Felling of the Hasselblad XCD 21 on X1D vs the soulfeeling of the old Hassy SWC

[Thorkil]

Well, looking some of my old Velvia pictures from my SWC through, I recall the amazing feeling some of the SWC pictures gives me. It might be a combination of f.ex. walking alone through Venice day after day, that’s blending some psychology into my mood looking at the pictures.

BUT I would like to ask you that have used the SWC a lot and also the 21 XCD on a X1D, how is you subjective feeling looking at pictures from both. Can the XCD 21 substitute your feeling from your SWC in a satisfying degree (at all../some..) ?

So to speak, should the XCD21 be my last investment, will I succeed recalling the SWC feeling with that XCD21? – or I better ask, did and does you still succeed in getting the SWC feeling, or some of it, by the XCD21?

KR Thorkil

 

[JeffK]

did the SWC make the same shutter sound as the 500CM? If it did, then no you won't get that same feeling. But hey, the actual image results will probably be way better quality.

 

[jng]

did the SWC make the same shutter sound as the 500CM? If it did, then no you won't get that same feeling. But hey, the actual image results will probably be way better quality.

Hah - sonically, the X1D and SWC are actually pretty similar (a very quiet click-click, not WHOMP-click-click-WHOMP as there is no barn door aux shutter in the SWC).

I haven't shot with my SWC for years now, but for me the experience between the X1D and any of the V system cameras is totally different in terms of form factor, user experience, and yes, probably quality as well. I've only recently acquired the XCD21. Based on one shoot I think it's definitely a keeper. However there's nothing quite like peering through the SWC optical viewfinder and seeing that wonderfully distorted rendering with which one can only guess the actual borders of the image (plus that big Biogon nose obscuring pretty much the entire foreground). Another, more tangible difference is that the X1D + XCD21 gives a wider field of view in the native 4x3 format, which I find attractive for extending the foreground (or sky) in compositions that such ultra-wide lenses are perfect for. YMMV, of course.

@Godfrey has a lot of experience with the XCD21 cropped square, and seems to enjoy using it as his modern-day SWC...

John

 

[sog1927]

did the SWC make the same shutter sound as the 500CM? If it did, then no you won't get that same feeling. But hey, the actual image results will probably be way better quality.

The *shutter* sound is identical, but the mighty KER-FLOP of the mirror is of course absent. The Biogon was an awesome lens.

 

[Godfrey]

Well, looking some of my old Velvia pictures from my SWC through, I recall the amazing feeling some of the SWC pictures gives me. It might be a combination of f.ex. walking alone through Venice day after day, that’s blending some psychology into my mood looking at the pictures.

BUT I would like to ask you that have used the SWC a lot and also the 21 XCD on a X1D, how is you subjective feeling looking at pictures from both. Can the XCD 21 substitute your feeling from your SWC in a satisfying degree (at all../some..) ?

So to speak, should the XCD21 be my last investment, will I succeed recalling the SWC feeling with that XCD21? – or I better ask, did and does you still succeed in getting the SWC feeling, or some of it, by the XCD21?

The sense and feel of the SWC in an all-digital camera was what I was seeking for a long time. The XCD21 + 907x delivers ... the X1D would do as well.

G

 

[usm]

Please share some images...

 

[Godfrey]

Please share some images...

What I have posted on Flickr can be seen here: 907x + XCD 21mm Photos .
Whether they're the best examples or not, I don't know ... but I like the results and they feel right to me.

Cropped square on the 907x/X1D format, the XCD 21mm returns just a little wider FoV than the SWC and the DoF to FoV is similar ... go 1-2 stops larger aperture on the XCD 21, and the DoF is pretty similar. While the XCD21 does have very good rectilinear correction, using Phocus or the lens corrections in Lightroom does clean up what small amount of aberration there is nicely and puts the resulting images on par with the Biogon 38mm.

G

 

[Thorkil]

just a ultrashort "pit-stop"-remark for now: Thanks all for your words!!! I'll get back later on with few words, and a picture with a few words....
(I don't ride the day I saddle )
KR Thorkil

 

[Thorkil]

well I decided to buy the XCD 21/4.
I'm not convinced that it will be the same visual feeling as with the SWC's Biogon 38, but film also create something special.
And in general, one is fooled by light, mood etc., so its hard to compare when not comparing the exact same motiv and light.
But by this one here (SWC-Velvia), I would guess that the XCD 21 would have a hard struggle competing with the way to draw, but one will never know:

But having the X1D I feel bound to get the XCD 21, while wide lenses have been there almost all my life.
By Godfrey's fine pictures the picture with the kitchen sink is the most SWC-like in my head.
Will collect the XCD 21 one of these days.
KR Thorkil
PS but its obvious for me that the SWC need a strong "route" in the picture to create its magical 3D look (strong foreground and perspective-path) and healthy/thick modest/damped light (avoid sunlight, it's a killer!), but perhaps it's so with most wides in general, I guess.

 

[Godfrey]

Every lens renders differently. The Biogon 38/4.5 T* has its unique rendering qualities on 6x6 film and nothing else ever looks exactly the same. But the XCD 21/4 on 33x33 mm crop in the 907x/X1D has a similar, if not identical, quality.

For me, it's close enough.

G

 

[Geoff]

Another option: here is CV 15mm M mount, cropped square on 907. Quite a bit cheaper!

 

[Thorkil]

Geoff, it certainly looks nice. But I have to be snobbish here, and stay put with a Hasselblad on my Hasselblad, at least to fool my brain to think that I now will be as close as possible to my original "SWC-heaven"

KR Thorkil

 

[Godfrey]

That's lovely, Geoff! But of course the CV15 will mean using exclusively electronic shutter on the X1D/907x cameras, which has its own limitations.

Much as it cost me seven times as much, I don't regret buying the XCD 21mm one bit. It was my initial, only lens ordered, with the 907x 50th Anniversary camera. I only acquired the other lenses later on...

G