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New H5D -50c

tjv

Active member
If I weren't a tech cam shooter and didn't have a preference for larger chips – as opposed to pure resolution, where 50mp vs. 60mp is almost irrelevant – I'd be all over this CMOS chip, be it in Hasselblad or Phase. It'd be a tough choice because I loath the DF+ camera but would appreciate live view and the better screen of the IQ. On the other hand I really like the H camera and system, just not the LCD screen. The software side of things wouldn't bother me, as I get on well with both C1 and Phocus / Lightroom.

I really envy your position as, in reality, I'd absolutely be happy owning either of these kits.
 

Jay Emm

Member
...I'd be all over this CMOS chip, be it in Hasselblad or Phase. It'd be a tough choice because I loath the DF+ camera but would appreciate live view and the better screen of the IQ...
Not sure if it helps or not, but Hasselblad's "True Focus" is IMO magic. For example, on my last portrait shoot on Friday, I took 78 fames and every single one has a razor sharp eye as desired. For me TF is easy, simple, and proven.

It's always surprised me that Hasselblad don't make more of this clever feature. Having said that, I don't know how easy or hard a P1 camera is to focus, but I do see TF as a unique feature of the Hasselblad's.

Sorry, getting a bit off topic there :)
 

fotografz

Well-known member
Don't apologize for pointing out focus errors; whether mine or the camera's, I need to know. I see the front focusing pretty clearly on the H5D-50c shots, now that you point it out and I'm actually looking at the last set of images rather than rushing to post them. I set the focus once in the near darkness with each camera, raised the mirror, used a release cable, and changed the exposure/ISO settings but never re-adjusted the focus. (I use the AE-L button on both cameras for AF single drive). I suspect either I simply missed the focus (my guess) or have some setting wrong. Given that I've only had the camera a few days, and the steps it went through before I got it, it seems likely that it's me and not a faulty camera. I'll sort that out tomorrow. Either way, thanks for the extra effort Marc and TJV.

All that aside, I think I can get a couple more stops with the H5D-50c, which is why I'm giving up my beloved H4D-60.
Yes Tim, irrespective of choosing the new 50c to better fit your shooting needs and style, I would concentrate on making sure that body is focusing correctly before ending up with no camera to work with at all,:eek:.

That it seemed off so many times in different shots, where the 60 was in focus all the time, makes me suspect it wasn't you. Only a very controlled test will sort that out now.

I used to run a H4D/40 and H4D/60 side-by-side because each had their own strengths. I replaced the 40 with a Leica S2-P and used the 60 until a year ago or so when I decided to retire rather than go on for another few years. Just prior to that I seriously considered moving to the H5D/200 MS. Had this camera come out back then, and I saw that it did ISO 1600 and 3200 so well, I would have seriously considered it as a companion to the 200MS, then jettisoned most of my 35mm DSLR stuff, and probably wouldn't have bought into the Sony A7R system.

I like the H system a lot, and True Focus is something I dearly miss to this day. Nothing like it even in the 35mm DSLR world.

All the best in your quest, and looking forward to something other than test shots from you and your new 50c!:thumbs:

- Marc
 

Giorgio

Member
Hi Timothy, thanks od Your notes and the private messages You wrote finally I get the H5D-50C...
Everything looks ok... at the moment I've Just made a little workshop on provence for the lavender blooming season and some boring test shots...
here's one ...

https://www.dropbox.com/s/rc2v2re5cum96tt/H5D-50C%20ISO%20TEST.zip

Have nice weekend, Best Regards !
Very informative test, thanks Modator!
The color checker sequence with the black lenses and deep shadow area are a revelation.
I had some time with the camera (50c) but had no idea I could shoot a clean 1600 or 3200 ISO file. I wish I had more time.
Looks like a wonderful tool the H5D 50c, enjoy it!
 

modator

Member
Very informative test, thanks Modator!
The color checker sequence with the black lenses and deep shadow area are a revelation.
I had some time with the camera (50c) but had no idea I could shoot a clean 1600 or 3200 ISO file. I wish I had more time.
Looks like a wonderful tool the H5D 50c, enjoy it!
Thanks I'm happy to know the images are interesting !
Best regards, Domenico.
 

tcdeveau

Well-known member
Thanks for the files Timothy and Modator. One of the things that I really like about my H4D/40 is the long exposure w/o dark frame aspect and I frequently shoot >30 second exposures with it. I find the 256 max exposure time of the H4D/40 limiting and am intrigued by the 12 min max exposure time of the 50c, however I haven't seen any examples yet. Have either of you done any long exposures with the camera and if so, what are your thoughts? Would it be possible for either of you to try out some long exposures and post the files for us to play around with? Maybe like a 1, 2, 4, 8, 12 min at ISO 100? Regardless, hope you two are enjoying the camera!
Cheers,
Todd
 

modator

Member
I will test some longer exposures this weekend, Todd. In the meantime, here is a flattened psd of a 6 minute photo I shot on a moonless night with the HC100. F/14, 1600 ISO. At night, even with the focus-assist light, focusing is the most challenging part of the process. I carry a strong flashlight to help the process.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/23138385/0614-B0000448.psd
Timothy, to me for a 6 minute shot at iso 1600 is a very good result... finally the image have only slight more noise than a 1600 shot at 1 second.... the image is perfectly usable and the colors are very good too.
Nice test, thanks, in next few days i will try to do some night shot.. at the moment there is fool moon here..

