{"id":1329,"date":"2017-05-26T12:37:26","date_gmt":"2017-05-26T10:37:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/?page_id=1329"},"modified":"2019-07-31T16:13:46","modified_gmt":"2019-07-31T14:13:46","slug":"phase-one-backs-hasselblad","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/phase-one-backs-hasselblad\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00adInsights on Phase One IQ Backs with Hasselblad V Cameras"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>After working with Hasselblad V cameras and Digital Backs (specifically Leaf Aptus 12R+ Phase One IQ180) for over five years, I am sharing some of my insights regarding this equipment combination and my experience using it, as there is hardly any content to be found on-line on that matter. This does not suggest to be an in-depth professional review, but merely a way of paying back the online community for the great wealth and knowledge instantly available almost always, from everywhere.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1399\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1399\" class=\"wp-image-1399 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSF4925s-300x203.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"203\" srcset=\"https:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSF4925s-300x203.jpg 300w, https:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSF4925s-150x101.jpg 150w, https:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSF4925s-768x519.jpg 768w, https:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSF4925s-624x422.jpg 624w, https:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSF4925s.jpg 954w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-1399\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Hasselblad 501cm with CF180 f4 and Hartblei viewer<\/p><\/div>\n<p>As a full time <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yaalherman.com\/commercial\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">commercial photographer<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yaalherman.com\/fine-art-photography\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">gallery<\/a> owner I find the Hasselblad V to be a very good solution for the following reasons:<br \/>\n1. Although a decent digital back is very expensive, the cameras, lenses and accessories available used are inexpensive when compared to new medium format gear.<br \/>\n2. Hasselblad offers a comprehensive system with many lenses and accessories, especially if using the Hasselblad Flexbody, which is a great compact technical camera that feels as if it was designed for working with digital backs and can generate results comparable to an 8X10 film resolution.<br \/>\n3. You can carry the same gear for both digital and film captures, SLR or technical camera or even use film as a back-up option.<\/p>\n<p>Despite all the above, I must say that Nikon D810 is the best camera I have ever owned, and for 80% of my commercial work I use Nikon equipment with prime AF-s \/ Ai-s lenses.\u00a0 How come?<br \/>\nmost of my clients are price oriented and the Nikon is faster to work with and the use of faster lenses enables carrying flashes instead of strobes (which also saves the need for an assistant).<br \/>\nFor most jobs clients do not need the 80Mp resolution and do not appreciate the difference\u00a0or the effort to attain this difference. The high resolution is very useful however when working on a reproduction\/product set as you can capture a wider frame and crop in post \u2013 saving focusing and recomposing time which can be significant when working with <a href=\"http:\/\/www.yaalherman.com\/commercial\/product-photography\/\">reflective subjects<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><b>On My Experience with Focal Plane Shutter Hasselblad V&#8217;s<\/b><br \/>\nI have used Hasselblad 203FE for some time and found the camera unreliable. Hasselblad was originally designed as a mechanical tool and IMO this is where it excels. I have shed tears over shots lost due to battery-camera malfunction. As a result, I gave up the fast no shutter lenses (e.g. the fantastic planar 110 f2) and got a \u201cV\u201d. In any case, working with digital backs and technical cameras demand leaf shutter lenses.<\/p>\n<p><b>Digital Back on Hasselblad 500c\/m 501c\/m<\/b><br \/>\nWorks superbly, with a few comments:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The back does not have a safety catch when mounted vertically (scary when working with such an expensive device).<\/li>\n<li>In order to use live view, one has to place the lens and camera on \u201cb\u201d &#8211; to leave the shutter and mirror open. Please also see \u2018focusing\u2019 section below.<\/li>\n<li>The sync cable can be annoying when the camera is used handheld<\/li>\n<li>If the body&#8217;s mirror is not perfectly aligned at 45 degrees (which in my experience is a common issue with Hassy&#8217;s due to drying glue in the back of the reflex mirror), it may result in a<strong>\u00a0significant<\/strong> focusing shift, especially with wider (40-80mm) lenses and high resolution digital backs. <strong>Therefore it is highly recommended to use one of the later models (501cm\/503cw)<\/strong> which incorporate a gliding mirror (better mechanics) and have your mirror alignment checked.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"attachment_1398\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1398\" class=\"wp-image-1398 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSF4955-1s-300x192.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"192\" srcset=\"https:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSF4955-1s-300x192.jpg 300w, https:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSF4955-1s-150x96.jpg 150w, https:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSF4955-1s-768x491.jpg 768w, https:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSF4955-1s-1024x655.