't play good. Your spending a lot of money and you want it to look nice to your eye.

It does Guy! In fact, some people have told me about the image MF cameras give the perception of to the clients about how serious the photog is or to separate themselves from others shooting 35mm (nothing wrong with that either). How well we dance in our dance shoes clearly defines us.

In the true-er sense, what I foresee myself shooting isn't all that clear yet, I learnt this in my current profession, and it's somewhat fruitful to me, I'm just not in love with it. If you ask me what I want to be shooting it's as wide as it is varied. In my dreams I would answer commercial fashion photography and Landscapes. Clearly different enough and Oh sure I may end up with more MF cameras, just like I have FF 34mm. My question is about what to go for first and what makes sense, seriously I love the size and look of the S2, it's sexy!
The H4D is a Bentley to me. It's bigger and comes with other lush accessories. I can't as of yet define for myself what the IQ backs are yet, because I cannot connect it to it's camera. I feel it's the seductress who has many others and goes behind your back! Thus I cannot gauge it clearly yet, and was asking for your help here.

 

[johnnygoesdigital]

The OP is looking for a landscape/outdoor camera. Tethering is not going to be a problem.

I doubt the Hasselblad mirror is better, but the mirror "slap" thing is really overstated and stating to reach myth status. The 645D mirror is really well dampened where I can handhold the body at 1/10s. I am sure Leica has a well dampened mirror.

Most MFDSLR, cameras have substantial slap, it quite pronounced really. Think of Newton's 3rd law of motion regarding action and reaction. With the bigger sensor, this makes it more of an issue. Cameras like the H4D, are actually quite good at hand held, because of the center of gravity. In regards to the S2, The files were a little too punchy, but takes post production very nicely. I did prefer the aspect ratio of the H4D, why crop juicy pixels.

 

[Guy Mancuso]

It does Guy! In fact, some people have told me about the image MF cameras give the perception of to the clients about how serious the photog is or to separate themselves from others shooting 35mm (nothing wrong with that either). How well we dance in our dance shoes clearly defines us.

In the true-er sense, what I foresee myself shooting isn't all that clear yet, I learnt this in my current profession, and it's somewhat fruitful to me, I'm just not in love with it. If you ask me what I want to be shooting it's as wide as it is varied. In my dreams I would answer commercial fashion photography and Landscapes. Clearly different enough and Oh sure I may end up with more MF cameras, just like I have FF 34mm. My question is about what to go for first and what makes sense, seriously I love the size and look of the S2, it's sexy!
The H4D is a Bentley to me. It's bigger and comes with other lush accessories. I can't as of yet define for myself what the IQ backs are yet, because I cannot connect it to it's camera. I feel it's the seductress who has many others and goes behind your back! Thus I cannot gauge it clearly yet, and was asking for your help here.

You really need to get this stuff in your hands, you may love something or may hate it. You need a dealer to help let me know.

 

[Paratom]

You really need to get this stuff in your hands, you may love something or may hate it. You need a dealer to help let me know.

I totally agree here.
I think you will feel quickly what works for you and what doesnt.

 

[Shashin]

Most MFDSLR, cameras have substantial slap, it quite pronounced really. Think of Newton's 3rd law of motion regarding action and reaction.

I guess that is the advantage of the Pentax 645D--mirror is light and it does not use a simple hinge. I didn't realize the other cameras were so bad.

 

[Guy Mancuso]

On that note I guess i will sell my DF immediately.:bugeyes:

 

[delander]

Well the Pentax may not be the most beautiful looking camera in the world, its body shape is directly descended from their previous film cameras. But in essence it is the same shape as the Hasselblad, without the modular build and aerodynamics. And in the hand it just works. I'm not a pro photographer, just an experienced and still enthusiastic amateur. There was an interesting comparison over on LULA a while ago.

Jeff

 

[Shashin]

It needs to mature, and time will tell if it does.

It is not like Pentax has never made medium-format cameras. There are 14 lenses available for it--wide, teles, macro, and zooms. 67 lenses can be used with it. There are interchangeable focusing screens and angle finders and viewfinder magnifiers, extension tubes, teleconveters, dedicated flash units, a GPS, and even memory cards. This is more "mature" than say the Phase/Mamiya RZ.

 

[Shashin]

One thing I find curious, no one has chimed in on the IQ140...


Do I hear a bong?

 

[Guy Mancuso]

How much you want me to brag about that sensor. LOL

I owned the P40+ which is the same sensor , its awesome but no one believes me. LOL

Frankly the IQ series is the best back you can flat out buy. There I said it. Now waiting for my handcuffs to send me to the crazy house. I own the IQ 160 and I have absolutely not even a glimmer of being dissatisfied and NO I don't make a nickel saying it. And i love the glass, software and my images are kick ***. See I can't go around saying this or i will get shot in the back at 40 paces and no one believes me anyway. See I can't win even on my own forum. ROTFLMAO

Hope you all realize i am kidding around here but the IQ 140 is a very very good back or I would have never bought the same sensor twice. I just bought the FF size this time.

 

[Shashin]

Guy, do you have a live view with that back and how does it work in the field?