Domenico.
 

modator

Member
Today I've made other test too.. especially to find color differences... about the dispute of better ccd or cmos color rendition....
I have to admit that the image is a little greenish because i was in a field and over me the sunlight is partially direct and shadowed from the leaf....
In this field full of daisy and other herbs there are some Bee's boxes with different colors..

Here's the link: (it's a fff Hasselblad file... to see it You must download Phocus that's free upon registration on Hasselbladusa.com)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/20p5chtsyatseet/Api_0007.fff.zip

This time I choose to share the raw file instead of a jpg to have more faithful colors as possible.

Comments are welcome... Have a nice day ! Domenico.
 

GregMO

Member
I have been trying to shoot this sculpture, The Pedlar, at the Hirshhorn for years. It is my sense that I've never been able to get it so cleanly before, and able to get the entire range of tonalities from highlights to shadows. That's my impression, anyway. It was shot in morning light at ISO 1600 (forgot to reset it from last night), cropped with some tweaks in LR5, HC50II.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/23138385/cropped_iso1600_f16_750th.jpg
It's a shame the security at the Hirshhorn won't allow tripods to be used on the museum grounds. The guards that I've asked don't even know why..it's just what they've been told.
 

modator

Member
Today I've made a long exposure comparative test between 1s exposure and 12 minutes exposure both at ISO 100.
The 12 minute exposure is made using a Lee Big Stopper filter so 1second became 16minute, then I've made a little exposure boost & white balance in phocus.

One interesting thing it's the battery charge drain, each 12min exposure reduces the battery charge of around 10% , this permits around 10 images or 2 hours of capture ! that's interesting for star trail photo or else...

The Lee Big Stopper filter also absorbs a little portion of red colors and improves the blues, that's why the 12min is a little more cold, the slight illumination difference is due because the photos are made with natural light during a cloudy & windy day.

The temperature of the Digital Back is surprising me... instead of becoming hot it stays very close to the ambient temperature that here is around 27º Celsius.

Here's the link of the cropped Jpg's :

https://www.dropbox.com/s/kji7k5p5rd1h6i8/H5D-50c long exposure comp.zip

Best regards, and have nice holidays !

Domenico.
 

tcdeveau

Well-known member
Thanks for the post Domenico! That is exactly what I wanted to see. With a quick glance it looks like the 12 min exposure holds up pretty well. Cheers,
Todd
 

gss

New member
It's a shame the security at the Hirshhorn won't allow tripods to be used on the museum grounds. The guards that I've asked don't even know why..it's just what they've been told.
[hijack]If the shot is important to you, maybe rent a gyro for a day. The guards may object to the noise, but would most likely allow you to use it.[/hijack]

Edit: I should have quoted Timothy.
 

modator

Member
This sunday I've made few test shots on the field, at ISO 800 in the shadows of trees near an old abandoned house with a model to test skin tone performances at slight high ISO, generally I prefer to shoot at lower ISO.. this is the result... please don't spread the image on other websites etc.
I've made also other shot at lower ISO but really the difference is very difficult to see... everything was done without a flash or reflective panel... , before the 50c I own the H4D-40, it's difficult to describe, but this new camera is a completely different thing.. I have to train more to get more confident with it.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/wusigvi9t7ks9p6/Noemi_0056.jpg.zip

Best, Domenico.
 
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John Perkins

New member
I am having a really hard time seeing a difference in the quality of the files the 50C produces versus other Sony-made sensors (that are small). Yes due to the larger sensor, the depth of field is different, but it doesn't seem to have the color rendering differences (for better or worse) of the CCD backs.
 

modator

Member
I am having a really hard time seeing a difference in the quality of the files the 50C produces versus other Sony-made sensors (that are small). Yes due to the larger sensor, the depth of field is different, but it doesn't seem to have the color rendering differences (for better or worse) of the CCD backs.
Jhon, You are right, substantially there are no particular difference except a slight better performances at high iso (3200-6400) because the pixel are little larger.
For the color there are many debates about the performance, but practically the 50c color is well calibrated, and I didn't see differences between CCD.
One thing that I have to train about is the different exposure and the recovery. This new back is ok but it has a different Dynamic range... I'have see for example the over exposed portion of the Image are more difficult to recover than CCD, but the underexposed one have less noise and far better than CCD... So I'm trying to underexpose a little than before to gain advantage of the better Dynamic range.
Finally the larger sensor, offcourse it has a different DOF, but it's not all, it is a part of a complete system that in case of Hasselblad is very strong with options like T&S and top level lenses and any sort of accessories difficult, or impossible to find today in other systems.
The main reason for me to switch to 50c was the improvement of the usability of the system that I allready own, But, If I didn't allready had all this H-lenses system, options, etc... probably I wouldn't buy anything !

Domenico.
 
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