Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2015/01/06

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Subject: [Leica] Zeiss Optics was Re: The myths of crop factor
From: richard at richardmanphoto.com (Richard Man)
Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2015 01:26:39 -0800

Changing the subject line so we don't invite the wrath of Ted :-)

Mark,
Those digital MFDB shooters are SUPER picky. They talk about how that $6000
Rodenstock "Rody" is not quite as good as that $7000 Schneider or vice
verse. Of course they are talking about 80 megapixel back!!! As I haven't
shot MFDB extensively, I am a bit surprised that apparently there are a lot
of 23mm-38mm users on that format, which is 1.1x to 1.3x of 645, and they
stitch and focus stack etc.Their consensus seems to be that the Hassy Zeiss
optics are great for film, and even for data back of may be up to 30-40
megapixels, but beyond that, you need "digital" designed lens.

It is properly a massive case of sour grape in my part, as even if I have
the money, I can't see spending $20K just for a back, but in any case, all
these talk about lugging a laptop with extra chargers and doing live view
to focus or use focus stacking etc. does not seem like a big win comparing
to lugging a 4x5 with 3 lens, a meter, a loupe, a dark cloth and 12
holders. That's a 15 pounds pack, probably less if I choose different lens
or just take 6 holders.

On Mon, Jan 5, 2015 at 11:33 PM, Mark Rabiner <mark at rabinergroup.com> 
wrote:

> Richard I think terms like "fingerprint" and "Character" in lenses is
> reserved for the revealed faults of lenses of simple coatings or no
> coatings
> from decades gone by like the 1960s and before.
> I can see that modern made of digital optics with smaller image circles and
> costing many thousands of dollars might out spec made for Hassy Zeiss made
> in the 1990's. But that doesn't reduce them to relics. The specs on these
> Zeiss optics are still super high way higher than what we normally see in
> all but modern cutting edge Leica M optics.
> I sure hope its ok for us to be talking about this!
>
>
> On 1/6/15 1:20 AM, "Richard Man" <richard at richardmanphoto.com> wrote:
>
> > That's the one I mentioned. It lists at $15K but people have gotten it as
> > low as $12K-$13K through grey market.
> >
> > It's the same Sony CMOS sensor used in all the latest MF cameras and
> backs,
> > Leica excepted. So it goes to the inexpensive Pentax 645Z for $8000 up to
> > the $$$ Phase One at $30000+ (is that enough zeroes?) So the Hassy price
> is
> > not too bad in that sense.
> >
> > Supposedly the latest Schneider and Rodenstock lens are way better than
> old
> > non-digital lens, but I suspect the old classic Hasselblad Zeiss lens can
> > make it up with their "characters."
> >
> >
> > On Mon, Jan 5, 2015 at 10:09 PM, Mark Rabiner <mark at rabinergroup.com>
> wrote:
> >
> >> Someone I think Hasselblad/Fuji is marketing a not super high priced new
> >> CMOS back which works with classic Hassy 500c bodies or an ELM such as I
> >> have. Its enough to make me try to get a job in the post office.
> >>
> >>
> >> A CMOS back makes your Hassy not just a studio and tripod camera but a
> >> digital version of the Hassy film camera like a 35mm DSLR Is to an SLR.
> In
> >> other words you can use it on the street or indoors or at dusk hand
> held.
> >> A medium format camera whose iso tops off at 200 would be a lot more
> >> constricting and limiting than you'd think. There's also a limit on
> longer
> >> exposures I think. Personally I'm ok with tripod use but it would be
> nice
> >> to
> >> do with my Hassys what I used to do with them and and what I do now with
> >> 35mm format DSLR's. Almost.
> >> I used a lot of 220 iso 800 film in my Hassy's. Color neg.
>
-- 
// richard <http://www.richardmanphoto.com>
// http://facebook.com/richardmanphoto
// https://www.facebook.com/Transformations.CosplayPortraits


Replies: Reply from mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner) ([Leica] Zeiss Optics was Re: The myths of crop factor)