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSF4955-1s-624x399.jpg 624w, https:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/DSF4955-1s.jpg 1061w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-1398\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Flexbody w Phase One IQ180 &amp; Zeiss CF180mm Lens<\/p><\/div>\n<p><b>Hasselblad Flexbody<\/b><br \/>\nHasselblad Flexbody is no less than a magic tool for commercial\/technical photographers. It is a small durable technical camera that is well integrated with a comprehensive system and expands its scope with very effective shift\/tilt\/macro capabilities. The same lenses, viewers, triggers, hoods, filters, backs and cables will work on both a manual focusing SLR and a view camera (and will easily fit together in a camera bag).<br \/>\nThe Hasselblad Flexbody is lightweight and can also serve as a backup camera, if your style of work permits that. When using a Flexbody with a film back, one has to wind both the camera shutter and the film separately. Using the DB, only cocking the shutter is necessary \u2013 the cocking mechanism does take a long hard curve which takes getting used to (see the video below).<br \/>\nOlder digital backs that use CCD technology (such as the Phase One IQ180), have slow and unpleasant live-viewing experience, therefore, I normally focus using a screen + magnifier and only then place the back for capture (as with an analogue film back). For critical\/open aperture work use live-view to check the focus. When working tethered, I found Capture One viewing tools to be very well designed.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Shift Range<\/strong><br \/>\nFrom my experience, CF lenses&#8217; image circle is greater than what is posted on various technical websites and datasheets &#8211; when used with a DB, as the 40X55mm frame has some room for shift within the original 56X56mm square and Photoshop can easily correct mildly darker corners. However, only rarely do I use more than moderate tilt\/shift functionality.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Latency<\/strong><br \/>\nIt should be noted that when working with a Flexbody\/technical camera and a DB, the back\u2019s latency should be set to zero, meaning that without a wake-up trigger the back is constantly ready for capture \u2013 causing the back warm up and the battery to drain much faster than on normal latency mode (as it is normally used with 500 series SLR bodies).<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Using Hasselblad V Flexbody and PhaseOne IQ Digital Back - Link to more below\" width=\"625\" height=\"352\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/v5xITsbUsw8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><b>CF lenses<\/b><br \/>\nThe lenses I have used during the years with this combination were all from the Zeiss CF version, including: 40mm, 50mm, 80mm, 120mm Macro, 150mm, 180mm, 250mm as well as the X1.4 Zeiss converter and the Vivitar X2 teleconverter.\u00a0 All lenses (except the 40mm) use the same ProShade hood and B60 filters (or 67mm filters with 67-B60 adapter). I find all these lenses to have similar characters:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>All are solid made\u00a0and very inexpensive compared to new MF lenses.<\/li>\n<li>All have a touch of warm tonality.<\/li>\n<li>All have 5 leaf apertures which do not yield the finest bokeh, but only becomes apparent when the background is very contrasty or specular, IMO.<\/li>\n<li>Lenses are very sharp right from wide open, but reach the best definition one or two stops down.<\/li>\n<li>250mm is very sharp wide open but starts diffracting as low as f16! (aperture closes down to f45).<\/li>\n<li>Minimal chromatic aberration is visible in iages from all lenses i have tested but can be easily fixed with C1\/Photoshop.<\/li>\n<li>120 mm is the sharpest lens in the series and is IMO the ultimate FL for reproductions and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.yaalherman.com\/commercial\/product-photography\/\">product photography<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>As with Nikon lenses, I find new digital optics to be superior to the older analogue ones. The T* coating is inferior to the newer nano-coating, but the sharp-&#8216;sterile&#8217; feel of the digital lenses may be lacking the groove, warmth, reliability and character of the older optics.<\/li>\n<li>When maximal sharpness is desired, I find the default C1 sharpening of 1px at 160% to hit the sweet spot for these lenses.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Lack of Ultra Wide V Lenses<\/strong><br \/>\nThe Hasselblad V system lacks an ultrawide lens. 38-40mm (24-25mm in 35mm terms) is as wide as it gets. \u00a0If you want to go wider without stitching you will need to either choose a different system or use your DB also on a Alpa\/Cambo\/Silvestri\/Fotoman\/Horseman\/home made camera with a digital LF lens.<br \/>\nI tried a Horseman SW-D with a Rodenstock 35mm f4.5 Apo-Sironar Digital lens, but found that despite it&#8217;s large image circle, it suffers from significant color shift at the corners and does not match my IQ180 back. Not to mention movements.<br \/>\nThe 40mm f4 Zeiss is not as wide as i would have wanted for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yaalherman.com\/commercial\/architecture\/\">interior photography<\/a> purposes, but allows <strong>significant<\/strong> movements with good sharpness and usability. It does have a hard-to-fix distortion, and the CaptureOne lens calibration profile\u00a0 .<br \/>\nUsing a Flexbody and 40mm for horizontally stitching shifted images (a stitching method that maintains straight lines) will deliver about 20mm of horizontal angle in 35mm terms with decent results. Using a Flexbody and 50mm in that manner will deliver about 22mm of horizontal angle in 35mm terms.<\/p>\n<p><b>Focusing<\/b><br \/>\nIf you got so far reading this, you probably know that unlike Hasselblad-Zeiss F lenses, the CF lenses include a shutter inside the lens barrel &#8211; which mechanically limits the maximum aperture (in most lenses to f4) and the number of aperture blades to 5 (!).<br \/>\nF4 lenses are far inferior to f2 when it comes to precision focusing. This is especially relevant with the ultra flat surface of a CCD (in comparison to the unevenness of the film) and the CCD\u2019s resolution surpassing the lenses\u2019 resolving power. When combining different moving pieces that originate in different technological eras you have a lot of room to question your focusing.