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Fun with the Hasselblad 907x

Godfrey

Well-known member
Lovely photo, Tony!

These are two more from the walk the day before yesterday:


Flowers and Leaves – Santa Clara 2020
Hasselblad 907x + XCD 21mm f/4
ISO 800 @ f/8 @ 1/90



Semi-Hidden – Santa Clara 2020
Hasselblad 907x + XCD 21mm f/4
ISO 400 @ f/8 @ 1/60

In answer to the question of whether Hasselblad is shipping this camera: Well, of course, yes; otherwise I wouldn't have one. But there's a little thing happening all around the world kinda getting in the way of further shipments just at the moment... :)

enjoy!
G
 

anyone

Well-known member
Here in Europe a lot of companies paused their production lines - might be just the same also for Hasselblad.
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
Some more photos from The Walk the other day :)...


Cone & Fence
Hasselblad 907x + XCD 21mm f/4



All Visitors, No Parking
Hasselblad 907x + XCD 21mm f/4



The Tree at 1818
Hasselblad 907x + XCD 21mm f/4



Convergent Alternatives
Hasselblad 907x + XCD 21mm f/4



The Tree Behind The Stores
Hasselblad 907x + XCD 21mm f/4



Locked Gate
Hasselblad 907x + XCD 21mm f/4



Tested Brick Wall
Hasselblad 907x + XCD 21mm f/4

Most taken at ISO 400 @ f/8 @ about 1/100 second.

enjoy!
G
 

Geoff

Well-known member
Interesting how you seem to get a "normal" viewpoint using the 21mm lens on the Hassy. Nicely done!
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
Interesting how you seem to get a "normal" viewpoint using the 21mm lens on the Hassy. Nicely done!
Thank you for the compliment! :)

Like the SWC's Biogon 38mm before it, the XCD 21 nets this very extreme angle of view without excessive distortion and with stunning corner to corner resolution. The key to keeping a "normal" look to the photos with these extreme angle of view objectives is becoming very sensitive to the plane of the subject matter and the plane of the sensor ... they MUST be very close to perfectly parallel or "wide angle distortion" ... aka: foreshortening ... becomes the dominant visual cue. The other part of wide angle distortion—the transformation of circles into ovoid shapes as they move off the optical axis—is also nicely controlled with minimal smearing and other artifacts in this lens.

These imaging factors together with the "little box with a lens on it" feel make me happy that I parted with the money for this one. It is a true digital successor to the SWC: I'm delighted to be able to own and use it! :D

G
 

Geoff

Well-known member
Thank you for the compliment! :)

Like the SWC's Biogon 38mm before it, the XCD 21 nets this very extreme angle of view without excessive distortion and with stunning corner to corner resolution. The key to keeping a "normal" look to the photos with these extreme angle of view objectives is becoming very sensitive to the plane of the subject matter and the plane of the sensor ... they MUST be very close to perfectly parallel or "wide angle distortion" ... aka: foreshortening ... becomes the dominant visual cue. The other part of wide angle distortion—the transformation of circles into ovoid shapes as they move off the optical axis—is also nicely controlled with minimal smearing and other artifacts in this lens.

These imaging factors together with the "little box with a lens on it" feel make me happy that I parted with the money for this one. It is a true digital successor to the SWC: I'm delighted to be able to own and use it! :D

G
Agree fully, but there is something else going on here: the images avoid the extreme prominence of the foreground so often the problem with superwides. It’s very interesting. Kudos.
 

scho

Well-known member
Thank you for the compliment! :)

Like the SWC's Biogon 38mm before it, the XCD 21 nets this very extreme angle of view without excessive distortion and with stunning corner to corner resolution. The key to keeping a "normal" look to the photos with these extreme angle of view objectives is becoming very sensitive to the plane of the subject matter and the plane of the sensor ... they MUST be very close to perfectly parallel or "wide angle distortion" ... aka: foreshortening ... becomes the dominant visual cue. The other part of wide angle distortion—the transformation of circles into ovoid shapes as they move off the optical axis—is also nicely controlled with minimal smearing and other artifacts in this lens.

