Forum Replies Created
Thanks Pete.
The Hasselblad H lenses get along with the S2's sensor quite nicely.
The HC50/3.5-II, 100/2.2, and 150/3.2N are a particularly nice set of lenses to use with the Leica … dual shutter capable, good handling size for the S2, and all use the same 77mm filter size.
-Marc
I currently have the S35, 70, 120, 180. I plan on adding the new 120/TS, the Elpro for the 180, and am debating on the S24mm which I have been waiting for in lieu of the S30mm.
In addition, I have a full compliment of H/C lenses I use on an H4D/60, and also use on the S2 with the H to S Adapter: HCD/28, HC/50-II, 80, 100/2.2, 150N, 210.
To complicate matters, Hasselblad has just announced their own HCD/24mm, which unlike the Leica S24 can be used in both CS and FP mode on the S2 providing sync speeds to 1/750 or 1/800 on the new S.
I rarely carry all these lenses to a shoot, on vacation, or when walking about. If I am working from a vehicle, I may take a lot of selections, then pick a few to tote in a Think-Tank lens changer bag.
By simply thinking ahead a bit, I can trim the bag to essentials. Totally depends on the creative objectives.
Without a doubt, the most useful “street” lenses in my arsenal are the Hasselblad 50-II which is similar to a 35mm FOV from a 35mm camera … and the S70mm.
Most used lenses for shooting a wedding are: S35mm for group shots without distorting people at the edges of the frame to badly … 30mm and 24mm are too wide. I also use the S 70 quite a bit … but without a doubt the most used now is the HC/100/2.2 which allows me to shoot with fill lighting at 1/500th or 1/750th shutter to better control brighter background and back-lighting situations, resulting in a very nice balanced lighting without blown highlights frequently experienced with available light back-lit subjects.
An example of the HC100/2.2 can be seen here:
http://www.reddotforum.com/showthread.php/804-Images-using-S-and-H-lenses-on-the-S2.?p=3354#post3354
-Marc
Yes, I use it with a number if HC/HCD lenses.
When used in the leaf-shutter mode, I've noted a strange metallic clicking from the Hasselblad lens. Presumably the leaf shutter since the noise is absent when using the lenses in FP mode … but it is louder than when the lens is used on H camera. I sent for a second adapter and it does the same thing. This is with all H lenses.
I will speak to Leica about this because it doesn't sound right and I do not want to do damage to the H lenses long term.
However it works. In leaf shutter mode, I've done a lot of strobe work using 1/500 and 1/750th shutter sync.
-Marc
That was before the new Profoto gear was announced.
-Marc
Hard to say David, they are so cryptic.
I think the majority of news will revolve around the use of CMOS sensors in flagship cameras. They haven't been coy about that. How they handle CMOS will be a critical aspect for M and S users.
The discounts for M9 cameras seem to be a clear signal that the M10 will be announced … Hasselblad did the same, then just announced the H5.
Whether there are other products to announce is a question of less importance to me personally … but a FF small EVF camera would be a good idea given that Sony and others are accelerating toward FF NEX type cameras.
The M 28/1.4 is heavily rumored, so I think that is a possibility with at least a protoype at Photokina. Maybe the S24mm?
For me, the most important announcement (or lack of announcement) will be the rumored S3. While I am fully prepared for the M10, the expense of a new S3 body is far more iffy … it will come down to either upgrading my H4 to the H5, or getting a S3 … not both.
Hasselblad did an evolutionary upgrade of many highly used technical aspects, and gave the camera a facelift. The S2 would have to be substantially upgraded to warrant a S3, and Leica has no body for body upgrade path like Hasselblad does, which makes it a bit more difficult. A CMOS based S3 with a very good ISO 3200 and decent 6400, live view and some form of multi-point AF with improved speed/accuracy would warrant the upgrade because I could off-load most 35mm DSLR gear … and then I'd probably keep the S2 as back-up.
-Marc
I've had issues with the S2 tethered to my Mac Tower … LR simply wouldn't recognize the S2 was connected. Jumped through all kinds of hoops trying to fix it to no avail.
Finally solved it by creating a second account on the troubled computer and using that when shooting tethered with the S2. It should be noted that I did not have any of these issues when shooting tethered to my MacBook Pro.
In either case, the capture is slower than when shooting a H4D/60 tethered via Phocus. I may be wrong, but I attribute that to different transfer speeds … the S2 is USB-2 on my computer, and the H4D/60 is FW800. Even though the H4D/60 files are twice as big, they appear faster (which includes applying basic alterations like WB made to the first shot.
Is the S2 USB-3 compatible?
-Marc
Update,
Since actually getting the H to S adapter and using it with H lenses on a number of assignments as well as some personal work … I'm even more happy with the S2 as is.
However, that POV is tainted by being a H4D/60 user with a full compliment of H lenses. I have the 100mm portrait lens some wish for … and it is the fastest aperture lens I have for the S2. I have the 1:1 Macro with the HC120/4 … I have T/S ability with five H lenses from 28mm to 100mm @ 1.5X
The S2 is the right sized sensor and perfect amount of pixels to allow for more spontaneous hand-held photography … take the meg count up to 60 or more and that whole gestalt will be altered significantly.
What I want from Leica is continued support for the camera I already have … via firmware refinements .. and if the software keeps improving, that should help with the higher ISO performance.