<br \/>\nI am not new to manual focusing, yet for critical work, I often check the DB screen (or laptop when tethered) using liveview or 100% magnification (another less favorable option is the back&#8217;s focus check feature).\u00a0 A decent screen and a chimney style finder would make your focusing easier, as the acute Matt D screen are significantly brighter and chimney viewer (as well as the original waist level finder) present a <strong>much larger<\/strong>\u00a0image than 45 deg prisms &#8211; and i have tried a few models.<\/p>\n<p><b>IQ180<\/b><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-1339 size-medium\" src=\"http:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/shelf-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/shelf-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/shelf-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/shelf.jpg 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>I do not want to delve deep here, but only to say that it works great except that sometimes I get an image with some version of this (see photo):<br \/>\nThis behavior is more common when using the Flexbody, which requires zero latency mode setting- causing the back to warm up faster, especially when combined with slower shutter speeds.\u00a0 Phase One says it is a lens shutter sync issue, but I do not think so, as it appeared with all lenses and always resolved when the back was restarted.<\/p>\n<p>Interface and connectivity are no less than fantastic (especially when compared to previous generation Leaf Aptus II). Moreover, the later models even include wireless connectivity.<br \/>\nColor balance is almost only done with a gray card and color checker icc profiling &#8211; this is simply how you work with these devices.<br \/>\nColor rendering is very accurate, but I wish C1 would automatically integrate with x-rite color checker or another alternative, as Lightroom does. I only use ISO 35-50-100, as ISO200 already presents a significant drop in grain, as this 1:1 crops present:<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-1396 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/CF007805ms-1.jpg\" alt=\"phase one iq180 on hasselblad flexbody\" width=\"618\" height=\"464\" srcset=\"https:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/CF007805ms-1.jpg 618w, https:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/CF007805ms-1-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/CF007805ms-1-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 618px) 100vw, 618px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Images below are 1:1 (each pixel on the ccd is represented by a pixel onscreen \u2013 assuming that your browser\/screen are at 100%).<br \/>\nShot with Hasselblad Flexbody and Zeiss 120mm f4 Makro at f5.6.\u00a0 Shutter speeds compensates for the change in ISO.\u00a0 ISO35 was slightly adjusted for brightness by software, as it is not a full stop from ISO50.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1307\" src=\"http:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/iso-samples-iso1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"618\" height=\"1593\" srcset=\"https:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/iso-samples-iso1.jpg 618w, https:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/iso-samples-iso1-58x150.jpg 58w, https:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/iso-samples-iso1-116x300.jpg 116w, https:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/iso-samples-iso1-397x1024.jpg 397w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 618px) 100vw, 618px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Bottom line: great results up to ISO200, but I almost always use it in the 50-100 range.<\/p>\n<p>below are &#8216;Sensor+&#8217; samples (smaller since half the resolution and keeping the 1:1 ratio):<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1308\" src=\"http:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/iso-samples-s.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"618\" height=\"454\" srcset=\"https:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/iso-samples-s.jpg 618w, https:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/iso-samples-s-150x110.jpg 150w, https:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/iso-samples-s-300x220.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 618px) 100vw, 618px\" \/><br \/>\nMy Opinion: Sensor+ is an elegant solution, but not for my type of work.\u00a0 When tried for cityscape work, I have experienced intense moire.<\/p>\n<p><b>General Conclusion<\/b><br \/>\nIf your main objective\u00a0is \u00a0fast and intense commercial work, you would better go with a newer MF camera or high end full frame set. If you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yaalherman.com\/commercial\/architecture\/\">photograph architecture\/interiors<\/a> &#8211; the lack of an ultra wide lens rules this system out. \u00a0If you work at a slower pace (product\/fine-art\/landscape) or use both film and digital, then Hasselblad V + DB is a pleasure and a great system to produce gorgeous images for exceptional scale.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Disclaimer:<\/strong>\u00a0This post is meant to share my experience as a camera user. The author is not responsible for any damage which may occur by following the advice or recommendations posted here.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>After working with Hasselblad V cameras and Digital Backs (specifically Leaf Aptus 12R+ Phase One IQ180) for over five years, I am sharing some of my insights regarding this equipment combination and my experience using it, as there is hardly any content to be found on-line on that matter. This does not suggest to be [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1329","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1329","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1329"}],"version-history":[{"count":60,"href":"https:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1329\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1524,"href":"https:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1329\/revisions\/1524"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/panorama.yaalherman.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1329"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}