These imaging factors together with the "little box with a lens on it" feel make me happy that I parted with the money for this one. It is a true digital successor to the SWC: I'm delighted to be able to own and use it! :D

G
Very nice indeed Godfrey. Did you shoot with the camera in 1:1 crop mode?
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
Very nice indeed Godfrey. Did you shoot with the camera in 1:1 crop mode?
Yes: I've so far almost always left the display in 1:1 proportion mode. When I fit the back on my 500CM, I found the matte-fresnel focusing screen with the SuperSlide crop lines is an almost exact match to the 33x33 format of the sensor as well. The nice part about this is that when I bring the raw files into Lightroom, if I was a little off on the framing in the horizontal dimension, I have some re-framing options available.

G
 

darr

Well-known member
Yes: I've so far almost always left the display in 1:1 proportion mode. When I fit the back on my 500CM, I found the matte-fresnel focusing screen with the SuperSlide crop lines is an almost exact match to the 33x33 format of the sensor as well. The nice part about this is that when I bring the raw files into Lightroom, if I was a little off on the framing in the horizontal dimension, I have some re-framing options available.

G
I know when I tried shooting the CFV50c in square mode, it does not actually crop the raw file, just the screen shows what the composition can look like. So I do not use it, as I can crop later in post without needing the screen crop.

The 21mm lens looks nice after cropping. :)
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
I know when I tried shooting the CFV50c in square mode, it does not actually crop the raw file, just the screen shows what the composition can look like. So I do not use it, as I can crop later in post without needing the screen crop.

The 21mm lens looks nice after cropping. :)
Yes: I use the square cropping on the 907x's LCD as a framing aid, nothing more. It is identical to the default 1:1 crop that I apply in LR as part of my "on import" defaults for the CFVII 50c back and 907x, so what I thought I framed is the same as what I see immediately after import into LR. I can change it at any time to the full 33x44 format by simply resetting the Crop tool for a given exposure (or across as many exposures as I deem appropriate, of course).

G
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
I may end up selling my 907X/CFV II 50C Special Edition simply because I don't anticipate having any opportunities to use it anytime soon (and I didn't buy it as a "collector"). If anyone is interested in it, please contact me.
? Why aren't you using it?

---
Yesterday, I fitted the CFVII 50c to the Hasselblad 500CM and spent time working with the 120, 80, and 50 mm lenses, practicing focus and testing exposure settings using the camera in its standard mode (that is, not using the Live View and eShutter). The ISO calibration of the sensor is close to spot on: My tri-tone target images the expected three peaks on the histogram spaced as expected to within 0.3 EV of the settings suggested by my incident light meter.

I practiced focusing with both the matte fresnel screen and with the 45° split image screen. The latter makes focusing 50mm lens much more reliable, is a toss up with the 50mm lens, and the former works better with the 120mm lens. I completely forgot to pull out the Sonnar 150mm and test that too, but I suspect it will be the same as with the 120mm. With a little practice, I could hit critical focus wide open with all three lenses pretty consistently using the split-image, so I'll leave that in the camera and go for a walk with the 80mm soon.


Lamp - 120mm
Hasselblad 500CM + CFVII 50c + Makro-Planar 120mm f/4
ISO 200 @ f/4 @ EV 6




Lamp - 80mm
Hasselblad 500CM + CFVII 50c + Planar 80mm f/2.8
ISO 200 @ f/2.8 @ EV 6

Swapping to the magnifying chimney hood makes critical focus a snap with either screen and all three lenses. Putting the camera on a tripod with close-range subject also makes critical focus much more consistent and reliable with all three lenses... :)

I played with the self timer on the 80mm lens to nab a photo of myself as part of my focusing test. I used the bicycle seat to get an accurate focusing target, then released the shutter with self-timer, and positioned myself in the frame. This was the first time I'd ever used the mechanical self timer on the Hasselblad 500CM! LOL! I learned that I had to use a locking cable release to hold the body shutter open until the lens shutter completed its cycle, and then release the lock for the body shutter to close and the digital back to complete the capture. It took a few tries to get a sharp picture, mostly because I found it hard to stand still for the required half-second exposure at ISO 200. I upped the ISO to 1600 and obtained a satisfactory result...