-Marc
Correction …
I tried the HTS with 100/2.2 again and this time it didn't AF, so it is not a feature to count on.
However, it did provide focus confirmation this time, but again I don't think it is a reliable feature unless the light is bright enough or the movement on the HTS not too severe.
Guess I'll have to get a split microprism screen if I plan using the HTS on the S2 a lot.
-Marc
There seems to be a growing interest in a fully functional C645 to S adapter. This may be due to the aging Contax camera bodies and steadfast adherence to many of the Zeiss CZ optics that provide a wonderful character.
The ability to use the C645 lenses on a S2 would bring an all new ergonomic experience to the Contax owner, similar to use of Hasselblad 645 optics.
However, I would hazard a guess that Leica will not make such an adapter because the Contax is a totally discontinued system and doesn't represent an ongoing opportunity in the manner that the broadly used Hasselblad H system does, including pro rental availability. With a S2 and H to S adapter, I can secure H lenses in most any major location should I not want to carry all the S lenses, or should a S lens go down on me.
For the current Hasselblad user like me, the H to S adapter offers more added value because it fills in missing S focal lengths and unlike the C645 optics, all HC and HCD lenses can be used in both Leaf shutter mode to 1/750th and focal plane mode to 1/4000th which is not available on any H camera to date (Photokina may dramatically change that if rumors of a new Hasselblad camera prove to be true, which is highly likely).
Of course if demand for such an adapter is great enough with cash to back it up, such a third party adapter may be possible … if the math is right.
Interesting side note … the rear lens cap for the Hasselblad H is almost an exact fit for S lenses and I have to take care to not accidentally swap them out because it isn't quite exact and can get a bit locked on : -)
-Mar5c
WOW!
-Marc
Okay, had a few minutes to myself and tried the HT/S and 28 on the S2.
It works fine but does not retain AF … all it does is hunt. f/4 X 1.5X is probably the reason … to small of a maximum aperture … to dim especially with movements applied. Same for the 50/3.5 … although it would occasionally grab focus.
No matter, the good thing is that it does work, and the Profiles also work … especially important for the 28mm.
I didn't have access to any tall buildings to correct, but I don't use the HTS for that anyway … mostly use it for creatively controlling area of focus.
For example, table top DOF like the shots of lenses above, or like the WA shot below to throw part of the image OOF that otherwise would be difficult to achieve with the 28mm even if shot wide open.
Here is a sample of that, and a three part image showing field of view covered by the 28 alone on the S2, the S-35, and then the 28 on the HTS/1.5 … it is still pretty wide @ 40mm … but nothing like a 23mm on a view camera etc.
Marc
Modern sculpture. Well seen and shot!
-Marc
I have the 1.7X and wonder the same thing. However, it IS listed as incompatible in the instruction manual, so I would tread cautiously.
Frankly, I think it is Leica adhering to certain very high standards of image quality associated with the S2, and they may feel some combinations don't meet those standards.
My main use of the 1.7X has been on the 100/2.2, 150n/3.2 because they retain full AF speed. Oddly, so does the 210/4, but I've never tried it in lower light and would guess 210 + 1.7X AF would be hunting like crazy, and difficult to manually focus with such a dim max aperture.
The 1.7X disables AF on the HC 300/4.5 … which becomes an effective 510mm. I DO wonder if the AF is disabled on the HC 300 + 1.7X when mounted on the S2? It wasn't disabled on the HT/S, so it may work in really bright ambient.
My main use of the HT/S has been to overcome the narrower DOF of MFD when shooting table top, and occasionally to control areas of focus placement for portraits.
It'll be interesting to see if HT/S retention of AF on the S2 will be an aid when shooting portraits. It is a bear to do it manually with the H4D and often hit or miss … but I have to admit that my eyes have become rather poor for manually focussing anything lately.
More to come my friends, this is an exciting discovery so far.
-Marc
Hi David.
I can't figure out why, but probably it is the corrections issues.
I will try the 28 and 50 this weekend if I get a minute. I'll also experiment with using the Hasselblad canned corrections in LR to see what happens.
At any rate, this solves my product photography DOF issues with the S2.
-Marc
I think the lens you may be looking for is the Zeiss CFE 40/4 IF.
It is the last optical/mechanical update of the Zeiss 40mm lens for the Hasselblad V mount cameras, and is much improved over the previous CFi 40/4 FLE. There was also a CF 40/4.
I've owned all three lenses, and last used them on a H3D and H3D-II Hasselblad digital cameras via a CF Adapter … the only Zeiss 40mm that was truly up to more demanding digital capture was the IF version, the others were soft in the corners ….including on a H3D-II/31 with a sensor similar in size to the S2s.
In each case the “F” designation in the name (CF, CFi, CFE,) indicates Focal Plane use, and is a setting that disengages the built-in leaf shutter so the lenses could also be used on the Hasselblad V mount Focal Plane cameras such as the 203FE
To get an idea of how the f/4 maximum aperture will look through the S2 viewfinder for manual focusing, just set your S-70mm to f/4, and use the stop down button to preview. Keep in mind that wider angle lenses are harder to focus accurately than the 70mm.
Any of the CF, CFi or CFE Zeiss lenses have to be stop down metered and shot because there is no communication connection between the camera and lens … the V to S mount adapter is the “dumb” kind.
Personally, I'd just get a S-35mm which is a faster maximum aperture, is optimized for use on the S2, and is auto-focus.
-Marc