 

[Guy Mancuso]

Actually I do have live view on the IQ 160 yes. Works good I would not call it stellar but it does work very nice inside for sure on a tripod. One thing I noticed outside was i had moving cars going through the frame so it never settled down. Now the real question is do I use it often not outside but inside I do sometimes. One nice thing is you can focus at 100 percent and that was pretty cool but it does like batteries. For me maybe the least used feature but focus mask, 100 percent zoom are my most used features not to mention the ball for leveling. I use a tech cam like a polaroid by 3 shots I got a final. I use no rangefinder and no laser either. I also have not missed yet either. Now i have only got as long as a 43mm too. But I seem to be doing very well with it and quick. I have not hit that slow wall using it. This makes my day as i am not a slow pace shooter. The quality is amazing.

 

[Paratom]

its funny here how to say "my back is the best" without saying it directly

 

[pophoto]

its funny here how to say "my back is the best" without saying it directly

Don't encourage him

 

[Guy Mancuso]

Agree Tom. LOL it is a crack up. As a owner here i can't get that far out there and hopefully everyone realizes i was joking around otherwise Jack would be plugging me full of holes. LOL

I'm all about the format and that is what counts end of day. I would take anyone of these system gladly.

 

[pophoto]

Guy, so I might as well ask it here now: I'm in the US, San Francisco to be exact, so does it matter where my dealer is here in the US?
I'm sure you can add to the importance of a dealer in your answer you see fit!

Also, I see now Hasselblad now has their own online store, what are the pros and cons shopping direct and dealer?
I'm sure most of us are supporters of private/family businesses, that's a given! You can PM, unless you think it's info others can benefit from too.

 

[Paratom]

Agree Tom. LOL it is a crack up. As a owner here i can't get that far out there and hopefully everyone realizes i was joking around otherwise Jack would be plugging me full of holes. LOL

I'm all about the format and that is what counts end of day. I would take anyone of these system gladly.

I would also take all of them but prefer the S2
I could take an IQ-back for my Artec, and I would also like to sometimes use some Rollei glass - so a Hy6 or AFI would be usefull as well.
What for those days when we want multiple AF points? We need a Pentax, and then for the days with strobes and true-focus ...Hassy. What else did I forget?

 

[Stuart Richardson]

In the US, the best dealer is the good one who is a short drive away, in another state! Do not underestimate how much sales tax can be on a 10-40,000 dollar purchase!

In any case, I went through these rounds myself, and chose an S2. I bet I would have been happy with a Pentax as well, but I preferred the handling of the S2, as well as the fact that it integrates perfectly with my M9, which is my current primary camera. There is a large benefit in having a single workflow! I only use Lightroom for RAW conversion, and the M9 and S2 files share a family look that makes it easy to deal with them and get the most out of them. I am also on the professional service at Leica already and have contacts there, which means that I am very confident about service and support. I am used to the general "brand ergonomics", so I don't need to learn a new tactile language to be at ease with the camera. All these things are worth considering when getting into a new system...it is certainly not as simple as saying that TODAY (because things change quickly) Brand X has a ___ Megapixel sensor with Awesome View and Super Bokeh Vision™, while Brand Y's camera is only ___-1 Megapixels, no Awesome View and only Great Bokeh Vision™. Ok, maybe that was not so simple, but the point is that sheer technical features alone are not the only thing to consider, though they are certainly among the most important!

P.S. Super Bokeh Vision™ is pretty awesome...
P.P.S. Freud would have a field day with some of the sensual descriptions of cameras in this thread...

 

[fotografz]

I would also take all of them but prefer the S2
I could take an IQ-back for my Artec, and I would also like to sometimes use some Rollei glass - so a Hy6 or AFI would be usefull as well.
What for those days when we want multiple AF points? We need a Pentax, and then for the days with strobes and true-focus ...Hassy. What else did I forget?

This forum is like a friendly neighborhood bar located right next to a AA meeting location. :ROTFL:

We don't need more gear sluts here, we need a couple of shrinks ... no wait, they probably have two S2s, an IQ, a Leaf 54, a H4D/200MS and sixty seven Pentax 645Ds ... one for each lens mention above.

-Marc

 

[fotografz]

Guy, so I might as well ask it here now: I'm in the US, San Francisco to be exact, so does it matter where my dealer is here in the US?
I'm sure you can add to the importance of a dealer in your answer you see fit!

Also, I see now Hasselblad now has their own online store, what are the pros and cons shopping direct and dealer?
I'm sure most of us are supporters of private/family businesses, that's a given! You can PM, unless you think it's info others can benefit from too.

Probably doesn't matter ... the dealer is the interface with the company, and they are as close as the closest phone. I NEVER deal directly with the camera company if I can help it, I leave that to the dealer. My S2 dealer is in NJ, and my Hassey rep is here in Michigan ...

Buying direct from Hasselblad is probably set up to handle accessories more than systems ... I'd bet an on-line system purchase is attributed to the dealer in your region who does the follow through.

While I needed a walk through for the H when I first got it, it wasn't really needed for the S2 since it is very similar to any 35mm DSLR only bigger/better.

-Marc