Self-Portrait - 80mm + self timer
Hasselblad 500CM + CFVII 50c + Planar 80mm f/2.8
ISO 1600 @ f/2.8 @ EV 9

Fun stuff! I learned a lot that will be useful to using the 500CM with the CFVII 50c. It really is easy to use this setup, and a lot easier to nab a sharp capture if you stop down two stops too! :D

enjoy,
G
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
Godfrey, the answer to that question is more complicated than I'd care to get into on the forum. The primary reason is that the COVID-19 crisis is keeping me at home 99% of the time, except for limited trips to the grocery or pharmacy. The stay-at-home order continues until May in North Carolina and may be extended. Since I'm in a demographic (age, pre-existing conditions, ethnicity) that's particularly vulnerable to the virus, I expect my travel will be severely limited for an extended period of time, possibly a year or more. Second, my main photographic interest is landscapes. I don't have a studio nor do I enjoy macro, street or portrait photography. Landscapes would have been the subjects for the 907X/CFV II 50C. Finally, this crisis has reminded me of the continued need for life simplification, i.e., reducing the amount of stuff that I have a tendency to accumulate in a short span of time. I don't need the Hasselblad Special Edition and it's pretty cool to own one. But why own a Ferrari if you can't get it out of the garage? That's more than you wanted to know and less than a full account of my thinking. Stay safe and be well.

Joe
Oh, I understand ... I have a tonne of equipment, but I don't generally feel the need to simplify or off it unless it's not being used AND is very valuable ... most of what I have is piddling value at this point. :)

As to the "why own a Ferrari if you can't get it out of the garage" notion ... Well, that's particularly amusing since the practical, real life truth is that most such exotic cars are rarely driven much at all. The owners keep them cosseted and coddled like Faberge Eggs, transporting them to exhibitions and meets, and swapping them like so much large-scale jewelry. It's rare that one ever gets used in anything like the way it was designed to be. LOL!! :D

Personally, for me, I just see the 907x and its back as a camera, and the back extends the use of my existing cameras, actually makes me use them more because what's been limiting my use for the past several years is that processing and scanning and managing film is not something I want to do/have much time or patience for nowadays. I can see that if your primary thrust is landscape photography and your ability to travel is going to be limited for a bit, it can be a bit frustrating. But that's when I just start testing and teaching myself more about the equipment, more about technique, and plan what new things I can do with the knowledge when the time comes.

If I already owned a couple of cameras with similar capability, I might think "yeah, I don't really need it and it's a lot of resources locked up in one thing" ... but that's not my personal situation. I'm happy to just put it to use even for things that, truthfully, some of the other cameras do better. Just to see what I can get out of it that's different.. :)

G
 

DK Miles

New member
? Why aren't you using it?

---
Yesterday, I fitted the CFVII 50c to the Hasselblad 500CM and spent time working with the 120, 80, and 50 mm lenses, practicing focus and testing exposure settings using the camera in its standard mode (that is, not using the Live View and eShutter). The ISO calibration of the sensor is close to spot on: My tri-tone target images the expected three peaks on the histogram spaced as expected to within 0.3 EV of the settings suggested by my incident light meter.

I practiced focusing with both the matte fresnel screen and with the 45° split image screen. The latter makes focusing 50mm lens much more reliable, is a toss up with the 50mm lens, and the former works better with the 120mm lens. I completely forgot to pull out the Sonnar 150mm and test that too, but I suspect it will be the same as with the 120mm. With a little practice, I could hit critical focus wide open with all three lenses pretty consistently using the split-image, so I'll leave that in the camera and go for a walk with the 80mm soon.


