Hblad questions

[puketronic]

I'm fancying a medium format SLR but I have some questions. I'm mostly leaning towards hasselblad 500cm:

-Mechanical Shutter
-Easy to find/repair bodies and lenses
-Hold it's value because it is digital-forward
-Small-ish.

Oh and I plan on using a tripod so mirror shake isn't that much of a concern. I have flex's for walk-around handheld use but sometimes I want something a little shorter or a little longer. I just plan on getting a 120mm for now and then maybe I would add a 60mm/80mm or 150mm/180mm in the future. 60mm is the shortest I'd go and 180mm is the longest I'd go.

1. I like Square but sometimes I like rectangle; however I do not like cropping because I print full-frame. There is a 645 back, I see some on keh.com for reasonable prices.
-Can these rotate? I assume not.
-Is there a mask for the viewfinder? Or do you just visualize the 645?
645 isn't that big of a deal but it would add to the versatility. If I like 645 so much then I'd just get a 645 camera.

2. I like waist-level but sometimes, mostly for longer lenses, I prefer to eye-level. A prism would be a natural choice but it would probably add bulk/ more things to carry, be more difficult to focus, and compromise viewfinder coverage. I have two choices: rotate the camera and compose upside down or get a prism. I guess it also depends on how "fast" you need to work but..
-What is the coverage for the 90 degree prism?
-I do not plan on getting the acute-matte screen, in the beginning, but would the prism make things difficult to focus for 120mm-180mm lenses?
-Anyone prefer the waist for eye-level viewing when on a tripod? Just wondering. I feel that viewing things upside down aids in composition.

3. Is there a difference between WLF? I see that there are "late" ones on keh.com which go more than the non-late ones.

[film_man]

1. The 645 does not rotate however there was a 645 vertical back which however only gave you 12 shots, so it was pretty rubbish. There is a 645 mask for the finder but it is very tricky to find one. I though often of getting a 645 back for my blad but in the end I just crop, yes it wastes film but I still have the option of 6x6.

2. By coverage what do you mean? I have a PM90 and you see the full frame. I use it with an acute matte D and it is nice and bright, I prefer it to the WLF. I do like the WLF on the tripod but once you start getting into acute angles it is inconvenient.

Also, if you plan on using long lenses the 500CM mirror cannot show the whole frame. I don't have personal experience as both my bodies had the GMS but others can chip in and say how much this is an issue or not.

[desertratt]

In my humbug opinion you should buy a Hassie and stop worrying about the "perfect" camera. A camera is a tool. Would you get your undies in an twist about having the "perfect" monkey wrench? Or would you buy every monkey wrench made? When I photographed Elvis and the Beatles, Cary Grant and Lucille Ball did I have the "perfect" camera? I have one shot of the Beatles taken with a Nikon F and a cheap preset Spiratone 105mm f2.8 lens but it is good enough to be hanging in art museums, blown up big. it's the 'eye" that counts, not the box.

[vpwphoto]

I also agree that "cropping" is not a sin. I like my black boarders for some work, but it's not some weird taboo to crop things to a rectangle,
No the back doesn't rotate, so you will be stuck horizontal unless you get a 90' prism... 45' prism and WL finder are no fun to use in "vertical" arrangement.

[clearwater]

1. I like Square but sometimes I like rectangle;

Buying a Hasselblad to shoot non-square images makes about as much sense as buying a Porsche 911 with an automatic transmission.

If you want rectangular, just buy a Mamiya.

[cowanw]

the waist level image is not upside down, just left to right reversed.

[cjbecker]

Buying a Hasselblad to shoot non-square images makes about as much sense as buying a Porsche 911 with an automatic transmission.

If you want rectangular, just buy a Mamiya.

funny, but Lots of pros I talked to used hasselblad because they worked and because they did not have to turn the camera. The Lenses were good enough to soon wide and crop later.

All of my personal work is square but most of my paid work is shot like that. Most people don't want square images, so i shoot to crop.

[cliveh]

A Hasselblad is a systems camera, which allows versatility, by a variety of interchangable backs and lenses, If this is what you want, then a Hassey is the camera for you.

[RalphLambrecht]

the mirror issue is minor IMO.it never bothered me and i have used 150,180 and 250mm lenses on my 501c.

[RalphLambrecht]

i agree,hasselblad rocks. it just works and mostlenses arevery good to excellent. icrop without hesitation to improve composition in the darkroom. good lenses let you do that