H3DII-50 or H4D-40

[Will Ophuis]

Hey guys this is my first post on these forums! have been reading for a little while and you seem like a nice bunch I want to purchase a MFD camera sometime later this year for taking landscapes and have pretty much decided on the H4D-40 mainly for money reasons, I keep having doubts that maybe I should go for the H3DII-50 because of the slightly larger sensor and mp but would that really make difference then using the H4D-40? I like the fact the H4D-40 can do longer exposures then 60 seconds.

Cheers
Will.

 

[Quentin_Bargate]

Difficult to say. I suggest you try both. Some of the new features on the H4D body, like True Focus, are not really that relevant for landscape work, and the H4D-40 sensor has microlenses, so might possibly work a bit less well with the HTS 1.5 if you are so inclined.

Quentin

 

[Will Ophuis]

Thanks for the advice Quentin, Might try both out like you say, Im leaning towards the H4D-40 mainly because here in Aus the H3Dii-50 is another 8k the Camera will mainly be used for Landscapes but plan on Travelling with it so will probably use it for some Portrait stuff aswell.

 

[Jeffg53]

I chose the 40 for the high ISO and particularly for the 4 minute exposure. I have been using a 39 since they hit the market. I'm willing to trade the extra MP for the flexibility of the 40, particularly as I'm not much of a wide-angle lense user. I also replaced the 50-110 with a 35-90 as they are such a screaming bargain at the moment. I now have 28, 35-90, 100. 150 and 210 lenses which suits me well.

My H3D II and 50-110 are off to my dealer tomorrow to help cover the upgrade.

 

[Will Ophuis]

Thanks For commenting Jeff, So how are you finding the H4D-40? yeah I think Ill keep my 5d mkii and 16-35 if I want to go really wide, so you don't find the IQ any less then the bigger sensor in the H3Dii-39? wouldn't really be noticeable?

 

[Jeffg53]

The 40 is great. Images look just like the 39. Dark areas in long exposures are very clean. Phocus does an amazing job with very little encouragement needed.I suspect that, once you get used to looking at images from the Hasselblad, you will be unhappy with images from the Canon. I certainly was with my A900, despite the Zeiss glass, and Canon glass is a long way behind Zeiss.

 

[Will Ophuis]

Sounds good Jeff! think that will be the way I will go, havn't tried out the HTS on it have you? I'm thinking of getting the H4D-40 and 28mm to start me off, The only reason Id keep the Canon is more so just for a back up camera if Something were to happen to the Hassy.

 

[Jeffg53]

I haven't tried the HTS. It's seriously expensive but, apparently, very good from all reports. Tilts and shifts don't do it for me which is why I went for Hasselblad years ago rather than LF. Another possibility in the world of digital photography is to focus stack. I haven't tried it but have seen some impressive results.

As I don't have to make a living from this, I am happy to have only one H4D. I think that I would be looking for a second hand H3D as a backup if I needed one. Having just taken mine in to my dealer today, I can tell you that they are not fetching a lot now.

 

[Will Ophuis]

Yeah I think it would be handy for shots that are more Pano, I am the same I have a day job which pays for most of my photography needs but I cant afford two hasselblads!

 

[fotografz]

Difficult to say. I suggest you try both. Some of the new features on the H4D body, like True Focus, are not really that relevant for landscape work, and the H4D-40 sensor has microlenses, so might possibly work a bit less well with the HTS 1.5 if you are so inclined.

Quentin

The micro-lenses of the H4D/40 coupled with the HTS/1.5 is not an issue. Phocus software is set up to deal with it, and to date and I've experienced zero issues in real applications ... including some max shifts to build panos.

-Marc

 

[fotografz]

The 40 is great. Images look just like the 39. Dark areas in long exposures are very clean. Phocus does an amazing job with very little encouragement needed.I suspect that, once you get used to looking at images from the Hasselblad, you will be unhappy with images from the Canon. I certainly was with my A900, despite the Zeiss glass, and Canon glass is a long way behind Zeiss.

One of my best friends bought my H3D-II/39 when I moved to the H4D/40 ... with-in a short time of seeing the MFD results he sold most of his Canon gear ... I actually had to convince him to NOT sell all of it so he could have a snap-shot camera when needed.

-Marc

 

[Nick-T]

Hi Will
Here's a link to my blog where I have a small collection of articles on the H4D40 including a couple from the esteemed Jeff and Marc who have both posted here:

http://www.nick-t.com/blog/tag/h4d40/

Cheers
Nick-T

 

[Quentin_Bargate]

The micro-lenses of the H4D/40 coupled with the HTS/1.5 is not an issue. Phocus software is set up to deal with it, and to date and I've experienced zero issues in real applications ... including some max shifts to build panos.

-Marc

Hi Marc

Which is a testament to using an integrated arppoach to MF digital... One of the big reasons I ended up with Hassy over Phase.

And those files are so robust and felxible. I love working with them.

Quentin

 

[Will Ophuis]

The micro-lenses of the H4D/40 coupled with the HTS/1.5 is not an issue. Phocus software is set up to deal with it, and to date and I've experienced zero issues in real applications ... including some max shifts to build panos.

-Marc

Thanks Marc that's what I want to hear, One reason I want the HTS is for panos, good to hear that about the micro-lenses too.

Cheers Nick T will have a read on your blog!

Thank you everyone.