Lamp - 120mm
Hasselblad 500CM + CFVII 50c + Makro-Planar 120mm f/4
ISO 200 @ f/4 @ EV 6




Lamp - 80mm
Hasselblad 500CM + CFVII 50c + Planar 80mm f/2.8
ISO 200 @ f/2.8 @ EV 6

Swapping to the magnifying chimney hood makes critical focus a snap with either screen and all three lenses. Putting the camera on a tripod with close-range subject also makes critical focus much more consistent and reliable with all three lenses... :)

I played with the self timer on the 80mm lens to nab a photo of myself as part of my focusing test. I used the bicycle seat to get an accurate focusing target, then released the shutter with self-timer, and positioned myself in the frame. This was the first time I'd ever used the mechanical self timer on the Hasselblad 500CM! LOL! I learned that I had to use a locking cable release to hold the body shutter open until the lens shutter completed its cycle, and then release the lock for the body shutter to close and the digital back to complete the capture. It took a few tries to get a sharp picture, mostly because I found it hard to stand still for the required half-second exposure at ISO 200. I upped the ISO to 1600 and obtained a satisfactory result...


Self-Portrait - 80mm + self timer
Hasselblad 500CM + CFVII 50c + Planar 80mm f/2.8
ISO 1600 @ f/2.8 @ EV 9

Fun stuff! I learned a lot that will be useful to using the 500CM with the CFVII 50c. It really is easy to use this setup, and a lot easier to nab a sharp capture if you stop down two stops too! :D

enjoy,
G
Thanks for the posts on your experiences. Still on the fence about the 907x until I see more about how the back works with 500 film bodies. So, your posts are very helpful. I had put in a request for a demo prior to the pandemic, but...
 

Godfrey

Well-known member
Thanks for the posts on your experiences. Still on the fence about the 907x until I see more about how the back works with 500 film bodies. So, your posts are very helpful. I had put in a request for a demo prior to the pandemic, but...
You're welcome! The CFVII 50c works beautifully with the 500CM body. In the simplest methodology, you just throw the back onto the camera and it recognizes the camera immediately. You then go about shooting as you normally would, minding the format reduction (about the same format as a SuperSlide if you go to a square). I find that if I want the native FoV of 80mm on film, switching to the 50mm nets about the same thing on the digital back. The diagonal split-image focusing screen gives the best results for me with the 50 and 80, a plain matte-fresnel screen gives better results with the 120 and 150 mm lenses.

For the best critical focusing, you set the back to use electronic shutter. Then open the lens and shutter by setting B and releasing the shutter, flipping the locking lever to hold it open. Now press the Live View button on the LCD and you can see exactly what you're going to capture on the LCD. Double tap it for focus assist magnification and critical focus. In eshutter operation, you make your exposures by pressing a button on the lcd or using the back's remote release.

IME, it works very well for most of what I'd shoot with a Hasselblad ... The exposure readings I made with ISO @ aperture @ shutter or ISO @ EV using my Sekonic L358 in incident mode were right on the money, or at least well within the normal range of variability that I expect when using an incident reading to determine proper exposure (most of which have to do with metering technique, nothing about the meter itself or the camera!).

I'm very happy that I went the distance to buy the 907x Special Edition and feel incredibly lucky to have it early in the game, during this plague crisis. There's plenty to learn and practice with it and with the back used on my 500CM while I plan more extensive photo outings. I do want an XCD 45mm lens for it as well as the 21mm, when the time comes and Hasselblad is shipping them again. :)

G
 

darr

Well-known member
For the best critical focusing, you set the back to use electronic shutter. Then open the lens and shutter by setting B and releasing the shutter, flipping the locking lever to hold it open. Now press the Live View button on the LCD and you can see exactly what you're going to capture on the LCD. Double tap it for focus assist magnification and critical focus. In eshutter operation, you make your exposures by pressing a button on the lcd or using the back's remote release.
Unless your 500 series body is of the newest generation, the 501cm and/or 503cw where Hasselblad removed the locking level at the shutter button. If so, you must use a locking shutter release cable to keep the lens/shutter open. I do this on my 501cm to focus via Live View. This is why I need to use a tripod to focus, but you can get use to it quickly if you shoot your Hasselblad often.

Thank you Godfrey for sharing your experiences and wonderful images with us Hasselblad users.

Kind regards,
Darr
 
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